The 30th anniversary edition of the first V. I. Warshawski novel, Indemnity Only, featuring a new afterword from Sara Paretsky Meeting an anonymous client late on a sizzling summer night is asking for trouble. But trouble is Chicago private eye V. I. Warshawski’s specialty. Her client says he’s the prominent banker John Thayer. Turns out he’s not. He says his son’s girlfriend, Anita Hill, is … girlfriend, Anita Hill, is missing. Turns out that’s not her real name.
V. I.’s search turns up someone soon enough—the real John Thayer’s son, and he’s dead. Who’s V. I.’s client? Why has she been set up and sent out on a wild-goose chase? By the time she’s got it figured, things are hotter—and deadlier—than Chicago in July. V. I.’s in a desperate race against time. At stake: a young woman’s life.
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It kept me in suspense until the very end.
This is worth a read, particularly for people who joined VI later in her adventures. Overtime I have found the series to become somewhat predictable in its plot structures. Not sure how many times anyone could be beaten up as badly as our protagonist and recover, nor that the good Doctor would still be practicing medicine but it is fun to go back …
What can you say about VI Warshawski? She’s hilarious… and someone you’d want to know in real life. She’s got a nice chip on her shoulder, but it becomes endearing. And she takes risks. This was a great debut novel for the series and I loved when it became the focus for a movie. I stopped reading this series about 8 to 10 years ago when I was …
Great chance to read how it all started. Have read most of the series, but this one helped to put some of the pieces in place.
This is an author worth following.
I believe this is her first one and when I read it, years ago, I was amazed how literate and knowledgeable mysteries could be.
VI & Sara Paretsky always bring it: humor, acton, & a wonderfully tough protagonist with much social commentary. She only writes a book every 5 yrs or so for a reason: she also writes well with abundant social awareness. She’s worth the wait each time.
I can’t review this book because it went up in price before I finished the sample
Like all the books in the series, fantastic reading page after page.
I’ve been a fan for years.
Nice, fast read. Unfortunately, things have changed so much since this novel was written that it’s at times jarring. The problem is that not enough time has passed to make the novel’s social and technological anachronism quaint or interesting. Even the Cubbies have now won a world series.
Fun read!
I read this several years ago, but what I remember is that it is as good as all of her books. Well written and hard to put down till the end.
I loved this— and the introduction to the 30-year anniversary of its publication as her first novel. I am an occasional reader of these detective stories but this is one of my favorites.
I enjoy this author!
A good example of Sara Paretsky’s work over the years. Enjoyable, a page-turner and somewhat funny. Liked it as much as with her earlier books!
great as usual with this author
Love Ms. Paretsky’s V. I. Warshawski series.
I had not read VI’s first book and was excited to be able to. All the promise of her future books are there
Love this character and this series. This one is old but doesn’t disappoint!