Ronnie is the wild card and he interferes in the life of the club that they manage- a façade in some ways. The police, including Scotland Yard, were totally taken off guard by the rise of The Krays. Crime was always a presence in London, but it never really got out of hand. Sure, criminal elements were breaking the law, but people were not getting hurt at least not physically. Interesting to see a man who in the 1960s could be so comfortable with being out of the closet with his criminal associates and the world at large. However, while I sadly didn’t learn anything substantially new, I did like the unbiased writing, in that many of the previous books I’ve read on the Krays was either written/ghostwritten by themselves or by associates or members of their extended family/friends. That was a capital sin, outrageous and unacceptable- at least in the portraits we have of these wise guys

Kray Twins Books - Goodreads Kray Twins Books - Goodreads

It has to be a five star from me - as I enjoy the subject and could re-read this kind of book day in and day out! Pearson was commissioned by Donald Campbell to chronicle his successful attempt on the Land Speed Record in 1964 in Bluebird CN7, resulting in the book Bluebird and the Dead Lake. The first half of the book is heavy going. The second half improves marginally but concludes with a whimper as it records where all the bit part characters are now. Although Ronnie's condition improved while at Long Grove, he soon realised his stay at the institution did not count towards his jail time. So he and Reggie came up with an ingenious plan to break him out! The twins organised to wear identical suits during a visit, and on the day Reggie gave his brother his coat, which allowed Ronnie to slip out of the hospital undetected. Once he had had enough time to flee, Reggie revealed who he really was and left after a brief period of questioning. I can't really say for sure how much of a bond these twins had but, like I said in the beginning of my review, I'm an identical twin and there is no deeper loyalty than to your identical twin.

Being younger then my twin, it is usually the way it goes. In the story there are multiple occasions where Charlie makes plans with Reggie, but once Ronnie got involved, Reggie had changed his mind to accommodate Ronnie. I was prompted to read this after seeing the trailer for Universal and Studio Canal's upcoming film Legend based upon this book and the true story of the rise and fall of London's most infamous and successful gangsters, Ronald and Reginald Kray, starring Tom Hardy as both the twins. (Note: I feel like the filmmakers definitely missed a beat not calling the movie 'Kray Kray', but whatever haha) So when the film came out I just became more attracted to their story. I managed to find an original 1972 hardcover edition of John Pearson's book and devoured it! It's so well written I didn't want the book to end.

The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins

The Twins are identical, but their personalities are very different Reggie is more intelligent and blossoms as a club owner when Ronnie is sent away for a short stretch in the pen. He is also a hetersexual despite the constant badgering from Ronnie. ”What you thinking of, goin’ with a bloody woman? You’re gettin’ soft. Don’t you know that women smell and give you diseases?’

When the American Goodfellas come to London to see how they can cooperate with the Krays, there is a funny scene.