City in Ruins by Don Winslow

June 1, 2025

City in Ruins by Don Winslow

After leaving Hollywood, Danny Ryan has landed in Las Vegas. He is now a multi-millionaire, a legitimate businessman developing luxury hotels. But his past is never far behind, and it finally catches up with him.

Winslow concludes his saga of Danny Ryan with its combination of Greek tragedy and the Godfather. Not my favorite book in the trilogy, but Winslow wrote a conclusion to the series that wound in all the various threads and characters. Themes include moral ambiguity, revenge, crime and punishment, fathers and sons, honor, and the importance of family, whether they are your biological family or your chosen family. Although Winslow does some recapping, you really need to read the first two books to appreciate this one. The audio version is excellent. Winslow has announced that this will be his final novel. We'll see. Recommended for readers who enjoy the crime fiction of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and Lee Child.

The Riviera, one of the oldest hotels in Las Vegas

City of Dreams by Don Winslow

May 5, 2025

City of Dreams by Don Winslow

After double-crossing the Moretti crime family in Rhode Island, Danny Ryan flees the east coast for California with his father, his toddler son, and the remnants of his Irish crew. He just wants a quiet life, to start over with his child. But federal agents contact him about doing them a favor; in return, they will help his problems from his old life go away. But then Danny learns that one of the film studios is making a movie based on the crime wars back in Providence, and he decides he wants in on the project.

The second book in the Danny Ryan trilogy, sequel to City on Fire, picks up exactly where the previous book leaves off. Loosely based on Vergil's Aeneid, which is the sequel to Homer's Iliad. Danny insists (a little too much) that he wants to go straight and live a quiet life, but just like the leopard, Danny can't change his spots: crime and bad decisions just seem to find him. All of the characters except Danny's son display some moral ambiguity - no one is all bad or all good. Furthermore, there is a pervading sense of tragedy that affects all the characters. Doesn't work as a stand-alone novel - you need to read the previous book to really understand what is going on here. I can't wait to get the final book in the trilogy, City in Ruins.

City on Fire by Don Winslow

March 16, 2025

City on Fire by Don Winslow

Danny Ryan is a small-time gangster working for the Irish mob in Providence, Rhode Island, working on the docks and trying to support his little family. Although there has been an uneasy truce between the Irish and the local Italian gang, their peace is shattered when one of the Irish takes the girlfriend of one of the Italians, triggering all-out war between the two factions. As he watches his friends fall, Danny finds himself reluctantly thrust into a leadership role as he tries to find a way to resolve the conflict before more deaths occur.

A modern day retelling of Homer's Iliad, like The Iliad crossed paths with Mario Puzo's The Godfather. I had to go back and make a list of the characters in the Iliad to try and match up the players who represent who (the Achilles character is not who you think it is at first but once I connected the actions, the character absolutely fit). There is even a Trojan horse of sorts. And who doesn't love a good mafia book? Themes include revenge, fate, respect, loyalty, and moral ambiguity. This is the first book of a trilogy. Another good Winslow read is California Fire & Life, a less complicated story but still a very good read. Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Godfather or Casino, especially if you are of a literary bent and are familiar with The Iliad.

Providence, Rhode Island