If you're wondering why I'm so vague with the Estleman and
Valin reviews, it's because I read those books back in March
before heading to New York. KILLING ORDERS was the book I
took with me.
I loved the first two Warshawski books, especially DEADLOCK
(and I wish someone would use that premise for a present day
novel. The terrorism angle alone could spawn three or four
decent books.) Most of the later ones I did on audio. I'd
have liked TUNNEL VISION better if it had a different reader.
Jean Smart IS Vic on audio while Pamela Hensley sounded like
she was about to burst out laughing through the entire book.
I digress.
KILLING ORDERS was a disappointment. The setup was good. Vic
is asked by a relative she despises to clear her name of
theft charges at a local church. The addition of the
Dominicans, who according to Paretsky were involved in her
research, struck a particularly strong chord with me as I
used to attend one of the few Dominican parishes in the
midwest. (It's largely a teaching order.) Then there's Vic's
high school acquaintance cum rising Chicago thug, who got
sucked into that godawful movie and was about the only part I
liked. ("This is a nut cracker. Do you know what we do with
nut crackers?")
Paretsky's politics are well-known, and in fact, I'd be
disappointed if they didn't show up in a VI novel.
Unfortunately, they overwhelm the book as each successive
chapter had more and more memories of the sixties. It got in
the way of the story for me.
I had to put it down. It's the only Warshawski book I
couldn't finish. I put it aside while on the train into
Manhattan one morning.* I always get bummed when I can't
finish a book, especially when I like the author's other
work. (That said, I'm still gonna throttle Harry Turtledove
for HOW FEW REMAIN if I ever see him. Yeesh!)
But then I realized I didn't have a copy of BITTER MEDICINE
and bought it at Partners & Crime during my handshake
tour of New York/NJ booksellers.
Jim Winter
*OK, I admit it. Charlie Stella gave me a copy of
CHEAPSKATES, and I couldn't wait to dive into it. Still, I'd
have just booted Connelly down Mt. TBR a few notches. Michael
would get over it.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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