The Road to Hell: How the Biker Gangs Are Conquering Canada

by William Marsden and Julian Sher

Book Overview

In this definitive, up-to-the-minute account of the Hells Angels in Canada, two veteran journalists investigate why the recent imprisonment of feared biker leader, Maurice "Mom" Boucher, is too... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0676975992
• ISBN13: 9780676975994
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Vintage Books Canada
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Great book on the canadian hell's angels

This is an interesting history of the hell's angels across canadas cities and provinces. The angels start out in canada around 1977 setting up the first chapter til now present day or at least the last few years they grown into a major presence across all of canada. The things stated by the author does not portray what you would call the stereotypical biker image along with pictures that are in this book. Alot of members have the look of regular next door neighbor and in some cases even wearing three piece suits. They have ownership in a variety of business many which where a little surprising which along with the drug trade generated huge sums of money and i mean huge. They have and had business strippers nightclubs cellphone clothing and even dabbled in the stock market. There placement of their members and supporters is truly amazing especially in the ports all over canada which of course allows to easily to move whatever products they need to move, According to the authors the amount of drugs that were alleged to have been sold is amazing along the huges amount of money they claim under police survellience they had so much money coming in that they cash machines counting the money from morning to night none stop. It is seems that from the descriptions alot of the police seemed quite inept not noticing the evergrowing membership growth of the Hell's Angels and there puppet clubs. The feeling that there was no problems and really no biker element. When they did start to standup and take notice from surveillance and informants or snitches sometimes Big ones like Dany Kane they would developto prosecution and blow it or thee higher ups would not provide funding or there would be to much in fighting between different agencies. All of this is demonstrated in one instint where they seize 5500 pounds of cocaine and end up arresting nobody and of course no convictions even though they had them dead to rights. So if you liked to read about the biker culture and follw the likes of Mom Boucher, Walter Stadnick,David Carroll then fread this book and see how they created the canadian Nomads and they expand the Hells to what they are today across Canada.

Great Book

This book is an excellent true-crime novel. It is very well written. It goes into fine detail. I am very impressed.

Fantastic Read

This is a factual account of the recent development and evolution of biker gangs -- specifically, the Hells Angels -- in Canada. Well-written and brilliantly researched, the authors do an excellent job of providing details about the Hells' infiltration of ports in Halifax, Montreal, and Vancouver, their domination of the illicit drug and porn industries, and their expanding business empire. Sher and Marsden also examine the war between the Hells Angels and Rock Machine, focusing not only on the exchanges of bombs and bullets, but also on police, government, and public reactions to the war. Although not nearly as cynical as Yves Lavigne (author of a number of books on the Hells Angels), Sher and Marsden are justly critical of the authorities -- specifically as regards the inability of various police forces to get along and work together in the fight against organized crime, as well as the mismanagement of the ports police, who for years had argued in favour of a more pro-active approach against the Hells Angels and their associates in their (successful) efforts to control Canada's major ports.Perhaps the most intriguing story, however, was that of Dany Kane, who led a double life as a Hells Angel associate and member of their puppet club, the Rockers, and as an RCMP source. For years, Kane provided investigators with information about Hells Angels activities while at the same time committing crimes for his biker "friends" -- including murder. Eventually, such work would take its toll and Kane committed suicide, but not before providing RCMP investigators with enough information to plan a full-scale assault on the Hells Angels in Quebec. His work led to charges against a number of the highest-ranking Angels in Quebec, including the Nomads chapter.I have probably already said too much, and saying more would only detract from what is surely the best book I have ever had the pleasure of reading. So I leave you with this: Past, present, and future, Sher and Marsden provide the reader with important and frightening details about the world's most notorious biker gang, and do so in a format both easy to read, and easy to digest and understand.

The Road to Hell

Very factual account of the Hells Angels in Canada. Particular detailed accounts from their inception in 1984 to 2003. Very well researched. A must read for anybody interested in organized crime.