Author Kent Frates discusses relationship to character in 'Oklahoma's Most Notorious'

    Kent Frates, author of "Oklahoma's Most Notorious Cases," told Best of Books Book Club members that one of the characters in his book was actually related to him: Charles Urschel was his uncle.
     

     Urschel, shown in the photo, was kidnapped by George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Albert Bates while playing bridge at his Oklahoma City home on July 22, 1933. The case is one of those that Kent profiles in his book, which was recently named a 2015 Oklahoma Book Award finalist.
      The Oklahoma oilman was released on July 30, 1933, after the family paid $200,000 in documented bills. Kelly and others, including his wife, Kathryn, were convicted of the crime.
       Kent spoke to book club members about the most infamous crimes in Oklahoma history that he featured in the book, which took him 1 1/2 years to complete. "Most Notorious" was either No. 1 or in the top five of LOCAL BESTSELLERS for three months.
       You can still buy signed copies of the book and learn more about the Urschel case and others. There's also a photo of Urschel and others of Kent's family in it. Learn more about the book by going to Oklahoma's Most Notorious