Steal Big / The Big Caper

STEAL BIG
When Donovan is released from prison, he has a plan, and he brings his cellmate Barker and a few old acquaintances in with him. Now he’s got all five of them ready to pull off the bank job that will have him set for life. There’s Jo-Jo, ex-boxer, punch-drunk, ready to do anything he asks. And Barker, of course, an ex-con with nothing less to lose. Then there’s Mamma, the ruthless lady who owns the hideout, and her son Clarence, a bank teller with a fascination for crime. And Carol; young, blonde Carol. Carol’s dad is in prison for life, unless she can get the money to free him. For one reason or other, they all need this heist. And Donovan needs them all to pull it off. It seemed so simple when Donovan put the plan together―if only it had stayed that way.

THE BIG CAPER
Flood has got it all figured. The Florida bank in Indio Beach is ripe for the picking. All he needs is a crew. First he sends Frank and Kay down to pose as a couple and set up residence. Then he sends Kosta, his arsonist, to join them; followed by an old-timer to blow the safe, a couple of strong arm killers, and two guys to cut the power. He’s got the perfect team because none of them are part of the syndicate―they’ve got no ties to screw up his plans. But Flood doesn’t figure on Kosta getting drunk and setting a fire ahead of schedule just for the fun of it. He doesn’t figure on one of his killers bringing along a woman. And he sure doesn’t figure on Frank and Kay falling in love, and wanting to get out of the caper.

New introduction by Nicholas Litchfield, afterword by Cullen Gallagher.