Review of Angels Gate

[Hubre De Klerk]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Angels Gate" by Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis Pagano.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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This book is based on a true story about the largest monetary heist in history that was never told officially. You will be amazed, mesmerized, and surprised by this story. I know I was! During 1983–1984, in Los Angeles and the surrounding beach cities, the drug trafficking market was booming and ever-expanding. There were four surfers who had been best friends since their youth, and they worked together at the Western Airlines baggage and freight department. They had a dream to build their own hotel on land they owned and to retire there one day. The problem was that they wouldn’t be making the kind of money they would need for their dream from their daily jobs. They had to bring extra money in some other way, and a lot of it.

Scott realized something in the department where the domestic and international baggage moved through to their next planes, and an idea struck him. He shared this idea with his three friends, and although everyone was game, they needed someone that could supply the goods and start-up finances. This is where Ernie, a local pot dealer, and August, the money man, came in. They had a foolproof plan, the right contacts, and made money for a few months. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. They had to find a new way to earn money, and they found the perfect way. They just didn’t realize how this plan would affect them or their plans. You have to read this book to find out what happened and if they reached their dreams as planned.

To say that I absolutely loved this book would be putting it mildly. The details and descriptions captured kept everything clear and straightforward. Even the streets, hotels, their thoughts, their plans, etc., were told with such clarity that you just knew this was all based on true events. The bond between the three friends and their dedication to their dreams was inspiring. I don’t think I would be capable of doing what they did if I was in their shoes, but this book made it feel like anything is possible with careful planning, trust, and the right people in your corner. They didn’t take unnecessary risks, and every aspect was discussed, including what could possibly go wrong and how to try to make sure that nothing did.

There was absolutely nothing I disliked about this book. The authors did an exceptional job with their writing and descriptive skills. Although they described and explained everything in a story-telling way, they kept me intrigued and in suspense during my reading. I know there were a lot of elements in the right place, like the guys working in the airline’s baggage department, being in the right place at the right time, and having a trustworthy partner who has the intellectual skills to plan heists and the knowledge to move merchandise. Even with all of the right elements there, I was surprised at how easy it sounded to pull off this amazing heist, even with the issues they had to deal with along the way.

I would rate Angels Gate by Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis Pagano a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars. There was no reason to deduct any points, and the few errors I did find were few and far between. I believe this book has been professionally edited. I would recommend this book to people who love crime mysteries and heists. This book reads like the perfect heist story that keeps you mesmerized from the start and throughout. The fact that this story is based on an event that really happened makes it all the more compelling!

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Angels Gate
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[Chinedum Chijioke]

I'm sure I'm going to like this one as it covers the activities of crime syndicates. Thanks for the review.

[NutellaBanana]

This is an interesting and well thought of book. This is also an interesting and well-written review. This is also a book that I would definitely love to try out. Thank you for this wonderful review.

[Hubre De Klerk]

I'm sure I'm going to like this one as it covers the activities of crime syndicates. Thanks for the review.

Thanks so much for your reply! It was an amazing book to read!

[Hubre De Klerk]

This is an interesting and well thought of book. This is also an interesting and well-written review. This is also a book that I would definitely love to try out. Thank you for this wonderful review.

This was such an extraordinary book to read! It definitely bypassed all of my expectations! Thanks for your comment*

[NetMassimo]

I confess I didn't know about this heist, possibly because at that time, mass media weren's as big as today, so even such a big case had a limited coverage at international level. This book makes me curious in trying to reconstruct that case. Thank you for your great review!