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Brooklyn Bankster
After ageing hippy Bill Hogan is taken hostage during a bank heist in Brooklyn, his captors demand a million-dollar ransom for his safe return. The problem is no-one knows who the hell Bill Hogan is. Does he even exist?
All is not what it seems in this fast-paced, short story.
All is not what it seems in this fast-paced, short story.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2019
About the author
Lance Morcan
38 books578 followersNew Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a prolific author with more than 30 published fiction and non-fiction books to his credit as well as several screenplay adaptations of his work. A former journalist and newspaper editor, he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James Morcan, and their books are published by Sterling Gate Books.
The father-and-son team's published books include the crime thriller Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit and Into the Americas.
They also have several series on the market including:
The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series.
The globetrotting action-romance series The World Duology.
And the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series.
An additional non-fiction title, Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide.
The Morcans’ production entity Morcan Motion Pictures has a number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit. It is also developing Underground Knowledge into a TV series.
Lance is currently editing his solo-written, historical adventure, New Zealand: A Novel, an epic spanning 500 years of South Pacific and Polynesian history. Including research, writing and life's distractions, this novel has been two decades in the making.
The Morcans' books have been translated into eight languages (Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, French, Afrikaans, German).
The father-and-son team's published books include the crime thriller Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) and the bestselling historical adventures White Spirit and Into the Americas.
They also have several series on the market including:
The Orphan Trilogy, an international thriller series.
The globetrotting action-romance series The World Duology.
And the controversial non-fiction franchise The Underground Knowledge Series.
An additional non-fiction title, Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories, was written in collaboration with Holocaust survivors to document the genocide.
The Morcans’ production entity Morcan Motion Pictures has a number of feature films in early development, including adaptations of Silent Fear, Into the Americas and White Spirit. It is also developing Underground Knowledge into a TV series.
Lance is currently editing his solo-written, historical adventure, New Zealand: A Novel, an epic spanning 500 years of South Pacific and Polynesian history. Including research, writing and life's distractions, this novel has been two decades in the making.
The Morcans' books have been translated into eight languages (Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, French, Afrikaans, German).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 16, 2019
Brooklyn Bankster is a novella by Lance Morcan. This interesting novella is about the perfect bank heist. One afternoon during a very busy day, the Trustpower Financial branch at Park Slope in New York was robbed and a hostage was taken. The robbers got away with six million dollars and their hostage, Bill Hogan. Over the next few days, Bill’s ears and tongue were given to the police while they frantically tried to find Bill Hogan’s family to arrange payment to the kidnappers to release Bill. Unfortunately, they were unable to comply with this request and Bill was killed. The perfect crime was committed. How did it work? Who was the criminal mind behind it? This book is easy and quick to read but has all the components of a much longer book. Surprisingly, the book catches your attention and the reader keeps trying to solve the crime throughout the book; but the ending is surprising.
November 1, 2019
NB: This is a review from the publisher.
November 3, 2019
‘The Trustpower Financial Heist Gang’ and Bill the Mystery Man
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a former journalist and newspaper editor with twenty published books to his credit. While he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James, this short story is Lance’s debut mystery thriller. Stepping away from reportage into the purely literary scene is a solid move for him as this fine short story reveals.
Lance builds his scene well as we are invited into the focal bank scenario where the action takes place – ‘It was not yet mid-day in New York and newly promoted bank manager Henry Timmins was already stressed – and with good reason…Timmins was so consumed by his problems as he served yet another customer at the front counter he didn’t notice the large, nondescript, blue, Ford Transit van that pulled up outside the bank’s front door. Nor did he notice the four masked gunmen who climbed form the van and entered the bank as their ride drove off as quickly as it had arrived…’
And we encounter Bill Hogan, ‘a white-haired gentleman who wore his long hair in a ponytail and who had the look of an aging hippy…With his bushy moustache, year-round tan, cool, tinted specs and his casual sneakers and clothes, he looked like a young sixty and wouldn’t have been out of place at Woodstock.’ This well described character becomes the bank robbers’ hostage and the crew escapes. Enter Detective Rochelle Rider - and circumstances alter…and to relate more would spoil the denouement and climax.
Obviously written by a man who understands cinematic detail, this is a superb short story, completely involving, offered in fine contemporary conversational manner that holds the attention for the first word to the last – ransom notes, delivery of ‘particles of Bill,’ and the final splendid surprise. This is a very fine fiction debut by Lance Morcan. More please.
New Zealand novelist and screenwriter Lance Morcan is a former journalist and newspaper editor with twenty published books to his credit. While he regularly writes in collaboration with his son James, this short story is Lance’s debut mystery thriller. Stepping away from reportage into the purely literary scene is a solid move for him as this fine short story reveals.
Lance builds his scene well as we are invited into the focal bank scenario where the action takes place – ‘It was not yet mid-day in New York and newly promoted bank manager Henry Timmins was already stressed – and with good reason…Timmins was so consumed by his problems as he served yet another customer at the front counter he didn’t notice the large, nondescript, blue, Ford Transit van that pulled up outside the bank’s front door. Nor did he notice the four masked gunmen who climbed form the van and entered the bank as their ride drove off as quickly as it had arrived…’
And we encounter Bill Hogan, ‘a white-haired gentleman who wore his long hair in a ponytail and who had the look of an aging hippy…With his bushy moustache, year-round tan, cool, tinted specs and his casual sneakers and clothes, he looked like a young sixty and wouldn’t have been out of place at Woodstock.’ This well described character becomes the bank robbers’ hostage and the crew escapes. Enter Detective Rochelle Rider - and circumstances alter…and to relate more would spoil the denouement and climax.
Obviously written by a man who understands cinematic detail, this is a superb short story, completely involving, offered in fine contemporary conversational manner that holds the attention for the first word to the last – ransom notes, delivery of ‘particles of Bill,’ and the final splendid surprise. This is a very fine fiction debut by Lance Morcan. More please.
November 5, 2019
Simply Superb. This was such an easy and enjoyable story to read, and so well written. One of the things I love about reading is being surprised, and I certainly got that with this short story. I didn’t move from my seat until I finished it.
Being a bank manager of a branch would be stressful on most days without being ridiculously short staffed, and Henry Timmins was certainly experiencing this in his new role as manager of a Trustpower Financial branch. However, his life was about to get a hell of a lot harder when some very unwelcome visitors arrive to turn his life upside down. Great entertainment. 5/5 Star Rating.
Verified Purchase - Amazon Australia
Being a bank manager of a branch would be stressful on most days without being ridiculously short staffed, and Henry Timmins was certainly experiencing this in his new role as manager of a Trustpower Financial branch. However, his life was about to get a hell of a lot harder when some very unwelcome visitors arrive to turn his life upside down. Great entertainment. 5/5 Star Rating.
Verified Purchase - Amazon Australia
November 3, 2019
Brooklyn Bankster by Lance Morcan
It starts as an ordinary day in New York City, until a bank gets held up and Bill Hogan gets kidnapped. Bill is from a wealthy family and the random demand is high. But things turn a bit odd when no one seems to know who Bill is.
A fast paced original compelling story. Although short, it is not short on suspense, action and thrills. Lance Morcan grabs your attention and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. I highly recommend Brooklyn Bankster to all, truly a fun read!
It starts as an ordinary day in New York City, until a bank gets held up and Bill Hogan gets kidnapped. Bill is from a wealthy family and the random demand is high. But things turn a bit odd when no one seems to know who Bill is.
A fast paced original compelling story. Although short, it is not short on suspense, action and thrills. Lance Morcan grabs your attention and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. I highly recommend Brooklyn Bankster to all, truly a fun read!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews