Thief in Law: A guide to Russian prison tattoos and Russian-speaking organised crime gangs

"Giving a thorough overview of a fascinating culture, Thief in Law is a fine encyclopedia of Russian prison tattoos as well as a guide to the country's prison history and culture." - The Daily Telegraph. 1st Nov, 2016.

Thief in Law: A guide to Russian prison tattoos and Russian–speaking organised crime gangs is the first comprehensive guide in English to the history, actions and tattoos worn by the Russian Mafia. Through the 346 fascinating pages of this book, you will discover everything you could ever want to know about the world's number 1 criminal organisation.

This book contains over 100 never before seen photos from Russian and European police archives and also includes over 50 original drawings by the artist A. Malkovskaya. With each picture comes detailed information about the tattoos created in Russia's notorious prisons. Thief in Law contains exclusive information and images previously only available to law enforcement officers.

Based on a training package given to British, American and European police forces and written by a former police officer turned journalist. Thief in Law is a remarkable insight into the activities of the world’s most powerful criminal gang.

Reviews:

"Thief in Law is a comprehensive guide to the Russian prison tattoos of today. It is a detailed historical account of how this tradition of tattooing developed, as well as an analysis of the image's culture significance and symbolism.
It is a virtual encyclopaedia of the world of Russian prison tattoos." - tattoodo.com

★ ★ ★ ★
"Thief in Law is meant to be a guide and fulfils that purpose smoothly. Especially with such a shadowy topic as Russian organized crime – where there’s incentive for sensational writing – it’s commendable that Bullen, for the most part, keeps his book neutral and readable.
It’s a neat little introductory guide with an interesting visual component. So if you’re curious about Russian-speaking organized crime, I recommend giving Thief in Law a try." - russiareviewed.wordpress.com

"Thief in Law is worth a read not only as an encyclopaedia of Russian prison tattoos but also as a guide to Russian prison history and culture." - Russia Beyond The Headlines