 Every schoolboy, milkman, barber and housewife knew his name. From June 1933 through June 1934, the Indiana Outlaw robbed banks with astounding ease and gentlemanly style with a take of around a "cool million". There is no conclusive evidence that he personally killed anyone. To his dismay, his sometime cohorts had blood on their hands, notably "Baby Face" Nelson. It was an exciting era: the Depression, Prohibition s last days, pretty flappers gone wrong, bad gin, fast cars, illicit derring-do by superstar criminals. Jazz bands and movie heroes. Reckless newspaper reporting. The press, law officials and the American public wallowed in fantasies, grossly naive interpretations of events. All good copy. A clever escape artist, John Dillinger outlived his own death (supposedly outside Chicago s Biograph Theatre one sultry summer night)aided by crafty accomplices, public gullibility, a sophomoric press, bungling bureaucrats and an immature federal agency. A strange, fascinating story of American crime, a mystery not uncovered until now; errors and fallacy buried in legend now brought to light, a chronicle of the career of John Dillinger - and beyond.