It’s 1983. Four local surfers who work in the luggage department of Los Angeles Airport devise an ingenious plan to smuggle drugs. Their goal? To make quick, easy money in order to fullfill their dreams and open a hotel in Costa Rica. They partner with a rich, successful marijuana smuggler named August Taracina and soon they put their plan into action. Eventually they run into an unexpected problem, an event that, to their surprise, turns out more profitable than ever.

You may ask yourself how authors Andrew J. Rafkin and Louis Pagano know this event really too place if, in the story, the main people involved were never caught. This is explained in the preface of the book, where the authors state that the story was told to them by a friend who actually took part in the heist.

Angels Gate is a fictionalized account that at times reads like a novel–minus the characterization. I had to keep myself reminding me of that, especially during times when I didn’t like what the characters were doing and felt disturbed by their greedy, irresponsible actions and attitudes. That aside, this is a well written, fictionalized account of what supposedly happened back in 1983, and on what, according to the authors, supposedly is one of the biggest monetary heists in history. Gritty prose, realistic dialogue, and continuous suspense make Angels Gate an interesting, enjoyable read, especially to fans of true crime books.

Reviewed by Mayra Calvani (www.MayraCalvani.com)
August 2012