Bank-robbing Bicycle Bandits

That the bandits in Wheels of Murder used bicycles to flee from an 1896 bank robbery makes this a true-crime book ripped from a News of the Weird headline. It spotlights a dime-novel-inspired small-town spree that spiraled out of control.

There was an inevitable sense of doom as the robbers, ages 18 and 20, pursued their outlaw fantasies. Their naivety seals their fate. The quirky story was one I couldn't resist.

The author, Jeffrey M. Sauve, does a nice job of creating a sense of time and place. The people, towns, and farms described have an authentic ring. The book works best when he sticks to just-the-facts history, but he tends to overwrite the characters and places, which slows the pace. Another sticking point is the dialogue. It's stilted and often melodramatic, too.

Kudos to Sauve for unearthing this true-crime nugget. When anyone asks me what I've been reading these days, I'll be happy to tell them about the bank-robbing bicycle bandits of Minnesota.

I received an advance reading copy from NetGalley.