Die Famous
A Novel
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 22 Sept 2026
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- 11,99 €
Publisher Description
The Four Winds meets Bonnie and Clyde in this exhilarating historical thriller in which an unforgettable mother races to find the gangster she once loved—before the law gets to him first.
"The best gangster novel I’ve ever read." —Stephen King
“This story accomplishes the near-impossible: it is both big-hearted and thrilling.” —Ariel Lawhon
On the day Savannah Cody spots her first gray hair, she decides it’s time to murder the father of her only child. Edward “Nickel” Terhune is the getaway driver for the Brady Gang, one of the FBI’s most wanted criminals—with an enticing bounty set on his head. Dragging her son, Alford, and her father, Wendell, a retired railroad detective, along for the quest, Savannah embarks to find the man she once loved and the nation now fears, journeying across an America transformed by the Great Depression. But Alford—and soon, the FBI—notice that the closer the family gets to Nickel, the less clear Savannah’s motivations seem to be.
As the Brady Gang races to escape the law—or get rich trying—Nickel realizes he might not be able to outrun his mistakes. He dreams of a route that will lead him to peace, but no map shows one like that. Will Savannah find him before the police do? And if so, who will return home alive?
Cleverly layered and emotionally taut, perfect for readers of The Lincoln Highway, The Frozen River, and The Alice Network, Die Famous follows a remarkable family as they race toward an impossible reunion—and asks us to consider where our own loyalties lie when ambition, devotion, and truth mean something different to each person telling the story.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This enthralling historical thriller from Koryta (Departure 37, written as Scott Carson) follows a gangster, his sweetheart, and their son. In early 20th-century Indiana, Savannah Cody grows up with and falls in love with the troubled Eddie "Nickel" Terhune, who fixes stolen cars for local gangster Al Brady. By the time the Great Depression hits, Nickel and Savannah have had a son named Alford, and Nickel has become part of Al's crew. When a failed Saratoga, N.Y., bank robbery lands Nickel in prison, Al's gang springs him. After a more successful robbery in Baltimore, Nickel flees to Maine, where Savannah and her father hope to find him before the FBI does—and where a chance encounter provides Nickel and 12-year-old Alford a few magical weeks together. Koryta tells much of the tale via a conversation between Savannah and an FBI agent on the eve of her execution; her voice is tart and quick, but gradual cracks reveal her deep wells of emotion. The other leads are equally well drawn, and though the story's heartbreak is obvious from the start, the pages fly by. This is an excellent bet for fans of William Kent Krueger's historical novels.