i thought essex boys was ok, but as with all of them they are from one persons point of view, whether everything is true or not its all within context we dont know.
I knew of a few of the people in the books through my old man, iirc it mentions in essex boys (can someone confirm this, havent got the book no more) a doorman from romford who killed someone and got banged up for it, know him quite well and his sons, who are just as bad as him!.