Don Winslow’s work reads like true crime or the novelization version of a podcast dealing with actual criminal activity. He’s just that good at making his novels jump off the page with such hyper-realism. His latest effort is CITY IN RUINS. Not only is it the concluding volume in a trilogy that began with CITY ON FIRE and continued with CITY OF DREAMS, it’s also the final book in Winslow’s illustrious career.

To recap, our location is Providence, Rhode Island, the home of Danny Ryan. We have watched Danny’s rise from dock worker to major contributor in the local Irish-run mob. Later on, his criminal empire and personal exploits will make him a very wanted man now on the run from the law. He originally found himself in the midst of the mob war between the Murphy and Moretti organized crime families, and CITY ON FIRE played out like a Greek tragedy.

"The action is ceaseless, and the build-up to the fiery finale is like a ride on a roulette wheel spinning out of control.... CITY IN RUINS provides an explosive and very satisfying end to a bloody, intense trilogy about crime and the complex characters who drive the story..."

In CITY OF DREAMS, Danny finds himself in Hollywood as a “consultant” on the set of a film that will outline this war. He finds himself heavily in the mix of the Hollywood life and even falls for the actress playing the infamous role of Helen of Troy, a key figure from the opening book. Meanwhile, back in Providence, the Morettis are at each other’s throats as blood is being shed everywhere. It’s getting quite claustrophobic for all involved, especially Danny, and there does not seem to be anywhere to turn.

Now, CITY IN RUINS takes us to Las Vegas, where Danny has relocated his family to give them the lifestyle they always wanted. He also fancies himself as a casino boss, a role so full of temptation that the aggressively persistent Danny will soon overextend himself and get into hot water yet again. His lust for power results in him sticking his nose where it does not belong and sets up the primary action in this final installment.

Danny finds himself in the middle of a different kind of war. It’s a battle between some of the power players that make Las Vegas tick and an FBI agent out for revenge, specifically from one particularly corrupt casino boss. Readers will accept that getting into this level of trouble is simply in Danny’s DNA, yet it is still difficult to watch him throw away the dream life he had for his family and potentially find the woman of his dreams in the process.

Winslow creates great characters and breathes life into them with ease. One such individual in CITY IN RUINS is Vern Winegard, Danny’s nemesis in his battle to take over the Vegas strip. Winegard is as corrupt and ruthless as they come, but he isn’t aware of Danny’s complete background and connections. Once Danny inevitably utilizes mob money and power to take control, the situation gets quite out of hand, and there is no chance for redemption with any player involved.

The action is ceaseless, and the build-up to the fiery finale is like a ride on a roulette wheel spinning out of control. Like any other story involving the mob, crime syndicates and unrelenting greed, the chances of all the key players in this tale rolling snake eyes is more than a reality. CITY IN RUINS provides an explosive and very satisfying end to a bloody, intense trilogy about crime and the complex characters who drive the story and fan the flames of hate and violence right up until the bitter end.