Gangsters Bootleggers And Bandits

Robbery, smuggling, gambling—gangsters did it all. Find out the true stories of the United States' most feared hoodlums and mob bosses. Learn how a two-bit car thief built a criminal empire—and how the mob's top man wound up in prison. Are you bold enough to read on?

James Bond may be one of the good guys, but the spies in this book definitely aren't—nor are the traitors and assassins! Crack open this book to uncover more secrets about history's most terrible assassins, traitors, and spies.

★★★ Behind every smart man is a smarter woman ★★★ Rocco Perri was the Al Capone of Canada. Without him, the American market of alcohol would be a little...dry. Rocco is frequently cited as the most successful bootlegger of Canada, however, for one important reason: his wife, Bessie Perri. If Rocco was the King of Bootlegging, Bessie was the obvious queen. With page-turning suspense, this gritty book looks at the brains behind Canadian bootlegging and how her cutthroat ways forever changed the landscape of both prohibitions.

Rocco Perri came to Canada almost a century ago from Calabria, Italy. Even today his name is well known to historians, police and organized crime—and especially to the people of the city he called home—Hamilton, Ontario. A poor immigrant, Perri along with his common-law wife, Bessie Starkman, built an unequalled crime empire for the time. During the Prohibition years, Perri provided alcohol to a thirsty clientele in Canada and the United States—a business that was very illegal and highly lucrative. Al Capone and Joseph Kennedy were among Perri’s customers. The Perris also ran gambling, loan-sharking, extortion and prostitution rackets. ROCCO PERRI: King of the Bootleggers is more than the biography of a man and his empire; it is a riveting portrait of a time when corruption was rampant, murder a business necessity, and discrimination against newcomers forced many to turn to crime as a means of survival. This book also solves a half-century-long mystery about the fate of Rocco Perri.

If you have heard the name Al Capone, chances are good that you know a thing or two about Eliot Ness as well. During the Prohibition era in the United States, this opposing pair played a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Capone was the leader of one of the largest organized crime divisions in the country. Ness was the Prohibition agent who dedicated his life to sending this high-ranking criminal to prison. Countless books, films, and even a comic book or two have told their story. But how much about Eliot Ness and his pursuit of Capone is actually true? This book examines the facts--and the fiction--surrounding these now-famous names and the many stories they have inspired.

Loyal subjects, watch out! Some of history's royal leaders were just as vicious as they were powerful. These kings and queens stole, tortured, and murdered. Some wanted revenge or riches. Others aimed to wipe out their competition for the throne. Often, their own family members received the worst fates. Read on to discover the gruesome ways these rulers terrorized their enemies, their own people, and even their own blood.

Avast! Are ye' ready to sail the high seas with some of the world's most feared pirates? These accounts will do more than shiver your timbers. Nothing came between these scoundrels of the sea and their loot. They burned boats, lopped off ears, and killed those who dared to challenge them. Come aboard to witness the ruthless methods of history's most petrifying pirates.

Hang on to your wallet—and watch your neck! You're about to encounter some of the worst gunslingers to wreak havoc on the Old West. The most notorious outlaws were known for their fearless drive, their quick shot with a pistol, their odd trademarks, and their way of escaping the law over and over again. Are you brave enough to read on?