Deadlock

V.I. Warshawski #2

by Sara Paretsky

V.I. Warshawski, the feminist sleuth who specializes in corporate crime, returns in "Deadlock," a topnotch mystery that critics say ever surpasses Sara Paretsky's first novel, "Indemnity Only."

The smart young detective becomes suspicious when her cousin Boom Boom, a former ice hockey star, drowns in a questionable dock accident. As she explores the cargo shipping world, Vic uncovers a murderous rivalry between shipping magnates.

Paretsky, who holds an M.B.A. and works for CNA Financial Corporation in Chicago, brings eyewitness authenticity to this thriller - she spent several days on a freighter to get the feel of life on deck.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Detective, Thriller, Audiobook

261 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Sara Paretsky is a modern American author of detective fiction. Paretsky was raised in Kansas, and graduated from the state university with a degree in political science. She did community service work on the south side of Chicago in 1966 and returned in 1968 to work there. She ultimately completed a Ph.D. in history at the University of Chicago, entitled The Breakdown of Moral Philosophy in New England Before the Civil War, and finally earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Married to a professor of physics at the University of Chicago, she has lived in Chicago since 1968.

The protagonist of all but two of Paretsky's novels is V.I. Warshawski, a female private investigator. Warshawski's eclectic personality defies easy categorization. She drinks Johnnie Walker Black Label, breaks into houses looking for clues, and can hold her own in a street fight, but also she pays attention to her clothes, sings opera along with the radio, and enjoys her sex life.

Paretsky is credited with transforming the role and image of women in the crime novel. The Winter 2007 issue of Clues: A Journal of Detection is devoted to her work.

Her two books that are non-Warshawski novels are : Ghost Country (1998) and Bleeding Kansas (2008).

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review
VI's back and this time it's personal. Although it appears like her cousin, Boom Boom Warshawski, a famous hockey player, slipped off the wharf, VI smells trouble lurking in the depths of his shallow grave. 4 of 5 stars to Deadlock, the second book in the VI Warshawski thriller mystery series by Sara Paretsky. When it's family, you won't stop until you find the killer. And that's exactly the path VI sets off on once she's convinced of foul play. Learning more about her cousin's life, on and off the ice activities and last few days is not easy. Too many people have different stories, some feel she's exaggerating the potential clues, but eventually, she finds proof and is able to narrow the path down to a specific reason. But knowing who did it was not easy, especially when she has very little background on the shipping docks and industry. But she finds a few folks willing to help out under the radar -- some thru volunteer and some by force.

This was a strong follow-up to the first in series and helped be part of the launch for this series to the forefront in the 80s and 90s. Working in Chicago is tough, but Paretsky does a grand job at showing the risky nature of he business VI's involved in. Learning how the ships work, what's necessary for deliveries, how the boats come in and out, etc. is a fascinating business. As usual, these books never fail to provide both a learning experience and an opportunity to solve the crime.

One of the early ones in the series, but also one of the stronger ones for me...
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

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[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sara Paretsky writes novels about a Private Investigator called V. I. Warshawski and they are really good as long as you don't take them too seriously. Our main character uses the old fashioned approach to detecting where she tends to approach the suspect and let them know that she suspects them. This can lead to all kinds of difficulty but of course she always comes out the other side smelling of roses. I enjoyed this particular one so much that I am moving straight on to the next in the series.

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again am shocked by how much I really enjoyed book #2 in the V.I. Warshawski book. We have V.I. who is one stone's away from being killed every five seconds it feels like when she starts to investigate whether her cousin Boom Boom (don't ask) slipped or committed suicide at some docks where he was working. I loved the ins and outs that Paretsky gets into with the shipping industry. Also V.I.'s work on her last case dealing with the insurance industry comes in handy in this book. We get two potential love interests in this one. But one thing I do appreciate in these books is that the men that come across V.I's path are not really important. She wants someone to look at her and accept her as she is, but she is 100 percent not in the mood to do the same (which did crack me up).

V.I. I find interesting and definitely a contradiction. I find myself comparing V.I. a lot to Kinsey Millhone and though Kinsey and I have a lot of characteristics in common, I would probably get a long more with V.I. though her sarcasm would make me want to brain her. A lot of the book is deductions and snooping that V.I. does. She is able to put things together and I can honestly say that I loved that I was not able to guess where the story was going and who the guilty parties were. I totally guessed wrong which is par for the course for me when it comes to mystery novels.

We get reappearances in this one, we once again get Doctor Lotty Herschel, V.I's father's old friend Bobby, and her contact at one of the papers, Murray. We also have V.I. still in her same terrible apartment and still perplexed why one would make the bed, clean the dishes, and wash clothes. Seriously at times I had to go downstairs and tidy up my house since I was getting second hand issues over the messiness I was reading about in this book.

The writing was good, but honestly I wish that the character of Bobby would be flattened by something. It's two books in and I am tired of reading about how Bobby hates what V.I. does as her job and wishes she was married with 6 kids. Also I am starting to realize that most of the cops in this series are inept as hell. I liked how Sue Grafton portrays Kinsey's interaction with the police better.

Once again Chicago sounds like a pain in the butt to deal with in any type of weather.

The ending was a surprise and I loved how even though V.I. figured out what was going on, justice unfortunately was delayed.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paretsky's second detective novel is longer, more complex, and not really better. Vic investigates her cousin's death, an apparent accident. The cousin worked for a grain company that has suspicious ties to a great-lakes shipping company, and Vic pokes among the wealthy and powerful. People get killed, stuff happens, Vic is almost killed, and eventually the hidden crimes are revealed. Warshawski's sharp wit is a big plus in these books, as she skewers the self-important and taunts the police. Paretsky gets some things wrong in a way that detracts from the story--an example is the use of 'depth charges' against a lakes' freighter. Depth charges are an anti-submarine explosive, designed to explode at a programmed depth. Perhaps they were still in use when this book was written, but the homing torpedo was replacing them around this time (see: The Hunt for Red October.) But the real problem with this plot device is the idea that some crook could walk into a naval base and steal some three- or four-hundred pound explosive devices undetected, and then when they are set off, and everybody agrees it was depth charges, NOBODY asks the navy if they're missing any. It's the equivalent of a murder victim being squashed under a stealth bomber, but nobody checks with the air force.

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. A fantastic read, exciting and difficult to stop after a few chapters each time I picked it up.

This time V. I. Warshawski is too emotional to be reasonable, and when she is emotional, she gets coldly angry, a deadly combination. Her favorite cousin, Boom Boom, an ex-Black Hawks hockey player, falls off of a Chicago dock and drowns. The problem is several clues are pointing to murder - a enigmatic phone call, strange rumors being passed around by Boom Boom's new co-workers at Eudora Grain during the funeral, a new girlfriend breaking into his apartment to search for something - but no one else agrees with her.

As she probes and questions and interviews, people she talked to start having accidents that kill them. She is pondering the clues while driving, when suddenly her brakes aren't working. Then, as she tries to steer safely out of traffic, the steering wheel spins loosely in her hands. The blast of a horn draws her attention to the semi coming straight at her.....

Omg.

[Andrea *angiesbookishlifee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one for me is a re-read from probably around the time that the book was first published. I remember reading and enjoying the series then and have started re-reading the books now.

I enjoyed the book as much this time around as I did the first time. I like the protagonist, V.I. Warshawski. I remember appreciating discovering a strong, complex, female character at a time when there was a dearth of such characters in mystery novels. Unfortunately, the dearth still remains, but I still do appreciate that V.I. Warshawski helps to fill the gap.

Aside from appreciating the protagonist, I found that the other characters in the book read well. They all had their own personalities and often complex set of motivations for what they do.

I also enjoyed the plot line. The story was complicated enough to engage the reader while never getting convoluted and tedious. Paretsky also included interesting details related to shipping on the Great Lakes but again was judicious, including enough information to allow for the plot to flow but never bogging down the story in extraneous details. Partesky also balances a fair amount of grittiness in the book (again often not seen with a female protagonist) with the humanness of V.I. and the other characters.

For me, the only drawback of this book was that the police were stubborn to the point of stupidity and incompetency. In some novels I can see why police would be resistant to the ideas of the non-police detective; in too many mystery novels (often of the 'cozy' variety) the protagonist has no business running an investigation. However, in this case, V.I. is a seasoned detective whose good work is known to the police. Why then would they arbitrarily decide to ignore her now? Oh, wait! To create an opportunity for V.I. to go it as the lone investigator and have a 'will she live or die?' ending. That part, the police stubbornness, felt really contrived.

Overall, this is a solid read. I am looking forward to re-reading others in the series and reading those that I have not yet read.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I've mentioned, these books are certainly of their time, but they are SO fun. Paretsky's research into how Great Lakes shipping works is a fascinating backdrop for this murder mystery, and there's enough badass women-can-do-it attitude and Chicago references to keep me happy (although the geography of Lakeview according to this book is slightly different unless Lincoln Avenue has moved around). Satisfying murder mystery that kept me guessing until near the end.

[Luis Minski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entretenida novela, con una trama muy bien desarrollada, plena de acción, situaciones de peligro, y muertes, que nos presenta un nuevo caso de V.I.Warshawski.
Cuando su primo muere en lo que aparenta ser un trágico accidente, Vic se queda intranquila y comienza a averiguar qué le pasó. Sus sospechas se confirman cuando se produce una nueva muerte, en este caso un indudable asesinato. Comienza así una investigación que la lleva a un mundo desconocido para ella, el de las compañías cerealeras y el transporte de carga en la zona de los grandes lagos.
Muy al estilo hard-boiled, con su narración en primera persona, su lenguaje simple, claro, y pleno de cinismo para describir ambientes, situaciones y personas; su visión crítica de la sociedad , su transitar por las calles y barrios de Chicago, su dureza para enfrentar a testigos hostiles o sospechosos, su empatía para con las víctimas, su desconfianza ante el accionar policial y su reivindicación de valores como la amistad, nuestra heroína se nos vuelve a mostrar, - al mejor estilo chandleriano - , como la versión femenina del gran Marlowe.
No faltan referencias humorísticas a conocidos detectives de la ficción como Peter Wemsey, Sherlock Holmes o Mike Hammer.
En síntesis, una muy buena y atrapante opción de lectura, que, desde ya, recomendamos.
https://sobrevolandolecturas.blogspot...

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it started more slowly that the first in the series once the story took off it was difficult to put down. Although a bit confusing sometimes, I found it very interesting to learn about two things I was not aware of growing up in Chicago: the Port of Chicago and Great Lakes shipping. Fascinating! Gonna keep reading a couple more in the series to see if the quality continues.

[Torimac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so amused by the main character's despondency regarding the general population plugging into personal electronics... The book was written about 1982! And the character is referring to PAGERS! Cell phones haven't even become a thing yet! Vic is frequently seeking out pay phones, and checking in with her answering service! HaHa!
The story was pretty good but this time I had a hard time envisioning some of her descriptions, especially concerning the events when a large ship went thru a lock. It might be my age or my current mood, but I just didn't have the patience to go back and study the descriptors after the pace of the story carried me away from the scene. I'm planning to try to see pictures online of real life versions of those events, but i'm not sure if I'll follow thru.
Very telling of the sexism in the era when this was written is that Vic makes impulsive decisions, sometimes countering her own original wisdom, as reactions to the sexist treatment she receives from the cops. I lived thru that era of sexism, and I also made reactionary decisions that I wouldn't have otherwise made, but I'm not sure if that really is well described for contemporary audiences. When those errant judgements led to risky actions, I at first got frustrated with the plot being too contrived (and thus predictable), but then remembered that it was actually realistic in the context of that era. It does make me think that we need more illustrations of how sexism has changed, and how it affected women in the 80's and the decisions they made.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this ages ago, long enough to have forgotten many of the details. It's even better the second time through. Paretsky is terrific!

[Larry Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am trying to go through this entire series in order after being absent for a while. I initially read many of these books in the paper hardcover version purchased from a used bookstore. This particular book is interesting to me since I spent my first 30+ years living in Michigan so the fact that it takes place in the area of the Great Lakes and at the locks in Sault Ste. Marie was especially interesting. I thought this book was especially well written, especially considering it was such an early book in the series.
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I have experienced this book for the second time in the audible format while following along with an e-book. This book was first published in 1984 but it still seems relatively current and timely in spite of its age. The audible version was not created until several decades after the paper edition was published. I included a significant number of excerpts from the text to give some good sense of the kind of book that it is. Our main character overcomes more than the average threats to her life in this book than she did to my recollection later in the series. You might have to have more than one hand to count the times she might’ve died in this book. But in spite of that total unlikelihood, I found this book quite enjoyable.

Other baby boomers like me might remember watching Perry Mason on early television. One of the hallmarks of that series was that there was regularly the confession of the newly discovered guilty party often on the witness stand and the why and wherefore of the mystery was resolved in the last five minutes of the show. This story had that aspect with the resolution and explanation of a fairly complicated and lengthy series of events explained Satisfactorily in the final pages. All of the criminals received their just desserts in this book for the most part mostly by death. And the people most emotionally harmed agreed that they did not need any additional pound of revenge. This is indeed a interesting conclusion. The other aspect of this book that may have been a foreshadowing of where other future detectives and law enforcement people were later to undertake very successfully are the people responsible for finding the bad guys occasionally being slightly bad guys themselves. In this case our heroine is a master burglar and uses this skill regularly and continues to somewhat casually break the law when necessary on occasion to track down the real bad guy.
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This is the second book in the V.I. Warshawski mystery series. It was published in 1984. I am going to try to read the fifteen book series in order. This copy is a hardcover from Alibris, a relatively well preserved ex-library copy that cost me $3.99 after deducting the standard $1 coupon. I love used hardcover books.

I have been reading some long books recently but this is the second one in a row with only 250 pages. The other one was Blossom by Andrew Vachss. Not exactly a matched set but another book in a series that I intend to tackle. I am happy to run into a shorter book!

V.I. is a detective and in this book she investigates the death of her cousin, Boom Boom Warshawski, a retired professional hockey player. The setting is 1982, the year of the beeper and the ten cent phone call. We are in Chicago. It’s about intrigue in the Great Lakes shipping industry. And since we are in Chicago, Lake Michigan is like one of the characters with its “wind whipped whitecaps up on the green water” and its “alive and menacing” depths.

I . . . stumbled . . . to the water’s edge, shivering in the nameless menace in the black water. The water slapping at my feet seemed to call me to itself. Let me enfold you in the mysteries of my depths. All the dark things you fear will become your delight. Don’t think of drowning, of Boom Boom choking and fighting for air. Think of infinite rest, no responsibilities, no need for control. Just perfect rest.

Did Boom Boom accidentally fall off the pier or was he pushed?

It is early in the series so it is the time when series’ regulars are still in creation. But Lotty, V.I.’s medical doctor and emergency crash pad seems to be in for the long haul. A police officer, Bobby Mallory, and a reporter, both absolutely required in crime books, show some signs of repeatability. Murray is the reporter, “the competitor on the crime scene, friend, and occasionally lover for several years.” I guess she is his unrequited love and he may hang around for several more books to get her to requite. Also a group of potential repeaters that have now been in book #1 and now book #2: V.I.’s “mother’s red Venetian glasses.”

The Edmund Fitzgerald, the Soo Locks, Lake Superior. All these are familiar to me as I spent the first thirty something years of my life in Michigan. There is something quite enjoyable about reading about familiar places and things. We go aboard a thousand foot long Great Lakes ship at Thunder Bay, Canada. Paretsky has done her homework and the descriptions of work and life on a ship loaded with grain are very realistic. There is also some exciting action and danger. Warshawski shows herself as the strong, independent woman as Paretsky meant her to be.

I am not a seasoned crime/mystery reader and I don’t usually try to figure things out. Of course, sometimes things are obvious and I can’t help but notice! Paretsky is still finding her way with her new character in this book and it is an interesting process. I enjoyed it. There were a couple of deaths that didn’t seem to add much to the story and I don’t know if body count is at work here. The woman cook on the ship in the Soo Locks and the innocent people who were inserted into the car wreck seemed like gratuitous violence.

I guess it is “standard operating procedure” for the private investigators in mystery novels not to share information with the police, even the friendly police officer, and to promise the reporter an exclusive in exchange for information. Personally, I get a little tired of that happening book after book. And, of course, the PI must cheat death at least once each book. And why do murderers insist on sitting down with the hero to discuss the case in detail when her/his intention is to do away with our hero? Or are these just characteristics of the second rate mystery?

I must remember not to expect to find kind, generous, socially responsible people even in a Sara Paretsky mystery! Once I get over that supreme disappointment, I will be able to move forward in life once again! I like her books very much as fun fiction and just a slight diversion from reality. This book had enough complexity to keep it interesting and enough action to keep it exciting.

V.I. Warshawski is a likeable character. It will be enjoyable to read about her as she gets older and moves through one adventure after another. And V.I. is the same age as I am. I remember reading a Hardy Boys book in a day when I was a kid back in pre-modern times before television. Reading this book was like that recalled feeling. So it is with pleasure that I give it four stars and look forward to book #3 in the series.

I will see how Sara Paretsky uses her talent and writing skills as she moves through the years. The first book of the Warshawski series was published in 1982 and the fifteenth (and likely not the last) was published this year – 2012.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is number two in the series and the second Paretsky book I have read. Yes, I’m a serial reader. I like reading a series in order. One gets to enjoy the evolution of the central characters, experience and the (hopeful) growth of the author’s style, and discover how an author can plow the same genre field but keep the intrigue evolving.

This book did not disappoint. The central character V.I. Warshawski was hard at it trying to unravel the death of her cousin. The flavour of Chicago was present, the characters intricate, and the plot keep one guessing. To date I would say Sue Grafton is still a more favoured author of mine in the detective genre and Louise Penny my favourite female detective writer - after Agatha Christie of course!

That said, Sarah Paretsky and her creation V. I. Warshawski are in the race.

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast summer read. VI mysteries are hard to put down. I am having some issues with the timing between this book set in ~1982 and her current mystery set this year give or take. In the new installment Boom Boom supposedly helps a friend try out for the Cubs in 1989. Obviously this is a discrepancy if he was murdered 7 years earlier.
All in all a fast paced whodunit. Nice to see that Lotty was there from the beginning. No Max or Mr Contreras though. Murray hilarious as always. I will have to go back and reread the earlier books in the series to see how/when/where the rest of the cast of characters is introduced. Can not wait for next installment.

[Andrea C. *andreasbookishlife* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I actually really enjoyed this overall. The mystery was very intriguing, and there were a lot of good plot points included in the story.

I guess my biggest complaint was the writing style. Paretsky is a very descriptive writer and her writing style included a lot of very descriptive and lengthy writing, especially about atmosphere and information regarding a certain plot point. Personally, that isn’t a writing style that I particularly enjoy, but it did not hurt my enjoyment of the story too much.

Overall, this is a good read and I would recommend it. But just go in knowing that the writing style is on the lengthy side.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad story. V.I investigates the suspicious death of her cousin Boom Boom. Set in the 1980s it’s nostalgic for me. The story follows shipping on the Great Lakes with V.I uncovering corruption and murder.

V.I is very emotional and stubborn with not informing the police of her discoveries and deliberately putting herself into precarious situations. Lotty is in this story giving V.I support and medical help for her injuries in a car accident.

Overall I enjoyed the story with the David versus the Goliath shipping company and the insane Grafalk with his obsession about his shipping company.

[Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quite good V. I. Warshawski novel in which V I investigates the death of her cousin, Boom Boom who was a famous hockey player. Everyone else thinks the death was accidental but V I is not convinced. This novel has VI riding on ships in the Great Lakes and investigating the shipping industry. The setting and plot is a little unusual which kept my interest.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is wonderful to read a book set in your home town. Even better I learned about the Port of Chicago and Great Lakes shipping. V.I. is nearly more than once in this story. Good thing she*s as tough as nails. and a great heir to Marlowe and Spade.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio and while I enjoyed, It did feel really dated.

[Nick Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second of Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski books and the second I’ve read…I’m being systematic. And I’m beginning to worry about Warshawski. In the first book she largely worked on her case for $1, in Deadlock, investigating the death of her cousin Boom Boom, she hopes to get her expenses paid by his estate, but otherwise she is investigating because she thinks it is the right thing to do. Although that’s what private investigators in fiction do, it’s no way to run a business. Warshawski’s cousin has fallen into the lake and drowned; it is put down to an accident, but Warshawki begins to have doubts. We are probably ahead of her, we know we are reading a detective novel and will automictically presume there was murder and when a character searches Boom Boom’s apartment we will presume she is up to something dishonest, although Warshawski accepts her explanations. But fairly quickly Warshawski catches up with us, realises something is eschew and Boom Boom was murdered. There is a big conspiracy in the shipping industry and Warshawski does the normal private detective stuff, questioning people, etc. And there is an attempt on her life, although there is the possibility of it being an accident…although we won’t believe that because we know we are reading a detective novel. I suppose it is standard private detective stuff, a convoluted plot, a lot of possible suspects, but, of course, Warshawski is a woman which changes the dynamics, not least because the men often don’t quite take a woman private investigator seriously. I’m not sure it is a step forward from the first book (and maybe it doesn’t have to be), but it remains fun if you like American private detective novels.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

VI’s cousin, Boom Boom- a retired NHL player dies in his new job at the Port of Chicago in an industrial accident near a grain freighter She was named as his executor. She quickly suspects it was no accident as he had phoned her and left a message that he needed to see her. Her probing gets powerful people interested in silencing her. The security guard at Boom Boom’s apartment is killed. VI’s power steering and brake line are tampered with and she escapes death on the freeway but is sidelined. More deaths. She survives but the truth never comes out. She’s tough and can take care of herself but the outcomes are so unsatisfying but realistic.

[Forthbridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw Ms Paretsky at a reading in Edinburgh years ago and was impressed by her dry ironic humour and obvious intelligence. Thought it would be good to revisit Vi c1980 and it was fine but I would not recommend anyone paying too much. Accomplished, competent but lacked a bit of zing. It's back To Grisham and Connelly for me.

[Belén :P · Rating 1 out of 5]

Menudo asco de libro

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because I was made to feel for the individuals involved in this plot to make a shipping company more solvent. Vic seemed to get in quite a few scrapes in this one too and some of them seemed to be worse than the others.

It sometimes is hard to accept the death of a loved one and then when there are suspicious circumstances it makes it that much worse.

My only critique would be I think this could have been a little shorter. It seemed to take forever to get to the end for me. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars.

Perhaps Paige will be in later books and get her just reward!

[Alaina Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

V.I. is a tough broad who’s unafraid to get her hands dirty, she loves high-end Scotch, and her apartment is just as cluttered as mine. She’s kindof my patronus.

Alaina finishes her review of Sara Paretsky’s Deadlock and rates it 3 stars; now she’s not sure how she’s going to spend the rest of her day, because she doesn’t have any other posts stored up. For the full review - including a slightly deeper look into a heroine she hasn’t read in almost four years - follow the link to That’s What She Read.

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has an odd sort of out-of-time awkwardness, as if she wasn’t quite sure what time period she wanted to set it in. Perhaps she just wasn’t convinced contemporary noir could actually be a thing? It managed to keep me mildly entertained while driving me crazy at the same time. Overused stereotypes, a ridiculous amount of commentary on clothes and food, and an obvious criminal. Eh.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

When V.I. takes on the task of closing up her Cousin Boom-Boom's estate she has the strong feeling that his death was not an accident and in the course of her queries opens up tangled mess of fraud and skullduggery in the Great Lakes shipping. industry. He persistence gets her in some serious hot water and several attempts on her life before all is said and done.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it is because she is sassy, maybe it is because it is set in Chicago or maybe it is her weakness for Black Label. I'm not sure, but I enjoyed this book. I am glad to know there are more of these. They will go into the category of fun palette cleanser.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked that the dead guy's name was Boom Boom. I didn't like that VI slept with the guy who can barely control his temper. He seemed like a jerk, even though he wasn't a murderer.

I was rooting for her to hook up with the British insurance agent.