Like most Winslow efforts, the suspense builds up so that last 100 pages passes by quickly. This is definitely not a first rate Winslow like Bobby Z, California Fire and Life, ankie Machine, Dawn Patrol or Savgtes, but is easily equal to most of his later novels. A somewhat typical Las Vegas scene, some mob connections, and intense owner to owner rivalries. The usual human misunderstandings abound. ( )

Obvious continuation of the story from the outside, but still you can never feel too safe about knowing where it leads! Great storytelling!

Excellent final novel in the series - satisfying conclusion. Couldn't put down. ( )

The best fireworks displays keep your heart in your throat and escalate until you don't think you can take another boom, and then everything goes up at mindboggling speed for the finale. Bang bang bang. That is what we have here.

Winslow has said the Danny Ryan trilogy is his final work. If you see this, Don, I am not holding you to that and would be delighted if the rumors of your retirement were premature. If, however, this really is the last book, you went out with a very satisfying series of bangs of both the firearm and fornication variety.

Each of the Danny Ryan books shows us Danny in a new city, at a new point in his life, trying to escape his circumstances and choices. (The stories tale place in Providence, LA, and now Las Vegas.) And each of these books gives us a new Danny, one who matures, who learns from his losses, who is changed by love for two (or more) women, and who is driven by his bone-deep pure and ever-growing love for his son, Ian, whose birth starts the first book in the series. Yes, this is a crime drama with a Soprano's worthy antihero, but it is so much more of that. It is the story of becoming a man after a rough start. In this era where people scoff at tales of reinvention and healing and are gleeful about tearing down successful people for one misstep, it is hard not to see Danny through that lens. He is a man who works and works to live a clean life, to protect and support his family and friends, but everyone wants to define him by the worst things he has done. Granted, unlike people who get attacked for using racist language, mistreating employees, or hooking up with the wrong person Danny's past acts involve a lot of murder (of bad people), theft (from bad people), and other crimes (that mostly or wholly impacted bad people.) Early on most of Danny's moral missteps came from fear, greed or hubris, but the desire to protect those around him was always there, and as he ages it becomes his raison d'etre. Danny is the most ethical immoral person one can imagine.

It bears mentioning that everyone here, no matter how colorful, feels fleshed out. The circumstances are amped up, I don't think this is how people actually live, but the character's decisions make sense, the obstacles don't seem contrived, and the love and the hate that drive most things feel dead on.

A couple last notes. First, I have railed in my reviews for a couple of books, most notably the execrable The Murder Rule, that authors do not do the necessary research to write legal thrillers, especially courtroom scenes, and I find it inexcusable. Winslow did the research. In this book there is a trial at the center of one of the storylines (for a murder committed in the last book) and it is beautifully written. Hats off. I felt like the rest of the book was just as well researched. Though this is fiction, there is a lot of stuff about gaming rules and historical norms in Vegas, and as far as I can tell Winslow stayed in the lines and the things that impact Danny's and Vern's businesses seem well crafted. Second, I listened to this read by Ari Fliakos, as I did for the last two books. Once again Fliakos is just great. I can't explain why, there are no unique voices or flourishes, but Fliakos' tone and pacing just works so well for this series.

Hats off to Don Winslow. Thank you for your service. ( )

Don Winslow's last book wraps up his trilogy about New England mobster Danny Ryan, who is now living in Las Vegas, having fled Rhode Island with the Feds, the mob and assorted others in hot pursuit. Ryan is now at the head of a casino and gaming empire and prospering as a result. Until his past catches up to him and Ryan is forced to make an alliance with his chief competitor. City of Ruins is a fitting end to Don Winslow's novel writing career. ( )