The Notorious Kidd is an astounding account of mischief and misdemeanours, violence and corruption, and a fascinating chronicle of Australia's underworld through the 1970's to the early 1990's.
Though Bertie Kidd remains relatively unknown to the general public, he is widely respected in the criminal underworld, and infamous in law-enforcement and corrections circles. A highly organised individual, he was one of the country's most prominent criminals for more than seven decades, and few of his peers anywhere would have attempted the daring frauds and thefts he regularly undertook, often risking his life in the quest of another lucrative haul.
The second part of a trilogy, The Notorious Kidd follows on from volume one, The Audacious Kidd, which recounts Kidd’s tough upbringing in war-torn London, his move to Australia as a teenager and his apprenticeship in crime, leading from petty theft to safe-cracking, race fixing and counterfeiting. Volume two begins with Kidd locked up in Pentridge Prison for a minor indiscretion before being released to continue his unorthodox career. Constantly dreaming up more complex and challenging schemes, Kidd embarks on increasingly hazardous ventures reaching a peak with a series of mid-air heists and mixing with some of Australia’s most dangerous and notorious mobsters. After his best friend is murdered while Kidd is in a Queensland jail and he's warned not to return to Sydney, he hops on the first plane back determined to find out who's to blame.
There are very crime books that I wish I had written. This is one of them. There's true crime and there's real crime. This is the most authentic account of a career in crime you will find on the shelves today. Adam Shand author and journalist
Praise for the Audacious Kidd
As far as crooks go, he's one of the best...(a) formidable character. His story has been eagerly awaited. John Killick
"The fact that he was involved in criminal activities over such a long period of time without public knowledge is evidence of the respect he has in the underworld. This story is true crime as it has never been told before." Mick Gatto
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