City on Fire: A Novel

Written by Don Winslow

Narrated by Ari Fliakos

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of the Cartel Trilogy (The Power of the Dog, The Cartel, and The Border), The Force, and Broken comes the first novel in an epic new trilogy.

“Superb. City on Fire is exhilarating.” – Stephen King

""Epic, ambitious, majestic, City on Fire is The Godfather for our generation.” – Adrian McKinty, New York Times bestselling author of The Chain

Two criminal empires together control all of New England.

Until a beautiful woman 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, two rival crime families ignite a war that will leave only one standing. The winner will forge a dynasty.

Exploring the classic themes of loyalty, betrayal, and honor, City on Fire is a contemporary masterpiece in the tradition of The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas—a thrilling saga from Don Winslow, “America’s greatest living crime writer” (Jon Land, Providence Journal).

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Apr 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9780062851222

Don Winslow

Don Winslow is the author of twenty-five acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including seven New York Times bestsellers (Savages, The Kings of Cool, The Cartel, The Force, The Border, City on Fire and City of Dreams). Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone from a screenplay by Shane Salerno, Winslow and Stone. Winslow's epic Cartel trilogy has been adapted for TV and will appear as a weekly series on FX. Additional Winslow books are currently in development at Paramount (The Winter of Frankie Machine), Netflix (Boone Daniels), Warner Brothers (Satori), Sony (City on Fire, City of Dreams, City in Ruins) and Working Title (“Crime 101”) and he has recently written a series of acclaimed and award winning short stories for Audible narrated by four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris. A former investigator, anti-terrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow has announced that City in Ruins will be his final novel.

Reviews for City on Fire

[Rosemary Banks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So well written & moving at such a nice pace that I stuck with it. But it’s a masterpiece of stereotypes and cliches. Much more cinematic than novelistic.

The Italians are brilliantly ruthless, the Irish are just like the Italians, but with heart; both are ethically adverse to dealing in drugs and prostitution, and of course racist to the core. And the Blacks are good at basketball, but easily killed because they’re just not very smart. Finally, the women are strong, but ultimately weak and vulnerable.

There’s no nuance in the stories of these characters. They face no complications other than right or wrong.

I didn’t care about any of them, and when I finished the book I was glad to see them go!

[dano35ie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one rollercoaster of a read.Fantastic Characters and brilliant Story Line. Can’t wait for the Next Volume in the Amazing Trilogy. Don Winslow just keeps getting better.

[highlander6022 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first book by this author. I thought the book was very good, moved along, plausible plot. I’m looking forward to the second book in the series.

[Marty Humphreys · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great crime novel from "The Don"
Mr Winslow's characters leap off the page in their authenticity. Entertaining, emotional,and true.?

[sandra walters · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Not sure why I even finished the book. Very predictable, just about a bunch of thugs killing each other. I have no idea why it was highly rated which is why I chose it.

[Esther Garcia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Epic and rich and expansive and human and everything. The recording was also just breathtaking and amazing. I highly recommend this audiobook.

[maureen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Top of the line narration
Excellent writing skills
Mesmerizing execution
Enjoyable

[marcia2larue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story about the Mafia but the language ... OMG

[mia severin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story was hard, at times a bit much. The narrator was excellent.

[Deb Kasouf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. And voice talent is superlative. Can't wait for sequel.

[hccpsk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The start of a new trilogy by blockbuster author Don Winslow, City on Fire brings the expected action as readers enter the crime world of Providence, Rhode Island in the late 1980s. Danny Ryan has never caught a break in his entire life — from his absent mom, a drunk and washed-up father, and always finding himself on the outside of his Irish mob family. When things escalate with the Italians, Danny gets a chance to make a move and show them all what he’s made of, but is that really what he wants? City on Fire is an excellent mafia thriller with themes of family, loyalty, and revenge.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

City on Fire by Don Winslow did not interest me. The opening chapters of the book read like Genesis of the Bible. The book and narrative never reached the upper level of readability. So many individuals gave the book glowing reviews, but I never found that plateau.

[laytonwoman3rd · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure what to do with this one. I'm tempted to give it 2 stars and chuck it. But I rarely finish a book that only warrants two stars, and I tore through this one. There really isn't any "story" here...it's just the Irish and Italian rival mobsters dealing and double-crossing each other over and over again in Providence, RI, in the 1980s. There's the whole "do we or don't we deal drugs" issue, there's some lamenting the loss of old school "ethics"--we don't go after men's families, don't shoot cops, honor our promises, etc.; there's the guy who wants out, and thinks he has a plan (this, of course, being the main plot line, such as it is.) AND, there are attempts to make this world epic with allusions to Greek tragedy. Sorry, but this world can't even aspire to early 20th century Sicilian tragedy. It's just grim and bullet riddled. Too many deaths, not enough narrative thread. (aLSo...what's with the omniscient narrator using bad grammar when showing us things from Danny's POV? OK, maybe, if it was consistent, but it seemed to interrupt the flow something fierce without adding anything.) I realize this is the first book in a trilogy, and to some extent it's setting the stage for future drama, but I'm not much interested in how Act Two plays out. Two and a half reluctant stars, I guess.

[breic-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My expectations were too high. This was more like Winslow's Savages than his Power of the Dog series.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

City on Fire is the first in a trilogy. It opens with Danny Ryan and his wife, Terry, on the beach, and they see a beautiful woman coming out of the surf. Immediately, Danny knows she is trouble. The book involves conflicts between the Irish and Italian mobs who control the streets of New England. Danny wants to move away, but Terry wants to be near her family. When the beautiful woman becomes a part of their lives, the mobs attack each other. Set in the mid 80s with flashbacks to the 60s and 70s, this is a well written and gritty crime drama. I can't wait to read the next 2 books, and will likely read Winslow's back catalog.

[lewilliams-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The crime families, one Irish and and the other Italian control Rhode Island. Both families coexist until a beautiful woman walks out of the ocean. This is the beginning of their falling out. This book has a good plot with enough twists and turns to keep you reading, The first book in a trilogy and a good look at the workings of the underworld of crime families.

[narshkite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lately I am handing out 5-star reviews like they are M & Ms. I know it stretches credulity to believe that I am figuratively rolling around in excellence so much of the time, but what can I say, I have been getting lucky on the regular (alas strictly with respect to literary satiation.)I love Don Winslow, even when he is bad he is good, but there is no bad here. As has been mentioned by many before me this is a modern riff on the Trojan Wars set amongst the crime families of Providence. The Italians and Irish are all enjoying the kumbaya born of long established boundaries. It is a love fest until a beautiful woman rises from the water and sets off the war. When I first started reading this I thought Winslow had fallen prey to the boring old male gaze, but I forgave him because noir sort of requires that. But then Don surprised me. It is clear from the first moment that this is all about the guys who are felled in part by their dehumanization of women as being there for their needs. They are in fact felled by their male gaze not by the femme fatale. Way to go Mr. Winslow!This book is brutal and funny and sad and angry and very human. Danny is a first rate antihero and all the others around him are complicated and fascinating. It is about a mob war so it is not a spoiler to say not everyone gets out alive and its also not a spoiler to say that there are people left with things to avenge. I am already looking forward to the next in this series.I listened to this one, and the audio read by Ari Flakios is excellent.

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It starts with a woman. In Dogtown for years the two alternating faction. Irish and Italian have divided their terror tried in a way that was mutually beneficial for both. Until....? Now all bets are off revenge must be add and a mob war ensues.I don't read many books that cover mobs. Usually not my thing but I'd heard many good things about this book and despite the violence it was a good story. A modern telling of Helen of Troy, quite cleverly done. Not many likable characters but there are a few that I found in a situation that they didn't seek, and how they reacted, intriguing.