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Vexed Spirits: The Madness of the Kray Twins
The Kray twins were certainly the most widely recognized villains in London and indeed throughout most of the United Kingdom in the latter part of the twentieth century, although the actual extent of their power and wealth has been much debated and almost certainly exaggerated.
What is not in doubt is that their reputation and iconic status actually increased after their arrest in 1968, to the extent that the incarcerated twin brothers were idolized and hero-worshipped by thousands over the last decades of their lives.
This has always struck me as bizarre, as there is very little doubt that Ronnie and Reggie Kray were merciless, violent, mentally deranged cold-blooded killers, who were on an increasingly senseless rampage of brutality before their arrest.
The oft-repeated claim “The East End would be a far safer place today if the Krays had still been around”, has always struck me as particularly naive. The Kray twins were – quite simply – sadistic mentally-unhinged predators who were just as likely to attack their own friends and allies as they were to harm rival villains. Indeed, it is this aspect of their personalities which has always intrigued me. Why were grown men – and in many cases, ‘hard men’ – so scared or enthralled by the twins that they would seek to become members of their Firm; even though doing so may be detrimental to their health?
In addition, another strange contradiction was the claim that Ronnie was always dangerous and violently unpredictable, but Reggie was charming and likeable, and only driven to extreme violence by his domineering twin. How was it then that their respective personalities seemed to change during their lengthy incarceration? Ron was lauded as charismatic, gentlemanly, humorous and ‘great company’ by his army of visitors in Broadmoor, and yet Reg was seen as manic, demanding, obsessive and generally unlikeable in prison. Why then, when so many people claim that Reggie was particularly insufferable in his later years, did they continue to visit him and perform endless menial chores for him?
I make no apologies for the explicit nature of both the sexual encounters and the graphic violence which runs throughout this tome. The Kray twins’ story is one of unredeemed brutality and will be portrayed as such in this novel.
What is not in doubt is that their reputation and iconic status actually increased after their arrest in 1968, to the extent that the incarcerated twin brothers were idolized and hero-worshipped by thousands over the last decades of their lives.
This has always struck me as bizarre, as there is very little doubt that Ronnie and Reggie Kray were merciless, violent, mentally deranged cold-blooded killers, who were on an increasingly senseless rampage of brutality before their arrest.
The oft-repeated claim “The East End would be a far safer place today if the Krays had still been around”, has always struck me as particularly naive. The Kray twins were – quite simply – sadistic mentally-unhinged predators who were just as likely to attack their own friends and allies as they were to harm rival villains. Indeed, it is this aspect of their personalities which has always intrigued me. Why were grown men – and in many cases, ‘hard men’ – so scared or enthralled by the twins that they would seek to become members of their Firm; even though doing so may be detrimental to their health?
In addition, another strange contradiction was the claim that Ronnie was always dangerous and violently unpredictable, but Reggie was charming and likeable, and only driven to extreme violence by his domineering twin. How was it then that their respective personalities seemed to change during their lengthy incarceration? Ron was lauded as charismatic, gentlemanly, humorous and ‘great company’ by his army of visitors in Broadmoor, and yet Reg was seen as manic, demanding, obsessive and generally unlikeable in prison. Why then, when so many people claim that Reggie was particularly insufferable in his later years, did they continue to visit him and perform endless menial chores for him?
I make no apologies for the explicit nature of both the sexual encounters and the graphic violence which runs throughout this tome. The Kray twins’ story is one of unredeemed brutality and will be portrayed as such in this novel.
513 pages, Paperback
Published March 9, 2022
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