Gangsters have played a shady role in shaping Greater Boston’s history. Local restaurants or just hanging around in that secluded building, countless criminals have quietly made their mark on the city and surrounding communities. Gangland Boston reveals a hidden history that takes listeners back in time when the North End was plagued by gun violence, Hanover Street was known as a “shooting gallery”, and the guys named King Solomon, Beano Breen and Mickey the Wiseguy rule the underworld.

Author Emily Sweeney sheds light on how gang violence manifested during Prohibition, how the Italian Mafia rose to power, and how the Gustin Gang came into being. She also revealed little-known facts about famous crime figures.

• Gangland Boston

• A Tour Through the Deadly Streets of Organized Crime