Will I love City on Fire?

Part one of Winslow’s latest trilogy introduces us to a gangland war between Irish and Italian mobs in New England after their fragile peace is ruptured by a beautiful woman. The fall-out puts an end to Danny Ryan’s dream of going legit. It’s up to him to step up, take the lead, and save his family.

Winslow writes believable characters, marries action with heart, and consciously echoes Homer’s The Iliad, including a contemporary Helen of Troy.

I’ve read other reviewers say this, and I have to agree Don Winslow has written a modern-day Godfather with City on Fire.

It has the classic ingredients of a reluctant hero, complicated multigenerational families, and conflicting ambitions within organized crime, all of which I love to read and to write. For me, great plots are never enough. Whether writing or reading, I want to be pulled into the people, culture, and place.

If you’re like me and love gangster stories, you’re going to love this book. The characters draw you into their world, their backgrounds, and their unique personalities from the beginning. I found myself comparing them to childhood friends since I grew up around similar characters. Maybe you did too. You’ll root for Danny as he navigates through the crime bosses, crooked cops, and his own gang of allies. Will he succeed or become another crime boss?