SARA PARETSKY – V.I. Warshawski
She grew up in rural Kansas, but moved to Chicago in the mid-60’s to do community service work in the same neighborhood where Martin Luther King was inspiring residents to take a stand for civil rights.
In 1982, she introduced readers to a street-wise investigator who was willing to use force to get answers and wit to keep the challenges of life in perspective. Her strong-willed, sharp-tongued protagonist invaded the traditional detective boy’s club, openly challenging a genre in which women were customarily portrayed as either vamps or victims. Twenty volumes later and there are still stories to be told, including a collection of shorts that we’ll dig into along the way.
Our tour guide for today’s adventure is the imagination behind the indomitable V.I. Warshawski, please welcome the iconic, Sara Paretsky…
To listen from this webpage, click on the PLAY icon.
Listen to “SARA PARETSKY – Shell Game” on Spreaker.
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
.
Sara’s Social Media Footprint…
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Our Behind the Scenes segment on YouTube
Preview & Order Sara’s Books:
…AMAZON LINK…
The winner of the Sue Grafton Memorial Award…
When V. I Warshawski gets word that her closest friend and mentor Lotty Herschel’s nephew has become a suspect in a murder, the legendary detective will do everything she can to save him. The cops found Felix Herschel’s name and phone number on the unknown victim’s remains, but Felix insists he doesn’t know why.
As Vic digs deeper, she discovers that the dead man was obsessed with Middle Eastern archaeology―the first clue in a bewildering case that leads to a stolen artifact and a shadowy network of international criminals. But the trouble multiplies when Vic’s long-lost niece, Reno, goes missing. A beautiful young woman with a heartbreaking past and a promising future, Reno is harboring a secret that may cost her her life. V.I. can hear the clock ticking on her niece’s safety and is frantic in her efforts to find her…
SEE FULL BOOK SUMMARY & REVIEWS ON AMAZON…
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook & AudioBook
…AMAZON LINK…
20 books in and Warshawski’s intensity still burns as bright as ever…
Chicago may be the city of broad shoulders, but its political law is “Pay to Play.” Money changes hands in the middle of the night, and by morning, buildings and parks are replaced by billion-dollar projects.
Chicago PI V.I. Warshawski gets pulled into one of these clandestine deals through her impetuous goddaughter, Bernie Fouchard. Bernie tries to rescue Lydia Zamir, a famed singer-songwriter now living on the streets; Zamir’s life fell apart when her lover was murdered next to her in a mass shooting at an outdoor concert. Not only does Bernie plunge her and V.I. headlong into the path of some ruthless developers, they lead to the murder of the young man Bernie is dating. He’s a computer geek working for a community group called SLICK.
V.I. is desperate to find a mysterious man named Coop, who roams the lakefront in the middle of the night with his dog. She’s sure he holds the key to the mounting body count within SLICK…
.
SEE FULL BOOK SUMMARY & REVIEWS ON AMAZON…
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook & AudioBook
…AMAZON LINK…
A revealing look at the power of speaking out…
Writing in an Age of Silence describes Paretski’s coming of age in a time of great possibility, during the civil rights movement, the peace movement, and the women’s movement. Bestselling crime-writer Sarah Paretsky has won critical acclaim for her V.I. Warshawski novels, centered around one of the first and most popular female investigators in contemporary fiction. In this fascinating and personal account, Paretsky describes a life shaped by the desire to act. From the feminist movement—which triggered her aspirations to write and shaped the character of her female detective—to the Patriot Act and the liberties we have lost, Paretsky describes the struggle of one individual to find a voice. A moving call to action, Writing in an Age of Silence chronicles the social changes that have shaped contemporary America, and mirrors a desire for freedom, both personal and political, that many Americans will relate to today…
SEE FULL BOOK SUMMARY & REVIEWS ON AMAZON…
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook & AudioBook
…AMAZON LINK…
New York Times bestselling author, Sara Paretsky, explores an unseen corner of the city she loves…
In Ghost Country she has written a parable for the millennium, a powerful, haunting novel of magic and miracles, of four troubled people who meet beneath Chicago’s shadowy streets–and of the woman whose mysterious appearance changes all of their lives forever.
They come from different worlds and meet at a time of crisis for all of them. Luisa, a drunken diva fallen on hard times, discovers on Chicago’s streets a drama greater than any she has experienced onstage. Madeleine, a homeless woman, sees the Virgin Mary’s blood seeping through a concrete wall beneath a luxury hotel. Mara, a rebellious adolescent cast out by her wealthy grandfather, becomes the catalyst for a war between the haves and have-nots as she searches among society’s castoffs for the mother she never knew. As the three women fight for their right to live and worship beneath the hotel, they find an ally in Hector Tammuz, an idealistic young psychiatrist risking his career to treat the homeless regardless of the cost. Tensions in the city are escalating when a mysterious woman appears during a violent storm. Erotic to some, repellent to others, she never speaks; the street people call her Starr. And as she slowly transforms their lives, miracles begin to happen in a city completely unprepared for the outcome…
SEE FULL BOOK SUMMARY & REVIEWS ON AMAZON…
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook & AudioBook
…AMAZON LINK…
Having survived together, they now live to tear each other apart…
In Kansas, on land that once saw some of America’s bloodiest antislavery battles, three families have coexisted for more than one hundred fifty years: the Grelliers, the Fremantles, and the Schapens. Once allies in the fight against slavery, today the Schapens and the Grelliers disagree on every subject, from organic farming to the war in Iraq, but above all on religion.
Into their lives comes Gina Haring, a relative of the Fremantles who is house-sitting the derelict family mansion while she puts her own life in order. Her lifestyle and beliefs will put her at odds with her neighbors…and test the mettle of a community being swept up in events beyond its control…
SEE FULL BOOK SUMMARY & REVIEWS ON AMAZON…
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook & AudioBook
…AMAZON LINK…
A collection of thrilling crime and detective short stories…
New York Times bestselling author Sara Paretsky is the master of twisting suspense and propulsive plot. She has been hailed by the crime community as “a legend” (Harlan Coben) and “one of the all-time greats” (Karin Slaughter). Her acclaimed novels featuring detective V.I. Warshawski rank among the most celebrated crime series in modern fiction. Now in this spellbinding collection, Paretsky showcases her extraordinary talents with fourteen short stories, eight of which feature the indomitable detective—and a new V.I. story.
For longtime fans of V.I. Warshawski, new readers discovering her for the first time, or any lover of crime and bone-chilling suspense, Love & Other Crimes is a celebration of Paretsky’s exceptional storytelling skill and a searing exploration of the dark conspiracies and desperate human acts hiding in plain sight…
SEE FULL BOOK SUMMARY & REVIEWS ON AMAZON…
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook & AudioBook
.
Twice each month, a newsletter is sent to members of the PDI
Book Club, giving them the opportunity to contribute book
suggestions for future blog entries. Click the image to the right
to join the club, receive the newsletter, and tell the world
what you’re reading…
Mailing Address for the show –
Mark DeWayne Combs / Public Display of Imagination
463063 State Road 200 Unit #1473
Yulee, FL 32097
Preview and Order Mark's Motivational Books on Amazon:
What is a goal? It’s been defined in many ways, most of them so complex that things get fuzzy and complicated. Put simply, a goal is something you want to do. PUSH is designed to help readers think about things more simply. Identify your goals and put forth the simple, dedicated effort to achieve them.
You may not realize it, but you’re being watched. It happens each day in the most undetectable way. Somewhere, someone is watching. You touch more lives and topple more dominoes than you could ever imagine. For someone, you are the light in their darkness or the example to which they aspire.
Why do you do what you do? It’s a useful question to ponder. If you knew that no one would hear your song, would you still sing? Knowing that the chairs in the auditorium will be empty, will you still take the stage and dance just as enthusiastically? Explore why you do what you do and develop self-trust and quiet confidence.