The Last Man ~ Audiobook Review

 

THE LAST MAN

A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery

by THOMAS GOODMAN

Narrated by Eric Priessman

Historical Fiction / Heist Thriller / Texas History

Publication Date: August 28, 2023

Publisher: Mainsail Media

Print Length: 312 pages

Audiobook Length: 8 hours, 52 minutes

~Literary Awards~

*2023 Grand Prize Winner for the 2023 Chanticleer Laramie Award for Americana Fiction*

*2024 Spur Award Winner for Best Western Historical Novel*

*2024 Will Rogers Medallion Award Winner*

ABOUT THE BOOK: When Santa Claus enters a Texas bank just before Christmas in 1927, no one expects him to pull a gun.

The fake white beard hides his identity from his neighbors while he and three others take everything. But their easy heist goes sideways fast when armed lawmen and citizens assemble to claim a new reward for dead bank robbers.

Taking hostages, the gang forces a path through a frenzied and bloody shootout, setting the whole Lone Star state on their trail.

One bandit dies in the getaway. One is executed in the electric chair. One swings from a rope in a mob lynching. The last man finds a life he always hoped for … if only he can keep it.

Closely based on a true story, The Last Man is a gritty Prohibition-era crime novel filled with flawed characters and second chances.

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BOOK REVIEW

HALL WAYS AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: 4.5 STARS. I became familiar with the 1927 Santa Claus robbery of Cisco, Texas, in 2019 when I read the nonfiction, aptly titled Santa Claus Bank Robbery by Tui Snider. It's a fascinating and horrifying true crime story, and Snider's interpretation of facts is one of several on the subject, and certainly the most recent -- until Thomas Goodman's The Last Man hit my radar in 2023. My interest was certainly piqued, but it wasn't until I won an audiobook copy in 2024 that I was able to finally get to reading, and it was worth the wait.

The Last Man starts with what we know historically happened, and Goodman’s description of it is excellent. Readers are on the edge of their seats as one by one, the fugitives are dropping. This is the mark of great writing when even though we know how it turns out, maybe even some of the details, the story is still suspenseful.

I went into the book without real expectations since it is a fictionalized account of what happened all those years ago, and Goodman fleshes out the characters and brings the action to life. There is more time spent in courtrooms and jails than I prefer, but those scenes also reflect the reality of what happened post-robbery.

ABOUT THE NARRATION: Narrator Eric Priessman does a great job with pacing and delivery, and he places emphasis on just the right words at just the right time to draw listeners in. His narration is storytelling, not story reading, and is a good complement to Goodman's text. There were several mispronounced words (including "Brazos," which a Texan would tell you is wrong, though it's correct in Spanish), and those definitely caught my ear and took me out of the story a bit.

The Author’s Notes section at the end of at the end of The Last Man is outstanding and shows the depth of Goodman's research. I appreciate his explanations of how he fills in blanks between fact and fiction, providing logical fiction for readers to enjoy.

I have The Last Man on my to-buy-in-print list because I'm particularly interested in the bibliography that I'm assuming is there, and I would happily lend it to friends. I also think it would make a terrific, unique gift for lovers of Texana and the offbeat, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tales that Texas offers.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Thomas Goodman first ran across the story of the Santa Claus Bank Robbery when he lived in the small Texas county where it all took place. He currently lives in Austin, where he has been able to conduct extensive research on the true crime at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The Last Man is his first novel.

The Demonologists' Daughters ~ Audiobook Review & Book Trailer

 
THE DEMONOLOGISTS' DAUGHTERS

By K. SCOTT CULPEPPER

Narrated by Hayli Henderson

Southern Gothic / Family Secrets / Suspense

Publication Date: October 15, 2024

Page Count: 271 pages

Audio Publication Date: June 4, 2025

Audio Length: 9 hours and 59 minutes

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ABOUT THE BOOK 

Some family secrets may be better left buried.

Diana Chambers thought she escaped her life as the daughter of famous demon hunters Denny and Lucille Hebert, that is until an exorcism turns fatal and her father is charged with murder. Now, forced to return home to Louisiana and the family she left behind, Diana is reunited with her surviving sisters to uncover the truth behind the murder. She unearths long-buried secrets that could destroy her family by unleashing the most frightening demons of all, the Heberts’ personal demons.

The Demonologists’ Daughters, a suspense and psychological mystery thriller with horror elements, takes readers into a world where The Conjuring meets Little Women.

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BOOK TRAILER

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BOOK REVIEW

HALL WAYS REVIEW: AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: In this debut novel by K. Scott Culpepper, readers are taken between the “Satanic Panic” days of the 1990s and contemporary times as the now-scattered Hebert family is forced to reunite. The bones of the family’s buried secrets begin to appear after a death during an exorcism happens twenty-five years after the similar death of the Heberts’ eldest daughter. Further fraying the familial bonds, new questions are raised about the demon-hunting parents who are now charged with the murder – or is it murders?

In The Demonologists’ Daughters, author Culpepper offers a unique premise with multiple subplots to deliver not only mysteries, but also horror, romance, and an exploration of the complexities of family relationships. There’s a lot going on, and there’s a wide cast of characters, but Culpepper dishes out bite-sized morsels for readers to easily digest. And wow, talk about cover-love! The cover of The Demonologists’ Daughters is so evocative and perfect for the story.

Demonologists Lucille and Denny Hebert have three living daughters – Diana, Delilah, and Dorcas. These sisters are particularly well-written by the author who gives each a distinct personality to make her pop from the pages. Their frustrations and actions are believable, and it is heartwarming to see these women come together again after living such separate lives for the years after their sister Dinah’s death. Additionally, some peripheral characters had enough punch that readers will clearly love or loathe them, a mark of great writing.

On the other hand, Lucille and Denny Hebert, the demon-slaying parents, are murky characters. There’s little to like in them, as their self-described helping of people is questionable. Through their words and actions, it’s clear that they are racists, they cherry-pick the Bible to support their version of Christianity, their exorcisms are a farce, and they capitalize on them by writing books and creating films that embellish and flat out contradict the truth. (Side note: it is a stretch for me to believe the motive behind why the film is being made; there are easier ways to accomplish what’s needed.) As if those scammer qualities aren’t endearing enough, they also choose their so-called God’s work over raising their daughters, and instead of supporting Dinah in her time of greatest need, the Heberts worried about their own reputations – and there was a deadly price to pay for that choice that they didn’t truly ever own. GRRRRR. There’s some character growth and maybe even redemption for Lucille and Denny Hebert, but it wasn’t enough to make them likable. The Demonologists’ Daughters forced me to ponder the meaning of forgiveness and how hard it is to offer sometimes. Again, this illustrates Culpepper’s skillful writing because readers will have to reflect and will have so many strong feelings about these two characters.

In addition to the required suspension of disbelief needed for an integral part of the plot to work, one of the aspects of The Demonologists’ Daughters that I struggled with is in character names. Deborah Hebert (who also has several nicknames starting with D) changed her name to Diane Chambers as a nod to the character from Cheers, and that’s acknowledged. But there’s also a Chrissy Heinz, which sounds a lot like Chrissie Hynde (of the Pretenders), and Chrissy also goes by Christine, but there’s also a possibly possessed doll called Christine – not to be confused with the Stephen King possessed car of the same name, but likely the inspiration for the name. See my point? It’s possible that listening to the story instead of reading it caused some of my confusion; perhaps there are distinctive spellings that would help a reader along? Authors, take note if you think there’s a chance you’ll create an audiobook from your work-in-progress.

About the narration: I listened to The Demonologists’ Daughters at 1.1x, barely faster than the recorded speed. Narrator Hayli Henderson gives a terrific performance and voices the numerous characters so that each sounds unique. Her pacing is perfect, she handles the Louisiana bayou accents well, and the narration truly complements the author’s writing. There are a few odd pronunciations, but some would only be caught by readers-of-a-certain-age, like me. Overall, the audiobook of The Demonologists’ Daughters is fabulously narrated and I’d seek out Henderson again.

The Demonologists’ Daughters is all about coming to terms with family, warts and all, and overcoming dysfunction to find peace and even love. But don’t dismiss this as a simple feel-good story. The Demonologists’ Daughters counters the cozies with bloody chills and thrills, twists and turns, suspense, and a sickening reveal that keeps readers turning the pages. It’s strong debut fiction making K. Scott Culpepper an author to watch.

Disclaimer: This audiobook review was coordinated by AudioBookReviewer.com and the review copy was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-biased, honest review. 

Click to view this review on AudioBookReviewer.com. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K. Scott Culpepper is an author, historian, and speaker creatively exploring the history and mystery of human experiences. He holds a Ph.D. from Baylor University and specializes in the history of the Atlantic World. His nonfiction book Francis Johnson and the English Separatist Influence was published by Mercer University Press in 2011. The Demonologists’ Daughters is his first novel. He teaches courses in history and religious studies at a private university in Iowa where he lives with his wife, Ginger.

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