On the Lam - by Lorna Poplak (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Fascinating stories of the age-old tug-of-war between prisons desperate to keep inmates inside and the escapees pursuing freedom.

A convict who returned to the prison he had recently escaped from to foment a mass breakout; a murderer on the run who veered from folk hero to persona non grata after killing a police dog; a fugitive from the United States who was recaptured in Canada after she was featured on America's Most Wanted -- these are just a few of the felons whose prison break adventures continue to enthrall and terrify.

Along with probing the origins, structure, and failings of a collection of historic and contemporary correctional institutions, On the Lam brings into sharp focus the attempts of masterminds, tricksters, villains, and innocents to claw their way to freedom -- sometimes successful, sometimes abortive, often deadly.

Review Quotes

On the Lam reads like a thriller. It's a fascinating exploration of prisoners fleeing Canada's most notorious and allegedly escape-proof penitentiaries. Lorna Poplak gives gripping accounts of prisoners' ingenuity from digging extensive tunnels; stealing identities and even helicopters; and exploiting blundering bureaucracy. But breaking out of jail means staying out. Poplak goes further and thoroughly entertains readers with the fugitives' wild adventures after they escaped.-- "M.H. Callway, author of Windigo Fire"

A compelling collection of stories of infamous and daring Canadian prison escapes by penal historian Lorna Poplak.-- "Peter Vronsky, author of American Serial Killers and Sons of Cain"

Blends true crime, history, and sharp storytelling to reveal not just how escapes happened -- but what they tell us about the people and the prisons left behind.-- "Catherine Fogarty, author of Murder on the Inside"

Smart, well-researched, and wildly readable. True crime at its absolute best.-- "Desmond Ryan, author of the Mike O'Shea crime series"

About the Author

Lorna Poplak is a writer, editor, and researcher with a fascination for the dark side of history. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime. She lives in Toronto.