Scan barcode
liakeller's review against another edition
3.0
Fun read with an amusing main character. Detective story from a bit ago as she had to keep calling her answering service and could only get pictures of suspects through the newspaper.
tall_tales's review against another edition
The subject matter wasn't appealing. Mob and big business deceit. Book was written well and progressed quickly.
bioniclib's review against another edition
4.0
I think VI Warshawski is right up there with Kinsey Milhone. There's a lot of similarities; they both jog, they both eat lots of junk food when on a case, they're both divorced, they're both women in a traditionally man's game. Though, VI dealt with more misogyny than I remember Kinsey dealing with. Another difference is that VI's a bad-ass. While Kinsey can defend herself, she rarely fights with such skill.
I loved that Chicago is a character. In this case, it's much more like a Raymond Chandler novel. The Kinsey mysteries have a well-developed neighborhood but it's a setting not a character. The casual mentions of Cubs scores, too, back that up. The plot itself fits into Chi-town, too. There's corrupt Unions and Big Business fraud that has a storied history dating back to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and beyond. One more spoiler.
If you're a fan of the detective genre in general and the Kinsey Milhone mysteries in particular, this is a great read.
Spoiler
She takes out the hitman, the hitman's boss, and the corporate big wig behind the whole fraud scheme at that end.I loved that Chicago is a character. In this case, it's much more like a Raymond Chandler novel. The Kinsey mysteries have a well-developed neighborhood but it's a setting not a character. The casual mentions of Cubs scores, too, back that up. The plot itself fits into Chi-town, too. There's corrupt Unions and Big Business fraud that has a storied history dating back to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and beyond. One more spoiler.
Spoiler
I really thought Ralph was going to be in on it. When he turned out to be just a misogynist idiot, I thought that was a good swerve.If you're a fan of the detective genre in general and the Kinsey Milhone mysteries in particular, this is a great read.
fredosbrother's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lornadinosart's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Fun, light-hearted detective mystery. Almost seems campy but I think that's a product of when it was written.
b0okcupidity's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty early on in this book, my husband remarked that Kathleen Turner played the role of V.I. Warshawski in a movie of the same name. Even if I wasn't a fan of a couple of her film roles, anyone who's ever heard her voice will likely find it hard to forget. Needless to say, the voice in my head did its damndest to replicate that distinctive husky allure with all of V.I.'s dialogue. I think that's why I liked the book a little more than maybe I should have.
V.I., let's call her Vic, her friends do, is a once-upon-a-time district attorney who became less than enchanted with the system. Putting her intelligence, wit and background to good use, she goes into private detecting - mostly insurance fraud and cheating spouses. That is, until a certain Union leader knocks at her door with a missing daughter. Vic gets into more than she bargained for (or is paid for) when her first interview turns out to be a dead man.
I'm no stranger to mysteries and detective stories and they tend to run along the same vein- a tough, smart, loner who gets in over their head with a doozy of a murder usually is what gives the story a pulse. In my experience, it's the side characters that give it heart. That's certainly the case here with Indemnity Only. From Vic's naive fling, to the resilient and steady clinic doctor and best pal, to all friend and foe in between, Paretsky sketches characters that are interesting and realistic. I say, if you can write a fourteen year old girl and not resort to annoying teenage stereotypes, you're doing pretty good. Then again, this book is from 1982. Maybe teenagers had more substance then. I kid, I kid.
Speaking of 1982. Though the story is old, I wasn't terribly hung up on how dated it was - though about everything technologically changed in the world around us, people somehow stay the same and the motivations of greed and guilt are still, unfortunately, ever present. Nothing really suffers on the front, though I can see how some references might fly over some heads. I'm not going to say how many flew over mine, but I will proudly state that I was tickled to see Kolchak mentioned.
I see now that this series is in the double digits. I'm not running out finding the next book or anything, but I wouldn't pass it up if I came across it.
V.I., let's call her Vic, her friends do, is a once-upon-a-time district attorney who became less than enchanted with the system. Putting her intelligence, wit and background to good use, she goes into private detecting - mostly insurance fraud and cheating spouses. That is, until a certain Union leader knocks at her door with a missing daughter. Vic gets into more than she bargained for (or is paid for) when her first interview turns out to be a dead man.
I'm no stranger to mysteries and detective stories and they tend to run along the same vein- a tough, smart, loner who gets in over their head with a doozy of a murder usually is what gives the story a pulse. In my experience, it's the side characters that give it heart. That's certainly the case here with Indemnity Only. From Vic's naive fling, to the resilient and steady clinic doctor and best pal, to all friend and foe in between, Paretsky sketches characters that are interesting and realistic. I say, if you can write a fourteen year old girl and not resort to annoying teenage stereotypes, you're doing pretty good. Then again, this book is from 1982. Maybe teenagers had more substance then. I kid, I kid.
Speaking of 1982. Though the story is old, I wasn't terribly hung up on how dated it was - though about everything technologically changed in the world around us, people somehow stay the same and the motivations of greed and guilt are still, unfortunately, ever present. Nothing really suffers on the front, though I can see how some references might fly over some heads. I'm not going to say how many flew over mine, but I will proudly state that I was tickled to see Kolchak mentioned.
I see now that this series is in the double digits. I'm not running out finding the next book or anything, but I wouldn't pass it up if I came across it.
jenmulsow's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kaisersozee's review against another edition
5.0
This series was also recommended by Lee Child, he knows his stuff!!
VI. Warshawski rocks, the series gets better and better and Paretsky is another great find!!
VI. Warshawski rocks, the series gets better and better and Paretsky is another great find!!
willbefunorelse's review against another edition
3.0
For the full review (and to learn how this book is not a cure for airsickness), follow the link to That's What She Read.
melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Was lent this -- and since I hadn't read the first VI Warshawski in 20 years or more, I thought it would be good to re-read it. And it was. You can tell it was her first novel, and there are some rough spots, but it was a good first book. Less dense than some of the later ones. Enjoyed the re-read, didn't remember the plot much - though I did know who the first murdered person would be when the name popped up. So some things were still back there in my mind. The ending was a bit abrupt for my taste ... but she got better with time on that as well.