Synopses & Reviews
"Victoria, sweetie, you look terrific!"
With those words and the sour yeasty smell of stale beer Elena, V. I. Warshawski's derelict aunt, re-enters her niece's life at three in the morning. Burned out of her SRO hotel, Elena has turned to V. I. for a place to stay. V. I. vows that it will be a short visit and uses some old political contacts to find Elena a room.
When V. I. is hired to investigate the fire at the hotel, her aunt disappears, and her aunt's young friend is found dead at a construction site. V. I. is warned off the case by both a high-ranking police officer and a major Chicago developer who also happens to be a close friend of the chairman of the Cook County Board. After three terrifying attempts on her life, V. I. doesn't know whether it's the politicians, the police, or the developers who are after her.
As this, her sixth investigation, takes her deep into the workings of both the construction business and Cook County politics, V. I. discovers a connection between the two that brings her to a confrontation where the line between friend and enemy is redrawn to frightening effect.
Review
"Paretsky's best book to date." Kansas City Star
Review
"V.I. Warshawsi is good company and a rich discovery awaiting those who have yet to meet her." Los Angeles Times
Synopsis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "Another triumph for Ms. Paretsky, her most captivating novel yet . . . V.I. herself is] undoubtedly one of the best-written characters in mystery fiction."--The Baltimore Sun Someone knocking on the door at 3 A.M. is never good news. For V.I. Warshawski, the bad news arrives in the form of her wacky, unwelcome aunt Elena. The fire that has just burned down a sleazy SRO hotel has brought Elena to V.I.'s doorstep. Uncovering an arsonist--and the secrets hidden behind Elena's boozy smile--will send V.I. into the seedy world of Chicago's homeless . . . into the Windy City's backroom deals and bedroom politics, where new schemers and old cronies team up to get V.I. off the case--by hook, by crook, or by homicide.
"One gritty good read . . . V.I. is a worthy heir to Marlowe "--Daily News (New York)
Synopsis
Someone knocking on the door at 3 A.M. is never good news. For V.I. Warshawski, the bad news arrives in the form of her wacky, unwelcome aunt Elena. The fire that has just burned down a sleazy SRO hotel has brought Elena to V.I.'s doorstep. Uncovering an arsonist -- and the secrets hidden behind Elena's boozy smile -- will send V.I. into the seedy world of Chicago's homeless... into the Windy City's backroom deals and bedroom politics, where new schemers and old cronies team up to get V.I. off the case -- by hook, by crook, or by homocide.