John Silvester (1)

On a personal level, I love this book. On a reviewer level, I think the book needs to be updated and cleaned up a little. I’ll explain.

The gangland wars that took place in Melbourne, Australia between 1994-2004 were in a sense, movements by the next crew to take over and run the Melbourne underworld. This underbelly has a fascinating history and provides some of the background as to the how’s and why’s events unfolded as they did.

The Carlton Crew, who had taken over from the Richmond Crew, were the controlling force in Melbourne throughout the 1980’s. But all underworld stories in Melbourne start with the Painters and Dockers union and it is worth doing a little background because it is fascinating.

This book covers the demise of the Carlton Crew and the rise of “The New Boys”. The book is cobbled together from what was then current crime stories being published in local papers. In some cases, the names have been left out as court cases were still being heard when the book was written.

In that sense, it seems a bit pulpy and also unevenly written. The book also changes stylistically at one point and seems like there was some last minute add-ons to merely fill the book. There is more than enough information to write volumes on the goings on in Melbourne’s underworld so I think the book was pushed out quickly.

Time now then to go back and finesse the book putting in facts, names and other material that had to be left out at first print. If you want to treat yourself to the dramatized stories that the book tells, checkout the Australian series “Underbelly”. There are several seasons which are online or I found on Netflix. It will make the book more sensible. However, it is still great crime stuff that hasn’t been over told in multiple books….yet.… (mehr)

I am a huge fan of the Underbelly TV series and my wife and I have watched all four shows shown here in NZ, and we did attempt to watch the Kiwi-made one based on Mr Asia, but nope, rubbish when compared to the flashy and professional hits out of Aussie.

My favourite one was based on the Gangland Wars in Melbourne, the show focussing mostly on the Morans and Carl Williams, and this is the book on which the show was based. It was originally taken off the air in Aussie, (and subsequently delayed here) due to pending court action in Melbourne so didn't actually show until some months later in both countries.

This book is a great read, once you get used to the style it is written in - it tends to cover the same ground a lot as it goes into each chapter - and considering the show was viewed here well over 18mths ago it is easy to relate incidents and characters based on what was seen. Each chapter sort of focuses on a main 'player' in the Gangland Wars; Jason, Mark, and Lewis Moran, their nemesis Carl Williams, and those caught up in the cross-fire such as Mick Gatto, Andrew Veniamen, Nik Radev and others.

Short, brutal, and to the point, this book is a quick companion to any budding Mafioso without a brain in his head, and while the photo galleries are a little odd (side by side shots of the gangsters and their on-screen actors?? Really? I wanted to see crime shots and such) it is too hard to put down.… (mehr)

OUTSIDE THE LAW is now a series of 3 books, the first edited / compiled by true crime writer and police beat specialists journalist John Silvester.

I am a bit of a sucker for these sorts of books, I really like the slightly extended chapter format and the way a range of different authors concentrate on a individual crimes. Many of these are cut-down versions of the author's own full book, giving you a chance to see if the author has a true crime writing style that appeals (some readers prefer less sensationalised styles, others are looking for more analysis, sometimes it is just the facts that you're after).

In the first of this series, the breadth of the stories covered is as wide as it could be, from the Donald Mackay disappearance in Griffith NSW and the Mafia connections there, through to the dreadful mass shooting in Queen Street Melbourne, Ivan Milat and the backpacker killings, the Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer, the Snowtown / South Australia multiple killings and a special chapter on the life of the undercover cop.

All of these stories bring a different perspective to a different real-life event in Australia's history and again, it is that glimpse of history that is as illuminating, as the details of the crimes and the criminals themselves. I heard somebody say recently that perhaps the Australian fascination with True Crime is partly because the events, and the people involved are far removed from so many of our own rather quiet, law-abiding, largely uneventful lives. It was an interesting observation. OUTSIDE THE LAW is a really interesting compilation of stories about events that have ramifications for the victims, the families, the perpetrators and everyone involved in the pursuit of justice for years to come.… (mehr)