The Monk: The Life and Crimes of Ireland's Most Enigmatic Gang Boss

by Paul Williams

On the streets of the tough Dublin inner-city neighbourhood where he grew up, Gerry Hutch was perceived as an ordinary decent criminal, a quintessential Robin Hood figure who fought the law - and won. To the rest of the world he was an elusive criminal godfather called the an enigmatic criminal mastermind and the hunted leader of one side in the deadliest gangland feud in Irish criminal history. The latest book from Ireland's leading crime writer Paul Williams reveals the inside story of Hutch's war with former allies the Kinahan cartel, and how the once untouchable crime boss became a fugitive on the run from the law and the mob - with a € 1 million bounty on his head. The Monk is an enthralling account of the rise and fall of a modern-day gangster, charting the violent journey of an impoverished kid from the ghetto to the top tier of gangland - until it all went wrong.

Genres: Crime, Biography, Nonfiction, History, True Crime, Ireland

352 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Paul Williams is an Irish crime journalist, and author of crime exposes depicting the rise and fall of some of Ireland's most notorious and brutal gangs and criminal figures.

Reviews

[Justine 🦊🍂 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling journey into the murky depths of Irish crime.

Williams masterfully unravels the tangled life of Gerry Hutch, or "The Monk," offering not just a look at a criminal mastermind but also a riveting glimpse into the changing landscape of crime in Ireland.The book is brimming with vivid details and stories that paint a gritty picture of Hutch's world. Williams' extensive knowledge and insider access lend the book an authenticity that makes it both believable and utterly absorbing.
I occasionally found the complex web of criminal ties a bit tricky to untangle, however Williams' skill in crafting a coherent and engaging narrative is truly impressive. The book strikes a great balance between the harsh realities of gang life and the personal stories of those entangled in it, making it not just a crime story but a deeply human one.

"The Monk" is a must-read for true crime buffs and anyone curious about Ireland's darker side. It's an exhilarating journey through the life of one of Ireland's most infamous characters, and Williams' storytelling talent really shines. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone after a well-researched and gripping read.

[Izzy Ablewhite · Rating 2 out of 5]

And then this happens…. And then this… and then this…
That’s how it felt reading the book. There was no personality or story telling and even the shootings that happened were written very deadpan. It didn’t give The Monk credit he deserved for his very unique criminal life.
Also calling Mr Hutch an ODC “ordinary decent criminal” had me in pieces 😂 this man killed, stole and lead one of the most dangerous gangs in Ireland but because he hated drugs that made him a decent human being ahahah

[Barry Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the revised version which included details from the 2023 trial.

An excellent, sprawling biography of not only The Monk but really the relatively young history of organised crime in Ireland. Great, thorough detailing of the time periods in question, providing interesting context for each development. Williams is meticulous in his writing but keeps the tangled web relatively easy to follow.

[Lucie Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Late to the party on this one

[Pauline Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!
Well done Paul Williams - such a good read.
Although I would have followed ‘events’ over the years re News Broadcasts, sooo interesting to have it all put together - just a must read,
It did take me over 3 weeks to read - putting it aside for 10+ days - a lot to take in. But easy to pick up again.

[Adrian at Bookshelfdiscovery · Rating 3 out of 5]

I lived and worked in some of the parts of Dublin mentioned in this book, so have always had an interest in the area, even before the infamous regency hotel attack. It was brought home to me all the more when a man was shot dead a few doors up from us - he might have been in this book but there's so many that you lose track. It's pretty depressing reading at times, especially when people are despatched with alarming regularity. I think the author did a fine job of not only telling us about the monk and his rise to become a gangland boss, but also about the devastation caused to communities by drugs, which still continues. Enigmatic is the word for Hutch - I'm not even sure I knew too much about him by the end, though I had a degree of sympathy for him for the carnage visited upon his family. There's some amount of psychopaths in these pages. I became a bit tired of the journalistic style after a while, though I appreciate it couldn't have been written any other way. An grim but absorbing read.

[Keith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

True crime is not really my thing, but I enjoyed Paul Williams' "The General" about the infamous career of Martin Cahill. And this book was good too. A bigger cast of characters, which sometimes made it difficult to follow who was allied with whom, but an enthralling picture of organized crime in Ireland from the 1970's onwards. I grew up in Dublin, and always thought of it as a quiet place, but the endemic high unemployment and the arrival of heroin caused crime to explode in the 1980's. And guns were widely available because of the troubles in Northern Ireland. And that was another revelation in this book - the widespread overlap between the members of criminal gangs and Republican paramilitaries and the idea that AK47s could be rented or borrowed for armed robberies. Of course, it's worth mentioning that Belfast at its worst was still safer than most US cities. And after the Veronica Guerin murder, the Irish government did a much better job on clamping down on money-laundering than we have here.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the audible books included in Audible plus this month. It wouldn’t be my usual genre and I wouldn’t have been someone that previously gorged on Williams articles in the Sunday World, but I decided to give it a listen.

William provides a thorough and in depth backstory of the criminal mastermind, Gerry “The Monk” Hutch. We hear about how he was branded with this ecclesiastical moniker, how he was seen as “the trustworthy criminal”, a man of self-control and composure. He was someone who grew up in the children’s court and learnt from his mistakes by vowing to be better and not get caught.

Although the book is called “The Monk”, the story wouldn’t be complete without referring to the politics and the intricacies of Dublin gangland and in particular the war between two former allies. We see the retribution, the retaliation and the “retirement” and are on a knives edge wondering what will happen next.

I definitely was engrossed when listening to it, of course I knew some of the story, but this certainly opened my eyes further.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biography of one of Irelands gangland bosses Gerry Hutch aka The Monk. Hutch gained notoriety during the 80s and 90s after a string of heists including bank robberies. Although arrested and questioned many times The Monk always managed not to leave evidence incriminating him and was an expert at not answering when questioned by Garda. The book covers the Kinahan/Hutch feud which erupted around 2014/15 after Hutchs nephew Gary tried to have Daniel Kinahan murdered. The updated edition of the book also covers the 'Gangland trial of the century' when Hutch was put on trial for murder after the Regency Hotel spree.

Hutch was what was known as an ODC. Ordinary decent criminal, looking after his wider family and the people of his community where he was born and bred in North inner city Dublin. Although no doubt a nasty individual particularly if crossed, he does come across as a likeable character, a lot different to the new breed of gangster who don't play by the rules of old.

A great book and well researched by the respected crime journalist Paul Williams. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into what's currently going on in our country. There's a lot more info in the book than just The Monks life including a holistic look at the drugs trade in Ireland and how it's slowly but surely destroying our country!

[Andy Leavy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and informative timeline of the history of Irish organised crime through the eyes of one of it's most well-known gangsters.

I'm also a big fan of whenever Williams gets a little personal and insults some criminals with whatever adjective suits best.

[Mick Bowens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating if somewhat grim account of Gangland Ireland. Having lived overseas while most of the events took place I was shocked at how bad things got

[ian duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. Easy to follow and quite informative.

[Mick Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

Good read, have a good insight into a world that few of us really understand, and few that are involved survive

[Eddie Mongan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read gives you a good idea about how the gangsters operate in Ireland a bit scary.

[Christian Baines · Rating 3 out of 5]

heavy

[Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating insight!

[sam rickards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Great read from start to finish really enjoyed it,I couldn't put the book down ..finished it in a couple of days

[Éilis Treacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read but just not my style of book. Very well written with lots of detail.

[Dave Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the worst book I've ever read but I can't help but feel a lot of guesswork and lies were compiled to complete this book.....

[Gonzaga Escauriaza · Rating 2 out of 5]

El autor no ha sabido contar la historia de esta persona que fue alguien excepcional en su género.
No tiene casi ningún interés.

[BMG · Rating 4 out of 5]

First half is an interesting ng read however gets a bit repetitive and ended up not finishing
Rating 3.6

[Kevin O Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

[Patrick Stapleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great behind the scenes of the criminal world and the hijinks they all get up to culminating in murder quite frequently. Unfortunately, there are still a huge number operating currently out of Dubai.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting listen on Spotify about gangster life in Dublin.

[declan dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

the life and crimes of one of Ireland's most famous criminals! an excellent insight and a true testament to the monks character

[Vin Morton · Rating 4 out of 5]

CAB

[Martin Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read. I knew of the Kinahans but not Gerry "The Monk" Hutch. A real character who will surely be the subject of a film like the earlier Martin Cahill

[Daniel McHugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the book having come from Dublin and grew up there when these crimes were being carried out. An easy read however what I did find annoying is the author's continual use of the nicknames he has penned for the criminals concerned ie, the Dapper Don, Mago, Murder Inc etc. It becomes a little tiresome after a while.
A fast read if you want to while away the lockdown.