{"product_id":"last-gangster-in-austin-9781477323984","title":"Last Gangster in Austin","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRonnie Earle was a Texas legend. During his three decades as the district attorney responsible for Austin and surrounding Travis County, he prosecuted corrupt corporate executives and state officials, including the notorious US congressman Tom DeLay. But Earle maintained that the biggest case of his career was the one involving Frank Hughey Smith, the ex-convict millionaire, alleged criminal mastermind, and Dixie Mafia figure.   With the help of corrupt local authorities, Smith spent the 1970s building a criminal empire in auto salvage and bail bonds. But there was one problem: a rival in the salvage business threatened his dominance. Smith hired arsonists to destroy the rival; when they botched the job, he sent three gunmen, but the robbery they planned was a bloody fiasco. Investigators were convinced that Smith was guilty, but many were skeptical that the newly elected and inexperienced Earle could get a conviction. Amid the courtroom drama and underworld plots the book describes, W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA vividly detailed and stylishly written portrait of an Austin long gone by. * Kirkus *\u003cbr\u003eTake a nostalgic trip back in time to the Austin of the 1970s in this gripping account of corrupt leadership, crime, power, and Texas-sized personalities. * Austin Monthly *\u003cbr\u003e[\u003ci\u003eLast Gangster in Austin\u003c\/i\u003e] is one of the most egregiously Texas stories, nay, one of the most remarkably Austin stories one could read...fantastic, an often wildly entertaining look at Austin when it really was a bit of an outlaw place. -- Joe Gross * Austin Chronicle *\u003cbr\u003eHere's a true-crime story that's every bit as compelling as your favorite pulpy, fictional counterpart...It's a tale replete with genuine heroes, repellent villains, and a slew of supporting characters any self-respecting crime novelist would be proud to have created on the page...Sublett constructs the story with a sharp eye and a hard-boiled flair. -- Jay Trachtenberg * Austin Chronicle *\u003cbr\u003eIf you pick up just one new Texas history this summer, make it \u003ci\u003eLast Gangster in Austin\u003c\/i\u003e...Sublett's riveting true-crime story reads like a classic noir novel. * Austin American-Statesman *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAuthor’s Note. A Deep Dive\u003cbr\u003e Introduction. Junkyard Owner Shotguns Robber: Was It a Setup?\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 1. Baptist Preacher’s Son\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 2. The Eagle Scout\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 3. Texas Package\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 4. The Big Hassle\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 5. Best Job He Ever Had\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 6. The Two Franks\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 7. This Is War\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 8. He Can Always Go Step on Bugs\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 9. A Is for Arson\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 10: The Robbery\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 11: Power\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 12. Star Time\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 13. The Trial\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 14. Aftermath\u003cbr\u003e Acknowledgments\u003cbr\u003e Notes\u003cbr\u003e Photo Credits\u003cbr\u003e Index","brand":"University of Texas Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49408960102743,"sku":"9781477323984","price":16.14,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781477323984.jpg?v=1730504867","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/last-gangster-in-austin-9781477323984","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}