Stella Mae is just an average 15-year-old midwestern girl. She’s spending her time with friends at the roller rink where she catches the eye of the much older Bennie, fresh out of jail and trying to make a name for himself as a prize fighter. When flirting turns into love, Stella Mae makes a decision that alters her future for the worse – following Bennie across the country and back, going along with all his plans…including bank robbery and infamy as the Time Lock Bandits.
Dietrich Kalteis’ book Under an Outlaw Moon introduces readers to a “Bonnie and Clyde” style couple full of romance, passion, and criminal mastermind. Going beyond the just the life story of Bennie and Stella Mae, Kalteis reveals the inner workings of the FBI, focusing on the drive to stop these copycat bank robbers. This is a book about how past mistakes follow you and a desperation for economic advancement.
I give Under an Outlaw Moon 4 out of 5 stars. I appreciate the research the author clearly put in to his writing. The details given about the automobiles, the inner workings of the FBI, and even the cityscapes of the towns they visited give reality to the story. I did notice some discrepancies with the timeline of certain conversations within the FBI and it felt like the characters could have been developed better. However, this book gave great insight into a story I had not previously been exposed to.
Given the topic of underage sex, violence, and bank robbery, I would recommend this book to more mature audiences over the age of 16. This is a great book for readers who are interested in early FBI cases, bank robbers, and the Midwest history. I feel like this would make a great book club pick as well – there are so many decisions and motives that can be discussed!
I chose Under an Outlaw Moon for the Booklist Queen Reading Challenge prompt “borrowed from a friend”. Technically, I borrowed this from my library through the Libby app, but librarians are friends….right? I had no idea what this book was about when I borrowed it – it was the recommended book of the week and I loved the cover! Have you read this one yet? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: Murder in Coweta County, Margaret Barnes
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- Book I’m most looking forward to: The Woman in Me, Britney Spears
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