Book excerpt: Tong Wars is historical true-crime set against the perfect landscape: Chinatown, New York City. Chinese rival tongs (secret societies) each lauded over illegal markets such as gambling and prostitution, and nothing could shut them down. Not threats or negotiations, not prison, not even executions. Pretty soon Chinese were slaughtering one another in the streets, inaugurating a succession of wars that raged for the next 30 years. This is the true account of these wars, turf wars fuelled by gangsters and drug lords, prostitutes, judges and cops.