Mike King’s ‘Rocky Mountain Heist’ is a tale of high adventure.
Review by Bradley Beck
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” In Rocky Mountain Heist, Mike King bends the moral arc over a century, starting in 1911 with the namesake train heist in the mountains of Colorado. It’s the crime of the century, motivated by revenge for another more heinous crime, the massacre at Sand Creek.
From steam engines and hay wagons pulled by mules in 1911, to Harley Hogs and backhoes in 2024, King takes us through the Rockies with mountains of drama and unexpected detours.
Chapters one through 25—about half the book–alternate time frames between 1911 and 2024, setting up expectations for the ultimate connection, but leaving only breadcrumb clues.
Introduced in chapter two, “Jake Mazurek is a man in his mid-thirties, driving a fifteen-year-old pickup with a spider web-cracked windshield and four genuine Baldy SureSkidTM tires…”. Having been booted out of Maurek & Sons, the family’s property development business, he has been teaching history and struggling to get back into the business on his own. Franklin Turner’s 40 acres close to Lofton, Colorado, commuting distance from Denver, looks ideal for the development project he dreams of, including ample low-income housing, which is desperately needed in the area. Two problems exist in his relentless pursuit of the property: Jake is broke; and Franklin doesn’t want to sell.
Readers familiar with real estate transactions may have to suspend some disbelief with this young, broke, struggling-alcoholic history teacher realistically pursuing a multi-million-dollar deal. But Jake does have development experience, and you’ll end up rooting for him, feeling sorry for him, and admiring his persistence and cleverness, while wondering why and how he can put up with Franklin Turner.
King goes to great length to develop Franklin as a hard-hearted, shameless jerk. (Maybe more than necessary.) In various scenes, Franklin calls Jake a “scumbag,” a “loser” and a “lying piece of shit.” Regardless, Jake persists.
I suspect King has a couple Harleys in his garage and may be restoring a 1928
Author Mike King
Indian Scout motorcycle as well. The author has a degree in engineering, and you can feel the precision in his detailed descriptions of dramatic motorcycle scenes. Jake joins Franklin and his friends on motorcycle excursions throughout the mountains that add depth and dimension to their contentious relationship. They engage in creative, competitive biker challenges that are intense and captivating. Motorcycle tug-of-war or motorcycle soccer, anyone?
The arc of a hardened heart can also bend toward kindness and generosity. King deftly uses Jake as the catalyst that ties Franklin to the 1911 heist. We learn that Franklin is much like his beloved Doberman, who despite her intimidating presence and terrifying growl, is named “Sweetie Pie,” kisses Franklin’s friends, and loves cookies.
King’s “Notes to Readers” reveals that the Sand Creek Massacre occurred on November 29, 1864. He notes the other true facts in the book versus “...the stuff I just made up”. Although most of King’s made-up stuff is also based on historic facts, when combined with story-telling rigor it makes for a riveting combination.
Rocky Mountain Heist is WayWord Books’ fourth release. As a subscription-based publisher, WayWord Books is breaking the mold by delivering quality, first-edition books directly to readers, eliminating the need for distributors, many of which earn far more than authors, and often more than publishers.
WayWord Books ventures off the beaten path to find new work by topnotch writers, and combines beautifully designed books with carefully curated gifts that complement their authors’ work. To learn more, visit www.waywordbooks.com
Bradley Beck, a writer based in Beaufort, SC, is currently working on a biography of his mother who is still dancing and living it up at age 95.
