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Indemnity Only (V.I. Warshawski #1)

by Sara Paretsky (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 5,597 ratings · 176 reviews

Meeting an anonymous client late on a sizzlingsummer night is asking for trouble. But trouble isChicago private eye V.I. Warshwski's specialty.Her client says he's the prominent banker, JohnThayer. Turns out he's not. He says his son'sgirlfriend, Anita Hill, is missing. Turns out that'snot her real name. V.I.'s search turns up someonesoon enough -- the real John Thayer's s...more

Paperback, 336 pages

Published June 1st 1991 by Dell (first published 1982)

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Jul 28, 2012 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Oddly, even though I've read many of the V.I. Warshawski novels, I'd yet to read the first one until; now.

I have certain expectations of one of Vic Warshawski's exploits: well-written; tightly plotted; intricately bound up with Chicago culturally, politically. and topographically; gritty, and, of course, depressing as all get-out.

That Vic is always always under the hammer isn’t surprising; most detectives are. That she faces tall odds is also expected. However, she's the only detective I’ve read...more Oddly, even though I've read many of the V.I. Warshawski novels, I'd yet to read the first one until; now.

I have certain expectations of one of Vic Warshawski's exploits: well-written; tightly plotted; intricately bound up with Chicago culturally, politically. and topographically; gritty, and, of course, depressing as all get-out.

That Vic is always always under the hammer isn’t surprising; most detectives are. That she faces tall odds is also expected. However, she's the only detective I’ve read of so far whom everyone outside of her ‘inner circle’ (put in quotes because even these folks only get so close) seems to have some problem, from slight discomfort to outright loathing. Very few people like Warshawski on first sight, and those that do soon change their tune. Part of it has to do with the massive ‘me against the world’ complex Vic carries around with her, crystalized in visions of her deceased mother’s recalled ferocity. This means that Warshawski usually winds up at odds with everyone, from the people she’s against to her clients, and sometimes even to those in her inner circle. She’s a lone crusader, battling against the world, willing to fight the good fight right up until the moment she falls. Which, by the way, is going to happen, sooner or later. Warshawski never out-and-out says this, but there’s a certain fatalistic air to the novels that makes me feel that way.

Why read them, then? Because it’s damned good writing! God knows I wouldn’t want to be Warshawski — I’d probably be tempted to eat a bullet at some point, only the remembered stare of my mother’s fierce eyes would guilt me out of doing it, setting me up for more misery — but Paretsky’s words make it worth the slog.

Which is why Indemnity Only came as a surprise. Things are gritty in it, yes, but Vic hasn’t yet reached that level of fatalism that darkens the later books. There’s more, much more chauvinism against her, especially from homicide detective Bobby Mallory (not one of my favorite characters in any of the books, but he reaches new —or old, I suppose— heights of m.c. oinkhood here) but the foreword keeps you aware that this is to be expected: this was the early eighties, and the things we accept that women can do in the post ‘naughts without (much) of a blink was still new and raw then. And hell, one of Warshawski’s clients actually doesn’t turn on her!

So, if you’re a fan and like me, haven’t read this book, by all means pick it up and celebrate V.I. Warshawski’s thirtieth anniversary in style. And if you’re new to our lady of scrap-iron, this is a great place to start making her acquaintance. Just remember, things do get better, and, of course, worse.(less)

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Dec 28, 2008 Kathleen Dixon rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the first of “three complete novel” in one volume that Rupert lent to me some several months ago. I wanted a bit of light reading so I took it off the wait-shelf. V.I. Warshawski (Victoria Iphigenia, which is why she avoids telling anybody her middle name! – and she always introduces herself as V.I. because otherwise the men take the liberty of calling her by her first name and talking down to her) is a private detective in Chicago in the 1980s. She’s got a real smart mouth, which makes...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pi-mystery, mystery

3 ½ stars. Typical PI mystery series told in first person. Slightly above average.

VI is a female private investigator. She is often short on money to pay her bills. A few times I thought I have no idea what I would do if I were the investigator. Then VI did something, and I was impressed. She is tough physically. For example, a bad guy has a gun, she jumps him, breaks his arm, rolls to the floor, and grabs the gun. The result is some good investigating ideas and some pretty good action scenes.

Th...more 3 ½ stars. Typical PI mystery series told in first person. Slightly above average.

VI is a female private investigator. She is often short on money to pay her bills. A few times I thought I have no idea what I would do if I were the investigator. Then VI did something, and I was impressed. She is tough physically. For example, a bad guy has a gun, she jumps him, breaks his arm, rolls to the floor, and grabs the gun. The result is some good investigating ideas and some pretty good action scenes.

There were two sex scenes referred to, no details. They were written similar to “We entered the bedroom. Next morning we had coffee.”

PROBLEMS:
In real life thugs may swear in every sentence, but I’ve heard authors should cut down on that in writing fiction. The phrase “God damn it” was used a bit too much for me.

Two main characters were McGraw and Marshall. I kept getting them confused because the names were similar, both starting with the “ma” sound. This is minor, but it would have been better if one of them had a name starting with a different letter, like Adams or Baker. It might not have bothered me as much in the physical book. But it required effort on my part in the audiobook, frequently thinking “now which one was that?”

NARRATOR:
The dialogue has a lot of anger, yelling, shouting, and screaming. This should be ok when reading the physical book. But it was jarring as an audiobook when the narrator read those lines. Her voice was a little irritating to begin with, and then worse when she yelled. A different narrator with a softer voice might have been better.

THE SERIES:
This is the first book in the VI Warshawski series. So far there are 15 books in the series.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 1st person VI Warshawski. Narrator: Susan Ericksen. Unabridged audiobook length: 8 hrs and 43 mins. Swearing language: moderate including religious swear words. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: 2 referred to, no details. Setting: 1979 Chicago, Illinois. Book copyright: 1982. Genre: PI mystery.(less)

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Dec 14, 2012 aPriL MEOWS often with scratching rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries-suspense-thrillers

V. I. Warshawski is a Chicago private investigator, and this is the first in her series. I can't quite put my finger on it, but she is strikingly masculine, the most male-like of the women P.I.s I enjoy reading about. She is also the most alone, no living mother or father or siblings. She started out being a lawyer, but switched careers after helping a friend with a problem that required detective work.

Vic (don't call her Vickie!) has a late night visitor, who hires her to find a girl. But every...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought the story was "ok", but perhaps I'm jaded by mystery writers of today. This book, the first of Sara Paretsky's that I've read, was written in the early 1980s and so much in crime fighting has changed since then. The story is written in old school mystery writing - picture a black and white movie, dark scenes, the PI hunched over a typewriter (not keyboard), no cell phones, calls are made from pay phones. In this story, the PI is a female who goes by Vic because using Victoria results i...more

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May 22, 2012 Nicole Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I tried reading Deadlock, the second book in the V.I. Warshawski Mysteries, when I was younger but I couldn't really get the hang of it. It wasn't until I read this one that I really got a sense of who V.I. Warshawski was, her personality, how her brain worked, etc. This only further grounded my belief in reading a series from book number one, not halfway through, or even starting with number two. The first book in a series is always...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

At a recent book signing hosted by the delightful mystery book store Murder by the Book, I mentioned to the clerk that I thought Sue Grafton’s twice-divorced, no make-up-wearing, junk food-loving sleuth Kinsey Millhone had influenced my becoming a feminist. In response, he recommended that I read Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski novels, saying that if Grafton was “there” on the spectrum of feminist writers then Paretsky was way over “here.”

I’m not sure by what scale he was measuring because I did...more At a recent book signing hosted by the delightful mystery book store Murder by the Book, I mentioned to the clerk that I thought Sue Grafton’s twice-divorced, no make-up-wearing, junk food-loving sleuth Kinsey Millhone had influenced my becoming a feminist. In response, he recommended that I read Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski novels, saying that if Grafton was “there” on the spectrum of feminist writers then Paretsky was way over “here.”

I’m not sure by what scale he was measuring because I didn’t find Paretsky’s Indemnity Only to be particularly more feminist than any of Grafton’s novels. In fact, I saw mostly similarities between Kinsey and V.I., known to her friends as Vic, and between Grafton and Paretsky’s approaches to these characters. Kinsey and Vic are outspoken, willful, and self-sufficient women. They are single with at least one divorce under their belt and a rather detached attitude toward dating and men. They exercise regularly, hold their own in a scrape, and can fire a weapon if need be. Both Grafton and Paretsky attempt to treat these women in an ungendered way: they do not limit what their characters can and may do because of their sex, but they do not masculinize them. However, the authors seemingly felt compelled to make them somewhat androgynous, as evidenced by the choice of their characters’ names.

As for their differences, these two fictional P.I.s come from disparate backgrounds. Kinsey has more of a delinquent past, having dropped out of college and then the police force before becoming a private investigator, while Vic graduated from college with a law degree and even practiced as a public defender for a spell before she acquired her P.I. license. These women differ significantly in their concern for their appearance. Kinsey wears essentially the same combo of jeans, turtleneck, and running shoes most of the time and cuts her hair with nail scissors. Vic obviously cares about what she looks like, even though she doesn’t lament much over the extensive facial bruising she acquires in Indemnity Only. She puts together outfits and mentions at one point in the novel that she thought her clothing would get her some attention. While Vic doesn’t seem particularly high maintenance, I must say I missed Kinsey’s nonchalant approach to her looks, and I was a little shocked when Vic mentally criticizes another woman’s flabby upper arms.

I must say that with this novel as an introduction I’m completely apathetic toward the world of V.I. Warshawski and Sara Paretsky’s writing. I didn’t find Vic very likable, which may be purposeful to an extent on Paretsky’s part. Vic certainly feels no need to ingratiate herself to everyone she meets, and I can appreciate that trait as a feminist since it goes against women’s social conditioning. But as the reader, I need to like her to remain involved in the story. I think I was supposed to admire Vic’s determination or something, but instead I found her disagreeable and entitled. I also didn’t understand why Vic dated Ralph. I think Paretsky intended for that relationship to demonstrate Vic’s casual attitude toward sex, which is all well and good, but why would Vic even have casual sex with a man who so obviously thought that a lady couldn’t be a private investigator for realsies? As for Paretsky’s writing style, I disliked that she doled out the solving of the mystery in large chunks, with much of it revealed by the villain monologue-ing at the end of the novel. The crime itself and the people involved weren’t particularly interesting either. I also grew weary of her hamfisted attempts to demonstrate that every man Vic encounters doesn’t think that she can do her job because she is a woman, which is sexist OK?, and this tendency also caused many of the male characters’ voices to sound very similar.

Shouting sexism the loudest does not make Paretsky the most feminist, and it certainly doesn’t make her the superior writer.(less)

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Nov 13, 2010 Shari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graduate-school-books, mysteries

I really enjoyed this book, though I felt the plot had a couple of holes and confusing elements (perhaps that is what Paretsky meant when she said she herself would change a few things, though not many). I do want to read more of the V.I. Warshawski novels at some point. I read one years and years ago and remember liking it, but this first does a great job of characterizing her and getting you into her corner. The pseudonym 'Anita Hill' obviously would have been changed had the book been written...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Connie rated it 5 of 5 stars

INDEMNITY ONLY by Sara Paretsky is 244 pages in paperback form. This is #1 in V I Warshawski Mystery Series.

Brief Description:

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MURDER

Start with a missing co-ed sought by a mysterious client who won't reveal his true identity. Mix in a dead boyfriend whose body you're unlucky enough to find. Then for good measure throw in the local cops who simply want you out of the way.

Combine the explosively revealing records of a major insurance company and the murderous goons of the city's m...more INDEMNITY ONLY by Sara Paretsky is 244 pages in paperback form. This is #1 in V I Warshawski Mystery Series.

Brief Description:

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY MURDER

Start with a missing co-ed sought by a mysterious client who won't reveal his true identity. Mix in a dead boyfriend whose body you're unlucky enough to find. Then for good measure throw in the local cops who simply want you out of the way.

Combine the explosively revealing records of a major insurance company and the murderous goons of the city's most powerful union who've nailed you for a target.

It all adds up to a killer of a case for Chicago private eye VI. Warshawski, karate black belt, law school graduate, and every inch a woman.

I loved this book from the first chapter. Vic is a very different kind of investigator. She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty if she has to. This book is definitely about a mob related incident and Vic doesn't seem to be afraid of them even when they are out to get her.

I liked her friend Lotty in this book too. She is another independent woman that stands up for herself and others and comes up with solutions that help Vic with her problems. This is what I liked about the book so much, Vic and Lotty were very strong women, but also had a soft side which you were able to see once in a while. They know what they want and they do everything to get it accomplished. I can identify with that type of person and possibly that is why I enjoyed this book so much.

There are references to the Cubs in the book and it made me smile because even in Ms. Paretsky's book, they were not doing very well. This is so good for a first book, I can't wait to read the rest of them. If you like reading about Chicago and some of the characters that live in that big city, then I would give this series a try. Her descriptions are about the city in general and it could possibly be any big city in America except for the Cubs reference and the lake.

I am giving this 5 out of 5 stars and plan on reading the entire series.

BUY NOW: Conniesbookshelf.com $1.99
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Dec 16, 2012 Olga rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

2012 marks the 30 year anniversary of the first publication of Sara Paretsky's debut novel and after listening to the BBC World Book Club program where she was the guest I decided to pick it up.
You can definitely see that Indemnity Only is a debut novel. There is the minute detail often present in authors' first works, from what exactly their characters wore to what they ate. There are inconsistencies in quantities of family heirlooms and thorough accounts of habits and routines. Things like th...more 2012 marks the 30 year anniversary of the first publication of Sara Paretsky's debut novel and after listening to the BBC World Book Club program where she was the guest I decided to pick it up.
You can definitely see that Indemnity Only is a debut novel. There is the minute detail often present in authors' first works, from what exactly their characters wore to what they ate. There are inconsistencies in quantities of family heirlooms and thorough accounts of habits and routines. Things like this could do a book in if there is enough of them and not enough of what keeps the reader turning the pages and rooting for the protagonist. In Paretsky's case the balance was in her favor and she went on to write 14 more V.I. Warshawski novels.
So what was it that tipped the scales? For me it was the characters, the setting and that none of it got lost in those details. V.I., Vic to friends, is a badass with a soft underbelly. She knows martial arts, runs a 7.5 minute mile and isn't afraid to use her fists when the circumstances call for it, she'll help those in need with a complete disregard for her own safety or bottom line. She bristles when anyone questions her choice of profession or competence because she is a woman, but is realistic about her chances against a strong male opponent in single combat. In short V.I. Warshawski is a believable and relatable female character who is just as relevant today as she was 30 years ago, even if her environment is definitely outdated. She actually reminds me of Maria Bello's character in last year's Prime Suspect, I think Vic and Jane would get along.
Secondary characters easily hold their own, even though they don't have quite as much time on the page and more often than not we don't know what they're wearing. I can't decide if my favorite is Lotty of McGraw, a spitfire doctor unfazed by any surprise or a conflicted man comparing himself to King Midas. Or maybe it's Bobby Mallory, who keeps trying to protect his friend's daughter and nearly blows a gasket every time she won't let him.
Another thing to Paretsky's advantage is her ability to establish a sense of the world in which V.I. operates. The book is filled with social issues of the day - women's movement, tensions between the radically-inclined and the police, the divide between classes and the lack of acceptance of those who aren't of the same ancestry across all levels of society. With Vic being firmly working class and not particularly fond of the rich it would have been easy to make her just one of the not-too-priviledged and be done with it, but Paretsky makes her straddle the line in a way. Vic judges people by their actions, not their wealth or position, regardless of where they stand on social issues or how unpopular her opinion. It's clear of course that she is rooting for the little guy, just as Paretsky is, and it's no surprise that it's the working class characters who are the more sympathetic ones, but Warshawski isn't blindly prejudiced and justice and truth are her goals every step of the way. All this makes the story resonate more, makes it more personal, makes one think about how much the world has changed in the last 30 years and how much it hasn't.
I read some V.I. Warshawski novels when I was in high school and remember enjoying them enough to blow through a half-dozen paperbacks in a couple of weeks, but I don't remember particularly noticing the elements that impressed me most this time around. Maybe I should revisit Warshawski before too much time passes, watch her catch some bad guys and learn something about the past while I'm at it.(less)

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Nov 09, 2010 Hobart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-reads

Even tho' this was my first (and long overdue) exposure to V.I. and Paretsky, it felt very familiar. And I think that's a good thing. It had the same feel as early Parker, and even some of Gregory MacDonald's Flynn. As a quick aside, speaking of Parker, I think Sunny Randall owes a more than a debt of gratitude to V.I.

A good deal of the "you're just a woman, you should leave this stuff to men" got old quick. But I get it--esp. as both the author and character were blazing a trail or three here....more

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Aug 22, 2012 Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-suspense

This spunky mystery, the first in the V.I. Warshowski series by Paretsky, is the predecessor of books like the Stephanie Plum series and for that it deserves respect. Indemnity Only was written in 1990 though, and it does feel pretty dated at this point. I admired V.I.'s spirit and detemination, but her abrasive nature and her continual fight to prove herself in a man's world became overwhelming at times. I felt the second half of the book, with the introduction of Jill- a teen character who bri...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first of the V.I. Warshawski private investigator series - published in ~1980. I enjoyed reading about an investigation that involved no technology of any kind. When V.I. needed a photo of the labor union boss, she called her reporter contact to see if he had anything on file. She also had the phone number to call the cops (no 911 yet?) and utilized an answering service. Novel indeed.

I am making a mental note to pick up other "older" books - for whatever reason it seemed different to read a...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Simeonberesford rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: noir, detective, crime, v-i, warshawski

I find Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski Series very readable. The first Indemnity Only makes it clear that this is an homage to Film Noir and hardboiled detectives with V.I. Warshawski meeting her client in a darkened office (the fuses have blown)Lite only by the neon of a nearby bar.[return][return]In her subesquent adventures V I is beaten up. shoot at and refuses to given in with a tenacity Marlow would admire. I like the slow march of technology through the series in the first book she has a...more

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May 07, 2013 Geoffrey Feller rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is one of those series of mystery books I'd heard about for ages but never read until now. So I started with the first novel in the series, "Indemnity Only". I had seen the one movie based on the V. I. Warshawski character back when it was released more than 20 years ago. I barely remember anything about that film except that I hated it and the experience probably had something to do with no longer being a Kathleen Turner fan after the 80s. As for the real Vic Warshawski, Sara Paretsky's cr...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, audio-2012, read-2012

It was good to see the early V.I. in her introductory book. I have enjoyed later books and always meant to go back and catch up with the back list. Recalling the times of 1979-1982 from Vic's perspective then, and from my perspective now some thirty years later, stirred up a lot of memories, not all good, not all bad. The times then were different, and progress has improved some things, while some remain the same.
V.I. starts out with the kind of case she always seems to pick up, one that turns...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: v-i-warshaski, mystery-read, audio, sara-paretsky, 2012

Indemnity Only is the first book in Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshaski series. Pretty good book, especially for the first in a series. Vick is a tough P.I. and she's good. This book kept me at the edge of my seat. The narrator was Susan Ericksen who also does J.D. Robb's Dallas books and other authors I like which is good because she's good. Enjoyable to listen to. Unfortunately the next one in this series isn't on audio so I'm going to have to read it but that's ok. There good books and some day Vi...more

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Mar 03, 2010 StrudelNZ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks

The ending felt a little rushed, almost like the author didn't know what to do once the climax had been reached. Vic felt a bit emotionally distant towards the end - even considering how her character had been portrayed up til then. Though the book did conclude in a good place I found myself looking for another chapter and split-second wondering if a page had been pulled out. The climax was well set up and didn't get muddled like some authors have a tendency towards, and yet managed to keep up t...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Tonya L. added it

This is the one that led me to read all of Ms. Paretsky's other books. I was introduced to the lead character, VI Warshawski while living in Florida. VI (Victoria) was born and raised in South Chicago. She was the daughter of a Polish cop and an Italian musician housewife. She was a fighter that ran the streets of Chicago and grew up to be an Attorney and eventual private investigator. Her adventures have kept me rooting for her for more than twenty years. I can't wait to read her latest title "...more

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Sep 11, 2010 Marti rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a reprint of the first novel in the V.I. Warshawski series, and I was struck by the fact that Sara Paretsky could so easily get into the feel of the characters which continue on through other books. Vic is tough, and extremely well organized. Her friend, the doctor, Lotty Herschel, helps put her back together again. Bobbie, her father;s policeman friend, and Sal, the bartender and owner of her favorite bar, all add to the story. This time she finds the dead body, and pursues corruption...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, library-borrows, mystery

Paretsky's writing style is just really comfortable. You slip into the narrative instead of falling and it all just seems like you are catching up with an old friend...except you've never met this character before, probably. One of the best first books for a series that I've read.

Vic is a perfect mix of rough and feminine. She does the nicely dressed woman thing and is kind and empathetic, but then turns around and puts up a great fight against some mobster's muscle. She's got way more curiosity...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Teresa in Ohio rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, paretsky-sara

I think I would look at this book differently if I would of read it in the 80's when it was first published. I have personal issues with some of the crazy decisions VI makes with her life and found a few things implausible but could of worked in 1982. Many people have recommended this series to me since I enjoy Sue Grafton series. I don't see many things that are the same between V I and Kinsey. I think VI runs with a rougher crowd, takes too many risks with her life and uses people to get her a...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Larry Bassett rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

This is the first book in the long running V.I. Warshawski , private investigator, series. It was published in 1982, thirty years ago!
Sara Paretsky is up to the fifteenth book in the series in 2012.

Her office in the South Loop of Chicago is on the fourth floor of a building where the elevator is often out of order and with fuses that blow when you turn on the AC. Yes, a woman private investigator. She charges $125 per day plus expenses. A salesman is trying to sell her a very early version of a...more This is the first book in the long running V.I. Warshawski , private investigator, series. It was published in 1982, thirty years ago!
Sara Paretsky is up to the fifteenth book in the series in 2012.

Her office in the South Loop of Chicago is on the fourth floor of a building where the elevator is often out of order and with fuses that blow when you turn on the AC. Yes, a woman private investigator. She charges $125 per day plus expenses. A salesman is trying to sell her a very early version of an IBM computer. It’s the summer of 1979. Ms. Warshawski, as her name suggests, has Polish heritage. Her father was a policeman. She is now in her thirties, sees herself as pretty good looking and in very good physical condition. She tried marriage unsuccessfully once about eight years ago. She is a Cubs fan. She prefers white wine to beer. You can usually count on her to clean her plate. She hates to pay to park her car. Is an ice cream lover, especially topped with a little liqueur. So many things to know about a new character! She will be an interesting person to find out about book by book and Paretsky will undoubtedly keep pumping out the tidbits about her character.

Last year I asked a family friend to suggest a mystery book series with a strong woman protagonist. This was the series she recommended. Early in the book it is obvious the V.I. is strong, physically strong! She single handedly succeeds in disabling two gangsters who show up to take her to see the boss. And she ends up delivering a well placed kick to the crotch (no terribly crude language in this book!) of the boss as well. You might think she would wind up with this being her last act, but this is fiction so she is tossed out on the street somewhat worse for wear having been warned to butt out. She takes a taxi home.

I already have several more books from the series and am looking forward to seeing how life develops for V.I. in the ensuing years. Will she be a sixty something P.I. in the 2012 Breakdown ? That would be interesting. I do not have much experience reading series since the Hardy Boys some decades ago, so this character development over the years is a new experience for me. I don’t remember the Hardy Boys growing up and going off to college.

Indemnity Only is a good start to a series. You get to know V.I. Warshawski and look forward to running into her again in the future. The book introduces us to a smart, brave and independent woman, a woman who knows how to take care of herself. The book wears its age well easily earning four stars.
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Dec 02, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Mystery Fans

Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Shelves: contemporary, mystery, ultimate-reading-list, crime, fiction, novels

This introduces the series with V.I. Warshawski, a female PI. Paretsky does at least give us sketch in more of a background then I've read in a host of private detective fiction. Vic's Italian/Jewish mother and Polish cop father certainly left their mark on her, and she's actually shown to have a friend. The plot, full of shady businessmen, even shadier labor leaders, mobsters and corrupt cops in Chicago is fairly intricate yet hangs together nicely. I think the "rich people" are rather stereoty...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Bob rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

V. I. Warshawski is hired to find the missing daughter of a big time labor boss, but when she goes to the address where the girl was living, she finds the body of the girls boyfriend. This is the start of a twisted case that finds V. I. assaulted and left with bruises and black eyes as she works the case even though her client fires her after a couple of days. Some high level miscreants and low level thugs make the case interesting and deadly, but V. I. soldiers on to finally close down some nas...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Pauline Armstrong rated it 3 of 5 stars

OK for a bit of light reading, and I'm sure I will get around to reading the rest of the series at some point. Not yet a particular fan of V. I. Warshawski. This introduction didn't make me particularly empathetic to the character, and the plot line was decidedly clunky in places. I think that there are certain similarities with the Kinsey Milhone character in Sue Grafton's alphabet series ...... but what I really like is the backdrop used by Sara Paretsky. Chicago - one of my favourite cities!

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Feb 18, 2013 Eero rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: detective, crime, historic

Book was ok, until end which is so full of cliches that one needs to hit himself to get over it.

Book is average detective story with strong self sufficient female lead, but who is so over the top in her self sufficient that she puts more people in danger than she saves.

But book has some funny scenes and has nice historic view in Chicago's crime solving and detective scene with feminist perspective. So if cliches and illogical twists don't bother you this book could be one for you.

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Nov 19, 2011 KarenF rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, mystery

Somehow I missed this series back in the 80s when I was reading a ton of mysteries. Very good mystery but I thought that V.I. came off as too antagonistic at times. That's saying something for me because I don't mind antagonistic characters at all. But nearly 30 years ago it was even harder than it is today for a woman to be taken seriously in a traditional "man's" role so I let some of it roll but it honestly did take away some of my enjoyment. I also listed on audio so I'm interested to read m...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Tressa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Indemnity Only was an enjoyable story. I felt that it was strongly influenced by hard-boiled noirs from the 1940s. I knew that the book did not take place in 2012, but I think it held up well and was a good reflection of the late 1970s and early 1980s. It’s amazing how society has changed and how much it hasn’t.

I liked the primary character, V.I. Warshawski. She was an interesting, tough, and smart woman. I’m curious as to how she will develop in the subsequent books.

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Mar 03, 2011 Gary Sedivy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Female detective: nothing wrong with that. Tough, okay. Set in Chicago, which is
kind of intriguing since our son had lived there for a few years. It is kind of fun to visualize parts of the city as described in the book. Of course the story has Chicago mobsters and union thugs (sometimes one and the same). Pretty good pacing of the plot, and enough hints to be able to make a few guesses whodunit. May read at least one more in the series.

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About Sara Paretsky

Sara Paretsky is a modern American author of detective fiction. Paretsky was raised in Kansas, and graduated from the state university with a degree in political science. She did community service work on the south side of Chicago in 1966 and returned in 1968 to work there. She ultimately completed a Ph.D. in history at the University of Chicago, entitled The Breakdown of Moral Philosophy in New E...more

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Indemnity Only (V.I. Warshawski #1)

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