In this short story from New York Times bestselling author Sara Paretsky, acclaimed detective V.I. Warshawski must confront gun violence in her own Chicago hometown
Legendary sleuth V.I. Warshawski is no stranger to the sound of bullets. Growing up in the Windy City, it was a way of life: loved ones taken too early, gangs patrolling the streets by night, police too quick to touch a trigger. Now, in the wake of a string of high school shootings across the United States, V.I.’s hometown has become impassioned by the growing movement to tackle gun violence. News reaches her old high school on Chicago’s South Side that an essay competition spearheaded by renowned newspaper The Edge is calling for high school students to write about how gun violence has affected their young lives. Overseeing the contest is Marcena Love, a British journalist V.I. has tangled with in the past. But when disputes arise over the poignant and divisive winning essay, violence strikes Mirabel High. To protect the students and teachers, and reveal a killer in their midst, V.I. must employ all her skills as a detective, as well as delve into the darkest moments of her childhood, to solve this deeply personal case.
Hailed by P.D. James as “the most remarkable” of modern crime writers, Sara Paretsky is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one novels, including the renowned V.I. Warshawski series. She is one of only three living writers—alongside John Le Carré and Lawrence Block—to have received both the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America and the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain. She lives in Chicago with her husband.
Author Info
Hailed by the Washington Post as “the definition of perfection in the genre,” Sara Paretsky is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the renowned V.I. Warshawski series. She is one of only four living writers to have received both the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America and the Cartier Diamond Dagger from the Crime Writers Association of Great Britain. She lives in Chicago.
Reviews
“V.I. Warshawski is one of my all-time favorite investigators. Doesn’t get any better than this!” — Lisa Gardner
“Writing advance praise for Sara Paretsky is like writing a job recommendation for Bill Gates. Paretsky is the gold standard for novels dealing with crime and its consequences.” — Charlaine Harris
“Wonderful company and a rich discovery awaiting those who have yet to meet her. ” — Los Angeles Times
“For me, the most remarkable of the moderns is Sara Paretsky. ...No other crime writer has so powerfully and effectively combined a well-crafted detective story with the novel of social realism.” — P.D. James
