$mysqli = new mysqli("localhost", "usr", "pass", "table");

/* check connection */
if (mysqli_connect_errno()) {
    printf("Connect failed: %s\n", mysqli_connect_error());
    exit();
}

$city = "show";
$start = 0;
$on_page =5;

/* create a prepared statement */
$stmt =  $mysqli->stmt_init();

//Вариант 1 - не работает
//говорит: You have an error in your SQL syntax;
//              check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '?,?' at line 1.
//if ($stmt->prepare("select name from gbook where hide=? limit ? , ? ")) {
//    $stmt->bind_param("sii", $city,$start,$on_page);

//Вариант 2 - работает
if ($stmt->prepare("select name from gbook where hide=? limit 0 , 5 ")) {
    $stmt->bind_param("s", $city);

    /* execute query */
    $stmt->execute();

    /* bind result variables */
    $stmt->bind_result($name);

    /* fetch value */
    $stmt->fetch();

    printf("{%s}\n", $name);

    /* close statement */
    $stmt->close();
}else{
    printf("Error: %s.\n", $stmt->error);

}

/* close connection */
$mysqli->close();