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The Secret Gangster

Gangland Canning Town

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The Secret Gangster

By: Griffin Slate
Narrated by: Kevin Baugh
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The Secret Gangster is a raw, unflinching journey through the backstreets of East London, told by a man who learned early that survival came before innocence.

Born into poverty among the damp walls, outside toilets and hard faces of the old East End, he grows up in a world where respect is earned with fists, loyalty means everything, and the streets teach harder lessons than any school ever could. From Bow to Canning Town, from childhood scraps to serious criminal circles, his life becomes shaped by poverty, family, violence, friendship and ambition.

This is not a polished tale of glamour. It is a gritty, true crime portrait of the men and women who lived by their own rules, where the Old Bill were always close, reputations were written in blood, and one wrong word could change a life forever. Fierce, darkly funny and brutally honest, The Secret Gangster pulls the reader into a vanished London underworld — one built on fear, loyalty, betrayal and survival.

©2026 Griffin Slate (P)2026 Griffin Slate Crime Fiction Funny
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This is a fantastic listen from beginning to end. Having grown up in Canning Town myself, I recognised many of the names, places and characters mentioned throughout the book, which made it even more fascinating and personal to me.

The author brings the world of old Canning Town vividly to life, describing the people, relationships and events in a way that keeps you completely absorbed. The narrator’s voice is excellent and perfectly suited to the story, adding authenticity and atmosphere to the book. His delivery feels completely in keeping with the characters, location and period being described.

What makes the book particularly intriguing is the mystery surrounding the identity of the Secret Gangster. Since listening to it, I have found myself constantly searching the internet, researching the different characters and trying to work out who he really is. Every time I think I may have solved it, another name or piece of information makes me reconsider.

Whether you are familiar with Canning Town and its history or simply enjoy true crime and stories about London’s underworld, this audiobook is extremely difficult to stop listening to. It is gripping, thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining, and it stays in your mind long after the final chapter.

Highly recommended.

A Fascinating and Gripping Listen

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