The Krays: The Final Word

Krays: The Final Word ,by veteran True Crime writer James Morton, claims to be the definitive account of the gruesome twosome Reg and Ron ,and to a lesser degree their close family.
Having read all of Morton's previous books going back to the 1990's I was expecting this to be either another James Morton or a re-issue as it's the first book for several years to carry his name on the cover. Well it's not and the "where are they now" chapter goes right up to early 2019.
James Morton has been writing about London's gangland for a very long time and doing it very well, he was also Frankie Fraser's ghost writer , so he knows his stuff.

Calling any Kray' book, "The Final Word" is brave as there have been several over the decades ,often contradictory and with various claims made by the authors. I think I can honestly claim to have read every Kray book "out there" over the decades and I'd say it's a very good overview . Morton not only tells the Kray's story but also the tale of their public perception has changed . Ron Kray's unwise determination to manufacture a reputation as the East End's Al Capone, which worked for quite a long time via John Pearson's seminal, "The Profession Of Violence" before time and safe distance eventually saw books from the likes of Bernard O'Mahoney and former associates Micky Fawcett and Bobby Teale telling a different story of a pair of cheapskate sexual deviants with very obvious psychiatric issues.

As always Morton steers clear of sensationalism and just gives the facts, reflecting I suspect his years as a lawyer.. While there have been several books in more recent years dismantling the Kray "legend" Morton's addition to the genre is an interesting and informative one that details the Twins' criminal career while telling that far from the slick Gangster fantasy that Ron in particular went out of his way to boost they were basically a couple of dim thugs who mistook fear for respect. The rest of the "Firm" likewise were mostly inept losers and only heroes in the ghost-written books that they had published to jump on the Kray gravy train.
A great book that if it helps spread the truth about a number of pretty disgusting and loathsome people who have been misguidedly given Robin Hood status in popular folklore is doing a great public service.
With respect to Mr Morton this book is as interesting and informative as his much earlier books and is yet another great True Crime from Mirror Books,who never disappoint.

Big thanks to James Morton, Mirror Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.