Nate Hendley

Nate Hendley is a Toronto-based freelance journalist and author. He has written several non-fiction books, primarily in the true-crime genre. His books have examined wrongful murder convictions ("The Boy on the Bicycle"), scams and hoaxes ("The Big Con"), and organized crime ("The Mafia: A Guide to an American Subculture"), among other topics.

Nate's most recent book, "The Beatle Bandit" is about Matthew Kerry Smith, an intelligent but troubled veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy who robbed Toronto-area banks in the early 1960s to finance a one-man revolution.

On July 24, 1964, Smith disguised himself in a Halloween mask and a “Beatles” wig and held up a branch of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in Bathurst Manor Plaza in North York, Ontario. A bank patron seized a revolver (at the time, banks in Canada routinely stocked pistols which staff were expected to use in case of robbery) and got in a gunfight with Smith. The patron was killed, and the event fueled a nationwide debate about guns, insanity pleas, and the death penalty.

Published by Dundurn Press, "The Beatle Bandit" is available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats. It has received excellent reviews:

“Hendley does a fine job putting [Matthew Kerry] Smith’s crimes in the context of Canadian culture decades ago. Students of true crime won’t want to miss this thoughtful book.” ―Publisher’s Weekly

“Hendley tells the story as though he were writing a crime novel; an apt read-alike might be Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, with which The Beatle Bandit shares a journalistic style and a perceptive analysis of people and events. First-rate true crime.” ―Booklist

Nate's website (www.natehendley.com) offers more details about his books and background.

Nate also hosts a blog at www.crimestory.wordpress.com featuring posts about crime-related topics.

You can email Nate at nhendley@sympatico.ca.