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meteordustBy Sara Paretsky. Audiobook read by Susan Ericksen.
The latest in the VI Warshawski series. (Now up to book 20!) Also one of the last things I borrowed from the library before lockdown started. (Three long months ago. One day I will get to visit a library again...)
A classic trope in detective fiction is the extremely suspicious property development. (Is there ever a fictional property development that is not hiding something shady?) VI gets involved when her goddaughter drags her to a community meeting about a proposed development on the lakefront of Chicago. That same night, they encounter a homeless woman who used to be a brilliant singer, until the devastating death of her lover in a mass shooting. VI is reluctantly drawn into these seemingly unconnected incidents, and ends up digging into secrets that people are willing to kill to protect.
This is the first book Sara Paretsky wrote after the death of her husband. I only found out after finishing it, but in retrospect, themes of grief and mourning clearly pervade the story.
It's a solid mystery as always, mixed in with current events and sociopolitical issues, and the burning rage against injustice that is a hallmark of this series. Some of the plot points were guessable, so at times I was a little impatient with the pace. But my personal highlight was seeing so many favourite characters appear. One thing I love about long series like this, is the wonderful ensemble cast that has grown over the years.
I'm grateful that Sara Paretsky has said she won't ever kill off the supporting characters for angst and drama, because that's not the kind of story she wants to tell. So VI's neighbour, Mr Contreras, is in his nineties but as protective of her as ever. And VI's dog Peppy, adopted in 1987, must be the oldest golden retriever in the world. (I would riot if anything ever happened to her.)
Reflecting on time, the first book came out in 1982, when VI was in her thirties, so she ought to be in her seventies now. I assume she's aging in slow motion, the way James Bond and other eternal heroes do. While VI acknowledges that she's not as spry as she used to be, she still manages to hike up mountains and tackle bad guys, and generally show a level of physical fitness I can only envy. And I like how the series has introduced younger characters like her cousin Petra and her goddaughter Bernie, to show the voice and viewpoint of a new generation.
The latest in the VI Warshawski series. (Now up to book 20!) Also one of the last things I borrowed from the library before lockdown started. (Three long months ago. One day I will get to visit a library again...)
A classic trope in detective fiction is the extremely suspicious property development. (Is there ever a fictional property development that is not hiding something shady?) VI gets involved when her goddaughter drags her to a community meeting about a proposed development on the lakefront of Chicago. That same night, they encounter a homeless woman who used to be a brilliant singer, until the devastating death of her lover in a mass shooting. VI is reluctantly drawn into these seemingly unconnected incidents, and ends up digging into secrets that people are willing to kill to protect.
This is the first book Sara Paretsky wrote after the death of her husband. I only found out after finishing it, but in retrospect, themes of grief and mourning clearly pervade the story.
It's a solid mystery as always, mixed in with current events and sociopolitical issues, and the burning rage against injustice that is a hallmark of this series. Some of the plot points were guessable, so at times I was a little impatient with the pace. But my personal highlight was seeing so many favourite characters appear. One thing I love about long series like this, is the wonderful ensemble cast that has grown over the years.
I'm grateful that Sara Paretsky has said she won't ever kill off the supporting characters for angst and drama, because that's not the kind of story she wants to tell. So VI's neighbour, Mr Contreras, is in his nineties but as protective of her as ever. And VI's dog Peppy, adopted in 1987, must be the oldest golden retriever in the world. (I would riot if anything ever happened to her.)
Reflecting on time, the first book came out in 1982, when VI was in her thirties, so she ought to be in her seventies now. I assume she's aging in slow motion, the way James Bond and other eternal heroes do. While VI acknowledges that she's not as spry as she used to be, she still manages to hike up mountains and tackle bad guys, and generally show a level of physical fitness I can only envy. And I like how the series has introduced younger characters like her cousin Petra and her goddaughter Bernie, to show the voice and viewpoint of a new generation.
