Bestselling author Don Winslow recently brought his landmark Danny Ryan crime trilogy to a suitably dramatic conclusion. His novel City in Ruins, which will be published by Morrow this April, follows the next stage in Ryan’s epic, troubled journey, which began with warring factions in Rhode Island in 1986, thrillingly detailed in 2022’s City on Fire. The saga shifted to California in book two, City of Dreams, bringing Hollywood into focus. In this newest novel, fittingly set in vice-ridden Las Vegas, the Strip becomes the battleground as mobsters vie for power and dominance in a fight over real estate.
Of course, the novel isn’t just about casino moguls trying to best one another. Winslow also manages to weave impressively grand side plots into his narrative, advancing secondary character stories throughout the entire series. The court trial examined in this final book is something to savor.
Remarkably, Winslow’s intention from the outset was a contemporary reimagining of the great Greek and Roman classics. It was a personal project that began thirty years ago. A unique, complex assignment that has taken years to complete. Happily, Winslow brings his idea to fruition in a bold, satisfying way. Sadly, though, this will likely be his final novel.
A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Winslow graciously discussed his series and this final book with me. A small but interesting Q&A can be read in Publishers Weekly, titled “Iliad on the Strip: PW Talks with Don Winslow,” at this weblink: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/94296-iliad-on-the-strip-pw-talks-with-don-winslow.html.
A version of that article also appears in the 02/12/2024 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline “Iliad on the Strip.”
