David Goewey

"Displaying polish and a gift for crafting a gripping narrative, Goewey's debut brings to life an episode that will be unfamiliar to most: the 1941 escape from the legendary Sing Sing prison that claimed the life of a guard and a local policeman. The author...has done extensive research and makes the depressed atmosphere of Hell's Kitchen between the world wars vivid and three-dimensional. His account achieves balance by alternating between the perspectives of Whitey Riordan, one of the thugs in the 'crash out' from the prison, and progressive warden Lewis Lawes...the skill Goewey demonstrates will lead many to hope he turns his attention to other forgotten tales." -Publisher's Weekly

"Goewey has translated family familiarity into a gripping insider's account of the biggest breakout in Sing Sing history...his writing produces a grim but fascinating snapshot of Depression-era crime." --Booklist (Starred Review)

"Sing Sing thriller is a breakout work." --USA Today

"One of the great crime dramas of the Hudson Valley."--Westchester Journal News

"Crash Out is...a compellingly human tale of one life gone bad...provides an excellent glimpse into the Manhattan underworld." --Waterbury (CT) Republican-American

"With a crisp and detailed narrative and unforgettable Runyonesque characters, Crash Out captures the fascinating hard-boiled history of Sing Sing and the men who dared escape its walls." -Neil Bascomb, author of The Perfect Mile

"Crash Out is not only a gripping account of a prison break, but a vivid re-creation of a part of American history that seems as if its high drama actually played out in daily rushes of black and white film. Goewey must have written this book with the ghosts of George Raft and Edward G. Robinson standing at his shoulder. Top-of-the-world stuff." -Les Standiford, author of Meet You in Hell

"David Goewey's personal connection to the world behind the walls of Sing Sing brings a passionate expertise to his narration of the bloodiest episode in its history. With a novelist's flair for pacing and character-- but without ever taking imaginative flight away from historical fact as a lesser writer might do--he reanimates a story of desperation, bravery, pride, and violence that time and secrecy have long hidden from our sight." -Jonathan Dee, author of Palladio

"Beautifully written, well-researched, and filled with Cagney-like characters, Crash Out is a classic page-turner, one that will transport the reader to the chaotic and coarse streets of Depression-era New York City." -Bob Kerrey, president, The New School