When an appalling and seemingly inexplicable murder shattered the peace of a quiet English suburban street it revealed the extent to which organised crime has now seeped into our lives, often without our knowledge. In his groundbreaking book Misha Glenny takes us on a journey through the new world of international organised crime, from gun runners in Ukraine to money launderers in Dubai, by way of drug syndicates in Canada and cyber criminals in Brazil. During his investigation into the dark side he spoke to countless gangsters, policemen and victims of organised crime, while also exploring the ferocious consumer demands for drugs, trafficked women, illegal labour and arms across five continents. This constantly riveting account unveils the nature of crime in today's world but it also offers profound insights into the pitfalls of globalisation where the rules dividing the legal from the illegal are often far from clear.