And so here we are, with City in Ruins – not just the end of Don Winslow’s latest trilogy (which began with City on Fire and continued with City of Dreams) but, if he is to believed (and why should we doubt him?) the end of his career (Winslow is giving up the writing of fiction to pursue a fully-funded war on the post-truth of a certain orange-skinned moonshine salesman who is himself pursuing the end of American democracy).
Like Winslow’s previous trilogy (The Power of the Dog / The Cartel / The Border – which we heartily recommend), this really isn’t the best point to jump in. To all intents and purposes, the three City books are one long story so unless you like to start reading all of your books at chapter 38, this one isn’t for you (although, by way of introduction, Winslow is a crime writer who reads like a mash-up of James Ellroy and Elmore James – complexity plus whip smart dialogue if we boil it right down – if that appeals, we suggest you start with The Power of the Dog, or if you fancy a standalone Winslow The Winter of Frankie Machine is pretty damn good and should whet your appetite to read more).
What about City of Dreams, though, all you people who have read the two previous books say? As you know, these books centre on a guy called Danny Ryan who grew up affiliated to the Jersey mob, part of a big family of Irish criminal types, without being what you might call a ‘made’ guy. The first book concluded with Danny widowed, and on the run with his ageing father and his young son Ian. The second book saw Danny and his cronies ensconced in Hollywood, trying to keep a low profile for all of five minutes before they find themselves caught up in film financing, heists, dodgy FBI sorts and fragile film stars.
City of Ruins finds us a few years on. Danny is living with his ma (a woman he has had a long up and down relationship with but with whom he’s now found a sort of peace) and busy building a hotel business. To begin with, he and the other casino managers rub shoulders fairly peacefully but when an enemy from Danny’s past appears on the scene that fragile peace starts, in the parlance of books such as these, to go south. Cue the reappearance of lots of people (friend and foe) from Danny’s past and a fair amount of what most reasonable people would call bloodshed.
But that’s not all: Winslow also picks up a couple of threads from the previous couple of books in the form of a young man who did away with his mam and his mam’s new squeeze (after his mam’s new squeeze did away with his dad) – so factor in a court case alongside the above casino shenanigans – and the reappearance of a mobster who went on the run in the previous books returning, Odysseus-like (Winslow is a big fan of his Homer and Virgil – quotes pepper this book), to reclaim what is rightfully is. All of which makes for a glorious page-turner that keeps the action rattling along at a glorious pace.
It’s a tremendously satisfying resolution to the trilogy and a fair old cap to the Winslow career. Yes, it’s always sad when a writer hangs up his cap but as Winslow is going to be spending his time doing battle with one of the worst human beings on the planet, it strikes us as time well spent (and if you want to keep up with that activity, follow Don Winslow on X – he and his team are a sort of American equivalent of Led by Donkeys).
Any Cop?: Winslow fans will not be disappointed.
Bookmunch 