City on Fire: A Novel

Danny Ryan is a young man who resides at the bottom of a middling criminal empire. He works as a dockworker in Providence. He is also utilized as a debt collector for his father-in-law’s criminal enterprise. Danny is married and loves his wife Terri. Danny is loyal to his in-laws, the Murphy family. However, his current position and the possibility of him remaining there for the foreseeable future leave him longing to escape. The possibility of escape appears the optimal decision when a friendly barbeque amongst underworld friends goes haywire over a transgression. Liam, the ne’er do well of the Murphy clan, has insulted the Morettis. Liam offers a half-hearted apology and is soon given a retaliatory thrashing. The Morettis are urged off anything further and cooler heads prevail… for a little while. The insult has now snowballed into moves on turf, a shooting, and eventually, blood on the streets. Who will emerge unscathed?

City on Fire is the latest in a string of masterful books from Don Winslow. The plot proves engrossing from the opening pages onwards, as the tension progresses with each chapter. The reader will find themselves gripping the pages well before the final salvo is fired. Winslow continues to prove his prowess as a top-notch writer.