This is the story of John Byrne’s rise from the dark streets of the lane in West London to being a major player in the world of drugs, prostitution and protection in the late sixties and seventies in one of the poorest places to be. It tells how John takes himself to the top of the London underworld with the love of his life, Mary. Together they become king and queen of London's violent underworld where life lasts as long as you can make it last. John soon discovers that being a top gangster has its faults and is entrapped by both the British and Irish governments in to working for them. This takes John on travels across Europe and South America trying to stay one step ahead of the legal services trying to take him down. The journey of life makes John realize that it can be a very lonely place when the chips are down. Mary struggles to see life as John does, where you can lose your life by just walking down the same street as the king of London, Mr John Byrne.