Cirrus@Austlit

'In 1974 Zorlu Kaya broke up with his girlfriend, quit school and set up a plan to jump on the nearest ship from his homeland of Cyprus - and go wherever it took him. His father stumbled on the plans, and arranged for the restless 15-year-old to fly to Melbourne, Australia for a few weeks holiday. It was a decision that changed lives forever.

'Weeks after arriving in Melbourne armed conflict erupted in Cyprus. The boy could not return. Stranded, and alone, he became an accidental refugee.

'From working as a bouncer on nightclub doors, he became known as 'Turkish Steve' or 'Steve K.' Before long he found himself debt-collecting, running one of the city's biggest illegal casinos, breeding thoroughbred race horses, running a Turkish television channel and bringing Turkey's biggest showbiz people to Australia.

'Then, in early 2004, he received a tip-off. Gangland figures had taken out a contract to have him killed. He needed to set a plan - to survive.' (Publication summary)

Made into a household name Australia-wide by the hit television series Underbelly, in his autobiography, Mick Gatto finally reveals the man behind the headlines.

The son of two Calabrian immigrants, Mick tells of his inner-city upbringing and his professional heavyweight boxing career, to his apprenticeship with one of Australia's best safe-breakers. He takes us behind the gambling industry, to his fourteen months in jail awaiting trial for the murder of Andrew Veniamin.

Gatto's unique position-of knowing all the players in the Gangland Wars but not being involved in drug trafficking-gave him a remarkable perspective to watch the battles unfold.

With characteristic humour, Gatto provides an extraordinary insight into a colourful and mysterious world, with its own codes, loyalties and treacheries, that few of us even know exist.