Gangster Hunters - by John Oller (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In 1932, the FBI lacked jurisdiction over murder cases, bank robberies, and kidnappings. Relegated to the sidelines, agents spent their days at their desks. But all of that changed during the War on Crime. Hunting down infamous public enemies in tense, frequently blood-soaked shootouts, the Bureau was thrust onto the front pages for the first time. ... The G-men crisscrossed the United States in pursuit of John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Ma Barker's criminal family, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd. But the green FBI agents were always one step behind and a moment too late, the criminals evading elaborate stakeouts and dramatic ambushes. Facing mounting criticism, with bodies left in their wake, the agents had to learn to adapt. ... Oller transports readers right to the most harrowing and consequential raids of the 1930s, with fast-paced action that shows the lengths both sides would go to win"--

Book Synopsis

The enthralling, can't-put-down account of the birth of the modern FBI.

J. Edgar Hoover was the face of the FBI. But the federal agents in the field, relentlessly chasing the most notorious gangsters of the 1930s with their own lives on the line, truly transformed the Bureau.

In 1932, the FBI lacked jurisdiction over murder cases, bank robberies, and kidnappings. Relegated to the sidelines, agents spent their days at their desks. But all of that changed during the War on Crime. Hunting down infamous public enemies in tense, frequently blood-soaked shootouts, the Bureau was thrust onto the front pages for the first time.

Young agents, fresh out of law school and anticipating a quiet, white-collar job, faced off with murderous felons who were heavily armed, clad in bulletproof vests, and owned cars that outraced the best vehicles the Bureau had. But the federal men were fiercely devoted--to the Bureau, to each other, and to bringing America's most wanted criminals to justice.

The G-men crisscrossed the United States in pursuit of John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Ma Barker's criminal family, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd. But the green FBI agents were always one step behind and a moment too late, the criminals evading elaborate stakeouts and dramatic ambushes. Facing mounting criticism, with bodies left in their wake, the agents had to learn to adapt. After all, more than their reputations were at stake. Through incredible primary source research, John Oller transports readers right to the most harrowing and consequential raids of the 1930s, with fast-paced action that shows the lengths both sides would go to win.

Review Quotes

"Impressively researched and perceptive... a welcome reminder of the "unsung crime fighters" who, as Mr. Oller says, "created the modern FBI.""
--The Wall Street Journal

"Prose fast as an Essex-Terraplane getaway car."
--The Guardian

"Oller has produced another work of dramatic reality and reading that is far superior to Hollywood myth and popular misunderstanding. Gangster Hunters is a fast read with easy prose that keeps the reader hooked."
--New York Journal of Books

"Oller is especially good at re-enacting what it was like to stake out a high-profile criminal... [A] well-told history."
--The New York Sun

"Oller's legendary cast of good guys and bad guys make for a rip-roaring read. Vivid, commanding, and thoroughly researched."
--#1 New York Times bestselling author Martin Dugard, author of Taking London and Killing the Mob

"The War on Crime in the 1930s pitted a still-evolving FBI against criminals whose names still resonate--and, when it was over, the FBI prevailed. Gangster Hunters explains the how and why of it all, and in the process author John Oller proves that fact-based storytelling trumps far-fetched mythology every time. This is the real story--and it's an incredible one."
--Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author of Manson and Waco

"The roaring 1930s were the formative years and the glory days of the FBI, as the organization chased such marquee criminals as John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd. Bureau Director J. Edgar Hoover got the credit, but it was the anonymous G-Men pursuing bank robbers, kidnappers, and killers who did the hard and dangerous work. Now John Oller has brought those agents and their perilous exploits to life in a fascinating and meticulously researched history. Gangster Hunters is one blazing thrill ride after another."
--Doug J. Swanson, author of Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers

"The finest work I've read on the subject. Wonderfully written and researched."
--William J. Helmer, acclaimed 1930s crime historian and author of The Complete Public Enemy Almanac

"Did you think there were no more secrets that the history of the 1930s Public Enemies era hid from view? Think again--John Oller's Gangster Hunters reveals the unsung young law enforcement heroes who brought down the notorious Barker-Karpis Gang and other infamous scoundrels. A totally excellent story--Gangster Hunters is deeply researched and impeccably told."
--Paul Maccabee, author of John Dillinger Slept Here

"An entertaining read from start to finish, both for casual readers and fans of true crime."
--Cindy Matthews, Authorlink

"Full of exciting new primary research and dozens of never-before-seen photos."
--Thomas Hunt, The Writers of Wrongs

About the Author

John Oller is a retired Wall Street attorney and author of seven critically acclaimed books, including Rogues' Gallery and White Shoe. He lives on New York's Upper West Side.