A fascinating account of Canadian bankrobber, Georges Lemay, and the investigation that lead to his eventual arrest in 1965 using groundbreaking technology. It isn't all that often that a non-fiction book keeps me on the edge of my seat waiting to turn the page, but this is a very special case. It's way better than fiction!

The book delves into the race to launch the first twenty-four-hour commercial communications satellite and, in particular, how it was used to catch Lemay.

The book was very well-researched and I loved the non-stop action writing style. There were a lot of story-lines to follow as the author traced the paths of Lemay's wife and associates as well as competing scientists. The whole account felt like a tense race against the clock.

If you love history but wish it was told by a great storyteller, then this is the book for you!

🎧 NetGalley AUDIOBOOK ARC Review 🎧

Satellite Boy
By Andrew Amelinckx
Publish date: March 21
⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for an audiobook ARC of SATELLITE BOY in return for my honest review.

In this dual biography set in the 1960s, the lives of French Canadian bank robber Georges Lemay and American engineer Harold Rosen come crashing together.

If you’re interested in true crime, but without the gore and murder, than this audiobook may be just what you’re looking for!

The author clearly did his research. This is a deep dive that follows the experience of a bank robber after his Ocean’s 11 worthy bank heist - from life on the run in luxurious yachts to multiple prison breaks.

Even though the life of the brilliant engineer Harold Rosen wasn’t as much of a feature in this book, it was interesting to see how his groundbreaking satellite technology was perfectly timed to thawed the clever bank robber.

Personally, I wasn’t interested in the detailed chapters about satellite technology and I would have been way more interested in learning about other aspects of Lemay’s life. Ahem - his first wife’s mysterious death on their luxury vacation?! 😳

Even though this subject matter wasn’t for me, it’s a well written and thoroughly researched book that would be a great read for people interested in bank heists, 1960’s history, engineering, and the Space Race.


Read this if you like…
🏦 Bank heists
🛰️ Space technology
🕵️‍♂️ White-collar true crime
📚 Dual memoirs

When I'm rating a non-fiction book, my main criteria is whether or not the author did a good job of storytelling and not just spouting names and dates. Author Andrew Amelinckx does a great job of weaving together the stories of Canadian bank robber/master thief Georges Lemay and engineer Harold Rosen. For his part, Rosen was the lead developer of the world's first twenty-four hour commercial communications satellite. Meaning people around the world wouldn't have to wait and find out what was happening thousands of miles away from them, including sports, general news, and criminal activity. The world would be made much smaller with Rosen's work. Lemay had eluded Canadian authorities for years by hiding in plain sight, but that would come to an end when his picture was broadcast to people all over planet Earth.

I enjoyed how these two tales were put together in a very thoughtful manner. We got to see the scientific development of satellite communications. Plus, the intrigue of tracking down a master criminal. Police work would never be the same again.

Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting combination of whodunnit with science history. Probably won't be satisfying for fans of either genre but it was a fun take on the history of the 50s and 60s. This is a very classic documentary style - focused only on the main characters as it pertains to the history. "He got married while in school" is the closest the author gets to describing personal lives or internal motivations of anyone in the story. Probably the detective gets the most detail. Therefore, I found it hard to get invested in the happenings or outcome of each person in the story line. I also would have appreciated more connections between the storylines at some point. Instead of two disparate threads combining into a supportive braid, it's more like smoke trails in the sky that cross then deviate again.
Documentary and History Channel enthusiasts will likely enjoy the no-nonsense, facts only take. It will be even more enjoyable to those that were alive to remember some of the world changing events mentioned.
I listened to the audiobook. I didn't particularly enjoy the narrator. Nothing wrong with it just not an exceptional reader. Except for the part when he tries to do a woman's voice. No! Just No!
If science history is your thing and gentleman robbers are intriguing to you, I think you'll enjoy this read.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.