Buffalo native reimagines infamous Buffalo bank heists in historical fiction noir

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May 27, 2022, 08:43 ET

Little-known story of FBI's "most cunning fugitive in the country" brought back to life by New York local author

PORTLAND, Ore., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindbuck Media Book Publicity shares imaginative new story by Buffalo author Stephen Eoannou:

Stephen G. Eoannou's new title Rook, and 1960s-era bank robber Al Nussbaum, on whom the book is based.

"On November 4, 2012, The Buffalo News ran the article 'The strange, true story of a Buffalo bank robber-turned crime novelist' by Charity Vogel. It was a Sunday and I read the article standing in my kitchen. By the time I was finished, I knew I wanted to write about Al. I thought he was a fascinating combination of contradictions. Plus, he was a Buffalo guy. Rook grew that day from an idea into a novella, and then from a novella into novella trilogy, and finally to a novel."

Al Nussbaum is a man that FBI director J. Edgar Hoover once called "the most cunning fugitive in the country." Rook is based on the true story of Nussbaum and his exploits, including when he fled New York with the FBI on his heels. Hiding the truth from his wife Lolly, and concocting a daring plan to steal enough money to be able to start over with his family, Rook is like a game of high-stakes chess, with tommy guns.

Eoannou is the author of the award-winning short story collection Muscle Cars and the winner of the Best Short Screenplay Award at the 36th Starz Denver Film Festival He lives and writes in Buffalo, New York. Rook, his first novel, is releasing with Unsolicited Press on June 28th. New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins calls Rook "a terrific Technicolor Noir that lives and breathes in the period [...] Clever, literate, and fun."

To set up an interview with the author or receive a pre-written review for circulation, please contact publicist Jessie Glenn at [email protected].

SOURCE MindBuck Media