City on Fire
The gripping new crime novel from the international number one bestselling author of The Cartel trilogy
-
-
4.3 • 80 Ratings
-
-
- $14.99
-
- $14.99
Publisher Description
From the #1 internationally bestselling author of the Cartel Trilogy, The Force, and Broken comes the first novel in an epic crime saga about the Irish and Italian crime syndicates in America during the 1980s and 1990s.
'One of America's greatest storytellers' Stephen King
'A masterpiece - wonderfully crafted, beautifully written, and a propulsive, authentic page-turner' Christian White, bestselling author of The Nowhere Child
Two criminal empires together control all of New England.
Until a beautiful modern-day Helen of Troy comes between the Irish and the Italians, launching a war that will see them kill each other, destroy an alliance, and set a city on fire.
Danny Ryan yearns for a more 'legit' life and a place in the sun. But as the bloody conflict stacks body on body and brother turns against brother, Danny has to rise above himself.
To save the friends he loves like family and the family he has sworn to protect, he becomes a leader, a ruthless strategist, and a master of a treacherous game in which the winners live and the losers die.
From the gritty streets of Providence to the glittering screens of Hollywood to the golden casinos of Las Vegas, Danny Ryan will forge a dynasty.
Exploring the classic themes of loyalty, betrayal, and honor, City on Fire is a contemporary Iliad, a saga that spans generations - a towering achievement of storytelling genius from Don Winslow, "America's greatest living crime writer" (Jon Land, Providence Journal).
'An organised crime saga that sits somewhere between the intimate and the epic, between Mystic River and The Godfather, and stands with the best in its genre.' Sydney Morning Herald Fiction Pick of the Week
'Is there any doubt that Don Winslow's the greatest?' New York Times
'One of the best thriller writers on the planet' Esquire
'Epic, ambitious, majestic, City on Fire is The Godfather for our generation' Adrian McKinty, bestselling author of The Chain
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 1986, this impressive series launch from Edgar finalist Winslow (the Cartel trilogy) focuses on the follies, vendettas, and private ambitions of warring mobsters in Providence, R.I. Well-connected, rival mob families have managed to coexist in the city in relative harmony for decades, with aging racketeer John Murphy and his Irish clan controlling the docks in the upper southside, known as Dogtown, and Pasco Ferri's Italian circle on Federal Hill ruling the trucking industry. Murphy's son-in-law, conscientious Danny Ryan, whose father once controlled the Irish syndicate, frequently does jobs for the powerful Moretti brothers, Peter and Paulie. But when Danny's arrogant, troublemaker brother, Liam, drunkenly molests Paulie's new girlfriend, it tears the fabric of their association, triggering a vicious lasting feud that wrecks the balance of power irrevocably. With Pasco's retirement imminent, the provocation is the perfect excuse for the Morettis to beat Liam almost to death and initiate a power grab that forces peacekeeper Danny into a desperate battle to protect those he loves. Winslow's epic slow-burner, full of richly layered characters and tender personal struggles, bubbles to an intricate, exciting climax. Crime fiction fans will eagerly await the sequel.
Customer Reviews
City of thrills
Don Winslow at his best, a well scripted, intense thriller!
City on fire
Good read really enjoyed it!
Well written, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of deja vu
Author
American. Has written 21 crime/mystery/thriller novels, many of which have been bestsellers. Savages was made into a film by Oliver Stone. Mr Winslow’s trilogy about a Mexican drug cartel (The Power of the Dog, The Cartel, The Border) is now a TV series. This book is the start of a new trilogy. He says he’s going to stop writing altogether after he finishes it. Not sure why. Perhaps his fingers are tired. Or his brain.
Summary
The Sopranos and The Irishman duke it out in Rhode Island. As in Mr Winslow’s Cartel novels, there’s a long slow build up, and the narrative pace increases from the 75% mark to a conclusion that sets up the sequel (already written, not sure when it will be published).
Writing
Puzo, Coppola, Scorcese mash-up. Familiar tropes abound. Familiar dialogue ditto.
Bottom line
Well written, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of déjà vu.
Notes
1. Mr Winslow’s book The Power of The Dog (2005) has nothing to do with the 2021 Jane Campion film of the same name. That was based on 1967 novel called The Power of The Dog written by a dude named Thomas Savage.
2. The notion of Cumberbatch as a cowboy still freaks me out.
4. Dog power seems to be big in the US. Perhaps we should harness a few of the mutts dumped in refuges since people started going back to work after Covid and plug them into the failing electricity grid here. If they howled all night, it might take up some of the slack left by the solar panels. (It’s called lateral thinking.)