Series
Publication
Brilliance Audio (2010)
Original publication date
1985
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Awards
Anthony Award (Nominee — Novel — 1986)
Description
V.I.'s battleaxe Aunt Rosa is under investigation by the FBI and SEC after counterfeit stock certificates were found at St. Albert's Priory, where she serves as treasurer. As malicious as her aunt is, V.I. knows she's not dishonest, so V.I. vows to protect her from taking the fall. But V.I. starts questioning the strength of her family ties when a menacing voice on the phone threatens to throw acid into her eyes if she doesn't butt out. The stakes are high as she begins to sniff out a connection between Chicago's most powerful institutions: the Church and the Mob.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Darrol
A story on a more human scale than some I have read, but it still does not overwhelm. I like the relationship between V.I. and Lotty and Uncle Stephan.
LibraryThing member miyurose
I’ve heard lots of great things about Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski series, but this is the first I’ve read. I enjoyed it, but I have to admit that the financial stuff makes my eyes glaze over a bit. I liked the addition of Catholic Church politics into the mix. Though I didn’t read the first
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two novels, I had no problem figuring out Warshawski’s back story, and her relationship with her family and with Roger Ferrant are explained pretty well. Warshawski reminds me a bit of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone, which is amusing since both series started in the same year. Warshawski is tough, independent, and smart — a great role model for female P.I.’s everywhere. Show Less
LibraryThing member jrtanworth
Sara Paretsky keeps the action moving and has plenty of danger for her heroine. But the plot is one of the weakest in the series, with a focus on Catholic secret societies and unconvincing motivations.
Try some of her other novels first, Hardball, for example. Most are much better.
Try some of her other novels first, Hardball, for example. Most are much better.
LibraryThing member tomdye
Victoria Iphigenia (V.I.) Warshawski is the daughter of Italian-born Gabriella Sestrieri and former Chicago police officer Tony Warshawski. V.I. is half-Italian, half-Polish, and 100% hard-boiled. A detective specializing in financial crimes, V.I. encounters everything from money laundering to
"Remember: The only real social sin is to care what other people think of you." ~ V.I. Warshawski
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murder, from the mafia to the monastery.Of course, a hard-boiled detective is never scared. So what I was feeling couldn't be fear.Set in Chicago, in the wintertime, mid 1980’s. Lots of Chicago landmarks, payphone use, and cars they don’t make anymore. Will V.I. figure out who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and will it matter?I would have preferred the author waste fewer words pontificating on social issues. Because of her misplaced literary-activism, it took me a while to warm up to the main character. I eventually got the job done, but the experience turned an otherwise five star book into four."Remember: The only real social sin is to care what other people think of you." ~ V.I. Warshawski
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LibraryThing member TheBentley
Excellent genre detective fiction. Not an award-winner, but a page-turner, which is exactly what you want in this kind of brain-candy puzzle. Lots of fun.
LibraryThing member Steph78
I've read a couple of sara paretsky's novels before, but only the more recent ones, and was quite disappointed by this. I didn't really get caught up int he plot until 5/6th of the way through and the charaterisation seemed pretty weak. there were still a few nice touches and I'd probably give
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another one a go. Show Less
LibraryThing member JoAnnSmithAinsworth
Well written, action packed. Kept me glued.
LibraryThing member Kaethe
I didn't think of it before, but Wasrshawski is a proto-Buffy. She is, after all, a private detective who loves fancy shoes, but is tough enough for her job. Further musing suggests that the crime genre has always been accepting of women who were both tough and feminine. There is, after all, Nancy
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Drew, (Kick-Ass) Girl Detective [the Kick-Ass is silent]. Show Less
LibraryThing member JohnWCuluris
A slow start with V.I. Warshawski getting rope into the case by estranged family members needing help. Once another facet of the investigation emerges elsewhere, and a friend is killed pursuing financial matters a layman can’t on her own, things start moving. Vic meets a nice range of characters
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and takes some losses along the way. Not Edgar material but interesting enough. It’s all I ask. Show Less
LibraryThing member PhilSyphe
Although a bit a slow in places, and despite the excess adverbs, I quite liked “Killing Orders”.
The plot didn’t grip me, but that’s not to say it was flawed in any way. I liked it in parts, rather than on the whole.
I like the main character a lot. She’s tough, but no less feminine because
The plot didn’t grip me, but that’s not to say it was flawed in any way. I liked it in parts, rather than on the whole.
I like the main character a lot. She’s tough, but no less feminine because
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of it. I like her humour, especially when it’s delivered at an inappropriate moment, which is often. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I listened to this in my car while driving. Quite a complicated plot--forged stock certificates that affect the employment of V.I.'s Aunt Rosa, a proposed takeover of Ajax Insurance which involves V.I.'s friend Roger, religious orders, and the Chicago Mafia.
We do get to learn a bit of V.I.'s
I'm not sure if it is the audiobook narrator or the author, but V.I. comes off as a hot-headed smart mouth much of the time. It's toned down a bit from the first book, but it's still a bit too acerbic for my taste.
Order takes on a double meaning in this book: religious order and instruction someone to do something.
WARNING POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD: READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION
****
Against her better judgement, V.I. responds to a plea from her estranged Aunt Rosa. Rosa works at a church is a suspect when the church's stock certificates turn out to be fake. Then, just as suddenly, Rosa tries to call V.I. off the investigation--something V.I. doesn't take too kindly to doing.
I fail to see how V.I. feels she can do a better job than the FBI or the SEC. Well, I guess she doesn't truly feel that way but she acts like she feels that way.
V.I. also is asked by her friend, Roger, to help with some work involving Ajax Insurance regarding stock trading and a rumor of a takeover bid. V.I. introduces Roger to her friend Agnes--and a few days later, Agnes is killed.
V.I. is burned with acid and has her apartment house burn down. V.I.'s move to temporary quarters at the Belerophon lead to some comedic interactions with her new landlord. The landlord seems a bit dense--doesn't even call the police when strange men show up and go into V.I.'s apartment when she's not there.
Eventually, V.I. links all the various threads together and solves the mysteries.
Likes:
-The plot was mostly interesting.
-Father Carroll seemed like a priest I'd like to have at my church.
Dislikes:
-V.I. sleeps with Roger, whom she's not married to and not even really in a serious committed relationship with. (Though the scenes are not graphic.)
-Lesbian relationship between Agnes and Phyllis (Though again, not graphically described.)
-Mrs. Pechorak and Rosa both claim to be "good Catholics" but their attitudes toward V.I. are not Christ-like.
-The story felt like it tried to do too much. I felt like the story should be over and there was still more that the author had to tie up.
-V. I.'s attitude toward her aunt and cousin. I understand she felt obligated to help because of her promise to her mother, but at some point, decide you've fulfilled your obligation to that promise and move on if the situation doesn't suit you.
We do get to learn a bit of V.I.'s
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personal history in this book--especially about her mother. I'm not sure if it is the audiobook narrator or the author, but V.I. comes off as a hot-headed smart mouth much of the time. It's toned down a bit from the first book, but it's still a bit too acerbic for my taste.
Order takes on a double meaning in this book: religious order and instruction someone to do something.
WARNING POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD: READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION
****
Against her better judgement, V.I. responds to a plea from her estranged Aunt Rosa. Rosa works at a church is a suspect when the church's stock certificates turn out to be fake. Then, just as suddenly, Rosa tries to call V.I. off the investigation--something V.I. doesn't take too kindly to doing.
I fail to see how V.I. feels she can do a better job than the FBI or the SEC. Well, I guess she doesn't truly feel that way but she acts like she feels that way.
V.I. also is asked by her friend, Roger, to help with some work involving Ajax Insurance regarding stock trading and a rumor of a takeover bid. V.I. introduces Roger to her friend Agnes--and a few days later, Agnes is killed.
V.I. is burned with acid and has her apartment house burn down. V.I.'s move to temporary quarters at the Belerophon lead to some comedic interactions with her new landlord. The landlord seems a bit dense--doesn't even call the police when strange men show up and go into V.I.'s apartment when she's not there.
Eventually, V.I. links all the various threads together and solves the mysteries.
Likes:
-The plot was mostly interesting.
-Father Carroll seemed like a priest I'd like to have at my church.
Dislikes:
-V.I. sleeps with Roger, whom she's not married to and not even really in a serious committed relationship with. (Though the scenes are not graphic.)
-Lesbian relationship between Agnes and Phyllis (Though again, not graphically described.)
-Mrs. Pechorak and Rosa both claim to be "good Catholics" but their attitudes toward V.I. are not Christ-like.
-The story felt like it tried to do too much. I felt like the story should be over and there was still more that the author had to tie up.
-V. I.'s attitude toward her aunt and cousin. I understand she felt obligated to help because of her promise to her mother, but at some point, decide you've fulfilled your obligation to that promise and move on if the situation doesn't suit you.
Show Less
LibraryThing member steller0707
Another great V. I. crime story! This one involves both an archbishop and the Mafia.
LibraryThing member Kiri
This was excellently performed. A real pleasure to hear Katherine Turner in this role. Although recorded in '91, it would be neat to hear more.
Language
Original language
English