Held Hostage

A Serial Bank Robber's Road to Redemption

Husband. Father. Esteemed Community Man. Armed Bank Robber.

The unflinching story of one man's double life--and his ultimate transformation.

To his friends and family, Ken Cooper was the epitome of the perfect citizen: he was devoted to his wife and kids, loved by all, and had a high-profile job for a well-known Christian college.

Yet beneath this polished exterior lurked a man haunted by a broken past and fueled by a dangerous addiction. This man was known to the newspapers and public as the armed and mysterious "gentleman bank robber."

With raw authenticity, Ken bares all--from his tragic past to his time in one of Florida's most notorious prisons--in this unforgettable story of one man's miraculous redemption.

Pub. Date: August 2009

Publisher's Preview

While Ken Cooper lived with his wife and two children and worked as publicity director for a Christian college, he was leading a double life--as a felon. With a vivid, you-are-there style, this former gentleman bank robber takes readers on a journey through years of armed robberies, the dramatic shooting that ended his career, the horrors of prison, and a soul ultimately finding peace. Without fear or embellishment, Cooper openly shares the darkest moments in his life. Yet in these moments he finally meets God and ends up becoming a bright light in a horrendous prison system. From adrenaline-pumping true-life crime to an experience of God's gentle love, readers won't be able to put down this gripping memoir of transformation and God's grace.