I have written over a dozen books, primarily in the true-crime genre. Here is a selection of my titles:
Reviews of my book, The Boy on the Bicycle: A Forgotten Case of Wrongful Conviction in Toronto.
This book is about 14-year old Ron Moffatt of Toronto, who was wrongly convicted of murdering a child in 1956. The real offender was notorious serial killer Peter Woodcock.
“Hendley tells this important and disturbing story with objectivity and restraint, letting the facts speak for themselves as the reader’s sense of outrage builds. Moffatt has never received an apology for his mistreatment, let alone monetary compensation for an ordeal that derailed his life for years. Worst of all, his arrest meant Peter Woodcock remained at large long enough to kill again.”—Dean Jobb, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, April 2020
“The Boy on the Bicycle is an exceptional read and serves as a unique time capsule of the times and mores of post-WWII Toronto when murders were rare and sexual predators were practically unheard of … It was Mr. Hendley’s wish to finally tell Ron’s story after these many years, which he has done in a direct, yet compassionate manner. Five stars!” —The Miramichi Reader
“The amazing story of a 62-year-old wrongful conviction is revealed in a riveting new book, The Boy on the Bicycle, by Nate Hendley, a seasoned true-crime writer and former Ontario regional director with the Professional Writers Association of Canada.” —Sootoday.com
“Hendley’s telling of the tale is crisp and clear with compassion for all of the victims, both the murdered children and the man who spent a year of his youth behind bars, blemished for life by another man’s crimes … I highly recommend this book to all lovers of the true-crime genre.” —Donna Carrick, Host, Dead to Writes podcast, August 25, 2018
“Intriguing, immediately engaging, often disturbing and filled with fascinating facts, The Boy on the Bicycle transports you to a different era. Life in the 1950’s in ‘Toronto the Good’ wasn’t kind to everyone. The Boy on the Bicycle is written with such vivid attention to detail that this story of injustice and human cruelty will live in your mind long after you’ve read it … This is true crime at its finest.” —Lisa de Nikolits, Author of No Fury Like That and other mystery novels.
The Boy on the Bicycle was nominated by the Crime Writers of Canada for an Arthur Ellis crime-writing award on April 17, 2019. Now called the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, these honours recognize crime writing across a variety of genres.
The Boy on the Bicycle was longlisted for “The Very Best!” Book Awards 2018 by The Miramichi Reader, in the category of Non-Fiction. Click here for The Miramichi Reader’s review of The Boy on the Bicycle, posted July 21, 2018.
Originally published in August 2018 by Five Rivers, an updated version of The Boy on the Bicycle was released in e-book format by Dundurn Press in July, 2021 by Dundurn Press. This title is available for instant download at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo.
This title is also available in audiobook format at Amazon and Audible.
Reviews of my book, The Big Con: Great Hoaxes, Frauds, Grifts, and Swindles in American History:
“The Big Con is very authoritative, making it a great reference book to have for those who enjoy reading true crime, crime fiction, or who are born skeptics and get a certain ‘kick’ out reading how easily people can be fooled … Very readable. Mr. Hendley has done skeptics a genuine courtesy by assembling the history of frauds, cons, scams and hoaxes into one beautiful volume.” —The Miramichi Reader
“Serious students and general readers alike will marvel at fraudsters’ ingenuity and cringe at human gullibility (sometimes fed by greed). Consider for all public libraries.” —Library Journal
“[A] good overview and resource for public and academic libraries at all levels of beginning students. Summing up: Recommended. High school, community college and undergraduate students; general readers.” —Choice magazine, Association of College & Research Libraries
“Canadian true crime author Nate Hendley has scoured the history books and the Internet to compile this ‘greatest hits’ collection of the clever ploys and outrageous exploits of con artists.” —Dean Jobb, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine
The Big Con: Great Hoaxes, Frauds, Grifts, and Swindles in American History, was published in 2016 by ABC-CLIO. It can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, Amazon or from the ABC-CLIO website.
Reviews of my book, The Mafia: A Guide to an American Subculture
“This volume is well-researched and eminently readable.” —Booklist
“Entertaining and informative.” —American Reference Books Annual (ARBA)
The Mafia: A Guide to an American Subculture, was published in 2013 by ABC-CLIO. It can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, Amazon or from the ABC-CLIO website.
Steven Truscott: Decades of Injustice
Originally published in 2012 by Five Rivers, Steve Truscott: Decades of Injustice was released in e-book format by Dundurn Press in 2021. It is available for instant download at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo or the Dundurn Press website.
This title is also available in audiobook format at: Audible, Amazon and Apple.
Reviews of my book, American Gangsters: Then and Now
“…perfect for general audiences…Recommended for public libraries.” —Library Journal
“The writing in this compendium blazes with the glow of crime novels and gangbuster series while delivering loads of fascinating and gory details on American organized crime. . . . This quality work, which comes with full-text online access, fills a niche.” —School Library Journal
“The book is designed…for academic research on the background and life of gangster organizations.” —Library Media Connection
American Gangsters was published in 2009 by ABC-CLIO. It can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Google Books or from the ABC-CLIO website.
“Written for high school readers and up, this biography details the crimes of notorious outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, and examines both of their social, economic, and family backgrounds. Sources for more information on cars, guns, and American history are cited throughout, and web sites with often overlooked material on Bonnie and Clyde are listed. A timeline and a few b&w historical photos are included.” —
Bonnie and Clyde: A Biography was published in 2007 by Greenwood (now part of ABC-CLIO). It can be purchased at Amazon.ca (Canada), Amazon.com (United States), Barnes and Noble or from the ABC-CLIO website.
Al Capone: Chicago’s King of Crime
Originally published in 2006 by Altitude Publishing, Al Capone: Chicago’s King of Crime was released in e-book format by Dundurn Press in 2021. It is available for instant download at Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or the Dundurn Press website.
This title is also available in audiobook format at: Audible, Amazon and Apple.
Dutch Schultz: The Brazen Beer Baron of New York
Originally released by Altitude Publishing, Dutch Schultz: The Brazen Beer Baron of New York was released in e-book format by Dundurn Press in 2021. It is available for instant download at Amazon (Canada) and Amazon (USA), Barnes and Noble, Kobo and the Dundurn Press website.
This title is also available in audiobook format at Audible, Amazon and Apple.
Edwin Alonzo Boyd: The Life and Crimes of Canada’s Master Bank Robber
Edwin Alonzo Boyd: The Life and Crimes of Canada’s Master Bank Robber can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Chapters-Indigo or directly from the publisher, Lorimer.
Crystal Death: North America’s Most Dangerous Drug
Crystal Death: North America’s Most Dangerous Drug, isn’t available for purchase at the moment.
John Lennon: Music, Myth and Madness
John Lennon: Music, Myth and Madness can be purchased at Chapters-Indigo.
Black Donnellys: The Outrageous Tale of Canada’s Deadliest Feud
Black Donnellys: The Outrageous Tale of Canada’s Deadliest Feud can be purchased directly from publisher, Lorimer.
Nate Hendley 