Organized crime Books

Book SynopsisJoe Coughlin is nineteen when he meets Emma Gould. A smalltime thief in 1920s Boston, he is told to cuff her while his accomplices raid the casino she works for. But Joe falls in love with Emma - and his life changes for ever.That meeting is the beginning of Joe''s journey to becoming one of the nation''s most feared and respected gangsters. It is a journey beset by violence, double-crossing, drama and pain. And it is a journey into the soul of prohibition-era America...A powerful, deeply moving novel, Live By Night is a tour-de-force by Dennis Lehane, writer on The Wire and author of modern classics such as Shutter Island, Gone, Baby, Gone and The Given Day.Trade ReviewSo beautifully written and so sharp in its details and atmosphere that it's no wonder Lehane's books attract filmmakers with such ease * Irish Voice *Lehane's thrillers mix viscerally violent excitement with a thorough airing of ethical dilemmas * Daily Telegraph *Lehane is one of the great contemporary American crime writers * Daily Mail *Dennis Lehane's speciality is the fast-paced gangster thriller that's also a deeply felt novel. His latest, about a Boston criminal, doesn't disappoint on either count... I guarantee that all you'll be able to do is keep on turning the pages. The prose crackles with Chandleresque jokes, the narrative never flags and there's even a genuinely heart-stopping love story. In addition to all that, the book beautifully evokes the entire era of early Thirties Prohibition America * Readers' Digest *This is a book that should put [Lehane's] name right up there where it belongs, right up there alongside Doctorow and Dreiser * Scotland on Sunday *This is noir with added value: Lehane is terrific on family ties and at conveying the buzz of a city powered by immigrant labour of often dubious legality * Guardian *History is merely a backdrop in a story that seeks just to be exciting, sexy and atmospheric. The author's trademark combination of dark deeds, graceful pose and sassy dialogue ensures it succeeds * Sunday Times *Lehane's tough, muscular prose captures the era well; and his dialogue brings to life the inhabitants of its underworld * Spectator *This is not just brilliant period crime writing, but brilliant writing full stop * Independent *The crime writer's crime writer; with a spare, stark edge to his work that lifts it into the truly great clas . . . The gangster world is superbly evoked and the story is as tight and powerful as the trigger on a Thompson sub-machine * Daily Mail *Sophisticated, literary and barbed enough... it makes this book a sentence-by-sentence pleasure. You are in the hands of an expert. And you'll know it * Scotsman *Exciting, sexy and atmospheric. Lehane's combination of dark deeds, graceful prose and sassy dialogue ensures it succeeds * Sunday Times *

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Book Synopsis''Well into MARTINA COLE territory'' Independent''A cracking good read'' JESSIE KEANEON THE STREETS OF LONDON, DANGER LURKS EVERYWHERE . . . Liv Anderson can take care of herself and she knows how to make money in a man''s world. The daughter of a convicted murderer, she''s made her way in one of the roughest parts of London by entrapping men and extorting them for money. But Liv is playing a dangerous game and soon finds herself in trouble with the city''s most notorious gangster . . . To repay her debt, Liv is forced to pose as a secretary for a local property developer and report back on his movements. She has no idea what she''s looking for, but she''ll do anything to stay alive. And after the murder of a local prostitute and the disappearance of a friend, Liv is starting to think survival may be harder than she realised. But Liv isn''t only concerned wTrade ReviewHer hard-edged writing has made Kray a gangster-saga rival to Martina Cole. Fans will love Liv Anderson * Peterborough Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisA stunning investigation of the life and legend of Mexican kingpin Joaquín Archivaldo “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, building on Noah Hurowitz’s revelatory coverage for Rolling Stone of El Chapo’s federal drug-trafficking trial. This is the true story of how El Chapo built the world’s wealthiest and most powerful drug-trafficking operation, based on months’ worth of trial testimony and dozens of interviews with cartel gunmen, Mexican journalists and political figures, Chapo’s family members, and the DEA agents who brought him down. Over the course of three decades, El Chapo was responsible for smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine, marijuana, heroin, meth, and fentanyl around the world, becoming in the process the most celebrated and reviled drug lord since Pablo Escobar. El Chapo waged ruthless wars against his rivals and former allies, plunging vast areas of Mexico into unprecedented levels of violence, even as many in his home state of Sinaloa continued to view him as a hero. This unputdownable book, written by a great new talent, brings El Chapo’s exploits into a focus that previous profiles have failed to capture. Hurowitz digs in deep beyond the legends and delves into El Chapo’s life and legacy—not just the hunt for him, revealing some of the most dramatic and often horrifying moments of his notorious career, including the infamous prison escapes, brutal murders, multi-million-dollar government payoffs, and the paranoia and narcissism that led to his downfall. From the evolution of organized crime in Mexico to the militarization of the drug war to the devastation wrought on both sides of the border by the introduction of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, this book is a gripping and comprehensive work of investigative, on-the-ground reporting.Trade Review“El Chapo tears through the myth of Mexico's most infamous mobster and reveals the flesh and blood of the living man, the vibrant if cutthroat mountain culture he hailed from and the failed war on drugs that made him.” —Ioan Grillo, author of El Narco and Blood Gun Money“El Chapo tears through the myth of Mexico's most infamous mobster and reveals the flesh and blood of the living man, the vibrant if cutthroat mountain culture he hailed from and the failed war on drugs that made him.” —Ioan Grillo, author of El Narco and Blood Gun Money“El Chapo is the best book you’re going to read on the rise and fall of the 21st century’s most notorious narco. It’s a fast-paced journey through the landscape and history of the bloody war on drugs in Mexico. The war on drugs may have failed for most of us, but as Hurowitz points out, it’s working out very nicely for those who profit from it, including the narcos themselves who make their fortunes in the black market. Pick up this book and get smarter on the drugs business.” —Toby Muse, Kilo: Inside the Deadliest Cocaine Cartels from the Jungles to the Streets“Hurowitz fleshes out the harrowing details of Mexico’s drug violence and high-level corruption, and draws on interviews with former cartel insiders to document El Chapo’s staggering ambitions and deep-seated paranoia…. [The author’s] access to players on both sides of the drug war impresses.” —Publishers Weekly“A fast-paced study of the infamous, now imprisoned Mexican drug lord and the social structures that supported and enabled his rise…Readers won’t look at the war on drugs the same way after reading Hurowitz’s damning account.” —Kirkus“[A] much-needed revisit of the Chapo story...fast-paced, at times edgy...Hurowitz manages to capture the history of the drug war in Mexico well.” —Small Wars Journal“This remarkably engaging...Truly the definitive account of the life of Joaquín Guzmán, El Chapo. Yet it is about so much more than just the world’s most infamous drug trafficker. Through the story of El Chapo, Hurowitz reveals in compelling fashion the calculated and violent absurdity that is the so-called War on Drugs—a war that has proven more effective in killing, terrorizing, and repressing poor people across the globe than stopping the flow of illicit drugs. This impressively researched book is essential reading.” —Alexander Aviña, author of Specters of Revolution: Peasant Guerrillas in the Cold War Mexican Countryside"El Chapo buries the sensationalism and strips the myths from Mexico's most famous drug lord. Instead Hurowitz gives us a complex, but no less rollicking, portrait of a man caught between America's never-ending demand for narcotics, its persistent need for a scapegoat and a Mexican state always happy to dish one up. El Chapo is true crime biography done right." —Benjamin T. Smith, author of The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade"Hurowitz did what a few American journalists or writers do: he went to Mexico to capture the background of the events that describe and explain the failure of the American war on drugs and the rise of criminals like Chapo Guzmán. El Chapo is a great book, easy to digest for readers and a fabulous explanation with a healthy narrative of the cruel reality on both sides of the Río Bravo about narcotrafficking, corruption and political blindness." —J. Jesús Esquivel, Washington DC correspondent for Proceso magazine and author of El Juicio: Crónica de la caída del Chapo“A rare achievement: a page-turning, true crime narrative with a deep and well-researched analysis. Hurowitz details the rise to power of Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, but never takes his eye off the structures of power that facilitated it, within both the Mexican government and the global economy.” —Christy Thornton, assistant professor of sociology and Latin American studies at Johns Hopkins University and author of Revolution in Development: Mexico and the Governance of the Global Economy

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Book SynopsisThe brand new mystery from the award-winning, bestselling author of A Quiet Belief in Angels.Estranged after a devastating betrayal, brothers Victor and Frank Landis - sheriffs of neighbouring counties - hadn''t spoken for years. In truth, Victor didn''t care if Frank was alive or dead. Until the day somebody killed him. Crossing county lines in search of answers, Victor is soon on the trail of a sinister conspiracy that takes him deep into the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. From the poorest communities to the most powerful and corrupt organisations, he soon becomes ensnared in a dangerous web of drugs, trafficking and murder. For Victor, finding the truth will mean uncovering dark secrets he''d rather have left buried, and risking everything to protect the family his brother left behind...At once a gripping mystery and a moving portrait of life in an isolated, misunderstood community, The Last Highway is the late

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Book SynopsisMeet the DeMeo gang - the most deadly killers the Mafia has ever known.They were a small-time Brooklyn corner crew who, headed by the notorious Roy DeMeo, became the hitmen of choice for the Gambino family. Killing for profit and pleasure, they were ultimately feared by everyone even the Mafia bosses they worked for.Trade ReviewA masterpiece of of true-crime reporting * Publisher's Weekly *The best mob book in recent history * Kirkus Review *A murderous crew that every wisequy in New York was afraid of... compelling and authoritative -- Nicholas Pileggi * Goodfellas *A cross between The Godfather and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre * New York Newsday *You'll be ducking for cover on every page * New York Post *

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Book SynopsisHerbert Asbury was born into a strictly Methodist family in Missouri in 1889. His pious background and his subsequent rejection of Methodism greatly influenced both his philosophy of life and his career as reporter and author. Indeed, many of his books deal with the darker, seamier side of American life. He is best know for his true crime books set in the 19th and early 20th century America. He died in 1963 of chronic lung problems, the legacy of a gas-attack in France during the first World War.Trade ReviewAsbury was a realist and mid-Western moralist whose book is, as Gopnik notes, 'a kind of surrealist collage of the city's secret history' -- Robert McCrum * Observer *Like one of the thugs he writes about, he really is an "extraordinary virtuoso in the art of mayhem" * Financial Times *

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Book Synopsis_____________________________At Ronnie Kray''s funeral, London crime expert John Pearson saw a man he didn''t recognise - but who all the notorious criminals present deferred to.This is the remarkable true story of that man: ''the Englishman''.Investigations revealed that the Englishman was never mentioned in any of the previous books on organised crime, not because he wasn''t involved, but because everyone was too scared to speak his name. Moreover, he was as legendary a figure on the streets of New York as on the streets of London.Pearson persuaded the mysterious criminal leader to talk to him - and the result was a story even more extraordinary than that of the Kray twins. Here Pearson reveals the true story of the Englishman who became the adopted son of Joey Pagano, the head of one of the major New York crime families. Here the Englishman tells the story that no-one else dared to tell._____________________________<Trade ReviewStraight out of The Godfather ... this insight into the hidden world of the mafia is well worth reading * The Oldie *Brilliantly thrilling * Heat *

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Book SynopsisAN IMPOSSBLE CHOICEJorge Salcedo was trapped. For years, he had climbed the ladder inside the Cali drug cartel, the world''s most powerful crime syndicate, and risen to Head of Security. But he''d kept clean, avoided the dirty work, managed to sleep at night. Until now. He''d finally received the order he''d long dreaded, and it meant one thing: kill or be killed. THE HARD WAYSalcedo was a family man, a man with a conscience, a father - he was no cold-blooded murderer. He was left with the last resort. It meant risking his life, his family''s life, and the lives of everyone he cared for. He would have to take the whole syndicate down. It was the price to pay for salvation.WOULD YOU RISK YOUR LIFE TO SAVE YOUR SOUL?Trade ReviewColumbia has been devoured by drug lords: this is a thrilling tale of one man's resistance. * The Times, Book of the Week *In this powerful and riveting work of nonfiction, William Rempeldemonstrates the virtues of investigative reporting. Gaining access to the figure that could - and indeed did - spill the secrets that brought down a cartel, Rempel has an extraordinary story to tell. He not only takes the reader inside the hidden world of the drug cartels. He also provides a fascinating character study of man who must answer a simple harrowing question: Should he risk his life in order to save his soul, or should he keep a pact with the devil? * David Grann, author of THE LOST CITY OF Z *Bill Rempel has earned his reputation as one of America's finest investigative reporters the old fashioned way - by getting people to tell him explosive stories they won't talk about with anyone else. At The Devil's Table brings Rempel's skills to the fore as never before,revealing the graphic details of Colombia's bloody drug wars from the ultimate insider. By the end, you realize that the biggest mystery is how Jorge Salcedo stayed alive long enough to tell Rempel about his amazing life.? * James Risen, author of State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration *

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Book SynopsisThis book is an article by article commentary on the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants. It analyses the nature of transnational organized crime, and examines how the Convention has been implemented since it came into force in 2003.

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Book SynopsisFor many people around the world, instances of what is described as organized crime may be part of their everyday experience; in their neighbourhoods, their streets, and the places they work and live. Policymakers, law enforcement, and the media rarely fail to bring up the issue when discussing the nature and seriousness of contemporary criminal threats, and the appropriate responses towards them. Many more people are familiar with the notion of organized crime, as the film and TV industry regularly draw on fictional and real figures and situations. Organized crime feels like a tangible, inescapable issue in today''s world.In this Very Short introduction, Georgios A. Antonopoulos and Georgios Papanicolaou uncover the reality of organized crime in our world today. Shining a light on the people involved in organized crime, Antonopoulos and Papanicolaou question whether the term ''organized'' is used to evoke the image, the operations, and power of a legitimate organization, such as a corporation. Discussing whether there are particular crimes that the label ''organized crime'' applies to, or if any crime can be organized, they also consider what happens when organized crime extends beyond borders. Using examples from across the globe, they analyse the different cultural traditions of organized crime, such as the Mafia, Yakuza, and Triads, and also the nature of organized crime, from arms trafficking and drug dealing to extortion. Finally they explore the methods and agencies in place to control and prevent organized crime.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1: Introduction: What is organised crime? 2: Organised crime around the globe 3: The business of organised crime 4: Controlling and preventing organised crime 5: Conclusion: Business as usual References Further Reading

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Book SynopsisFollow-the-money'' approaches are increasingly being adopted to tackle organized crime, corruption, and terrorist activities. The rationale behind such an approach is oft stated: to show that crime does not pay, to reinforce confidence in a fair and effective criminal justice system, and to deter criminal activity. Civil Recovery of Criminal Property is an in-depth analysis of the confiscation of the proceeds of crime in the absence of criminal conviction in Ireland and England & Wales, more than two decades since the introduction of this civil/criminal hybrid procedure. This book considers the development of civil recovery in both jurisdictions, providing a comprehensive comparative account and critical examination of its legislative context and framework, judicial reception, and case law development. It leads the argument that civil recoverylike other civil/criminal hybridsstraddles civil and criminal procedure in a manner that takes advantage of the resultant legal ambiguity, to theTrade ReviewThis monograph by King and Hendry will rapidly become the standard work on civil recovery of criminal proceeds in the UK. The book gives an excellent and detailed analysis of the use of civil process against the proceeds of crime. The criminal/civil law hybridity is problematized by the authors since it allows for the circumvention of fundamental rights and criminal justice safeguards. It is a compelling read not just for those interested in civil recovery but for anyone interested in criminal justice and procedural fairness. * Professor Elies van Sliedregt, Tilburg University *This book is an exquisite piece of work. It couples empirical research with theory and doctrine and casts a brilliant light on the use of civil process against the proceeds of crime. It is book-ended by highly informed analysis. The first pages disclose an awareness of the terminological, and substantive confusion that infuses proceeds of crime law that is rarely demonstrated elsewhere. The middle text weaves a hefty knowledge of civil processes, rights, and criminal law onto a vexing and very popular tool. It synthesizes and dissects a vast body of law - from scholarship to court decisions to the actual functioning of civil recovery processes in their real encounters. It will be of value to the Irish, England and Welsh, and European policy makers, practitioners and wider communities, but is also instrumental in understanding the fusion of civil process and crime in any jurisdiction. The content offered herein warrants wide dissemination. * Professor Michelle Gallant, University of Manitoba *...an excellent work of critical scholarship. The authors' clear-eyed privileging of the importance of the individual's rights over justifications around pragmatism is likely to provoke mixed responses amongst academic and practitioners alike, and to reignite the debates around hybrid civil/criminal processes and the civil liberties of those who are subject to them. King's and Hendry's careful and comprehensive theorisation and discussion of the mechanism lays bare the complexities and compromises implicit in crime control in the twenty-first century. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the conflict between principle and pragmatism in criminal justice. * Áine Clancy, The Modern Law *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Civil Recovery as a Hybrid Civil/Criminal Procedure 3: Justifications and Legal Framework 4: Judicial Responses 5: Critiquing Civil Recovery 6: Civil Recovery and Property 7: A Pragmatic Response? 8: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA fascinating read -- Seán O'Rourke * Today with Seán O'Rourke, RTÉ *Explosive * Irish Sunday Mirror *

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Book SynopsisRecognised as ''The first truly definitive English-language study of this myth-laden subject and a pleasure to read'' (Sunday Times) COSA NOSTRA is the compelling story of the Sicilian mafia, the world''s most famous, most secretive and most misunderstood criminal fraternity.The mafia has been given many names since it was founded one hundred and forty years ago: the Sect, the Brotherhood, the Honoured Society, and now Cosa Nostra. Yet as times have changed, the mafia''s subtle and bloody methods have remained the same. Now, for the first time, COSA NOSTRA reconstructs the complete history of the Sicilian mafia from its origins to the present day, from the lemon groves and sulphur mines of Sicily, to the streets of Manhattan.Described by Andrew Marr as ''Monumental and gripping'' COSA NOSTRA is a history rich in atmosphere with the narrative pace of the best detective fiction, and hailed in Italy as the best book ever written about the mafia.Trade ReviewI couldn't put it down. His archival sleuthing is yoked to his powerful, often coruscating storytelling to create a chilling account of the mafia's sinister, horrific reality. * John Guy, The Sunday Times *Riveting * Sunday Telegraph *A readable, highly informative, admirably systematic account of how the Mafia attained its hold. * Times Literary Supplement *Highly readable...compelling. The narrative is entertaining and, at times, as chilling as the darkest crime fiction. At its best, it combines compelling horror with clear, rational analysis of the moral and political failings, which, even today, give the mafia a seat at many top tables in Italian society. * Glasgow Herald *Lucid...grimly readable. * Daily Telegraph *The first truly definitive English-language study of this myth-laden subject, and it is a pleasure to read...his book is notable for shrewd judgements couched in language that is vibrantly memorable. His acquaintance with the island and his immersion in the wider modern Italian culture allows him to convey the noxious atmosphere of corruption with flair. * Sunday Times *Monumental and gripping * Andrew Marr, BBC Start the Week *Combines scholarship with a rip-roaring read * Sunday Herald *Well-written...his findings are supported by careful research and copious documentation. Racy...contains some powerful stories, scenes and surprises. * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisJoe Coughlin is nineteen when he meets Emma Gould. A smalltime thief in 1920s Boston, he is told to cuff her while his accomplices raid the casino she works for. But Joe falls in love with Emma - and his life changes for ever.That meeting is the beginning of Joe''s journey to becoming one of the nation''s most feared and respected gangsters. It is a journey beset by violence, double-crossing, drama and pain. And it is a journey into the soul of prohibition-era America...A powerful, deeply moving novel, Live By Night is a tour-de-force by Dennis Lehane, writer on The Wire and author of modern classics such as Shutter Island, Gone, Baby, Gone and The Given Day.Trade ReviewDennis Lehane's speciality is the fast-paced gangster thriller that's also a deeply felt novel. His latest, about a Boston criminal, doesn't disappoint on either count... I guarantee that all you'll be able to do is keep on turning the pages. The prose crackles with Chandleresque jokes, the narrative never flags and there's even a genuinely heart-stopping love story. In addition to all that, the book beautifully evokes the entire era of early Thirties Prohibition America * Readers' Digest *This is a book that should put [Lehane's] name right up there where it belongs, right up there alongside Doctorow and Dreiser * Scotland on Sunday *This is noir with added value: Lehane is terrific on family ties and at conveying the buzz of a city powered by immigrant labour of often dubious legality * Guardian *History is merely a backdrop in a story that seeks just to be exciting, sexy and atmospheric. The author's trademark combination of dark deeds, graceful pose and sassy dialogue ensures it succeeds * Sunday Times *Lehane's tough, muscular prose captures the era well; and his dialogue brings to life the inhabitants of its underworld * Spectator *This is not just brilliant period crime writing, but brilliant writing full stop * Independent *The crime writer's crime writer; with a spare, stark edge to his work that lifts it into the truly great class... The gangster world is superbly evoked and the story is as tight and powerful as the trigger on a Thompson sub-machine * Daily Mail *Sophisticated, literary and barbed enough... it makes this book a sentence-by-sentence pleasure. You are in the hands of an expert. And you'll know it * Scotsman *Exciting, sexy and atmospheric. Lehane's combination of dark deeds, graceful prose and sassy dialogue ensures it succeeds * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisMcMafia meets Narcos in a searing true crime tale of the dark side of globalisation set in the US, Italy, Colombia and the Middle East.Trade ReviewGripping... Part geopolitical essay, part toothsome slice of true crime ... [a book with] humour, tension and pathos - Four stars -- Jake Kerridge, The Daily TelegraphJohnson has recreated the most private of criminal moments, including dialogue and even thoughts. He has opened a window on the narco-terror nexus that most observers knew very little about ... Johnson's writing gallops along. -- The GuardianReads like a first-rate thriller. [A] vivid exposé of the murky world of transnational crime ... the overall narrative is so compelling and well-presented. -- Andrew Lycett, SpectatorA page-turner that criss-crosses borders and time zones, told in brisk, episodic, non-linear chapters -- Sunday Irish IndependentRead this powerful book by Miles Johnson right now. It will make you realise that what we call terrorism is actually drug trafficking, what we call politics is organised crime and what we call peace is just a truce between mafias. -- Roberto Saviano, author of GomorrahAs breathless, complex and on-the-edge suspenseful as the finest thriller fiction - but it's all real, which makes it truly extraordinary -- Lee ChildA truly impressive book that takes the reader deep into the dark underbelly of global money laundering where Hezbollah, Russian arms traders, the Italian mafia and Colombian drug lords meet. This McMafia for a new age is vital for understanding the black cash networks that have funded wars and terrorism across the Middle East. -- Catherine Belton, author of Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and then took on the WestThis book is like being inserted deep into the secret heart of the global criminal economy, where mafiosi, terrorists and traffickers are all on the same side. It's compelling, visceral and highly readable -- Oliver Bullough, bestselling author of MoneylandA terrific and utterly absorbing account of the murky and lethal connections between transnational organised crime and global politics. Enthrallingly and lucidly written with great authority and expertise, it is a classic of its kind -- William BoydChasing Shadows is a true crime work of international intrigue as gripping and suspenseful as any novel you'll read this year -- Harlan CobenHoly Mackerel, what a story! Miles Johnson exposes the interlocking worlds of terror and drugs with verve and drama in this tale of truck bombs, arms deals, political assassinations, undercover cops and several tonnes of cocaine. Chasing Shadows is an astounding true crime epic that puts us in the room as a Calabrian mob boss whispers to his mistress, a Lebanese militant plots to set the world on fire, and a US agent races to expose it all -- Dan McCrum, author of Money MenThis astonishing and cinematic rollercoaster of a debut will bring Miles Johnson's talent into the brilliant light. Delivered with trademark verve and precision, it achieves that rare and precious thing that is the goal of all great reporting: it reveals the world to itself -- Alex Perry, author of The Good MothersThis is an extraordinary story of improbable but lethal connections across continents. Miles Johnson writes with verve and insight about ruthless men and the terrible consequences of their crimes -- Fergal KeaneChasing Shadows offers a captivating glimpse into the complex world of international intrigue. This skilfully written thriller intertwines the compelling stories of three distinct men whose fates are undeniably linked. With its engaging prose, well-structured plot, and memorable characters, Chasing Shadows provides a thought-provoking look into the darker aspects of humanity and the high-stakes realm of drugs, terrorism, and power. Readers will find themselves fully immersed in this fascinating tale from start to finish. -- Eliot Higgins, author of We Are BellingcatChasing Shadows is a fascinating journey into the intersecting worlds of politics, terrorism and organised crime. Miles Johnson adopts a narrative technique reminiscent of the late John le Carré, while telling a true story. The result is an impeccably researched book, which is also a pleasure to read -- Federico Varese, Professor of Sociology, Sciences Po

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Book Synopsis''A work of journalistic brilliance and rare humanity'' GEORGE PACKER ''Truly a remarkable achievement'' JON LEE ANDERSON''Ahmed writes about Mexico with uncommon authority and a broken heart'' GARY SHTEYNGART''A stunning, colour-saturated portrait of the collapse of formal justice in one Mexican town'' STEVE COLLFear is Just a Word begins on an international bridge between Mexico and the United States, as fifty-six-year-old Miriam Rodriguez stalks one of the men she believes was involved in the murder of her daughter Karen. He is her target number eleven, a member of the drug cartel that has terrorised and controlled what was once Miriam''s quiet hometown of San Fernando, Mexico, almost one hundred miles from the US border. Having dyed her hair red as a disguise, Miriam watches, waits, and then orchestrates the arrest of this man, exacting her own revenge. Woven into this deeply researched, moving account is

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Book Synopsis____________________THE EXPLOSIVE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER''A bombshell.'' Daily Mail''Damning, terrifying and enraging.'' The Spectator____________________House of Trump, House of Putin offers the first comprehensive investigation into the decades-long relationship among Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the Russian Mafia that ultimately helped win Trump the White House. It is a chilling story that begins in the 1970s, when Trump made his first splash in the booming, money-drenched world of New York real estate, and ends with Trump's inauguration as president of the United States. That moment was the culmination of Vladimir Putin's long mission to undermine Western democracy, a mission that he and his hand-selected group of oligarchs and associates had ensnared Trump in over more than two decades of shady business associations. As Unger traces Donald TruTrade ReviewA bombshell. * Daily Mail *Damning in its accumulation of detail, terrifying in its depiction of the pure evil of those Trump chose to do business with, and enraging in that — if Unger is right — Trump acted with impunity for decades to get filthy rich laundering the mob’s blood money. * The Spectator *There is a volcano's worth of smoke in House of Trump, House of Putin. * USA Today *The story Unger weaves with his original reporting is fresh, illuminating and more alarming than the intelligence channel described in the Steele dossier. * The Washington Post *Unger's contention is that a web of Trumpian connections to Russia explain the darkness at the heart of the Trump presidency. The crisp account of the rise of the Russian mafia and its expansion into the US is chilling. * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIn a society where trust is in short supply and democracy weak, the Mafia sells protection, a guarantee of safe conduct for parties to commercial transactions. Drawing on the confessions of eight Mafiosi, Diego Gambetta develops an elegant analysis of the economic and political role of the Sicilian Mafia.Trade ReviewA remarkable theoretical achievement. Starting from what is apparently a most unpromising premise, that the workings of the Mafia can be understood within a rational choice framework, Gambetta repeatedly surprises us with his theoretical ingenuity… In a brief review, one cannot do justice to the complexity of the arguments in a book like Gambetta’s. Let it suffice to say I could not put it down and I estimate it will become a classic in the burgeoning literature upon the rational choice approach to sociological analysis. -- Peter Abell * British Journal of Sociology *The Sicilian Mafia goes far beyond the promise of the title. It represents an important and arguably enduring contribution to both sociological and economic theory. Gambetta’s book shows the fruitfulness of a rigorous economic analysis applied with consistency and it is, in spite of the ominous subject, fun to read. It sheds new light on the birth and evolution of the mafia. Furthermore, the twofold parallel between the mafia, an economic industry, and the state, the political community par excellence, can bring us to a more accurate understanding of the nature of the markets for unusual commodities like protection, and it contributes, indirectly, to the political theory of the emergence of protection agencies. -- Alberto Vannucci * European Sociological Review *Diego Gambetta’s analysis of the Sicilian Mafia is likely to become a classic. It uses a dazzling combination of economic theory and sociological insight to make sense of a significant but mysterious social institution. -- Robert Sugden * Journal of Economic Literature *This is a fascinating book. It provides a wealth of information about an organization which, despite its repellent nature, understandably continues to intrigue many people. And the narrative, based, as much of it is, on the testimony of various ex mafiosi who have turned state's evidence, possesses a compelling immediacy. As a work of history, it is first-rate. -- Larry J. Sechrest * Journal of Economics *Gambetta's study is, quite simply, brilliant. At once thoughtful and provocative, he argues that the mafioso deals not in violence, but in protection...Witty and well-argued, compelling but not didactic, this is precisely what a scholarly work should be. * Modern Italy *A carefully argued and well written interpretation of the Sicilian Mafia which should be required reading for every student of criminology. -- David Nelken * British Journal of Criminology *[Gambetta] has done an outstanding job of gathering and analyzing the data that were available...A tremendous achievement. -- Peter Kollock * American Journal of Sociology *Table of ContentsIntroduction PART 1: THE INDUSTRY OF PREOTECTION 1. The market 2. The resources 3. The industry PART 2: THE INDUSTRY IN SICILY 4. The Origins 5. The Cartel 6. The Trademarks PART 3: PROTECTION IN PRACTICE 7. Dispute Settlement 8. Orderly Markets 9. Disordered Markets Conclusion Postscript Appendix A: Etymologies of Mafioso and Mafia Appendix B: Descriptions of the Mafia Ritual Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDave Courtney - the original behind Vinnie Jones's character in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels - tells all in his no-holds-barred bestselling autobiography.From the streets of southeast London to bare-knuckle fights;Trade ReviewOne of the most feared men on the streets of London * Express *Book of the week -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *Illuminating, brutal and funny - well worth passing the time with * Maxim *Crime, gangsters, guns. Fast money, flashy women, big suits - what a buzz * Hot Air *

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Book SynopsisIn 1987, Wayne Anthony and two friends established the legendary Genesis raves that were attended by the wide-eyed, loved-up youth of the late Eighties and early Nineties. Wayne and the Genesis team took Acid House to the masses and changed the face of British rave culture. Wayne then promoted a series of events around Europe, released a series of infamous compilation albums under the banner Havin' It'. Since then Wayne has been involved in Internet start-ups and tech companies. He spent the last ten years at the helm of LSD Magazine, one of Europe's biggest street art graffiti networks. He is currently in the process of launching the world's first dedicated street art graffiti channel from Los Angeles.

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Book SynopsisHow did the Mob evolve from a disorganised gang of uncouth killers into the deadly ''international corporation'' it is today?Tracing its beginnings as an underground society which sprang up in Sicily, to the Mob which went on to run organised crime throughout Italy and America, William Balsamo great-nephew of the original godfather and George Carpozi Jr draw on two decades of research to tell the true story of the most mythical and misunderstood criminal organisation in history.

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Book SynopsisHuman freedom has one last hope to survive the information revolution in the epic, apocalyptic sequel to the international bestseller Daemon.The Daemon is now firmly in control and moving towards its endgame, using an expanding network of real-world, dispossessed darknet operatives to tear civilization apart and build it anew. As the global economy begins to fail, the world''s most powerful organizations - monolithic corporations, complete with armies of their own - prepare to fight their unseen enemy. When a brutal civil war breaks out in the United States, former detective Pete Sebeck, now the Daemon''s most powerful though reluctant operative, must lead a small band of enlightened humans to protect the new world order. Amid conflicting loyalties, rapidly diminishing human power and the possibility that anyone can be a daemon operative or a corporate spy, Sebeck knows that he embodies the last hope that freedom can survive the information revolution.

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Book SynopsisPreviously a solicitor for twenty-five years, James Morton then worked as editor of Law Journal and Criminal Lawyer. He is now a full-time writer and author of the bestselling Gangland series.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary insight into another world... He's so shamelessly upfront that you'll soon find yourself hanging on his every word. * Mirror *As entertaining as his last two works ... you would be mad to miss it. * Publishing News *

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Book SynopsisWickedly funny. Wildly twisty. The new book from the master of the heist novel. A super-thief who leaves no trace.-Andy Garcia An anti-hero for our times.-Sarah Dunn A can''t-miss master.-David Baldacci Super thief Riley Wolfe can do it all. He is a master of disguise, can scale a wall, and can vanish into thin air (thick air, too). He uses these unique talents to rob the richest. But this time, it''s the most powerful who have him in their grips. ONE MADMAN. TWO HOSTAGES. It''s not just that the high-up, rogue government agent has abducted the only two people Riley loves: it''s the fact that Riley has to do the man''s dirty work to set them free. It''s something Riley ordinarily would find a modest day''s work, infiltrating a madman''s Soviet missile silo in one of the world''s most remote places, all to find a secret on a tiny flash drive-but he''s never had to race the clock like this. STrade ReviewOne of the best books in the series -- David Pitt * Booklist *As usual with a Lindsay Thriller, the darkly humorous tale is tightly written * The Associated Press *Readers will be transfixed by Riley's every move as he engages in astonishing transformations and clever ruses in pursuit of his seemingly impossible goals in this audacious and action-packed thriller. * Book Page *

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Book SynopsisKillers. Traffickers. Thieves.Shaun Attwood is the man who talks to gangsters, drug lords and mafia bosses. Infamously known for his time as the head of an international ecstasy ring in Arizona, Shaun has since turned to gaining the trust of some of the world''s most dangerous people, interviewing and questioning them about their stories.Collated from the many hours of interview material, and containing additional content exclusive to the book, Shaun brings together ten powerful conversations with the most gruesome and deadly gangsters of recent years.Filled with truthful, brutal, and often redemptive stories, Shaun''s interviews feature international smugglers, mafia enforcers and a man who escaped from Thailand''s most notorious prison. Sitdowns with Gangsters is an unputdownable read that offers a glimpse into the lives and inner workings of some of the world''s most fearsome gangsters.Featuring an introduction from the UK''

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Book SynopsisThe gripping new gangland thriller from the Sunday Times bestseller and Queen of the Underworld, Jessie Keane.Once, he loved her. Now he''s going to put her away for murder.Christie Doyle is living the dream: she has a beautiful mansion on the South Downs with an infinity pool and stables, and her husband, Kenny, spoils her rotten. It''s her birthday and she is the centre of the most amazing party.And then the bombshell drops. Kenny confesses to an affair and asks for a divorce. Worse is to come when the ''other woman''- Lara, nineteen years old and pregnant with Kenny''s child - is found dead.Suspicion falls on Christie and the Doyles'' life is ripped apart as the police hunt for evidence: lead investigator DCI Dexter Cooper is a face from Christie''s own troubled past and he knows better than anyone what she is capable of.The race to unmask a killer is on...Trade ReviewA brilliant historical crime read * Bella *This thrilling and twisty crime novel is perfect for fans of Martina Cole * My Weekly *Mills & Boon meets Peaky Blinders in a mix of heaving bosoms and cut-throat razors * The Sun *A gritty and enlightening read * Yours *No one delves into the underworld like Keane! * Woman's Weekly *Authentically gritty! * Crime Monthly *Another charged gangland thriller from the bestselling author * Woman's Weekly *An epic drama starring an unforgettable heroine. Keane...has a wicked eye for the ruthless, fiercely factional criminal underworld and her books never fail to pack a powerful punch... Every story that Keane writes transports her readers into the heart of a terrifying but addictive underworld, and into the lives of people of every shade... And this cracking page-turner is certainly packed with Keane's trademark cast of larger-than-life characters - each superbly fleshed out and each inhabiting a world so palpably real that we can feel the menace... Brimming with drama, suspense, cruelty and the kind of gobsmacking violence that has made Keane one of the most powerful writers in contemporary crime fiction, this is full-on, eye-watering (of every kind!) entertainment from start to finish! * Lancashire Evening Post *

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Book SynopsisFast paced and full of grit, this is the first crime novel from the UK''s most charismatic sporting genius.WHEN THE GAME IS MURDER, YOU CAN''T AFFORD TO LOSE.An innocent man. Frankie James is a young man with a lot on his shoulders. His mother disappeared when he was sixteen; his father''s in jail for armed robbery; and he owes rent on the Soho snooker club he inherited to one of London''s toughest gangsters. A brutal murder.And things are about to get a whole lot worse when Frankie''s brother Jack is accused of killing a bride-to-be. He needs to find out who framed Jack and why; but that means entering the sordid world of bent coppers, ruthless mobsters and twisted killers. But in the dog-eat-dog underworld of 1990s Soho, is he tough enough, and smart enough to come out on top?If you like Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers, you''ll LOVE this.Trade ReviewThe running is literal as well as metaphorical...it's a heartbreaking story - METRO on RUNNINGRUNNING is a chaotic race through O'Sullivan's life, but this does little to dethrone him as the people's champion - it simply adds further to his legend. - PRESS ASSOCIATION on RUNNINGWhen he starts talking about snooker and his rivals, he is fascinating. Yet it wasn't snooker that ended up saving him from the booze and drugs - it was distance running. - DAILY TELEGRAPH on RUNNINGAt snooker, O'Sullivan is easily the best in the world. At running, he is club class...His frank memoir, which reads like a transcript from the psychiatrist's coach, explains that running - and the running community - gave him a sense of acceptance and achievement. - THE SUNDAY TIMES on RUNNINGLike a lot of shy people, he can look arrogant and aloof when he is performing, while underneath there's turmoil. - DAILY MAIL on RUNNING

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Book Synopsis‘Reads like a mashup of The Godfather and Chinatown, complete with gun battles, a ruthless kingpin and a mountain of cash. Except that it’s all true.’ – TimeIn this thrilling story of real-life events, the bestselling author of Empire of Pain investigates a secret world run by a surprising criminal: a charismatic middle-aged grandmother, who from a tiny noodle shop in New York’s Chinatown, managed a multimillion-dollar business smuggling people.In The Snakehead, Patrick Radden Keefe reveals the inner workings of Cheng Chui Ping aka Sister Ping’s complex empire and recounts the decade-long FBI investigation that eventually brought her down. He follows an often incompetent and sometimes corrupt INS as it pursues desperate immigrants risking everything to come to America, and along the way he paints a stunning portrait of a generation of undocumented immigrants and the intricate underground economy that sustains and exploits them.Grand in scope yet propulsive in narrative force, The Snakehead is both a kaleidoscopic crime story and a brilliant exploration of the ironies of immigration in America.‘A powerful piece of reportage about the violent underworld of New York’s Chinatown’ - The TimesTrade ReviewReads like a mashup of The Godfather and Chinatown, complete with gun battles, a ruthless kingpin and a mountain of cash. Except that it's all true. * Time *Essential reading. . . . A rich, beautifully told story, so suspenseful and with so many unexpected twists that in places it reads like a John le Carré novel. * The Washington Post *A powerful piece of reportage about the violent underworld of New York’s Chinatown * The Times *A masterwork . . . In this single tale about a global criminal, Keefe finds a story of quintessentially American hope. * Christian Science Monitor *Painstakingly reported and vividly told. . . . As immigration reform languishes in Washington . . . everyone involved--from policymakers to activists to the undocumented--would be wise to read The Snakehead. * Newsweek *Published in the UK for the first time, Patrick Radden Keefe’s tireless investigation of human trafficking from China to the US reveals the desperation of the migrants and the woman at the heart of it * The Observer *A formidably well-researched book that is as much a paean to its author's industriousness as it is a chronicle of crime. -- Janet Maslin * New York Times *Bracing, vivid . . . Keefe writes gracefully, perceptively, insightfully . . . Without sacrificing one iota of narrative momentum, he untangles a dauntingly complicated human-trafficking operation so a reader can effortlessly follow along. * The New York Times Book Review *Thoroughly researched and creatively drawn (some scenes are highly dramatic and vivid) by the New Yorker writer, [The Snakehead] is ultimately about the risks these refugees took to play their part in the enduring, grand narrative theme of the American Dream. * The Sydney Morning Herald *Brilliant . . . Keefe’s mastery of this chapter of our ongoing immigration saga is impressive. He muses thoughtfully about its many conundrums and highlights how our ethos of welcoming the persecuted gets soured by bad policy and the pervasive exploitation of the helpless. * Los Angeles Times *Engrossing. . . . Keefe’s narrative delves deeply into Chinatown and the labyrinthine smuggling routes between China and America, but it’s also a glimpse into our conflicted feelings about illegals and the morass of America’s immigration policy. * New York Magazine *A timely, powerful and thoroughly researched book. * The Irish Times *

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Book Synopsis21ST ANNIVERSARY EDITION WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY IRVINE WELSHHe was Britain's most wanted man. He spent seven years in America's toughest penitentiary. You'll like him.During the mid 1980s Howard Marks had forty three aliases, eighty nine phone lines and owned twenty five companies throughout the world. At the height of his career he was smuggling consignments of up to thirty tons of marijuana, and had contact with organisations as diverse as MI6, the CIA, the IRA and the Mafia. Following a worldwide operation by the Drug Enforcement Agency, he was arrested and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison at the Terre Haute Penitentiary, Indiana. He was released in April 1995 after serving seven years of his sentence. Told with humour, charm and candour, Mr Nice is his own extraordinary story.'The story of a remarkable life, lived by the very brilliant and exceptionally wonderful Mr Nice'Irvine Welsh'Frequently hilarious, occasionally sad, and often surreal'GQ'A man who makes Peter Pan look like a geriatric'Loaded'A folk legend'Daily MailTrade ReviewFrequently hilarious, occasionally sad, and often surreal * GQ *A folk legend... Howard Marks has huge charisma. He sounds like Richard Burton and looks like a Rolling Stone * Daily Mail *A man who makes Peter Pan look like a geriatric with sleeping sickness * Loaded *Racy...with plenty of globe trotting colour * Independent *

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Book SynopsisAmsterdam, 2001. A shoot-out in the city's docklands leaves one man grievously injured and a rival drug dealer killed outright. The injured man is Tony Spencer from Coventry. Aka The Old Man. Once a prolific businessman, he is now considered Public Enemy No. 1 by the National Crime Squad and the head of several smuggling rings operating between the UK, Holland, Morocco, and Spain. At the age of 50, with bank robberies, counterfeiting, and several fortunes gained and lost behind him, he is on the run and living abroad. As Spencer's life hangs in the balance, his son Jason arrives in Amsterdam. While he prays for a miraculous recovery, he ponders who his father really is. He has raced anxiously to be by his bedside and yet he is somebody he doesn't know well at all. Jason begins digging in earnest. He begins to piece together the story of The Old Man's life. It's a story that is riddled with contradictions: a man who makes millions but saves nothing, prizes freedom but spends years inside, works in a violent world but who - seemingly - avoids violence. Spencer was absent, often in prison, for much of his upbringing but now, as his father recovers from the shooting, Jason begins to wonder. Maybe, if he can come to understand his father's life, he can begin to understand his own...

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Book SynopsisAll 20-year-old Daisy Haites has ever wanted is a normal life, but as the heiress to London''s most notorious criminal empire, it''s just not on the cards for her.Raised by her older brother Julian since their parents were murdered, Daisy has never been able to escape the watchful gaze of her gang-lord brother. But Julian''s line of work means that Daisy''s life is... complicated.And things don''t become any easier when she falls hard for the beautiful and emotionally unavailable Christian Hemmes, who also happens to be one of the few men in London who doesn''t answer to Julian.Christian''s life is no walk in the park either, since he''s in love with his best friend''s girlfriend, Magnolia Parks.He''s happy enough to use Daisy to throw off the scent of his true affections - until she starts to infiltrate those too.As their romance blossoms into something neither were anticipating, Daisy, Christian, and Julian

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Book SynopsisThe classic, bestselling account of the infamous Kray twins, now a major film, starring Tom Hardy.Reggie and Ronnie Kray ruled London's gangland during the 60s with a ruthlessness and viciousness that shocks even now. Building an empire of organised crime that has never been matched, the brothers swindled, extorted and terrorised while enjoying a glittering celebrity status at the heart of the swinging 60s scene, until their downfall and imprisonment for life.Trade Review'The most famous biography of criminal life to have been published in Britain…a cult’ Time Out 'All credit to Mr. Pearson for a brave and disturbing book' Daily Express 'A scrupulous dossier of the Krays’ weird career' Daily Telegraph 'An exciting read' The Times 'Extremely well written and fittingly dead-pan' New Statesman

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Deal with the Devil is a blistering account of a cunning and brutal Mafia capo... Packed with revelations, it offers the most penetrating look into the inner workings of the Mafia since The Valachi Papers." -- Nicholas Gage "[A] thrilling account... This scrupulously investigated tale... will have true crime fans on the edge of their seats -- Publishers Weekly, starred review "A meticulously researched and frightening account of the long term relationship between the FBI and vicious Mafia thug Gregory Scarpa Sr... Stunning revelations." -- Booklist "An exhaustive examination into the life and crimes of Mafia capo Gregory Scarpa Sr. and his questionable decades long relationship with the FBI... extensively researched...Aficionados of Mafia history and those concerned with FBI corruption will find this thorough investigation satisfying." -- Kirkus Reviews "The perfect mix of thorough research and gripping storytelling." -- NPR "An impressive piece of work... This is a book that has true potential to change history." -- Crimespree Magazine

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“This book could not be more relevant. . . brilliant, gripping, astonishingly rich. . . filled with flamboyant gangsters, devious rackets, vicious hits, secret policemen, Kremlin leaders and criminal slang, at once a true-crime chronicle, a work of scholarship, an anthropological study, a political history of the fused underworld and upper echelons of Russian power — and essential reading.”—Simon Sebag Montefiore, Evening Standard “Galeotti, by far the best-informed Western academic writing on the Russian security services today, charts the rich history of the country’s criminal background and the twist of history that saw the vory – “thieves” – suddenly emerge as the victor’s in Russia’s chaotic experiment with capitalism.”—Owen Matthews, TLS “Mark Galeotti makes a convincing case. . . With the West reassessing its decisions to allow Russian oligarchs – many of whom made money by less than honest means – free rein in its capital cities, this book could not be timelier.”—Matthew Partridge, Money Week “You’d be hard pressed to find a more exhaustive and compelling guide to the confluence of state and organised crime in Russia than this history of thievery that stretches back to the underworld’s pre-revolutionary roots.”—Alasdair Lees, Independent “Mark Galeotti’s study of Russian organised crime, the product of three decades of academic research and consultancy work, is more than timely. In these days of ever more bizarre Russian attacks, it reads like the essential companion to a bewildering and aggressive new world. . .”—Charlotte Hobson, Spectator “A fascinating look at Russia’s super mafia and their links to Putin’s secret services. . . . The book could not be more relevant in the midst of global recriminations—and a new round of American sanctions—against Russia.”—Matthew Campbell, Sunday Times (London) “Adds vital texture to the description of Russia as a kleptocracy. . . The Vory is a timely, readable and important text for anyone thinking of ways to restrict Russian influence over the west and to punish Russia’s leadership for its crimes.”—Oliver Bullough, Observer New Review “Many viewers who watched McMafia must have wondered if Russian organised crime is as ruthless and pervasive as the TV series suggested. Mark Galeotti’s indispensable book adds plenty of real-life nuance to that fictional screenplay, and nobody reading it will be in any doubt of the seriousness of the overlap between Russian spooks and crooks at home and abroad.”—Edward Lucas, the Times “The Vory – meaning The Thieves – is a colourful and comprehensive guide to the intersection of crime and politics in Russia.”—The Economist “For all those interested in the future, as well as in the past and present, of Russia, this is a ‘must-read’ volume.”—Martin Dewhirst, FORUM “Galeotti’s book is an excellent study of the little researched area of criminal life in the Soviet Union.” —Taras Kuzio, Europe-Asia Studies Shortlisted for the Pushkin House Prize 2019 "To understand power in contemporary Russia, this is a must read."—Misha Glenny, author of McMafia "Galeotti lays bare the lattices of power and influence between official Russia and its criminal organizations. This is the best guide to understanding the workings of the Kremlin since Mario Puzo's The Godfather."—Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Former President of Estonia “Gritty, historically grounded and superbly readable, this is an essential work by one of the most knowledgeable and dispassionate observers of contemporary Russia.”—Rachel Polonsky, author of Molotov's Magic Lantern "Galeotti writes with wit, clarity and authority about the grimly fascinating, and all-too-important, history of organized crime and its outsize role in shaping contemporary Russian society and government."—Michael Weiss, CNN National Security Analyst "The culmination of more than twenty-five years of writing on Russian organized crime, Vory is destined to become the standard work on the subject. It is instructive and shocking—and a pleasure to read."—Federico Varese, author of Mafia Life

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Book Synopsis"This is the definitive story of Whitey Bulger…a masterwork of reporting." —Michael Connelly, best-selling author of The Wrong Side of GoodbyeTrade Review"A terrific book…A portrait of its subject in all his complexity." -- David Ulin - Los Angeles Times"Easily the best story about crime I've read." -- Jimmy Breslin, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author of The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight and The Good Rat"A great read…So many terrific, amazing stories." -- Dave Davies - NPR's Fresh Air"Riveting." -- The Economist"In the same way that J. Anthony Lukas’s Common Ground is essential to understanding Boston's racial history, Whitey Bulger is an authoritative treatise on the city's late-20th-century underworld." -- Sean Flynn - Boston Globe"This is the definitive story of Whitey Bulger. As much social documentary as riveting crime story, the book is a masterwork of reporting by Cullen and Murphy. I couldn’t put it down." -- Michael Connelly, best-selling author of The Wrong Side of Goodbye"This is the Whitey Bulger book by the two expert journalists who know the turf best." -- Michael Patrick MacDonald, best-selling author of All Souls: A Family Story from Southie

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Book SynopsisThe enthralling story of Henry Hill's life as a gangster and notorious participation in the Witness Protection Programme, made into the hugely acclaimed Martin Scorsese filmTrade Review‘Absolutely engrossing' * New York Times *‘The best book ever written on organised crime' * Cosmopolitan *‘A riveting account of organised crime as a way of life ... extraordinary' * Publishers Weekly *‘This book chronicles Hill's criminal successes ... smuggling, hijacking, union racketeering, credit card fraud, robbery, bribery, drug dealing, prison, marriage, and assorted girlfriends ... faithfully portrayed' * Library Journal *

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Book SynopsisPresents the true story of the life of Richie “the Boot” Boiardo, one of the most powerful and feared men in the New Jersey underworld. Richard Linnett provides an intimate look inside the Boot’s once-powerful Mafia crew, based on the recollections of a grandson of the Boot himself and complemented by never-before-published family photos.Trade Review"Richard Linnett’s riveting, eloquent account of a larger-than-life man, his family, and an era is testimony to the truism among crime writers that nothing we create can ever equal reality—a page turner." -- Katherine Hall Page * award-winning author of the Faith Fairchild mystery series *"In the Godfather Garden is a compassionate and remarkable story. This is a deeply-researched and beautifully written tale of a true-life character, straight out of classic tragedy." -- Scott Wallace * author of The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribes *"A fascinating and often riveting book about Richie 'the boot' Boiardo and his exploits with an amazing cast of characters from the annals of organized crime in New Jersey … This is an excellent book, and highly recommended for anyone with an interest in organized crime." * The Historian *Table of ContentsContents The Garden ix Acknowledgements xi Prologue: They Got Me, Joe 1 1 Diamond Ritchie 11 2 The Longy War 26 3 I'm no Crybaby 45 4 Fortune Son 57 5 Jerry 65 6 The Club Fremont Incident 85 7 Castle Cruel 100 8 Loose Lips 113 9 The Old Gang of Mine 124 10 Cause for Indictment 134 11 The Italian Way 142 12 On the Jolly Trolley 154 13 The Mafia Exists! 162 14 This Thing of Theirs 171 Epilogue: The Curse 182 Timeline 191 Cast of Characters 195 Notes 203 Selected Bibliography 227 Index 231

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'Counterfeiting is a plague that is growing, and will soon exceed trillions of dollars of stolen top line revenue from major organizations world wide. This book documents the hidden players behind this problem, and documents the level of organized crime that is implicit in this work. This is a fascinating tale of the “behind the scenes” activities that are producing a steady stream of counterfeit goods, and how organizations need to act to curb this black tide.’ -- Robert Handfield, North Carolina State University, US‘A comprehensive examination of the international trade in counterfeit goods and the links to international organized crime. Covering mainly trademark infringement but including copyright, Professor Blakeney’s long experience in this field make him an ideal assessor of the factors involved and apposite case studies underline the significance of the phenomenon leading to a succinct “Way Forward”.’ -- John Anderson, The Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group, France‘The links between organised crime and counterfeits have become an issue of crucial importance to international trade and intellectual property enforcement. In this book, Blakeney brings a wealth of experience, critical insight and sustained analysis to his examination of the complex legal and socio-economic environments involved.’ -- Phillip Johnson, Cardiff University, UKTable of ContentsContents: Preface PART I DEFINITIONS, METRICS AND ANTI-COUNTERFEITING LEGISLATION 1 Definitions and metrics 2 The trade in counterfeit products 3 Impacts of counterfeiting: commercial, fiscal and socio-economic 4 Counterfeiting and public order 5 Counterfeiting and international IP legislation 6 National legislation and counterfeiting 7 Border control of counterfeits PART II CONFISCATION OF THE PROCEEDS OF COUNTERFEITING 8 International confiscation legislation and intellectual property crime 9 National confiscation laws PART III CASE STUDIES 10 Medicines and pharmaceuticals 11 Food 12 Wines and spirits 13 Luxury goods 14 Other counterfeits PART IV RECOMMENDATIONS 15 The way forward Index

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Book SynopsisLondon's most notorious gangsters, in their own words . . .The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller.The Kray twins were Britain's most notorious gangsters. Ruling London's underworld for more than a decade, as gang lords they were among the most powerful and feared men in the city. Photographed by David Bailey and even interviewed for television, they became celebrities in their own right and are infamous to this day.Ronnie and Reg's reign of terror ended on 8 March 1969 when they were sentenced to life with the recommendation that they serve at least thirty years. Ronnie ended his days in Broadmoor – his raging insanity only controlled by massive doses of drugs. Reg served almost three decades in some of Britain's toughest jails before being released on compassionate grounds in August 2000. He died of cancer eight months later.Compiled from a series of interviews with Fred Dinenage from behind prison walls, Our Story is the classic account that explodes the myths surrounding the Kray twins. In it, the twins set the record straight. In their own words they tell the full story of their brutal career of crime and their years behind bars.With an introduction from Fred Dinenage, this compelling, disturbing and highly readable book is the definitive story of two legendary criminals.

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Book SynopsisThe ‘ndrangheta – the Calabrian region of Italy’s mafia – is one of wealthiest and most powerful criminal organizations today. It is considered Italy’s most powerful mafia; it’s not only the main object of concern for anti-mafia units in Italy, but also for joint investigative teams in Europe and beyond. Combining autobiography, travel ethnography, memoir, academic rigour and investigative journalism, this book provides a global outlook on the ‘ndrangheta, taking the reader to small villages and locations in Italy and abroad to Australia, Canada, United States and Argentina.Table of ContentsPrologue 1. Mafia, Memories and Journeys 2. Wine, Cannabis and Ancestors: Rural Australia 3. Aspromonte, the Roots 4. From St Kilda to Kings Cross 5. Bombs, Bridges and Gold 6. North American Hybrids 7. The Port, the Sea and the Wrong Sun 8. ’Ndrangheta City and Spiderwebs Epilogue

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Book SynopsisOne Nation Under Blackmail is a damning indictment of the consequences resulting from the nearly century old relationship between both US and Israeli intelligence and the organized criminal network known as the National Crime Syndicate. This book specifically explores how that nexus between intelligence and organized crime directly developed the sexual blackmail tactics and networks that would later enable the sexual blackmail operation and other crimes of deceased pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Other books on Jeffrey Epstein focus on the depraved nature of his crimes, his wealth, and his most famous/politically-connected friends and acquaintances. This book, in contrast, reveals the extent to which Epstein#&39;s activities were state-sponsored through an exploration of his intelligence connections.

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