Back To ListOn the LamGreat (and Not So Great) Escapes from PrisonByLorna PoplakPublished October 2025Paperback$ 21.99Paperback$ 21.99 Add to CartShop LocalDescriptionFascinating stories of the age-old tug-of-war between prisons struggling to keep inmates inside and escapees desperate to get out.A convict who returned to the prison he had recently escaped from in a vain attempt to foment a mass breakout; a murderer on the run who veered from folk hero to persona non grata after killing a police dog; a fugitive from the United States who was seized in Canada after being featured on America’s Most Wanted; a repeat escapee who shot himself, preferring death to recapture; a serial killer on the prowl in a small community — these are just a few of the felons whose prison break escapades continue to enthral and terrify.Along with probing the origins, structure, and shortcomings of a variety of historic and contemporary correctional institutions, On the Lam brings into sharp focus the attempts — sometimes successful, occasionally deadly — of masterminds, tricksters, scoundrels, and innocents to claw their way to freedom.Of Related InterestA Daughter's Deadly DeceptionJeremy GrimaldiDrop DeadLorna PoplakThe Man with the Black ValiseJohn GoddardThe DonLorna PoplakDeadly TriangleSusan GoldenbergReviews Blends true crime, history, and sharp storytelling to reveal not just how escapes happened — but what they tell us about the people and the prisons left behind.Catherine Fogarty, author of Murder on the InsideSmart, well-researched, and wildly readable. True crime at its absolute best.Desmond Ryan, author of the Mike O’Shea crime seriesA compelling collection of stories of infamous and daring Canadian prison escapes by penal historian Lorna Poplak.Peter Vronsky, author of American Serial Killers and Sons of CainOn the Lam reads like a thriller. It’s a fascinating exploration of prisoners fleeing Canada’s most notorious and allegedly escape-proof penitentiaries. Lorna Poplak gives gripping accounts of prisoners’ ingenuity from digging extensive tunnels; stealing identities and even helicopters; and exploiting blundering bureaucracy. But breaking out of jail means staying out. Poplak goes further and thoroughly entertains readers with the fugitives’ wild adventures after they escaped.M.H. Callway, author of Windigo FirePreviousNextContributorsLorna PoplakLorna Poplak is a writer, editor, and researcher, with a fascination for the stories behind the facts of Canadian history. She lives in Toronto.View Author Page Book DetailsPaperbackOctober 20256x9 in224 pp9781459754379PDFOctober 2025-224 pp9781459754386ePubOctober 2025-224 pp9781459754393