Mad Frank and Sons: Tougher than the Krays, Frank and his boys on gangland, crime and doing time

The story was ok and parts were interesting, but overall it just fell a bit short. I thought there would be some really good recounts of his exploits but you only get a brief mention of them and the story skips on.

Frankie Fraser is almost a mythological figure in the British underworld. This book shows the mam behind the myth.

I haven’t read an autobiography in ages, I’ve been so tied up with my fiction, but I’m so glad I read this. It’s the first book I’ve finished within a week since the Da Vinci Code.We’ve had films about the Krays in which Frank Fraser is a bit-part player, but his life is worthy of a movie itself. However, I doubt you can get the nuances, the truth, the detail of what made the man so interesting and pivotal in a film, not like in a book.The author has had access to not only Frank, in his final months, but to his family and more. The book pieces together a story of a man who was mad when it suited him, or the authorities, but as sane as they come, a man who was loyal, compassionate, devoted, and very straightforward.The tales from inside the prison give a real insight into the system at that time, making this much more than a biography. It’s a case study in the London crime world – and the hazards of the job. A great read.

first class read during my time in the 60,s

Found it interesting, Having met Frank a few months before he entered the care home what struck me was how small he was but without doubt even then he had something scary about him. I can understand how some of the toughest were in awe of him