Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa, Putnam Six Bookstore
Author: Don Winslow
Looking for a Godfather-like crime thriller to take to the beach this summer? Look no further than author Don Winslow’s latest trilogy. City on Fire is the first book in the series and now available in paperback, while book two, City of Dreams, was just released in mid-April. Set in Providence, Rhode Island, in the late 1980s, City on Fire introduces the protagonist Danny Ryan, a flawed but likeable character in the middle of two warring crime families.
The Irish and Italian mobs were enjoying a time of peace, but when a new leader has to prove himself on one side and a beautiful woman gets involved on the other side, it can only lead to war. Each murder prompts a revenge shot, and soon the body count is rising rapidly. Danny knows that his side, the Irish, are outnumbered and outgunned, so he is forced to get creative. New alliances are formed and new tactics are employed. When he gets the opportunity to hijack an incoming shipment, he thinks he has finally gotten his ticket out, enough money to run away with his son and start a new life. But when the time comes, he can’t help but think that the operation went too easy – suspiciously too easy…
City on Fire is certainly not for the faint of heart – nor for those wanting political correctness – but it feels very gritty and authentic. It’s a little challenging to keep all the characters straight, but it’s never enough to throw off the plot. The book is action-packed but also tackles themes of loyalty and betrayal and family and love. Don Winslow has created a main character you can root for and a thoroughly entertaining, fast-paced read that will have you instantly reaching for the next book in the series.
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