JOEY PYLE Notorious: The Changing Face of Organised Crime

The Krays, the Richardsons and men like Buster Edwards or Freddie Foreman may be better known, but by the end of the 1960s they were either in prison or living in enforced exile. Joey Pyle was every bit as notorious, feared and respected. His broad range of criminal contacts and associates ensured he was either involved in or very much aware of every major criminal escapade that took place. From the murder of Jack the Hat by the Kray twins to the Great Train Robbery, from the fatal shooting at the Pen Club to the American mafia's attempts to penetrate London's casino scene, Pyle saw it all. Yet, despite a few close calls - including a spell in prison on a murder charge that would have seen him hanged if found guilty - Pyle remained at liberty throughout. He was there to see first hand the nature of organised crime change from the protection rackets and casino scams of the 1960s through the highly organised armed robberies of the 1970s, to the rise of the drug trade which began in earnest in the 1980s and continues to the present day. The story of Joey Pyle is the story of the changing face of British organised crime. Illus. + Epilogue and Index. 262pp. trade size softcover. Vg+