Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History

Written by Peter Houlahan

Narrated by Joe Barrett

In the spirit of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Onion Field, Norco '80 is a gripping true crime account of one of the most violent bank heists in U.S. history.



Norco '80 tells the story of how five heavily armed young men—led by an apocalyptic born-again Christian—attempted a bank robbery that turned into one of the most violent criminal events in U.S. history, forever changing the face of American law enforcement. Part action thriller and part courtroom drama, Norco '80 transports the listener back to the Southern California of the 1970s, an era of predatory evangelical gurus, doomsday predictions, megachurches, and soaring crime rates, with the threat of nuclear obliteration looming over it all.



A group of landscapers transforms into a murderous gang of bank robbers armed to the teeth with military-grade weapons. Their desperate getaway turned the surrounding towns into war zones. When it was over, three were dead and close to twenty wounded; a police helicopter was forced down from the sky, and thirty-two police vehicles were destroyed by thousands of rounds of ammo. The resulting trial shook the community to the core, raising many issues that continue to face society today: from the epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder within law enforcement to religious extremism and the militarization of local police forces.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Highbridge Company
• Release date: Jun 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781684572519

Reviews for Norco '80

[MichaelRShannon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

B+ Not the best book to listen to as I imagine the hardcover had maps or diagrams to show the pursuit. Still, the account of the robbery was attention–grabbing. Even losers can be very dangerous. On second thought, probably more dangerous. The blow–by–blow in the trial got a bit tedious and it was annoying when the author seemed to believe & sympathize with characters who were incompetents and irresponsible. If you hold the defense bar in low esteem, this book will only further lower your opinion of those liars. The Norco three should have received the death penalty.

[Brenton Walberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You can tell this book took years to research and write. Very interesting and well written.

[jackrabbitjam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very well researched of not only the crime and the individuals involved in the crime, law enforcement and the trial, but of the events that took place in the era to make you further understand all the deficiencies that occurred. Very well written without a lot of unnecessary information to keep the story moving at a quick pace. While some of this did help to make changes in how law enforcement responded and treated their officers after traumatic events, it was just one of many that unfortunately had taken place. Choosing this one helped make it interesting to the reader while highlighting those problems.

[loraineo_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great book! A bank robbery in 1980 by 5 young men turns into a loss of many lives and much destruction. Lots of detail on each of the main characters.

[shannonrose4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

On May 9, 1980, what usually only happens in action-thriller movies came to life in Orange County, California. I don’t usually read true-crime, but Houlahan’s writing pulled me in. While reading this meticulous researched and documented account, I could almost smell the gun powder, hear the cacophony of gunfire making my ears ring and see the dust clear as the largest crime scene in American history came into view.
Documented here is how an attempted bank robbery and its subsequent trial would forever change a town, its people and law enforcement nation-wide. The crime and court case may have been an unbelievable catastrophe, but this book is pitch-perfect.

[mrmapcase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There is a lot to digest from this book, and I found it amazing that this is the author’s first book; he’s an EMT by trade. This is an amazingly detailed account, first of the bank robbery, to the 40 mile long chase, and finally the trial.

Free review copy

[toobusyreading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story of the spectacular and deadly 1980 bank robbery and subsequent chase is certainly interesting. And very detailed – perhaps a little too detailed for me. While the story was interesting, that didn't keep it from dragging in places.

I did like that background was given on quite a few of the people involved, which helps me understand actions and decisions better. In the epilogue, we're told what has happened to key players, and I appreciated the updates.

I didn't appreciate this observation: “One of the court watchers, almost all of them nosy old retirees, nodded in his direction and whispered something to the old crone beside her.” Excuse me, Mr. Houlahan? This particular nosy old crone doesn't really enjoy being stereotyped.

At first, I wondered about the lack of quotes in most of what people were saying. The parts were a bit of conjecture. Quotation marks were used when the actual conversations were known. There are no footnotes and no bibliography. However, there is a section on the author's research. The photos at the end of the Kindle version were poor quality but helpful. This was an eye-opening, if a bit too long, story for people interested in reading true crime stories.