What do you think?
Rate this book
V.I. Warshawski #8.5
V.I. For Short
V.I. Warshawski, - Vic for short, - is about the most streetwise Woman around town. Her father was in the police force, her mother was a singer from Italy, and she is well versed in sport, music and the devious workings of the criminal mind.
In these irresistible, entertaining stories, Vic uses all her skills, her judgement, her intuition - and sometimes her Smith & Wesson - to get the better of her adversaries. Like the mysterious person who will go to any lengths to see a young tennis champion keep on winning. Or the client who wants to find her sister - and her priceless cat.
Playing on the themes of family, honour, trust and friendship, Vic proves that with a little faith, instinct and the odd bullet, the truth can usually be brought to light.
In these irresistible, entertaining stories, Vic uses all her skills, her judgement, her intuition - and sometimes her Smith & Wesson - to get the better of her adversaries. Like the mysterious person who will go to any lengths to see a young tennis champion keep on winning. Or the client who wants to find her sister - and her priceless cat.
Playing on the themes of family, honour, trust and friendship, Vic proves that with a little faith, instinct and the odd bullet, the truth can usually be brought to light.
246 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
256 people are currently reading
1035 people want to read
About the author
Sara Paretsky
271 books2,363 followersSara 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 England Before the Civil War, and finally earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. Married to a professor of physics at the University of Chicago, she has lived in Chicago since 1968.
The protagonist of all but two of Paretsky's novels is V.I. Warshawski, a female private investigator. Warshawski's eclectic personality defies easy categorization. She drinks Johnnie Walker Black Label, breaks into houses looking for clues, and can hold her own in a street fight, but also she pays attention to her clothes, sings opera along with the radio, and enjoys her sex life.
Paretsky is credited with transforming the role and image of women in the crime novel. The Winter 2007 issue of Clues: A Journal of Detection is devoted to her work.
Her two books that are non-Warshawski novels are : Ghost Country (1998) and Bleeding Kansas (2008).
The protagonist of all but two of Paretsky's novels is V.I. Warshawski, a female private investigator. Warshawski's eclectic personality defies easy categorization. She drinks Johnnie Walker Black Label, breaks into houses looking for clues, and can hold her own in a street fight, but also she pays attention to her clothes, sings opera along with the radio, and enjoys her sex life.
Paretsky is credited with transforming the role and image of women in the crime novel. The Winter 2007 issue of Clues: A Journal of Detection is devoted to her work.
Her two books that are non-Warshawski novels are : Ghost Country (1998) and Bleeding Kansas (2008).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
August 30, 2017
Sara Paretsky's famous private eye V.I. Warshawski has been my go to detective from the time I was in high school. Bleeding Chicago blue and loving the city and the Cubs as much as I do, I have read each of V.I.'s cases with enthusiasm. Needing a book of detective short stories as part of a mystery challenge, I came across Paretsky's Windy City Blues on a friend's feed last week. With nine stories featuring V.I. and friends, Windy City Blues adds depth to the detective's character in an early book in the series.
It is the mid 1990s. There is no internet or social media, and people get the majority of their news from newspapers, television, and radio, detectives included. What I enjoy about the early books in this series is that V.I. really has to detect and snoop, worming her way into situations usually barred to all but the police. Murray Ryerson, V.I.'s contact at the Globe plays a key role in providing her with news tips in exchange for her own information. The two enjoy an interesting to say the least relationship, usually providing me with a few laughs. Additionally, with her father, beat cop Tony Warshawski, only deceased fifteen years at this point, Vic still has friends on the force. While at times the cops resent her presence as getting in their way and at other times do not want to see Tony's daughter in harms way, an early Vic enjoyed a cordial working relationship with Chicago's finest. Sergeant John McGonnigal appears in each of the cases here as does Captain Bobby Mallory, her father's closest friend on the force. Both give her the benefit of the doubt on dubious cases, allowing V.I. to wrap up loose ends quickly.
Surgeon Lotty Herschel, downstairs neighbor, the venerable Mr. Contreras, and Golden Glow bar owner Sal Barthele also make appearances in these stories, as do the dogs Mitch and Peppy. Both attempt without much success to play the role of Vic's parents, urging her to be careful and to stay out of harms way. Lotty does not have to do much patching up here as most of these cases wrap up quickly or involve thinking rather than solving, yet she has reminded Vic of the numerous times that she has saved her life. Meanwhile Mr. Contreras would love a shot at any intruders and gives possible lovers the ninth degree, while Sal provides morale support and dry humor at the end of long working days. This cast of characters who I have come to know so well over the years makes for easy reading, suspense, and a few laughs.
While the stories were predictable, a few stand out. In Grace Notes, a long lost cousin makes an appearance claiming that Vic's mother owned rare musical compositions and would kill to obtain them. The denouement of this story was predictable but gave insight into Vic's mother's family and also made her question her parentage. The Pietro Andromache features white collar crime while also offering a look into Lotty's past. Her role as a Holocaust survivor and her difficulties in facing the past play a recurring prominent role in the series. Other stand out stories include Strung Out in which a tennis prodigy is accused of murdering her father and Skin Deep where Sal's sister is said to have killed a client at the beauty salon where she works. In each instance, V.I. detects and solves the case, sometimes with the help of Murray and the cops and sometimes solo, all providing for easy reading whodunits.
I was not thrilled with Paretsky's latest V.I. installment Fallout because the action takes place largely away from Chicago, without her usual cast of characters, so I found it fun to revisit an earlier episode in the series. Even though the cases here were largely predictable, I found my time with V.I. to be fun as I returned to early days when she was the premier private eye in Chicago. With no internet or computer, V.I. really had to detect here, and I enjoyed seeing her and her friends in action. Hopefully, Paretsky's next case will have Vic back in Chicago where she belongs, but if not, I can always return to the early cases where V.I. Warshawski is in her heyday.
3.5 fun stars.
It is the mid 1990s. There is no internet or social media, and people get the majority of their news from newspapers, television, and radio, detectives included. What I enjoy about the early books in this series is that V.I. really has to detect and snoop, worming her way into situations usually barred to all but the police. Murray Ryerson, V.I.'s contact at the Globe plays a key role in providing her with news tips in exchange for her own information. The two enjoy an interesting to say the least relationship, usually providing me with a few laughs. Additionally, with her father, beat cop Tony Warshawski, only deceased fifteen years at this point, Vic still has friends on the force. While at times the cops resent her presence as getting in their way and at other times do not want to see Tony's daughter in harms way, an early Vic enjoyed a cordial working relationship with Chicago's finest. Sergeant John McGonnigal appears in each of the cases here as does Captain Bobby Mallory, her father's closest friend on the force. Both give her the benefit of the doubt on dubious cases, allowing V.I. to wrap up loose ends quickly.
Surgeon Lotty Herschel, downstairs neighbor, the venerable Mr. Contreras, and Golden Glow bar owner Sal Barthele also make appearances in these stories, as do the dogs Mitch and Peppy. Both attempt without much success to play the role of Vic's parents, urging her to be careful and to stay out of harms way. Lotty does not have to do much patching up here as most of these cases wrap up quickly or involve thinking rather than solving, yet she has reminded Vic of the numerous times that she has saved her life. Meanwhile Mr. Contreras would love a shot at any intruders and gives possible lovers the ninth degree, while Sal provides morale support and dry humor at the end of long working days. This cast of characters who I have come to know so well over the years makes for easy reading, suspense, and a few laughs.
While the stories were predictable, a few stand out. In Grace Notes, a long lost cousin makes an appearance claiming that Vic's mother owned rare musical compositions and would kill to obtain them. The denouement of this story was predictable but gave insight into Vic's mother's family and also made her question her parentage. The Pietro Andromache features white collar crime while also offering a look into Lotty's past. Her role as a Holocaust survivor and her difficulties in facing the past play a recurring prominent role in the series. Other stand out stories include Strung Out in which a tennis prodigy is accused of murdering her father and Skin Deep where Sal's sister is said to have killed a client at the beauty salon where she works. In each instance, V.I. detects and solves the case, sometimes with the help of Murray and the cops and sometimes solo, all providing for easy reading whodunits.
I was not thrilled with Paretsky's latest V.I. installment Fallout because the action takes place largely away from Chicago, without her usual cast of characters, so I found it fun to revisit an earlier episode in the series. Even though the cases here were largely predictable, I found my time with V.I. to be fun as I returned to early days when she was the premier private eye in Chicago. With no internet or computer, V.I. really had to detect here, and I enjoyed seeing her and her friends in action. Hopefully, Paretsky's next case will have Vic back in Chicago where she belongs, but if not, I can always return to the early cases where V.I. Warshawski is in her heyday.
3.5 fun stars.
November 12, 2017
Book Review
3 out of 5 stars to Windy City Blues, a collection of short stories written in 1995 by Sara Paretsky. In the mid-1990s. Paretsky took a short break from writing the lengthy VI Warshawski mystery novels and worked on a few non-VI novels; however, knowing fans would miss their favorite detective, she published this short story collection, focusing entirely on VI Warshawski, her friends and her family. You learn a little more about her personal life, family and friends, and where she comes from. Although it doesn't fit or match the timeline of the rest of the books, there's no worry about when you read this one, as it doesn't really connect to the plots and main characters in the regular series. The first mystery is a bit longer than a short story, having a good amount of meat to it. The rest are a tad too short. It feels more like a person's diary entry rather than more mystery action with a detective we love. That said, there are a few good ones which make it worth pick up to read from time to time.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
3 out of 5 stars to Windy City Blues, a collection of short stories written in 1995 by Sara Paretsky. In the mid-1990s. Paretsky took a short break from writing the lengthy VI Warshawski mystery novels and worked on a few non-VI novels; however, knowing fans would miss their favorite detective, she published this short story collection, focusing entirely on VI Warshawski, her friends and her family. You learn a little more about her personal life, family and friends, and where she comes from. Although it doesn't fit or match the timeline of the rest of the books, there's no worry about when you read this one, as it doesn't really connect to the plots and main characters in the regular series. The first mystery is a bit longer than a short story, having a good amount of meat to it. The rest are a tad too short. It feels more like a person's diary entry rather than more mystery action with a detective we love. That said, there are a few good ones which make it worth pick up to read from time to time.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
May 31, 2017
I ended up borrowing this since the short stories go across different timelines. Once I found out that I didn't have to read this book in the order it appears in publication, I just scooped it up. I think that overall Sara Paretsky did a good job with these short stories starring VI Warshawski. There were two of them that I wish had been a bit longer and there was one that didn't work for me at all.
Introduction A Walk on the Wild Side: Touring Chicago with VI Warshawki-This was not a short story per se, it just gives a nice overview of Chicago and the area that our fictional character was raised and where she currently calls home.
Grace Notes (5 stars)-Once again we have a relative of VI that causes some trouble. I really did like this one since it gives us more background on VI's mother Gabriella. And I think that VI finally sees that her mother was not all that she thought she was with regards to her marriage to VI's father. I did like the overall mystery in this one though I have to say that I am surprised that VI was conned as well as she was since she goes to a default don't trust anyone position most times.
The Pietro Andromache (3 stars)-This one is told from the POV of Max Loewenthal who is Lotty's long time lover. I have to say that it really didn't go with the rest of the book since those stories are told from VI's POV. This story deals with Lotty being accused of murder when she accuses someone else of stealing a piece of sculpture from her family during the Holocaust. It definitely made me think of Max and Lotty differently. Also VI turns into Hercule Poirot in the end when she reveals all. That's not her character's style at all so it didn't work for me.
Strung Out (4 stars)-Back to VI's POV in this one. She is given a free ticket to see an up and coming tennis star that of course then leads to murder. VI is asked to figure out who killed the tennis star's father since the whole thing can lead to a cloud for the tournament. I did think that in the end that VI had the right of it with not holding back any evidence she found that lead to the murder. I often think that most of VI's high school and college friends that do that rah rah we are feminists so no woman anywhere can be in the wrong is crap.
At the Old Swimming Hole (5 stars)-This actually had a sad ending to it. An old friend of VI's gets caught up in something that VI does her best to untangle. I can see why this case ends up haunting her based on the ending. I wish that it could have been a bit longer though. This one and "Grace Notes" would have been great as longer stand alone books.
The Maltese Cat (2 stars)-Sorry I didn't like anyone in this short story and I actually called crap on VI for getting as overly involved as she did. I don't know what Paretsky's ultimate thought process was for this one. It just didn't work and the flow was pretty bad from beginning to end.
Settled Score (2 stars)-VI was acting like a brat in this one from beginning to end. A niece of Lotty's is charged with murder when her lover turns up dead. VI is reluctant to get involved though everyone asks her to investigate. There are still a lot of questions left unanswered and the true murderer is revealed. I just didn't think the ending actually resolved anything. And I really didn't get why VI was acting the way she did in this one. I felt like I was missing something here.
Skin Deep (3 stars)-This one includes VI's favorite bartender (who I adore) so that was enough to get me to raise this to 3 stars. The coincidence in this one was laughable though. As was the murder method. It was fairly short though.
Three-Dot Po (3 stars)-Once again this was a weird short story. I felt like I was missing some pieces in this one. I wish that I had gotten a better sense of the secondary characters in this one (friends of Vic and one that is eventually murdered). I liked the dog in this story more than any humans running around.
The Takamoku Joseki (3 stars)-Honestly this one was a bad story to end on. I would have flipped it around and made Grace Notes be the anchor story or even The Old Swimming Hole. This one was all over the place and not really believable to me.
Introduction A Walk on the Wild Side: Touring Chicago with VI Warshawki-This was not a short story per se, it just gives a nice overview of Chicago and the area that our fictional character was raised and where she currently calls home.
Grace Notes (5 stars)-Once again we have a relative of VI that causes some trouble. I really did like this one since it gives us more background on VI's mother Gabriella. And I think that VI finally sees that her mother was not all that she thought she was with regards to her marriage to VI's father. I did like the overall mystery in this one though I have to say that I am surprised that VI was conned as well as she was since she goes to a default don't trust anyone position most times.
The Pietro Andromache (3 stars)-This one is told from the POV of Max Loewenthal who is Lotty's long time lover. I have to say that it really didn't go with the rest of the book since those stories are told from VI's POV. This story deals with Lotty being accused of murder when she accuses someone else of stealing a piece of sculpture from her family during the Holocaust. It definitely made me think of Max and Lotty differently. Also VI turns into Hercule Poirot in the end when she reveals all. That's not her character's style at all so it didn't work for me.
Strung Out (4 stars)-Back to VI's POV in this one. She is given a free ticket to see an up and coming tennis star that of course then leads to murder. VI is asked to figure out who killed the tennis star's father since the whole thing can lead to a cloud for the tournament. I did think that in the end that VI had the right of it with not holding back any evidence she found that lead to the murder. I often think that most of VI's high school and college friends that do that rah rah we are feminists so no woman anywhere can be in the wrong is crap.
At the Old Swimming Hole (5 stars)-This actually had a sad ending to it. An old friend of VI's gets caught up in something that VI does her best to untangle. I can see why this case ends up haunting her based on the ending. I wish that it could have been a bit longer though. This one and "Grace Notes" would have been great as longer stand alone books.
The Maltese Cat (2 stars)-Sorry I didn't like anyone in this short story and I actually called crap on VI for getting as overly involved as she did. I don't know what Paretsky's ultimate thought process was for this one. It just didn't work and the flow was pretty bad from beginning to end.
Settled Score (2 stars)-VI was acting like a brat in this one from beginning to end. A niece of Lotty's is charged with murder when her lover turns up dead. VI is reluctant to get involved though everyone asks her to investigate. There are still a lot of questions left unanswered and the true murderer is revealed. I just didn't think the ending actually resolved anything. And I really didn't get why VI was acting the way she did in this one. I felt like I was missing something here.
Skin Deep (3 stars)-This one includes VI's favorite bartender (who I adore) so that was enough to get me to raise this to 3 stars. The coincidence in this one was laughable though. As was the murder method. It was fairly short though.
Three-Dot Po (3 stars)-Once again this was a weird short story. I felt like I was missing some pieces in this one. I wish that I had gotten a better sense of the secondary characters in this one (friends of Vic and one that is eventually murdered). I liked the dog in this story more than any humans running around.
The Takamoku Joseki (3 stars)-Honestly this one was a bad story to end on. I would have flipped it around and made Grace Notes be the anchor story or even The Old Swimming Hole. This one was all over the place and not really believable to me.
August 10, 2023
this book was evidently published in 2009 and the audible book that I listen to the second Time around in 2017. I would guess it may have been stories that were written by Paretsky before the Warshawski series became popular. This is a half dozen more or less short stories, featuring the famous detective. They are fire, less skillfully presented than the full length books, as they feature fairly quick and immediate crime resolutions without much mystery or skulduggery. VI shows up and solves the mystery as in a one hour TV drama where the solution comes quickly.
————————
The V.I. Warshawski series has reached its sixteenth book in 2013 and I have read all but this most recent book in the running series. It has not been out long enough to be on the ninety-nine cent list yet so I am waiting! And, while I wait, catching up on this 1995 book of short stories seems like one way to while away the time.
The Paretsky books have gotten progressively longer as the series has developed. This, in my opinion, has not lead to an improvement in the stories or the writing. It just seems like the publisher or author has decided to increase the thickness of the books. So I wondered what a Paretsky short story of a V.I Warshawski adventure would be like. This book came out the year after #8 in the series. In an Author’s Note, Paretsky says, “These stories were written over a period of thirteen years. … I sometimes write short stories when I am trying to understand a question that doesn’t seem to merit a whole novel. “ The first in the series was published in 1982 so this collection is thirteen years later. Now, after another nineteen years, another short story collection has not been forthcoming.
A GR friend writes in her review
When I was growing up outside Detroit, the morning Free Press carried One Minute Mysteries on the back page. I remember enjoying those as quick fun. But a ten or fifteen page murder mystery might be a bit much unless you are desperate for a little V.I. Warshawski.
OK. Maybe I am being too harsh on this book. I don’t think so but “The Maltese Cat” story is funny. I do not usually think of Paretsky as funny but I may have to rethink that now and keep my funny bone tickled.
In the normal course of events, a new book in the V.I. series comes out on a pretty regular schedule, every year or two: 1982; 1984; 1985; 1987; 1988; 1990; 1992; 1994. Then a gap to 1999; 2001; 2003; 2005. Then a gap to 2009; 2010; 2012; 2013. Windy City Blues (1995) and Ghost Country (1998) come in the first gap. Bleeding Kansas (2007) in the second gap. I have read two out of the three gap books and each falls short of the normal Paretsky writing skill. So maybe they filled a need during the time of the gap in the series but now the reader has control over the reading frequency and the gap vanishes.
A full V.I. story in a short format? It just doesn’t work. I suggest the modern day accelerated readers skip the gap books and just coast through the uninterrupted series at a leisurely pace.
————————
The V.I. Warshawski series has reached its sixteenth book in 2013 and I have read all but this most recent book in the running series. It has not been out long enough to be on the ninety-nine cent list yet so I am waiting! And, while I wait, catching up on this 1995 book of short stories seems like one way to while away the time.
The Paretsky books have gotten progressively longer as the series has developed. This, in my opinion, has not lead to an improvement in the stories or the writing. It just seems like the publisher or author has decided to increase the thickness of the books. So I wondered what a Paretsky short story of a V.I Warshawski adventure would be like. This book came out the year after #8 in the series. In an Author’s Note, Paretsky says, “These stories were written over a period of thirteen years. … I sometimes write short stories when I am trying to understand a question that doesn’t seem to merit a whole novel. “ The first in the series was published in 1982 so this collection is thirteen years later. Now, after another nineteen years, another short story collection has not been forthcoming.
A GR friend writes in her review
This book does not add anything to her storyline. These mysteries are a nice way to pass the time if you simply want a small quick read between doing things. However, they do not showcase Warshawski's customary wit, although she quickly solves nine crimes pissing off everyone as usual…
When I was growing up outside Detroit, the morning Free Press carried One Minute Mysteries on the back page. I remember enjoying those as quick fun. But a ten or fifteen page murder mystery might be a bit much unless you are desperate for a little V.I. Warshawski.
OK. Maybe I am being too harsh on this book. I don’t think so but “The Maltese Cat” story is funny. I do not usually think of Paretsky as funny but I may have to rethink that now and keep my funny bone tickled.
In the normal course of events, a new book in the V.I. series comes out on a pretty regular schedule, every year or two: 1982; 1984; 1985; 1987; 1988; 1990; 1992; 1994. Then a gap to 1999; 2001; 2003; 2005. Then a gap to 2009; 2010; 2012; 2013. Windy City Blues (1995) and Ghost Country (1998) come in the first gap. Bleeding Kansas (2007) in the second gap. I have read two out of the three gap books and each falls short of the normal Paretsky writing skill. So maybe they filled a need during the time of the gap in the series but now the reader has control over the reading frequency and the gap vanishes.
A full V.I. story in a short format? It just doesn’t work. I suggest the modern day accelerated readers skip the gap books and just coast through the uninterrupted series at a leisurely pace.
April 13, 2022
As a big fan of Sara Paretsky since the 80’s, I read this one long ago. I’m not usually a fan of short stories bc they’re too short if they’re good!
The Audio popped up in my feed recently and I decided to listen to it (thank you Libby Library). It was partially bc it was narrated by the amazing Jean Smart. I loved it. Loved it! Each story was terrific and took me back to the main character VI Warshawski and my beautiful hometown of Chicago. (Chi-Girl, right!?)
The Audio popped up in my feed recently and I decided to listen to it (thank you Libby Library). It was partially bc it was narrated by the amazing Jean Smart. I loved it. Loved it! Each story was terrific and took me back to the main character VI Warshawski and my beautiful hometown of Chicago. (Chi-Girl, right!?)
December 21, 2020
Windy City Blues is a book of short stories about V.I. Warshawski, PI, escapees.
What I like about the PI Warshawski series is it is not written as a female PI but as a PI. V.I. Warshawski suffers the same ills as male PI’s she gets shot, beaten up, punched, kicked, and everything else.
This is quite a welcome change from the typical female PIs. Each story is well written and captivating.
Jean Smart not only does an excellent job in telling the stories but she is excellent in voices.
What I like about the PI Warshawski series is it is not written as a female PI but as a PI. V.I. Warshawski suffers the same ills as male PI’s she gets shot, beaten up, punched, kicked, and everything else.
This is quite a welcome change from the typical female PIs. Each story is well written and captivating.
Jean Smart not only does an excellent job in telling the stories but she is excellent in voices.
March 6, 2022
Windy City Blues by Sara Paretsky is a series of short stories featuring private investigator V.!. Warshawski. I am not usually a fan of the short story collections but I really enjoyed this set. They showcased V.I.'s detective skills superbly and the best part is that she didn't seem to get beat up as much.
December 17, 2021
Collection of briskly told stories, concisely sketched mysteries with characters who don't come across as stereotypes but as individuals. If you like the voice of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe you might like the somewhat mellower but no less distinctive voice of P.I. V. I. Warshawski as she relates the cases she's drawn into.
September 2, 2015
This collection of short stories of V.I Warshawski adventures was published in 1995 and written over the previous decade. A number of the stories appear to be sketches for later novels. My favorite was the first, ‘A Walk on the Wild Side’. in which V.I takes the reader on a tour of South Chicago. This story provides a lot of background and color to the background of the Warshawski stories.
February 6, 2015
Short stories involving V.I. Warshawski. The first one (the longest) was pretty good, but the shorter ones were unsatisfying overall. (Why, yes, I DO like big books, and I cannot lie... about it. Why do you ask?)
November 11, 2015
Generally not a huge fan of short stories, but VI Warshawski stories? Yes please.
March 3, 2022
Windy City Blues is book #8.5 (pub 1995) in the V.I. Warshawski series (between Tunnel Vision and Hard Time). It takes place earlier in her career (the series is now at book 22. Warshawski (only her closest friends call her Vic) is a law school graduate, now self-employed private eye. She is one of the first female private detectives in Chicago (and in the world of crime fiction). She is smart, tough and (mostly) fearless.
This book of 9 short stories provides some background to Warshawski’s life and earlier career plus information as to why Paretsky chose Chicago for the location of the series. In Grace Notes a mysterious newspaper ad seeks the whereabouts of Warshawski's long-dead mother. In responding she is delighted to discover a new relative, her cousin Vico. Unfortunately, Vico may not be what he seems. In At the Old Swimming Hole, VI is supporting an HS friend in her charity swim meet. Before the race is over one swimmer is dead - the one in the lane Angel was initially assigned to - soon VI is over her head with the FBI and the secretive friend isn’t talking. In Skin Deep a client gets more than he bargained for when a facial kills him. The sister of Warshawski's good friend Sal, the only black woman at the salon, is the main suspect. In Three Dot Do a victim’s dog proves that dogs really are man's (or womens) best friend. In Strung Out an old HS basketball coach takes VI to watch a classmates daughter, a tennis prodigy, play in the Virginia Slims tournament. When her overly demanding coach-father is found garroted with racket strings all eyes are on the young player.
First published in 1982, this series now has 22 books. I have read books 1-19 and rated each 4 or 5 stars. They are well-researched mysteries and Paretsky's ability to weave current events as well as political and social issues into her stories is one of the best things about the series. This book could be a stand alone read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (because I find short stories frustrating, I always want more… ) NOTE: the audio book is free with an #audible membership.
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #WindyCityBlues #VIWarshawski #SarahParetsky #crimethriller #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #MarchReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #audiobooks #EmptyNestReaderAudioBooks🎧
This book of 9 short stories provides some background to Warshawski’s life and earlier career plus information as to why Paretsky chose Chicago for the location of the series. In Grace Notes a mysterious newspaper ad seeks the whereabouts of Warshawski's long-dead mother. In responding she is delighted to discover a new relative, her cousin Vico. Unfortunately, Vico may not be what he seems. In At the Old Swimming Hole, VI is supporting an HS friend in her charity swim meet. Before the race is over one swimmer is dead - the one in the lane Angel was initially assigned to - soon VI is over her head with the FBI and the secretive friend isn’t talking. In Skin Deep a client gets more than he bargained for when a facial kills him. The sister of Warshawski's good friend Sal, the only black woman at the salon, is the main suspect. In Three Dot Do a victim’s dog proves that dogs really are man's (or womens) best friend. In Strung Out an old HS basketball coach takes VI to watch a classmates daughter, a tennis prodigy, play in the Virginia Slims tournament. When her overly demanding coach-father is found garroted with racket strings all eyes are on the young player.
First published in 1982, this series now has 22 books. I have read books 1-19 and rated each 4 or 5 stars. They are well-researched mysteries and Paretsky's ability to weave current events as well as political and social issues into her stories is one of the best things about the series. This book could be a stand alone read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (because I find short stories frustrating, I always want more… ) NOTE: the audio book is free with an #audible membership.
#EmptyNestReader #instagram #WindyCityBlues #VIWarshawski #SarahParetsky #crimethriller #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #MarchReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #audiobooks #EmptyNestReaderAudioBooks🎧
July 17, 2020
Windy City Blues is a collection of short stories featuring V.I. Warshawski. Having read several of the full length books in the series, I liked the characters but found many of them too long and filled with an overwhelming amount of details usually explaining the financial crimes involved. I found this book refreshing in its brevity, in fact, the stories could have been longer. If only Paretsky could find a happy medium.
July 24, 2021
Underwhelming. It may be that the short story format doesn’t lend itself to the excellent story arcs expected with Sara Paretsky’s VI Warshawski series. Windy City Blues delivers an eclectic collection of mysteries for VI to solve that are fast-paced to read through but the majority aren’t that well-developed or satisfying.
September 7, 2022
It’s hard for me to say this about this author but this is absolutely ridiculous. Not the biggest short story fan and this did not help.
April 4, 2022
I have been reading my way through the V.I. Warshawski books. Found this gem in a used bookstore. This is a great collection of short stories featuring one of my favorite detectives. Someone who is already a fan will love this addition to the series. And, if you have been thinking of joining Vic's fan club, Windy City Blues is an excellent introduction to our heroine and some of her inner circle. The five star rating means that I thought about giving the book to a good friend before realizing that I would probably want to read it again. So I bought her a new copy. Windy City Blues is a keeper.
October 27, 2021
I wasn’t sure how I would feel about short stories, but they were plenty long enough to be entertaining and give a feeling for the quality of writing.
January 21, 2012
Very few books of short stories make it to my list because I don’t read a lot of anthologies. I picked up Windy City Blues because I had enjoyed other books by Sara Paretsky and thought her female private eye and erstwhile attorney, V. I. Warshawski, made for good reading. These stories didn’t disappoint. At times, they felt too short and, at times, I could sense exactly why they made better stories than novels. I suppose the collection has the added advantage that I already know the protagonist and some of the supporting cast, so I was immersed in the stories faster than I normally find myself involved vicariously in the lives of fictitious characters.
It helped that the first story in the collection dealt with mother issues and family issues. As a male who went through that “father issue” period (though, I am thankful that my Dad lived long enough for us to have a normal and healthy relationship—even if it did take 20 years and a painful failure in my life to make it possible), I can definitely believe a female protagonist grappling with who her mother was and especially when she didn’t have those late years in life to normalize that relationship like so many of us get to do (amazing how much smarter our folks get after we’re 40, nu?). The story was further strengthened by the idea of a potentially rare musical score and the fact that the protagonist kept making discoveries that may have put her mother in a new light for her. Sadly, I thought the author telegraphed the perpetrator in this mystery story pretty fast, but there was some ambiguity there that made it worth reading.
Some of the other stories in the anthology also dealt with interesting subjects to me: workplace politics, stage-door parents (even though these stage-door parents were actually pushing their athletic progeny as opposed to theatrical progeny), psychological theory, professional musicians, and games (a very short, but intriguing mystery built upon “Go-moku” (in China, “Wei-Chi”). Sadly, the latter was the only story that really surprised me. I liked them all—maybe because I felt like
I was “in” on the mystery in each story—but I like to be surprised a bit more often.
The best part of the anthology for me, though, was that all of the stories take place in and around Chicago—Wilmette where I live, Skokie where we like to go for shopping and entertainment, the Loop where I work, and the Lakeshore that is so beautiful. At one point in one of the stories, Warshawski mentions DePaul students where I teach and makes a classic Chicago observation while figuring her income for the month and listening to the Bears—neither was adequate. I loved it. It was “spoken” like most of the Chicago fans I know for most of the sports teams. We expect the worst and usually get it. Fortunately, with Ms. Paretsky’s mysteries, we usually expect a book we can devour and enjoy and we have yet to be disappointed.
It helped that the first story in the collection dealt with mother issues and family issues. As a male who went through that “father issue” period (though, I am thankful that my Dad lived long enough for us to have a normal and healthy relationship—even if it did take 20 years and a painful failure in my life to make it possible), I can definitely believe a female protagonist grappling with who her mother was and especially when she didn’t have those late years in life to normalize that relationship like so many of us get to do (amazing how much smarter our folks get after we’re 40, nu?). The story was further strengthened by the idea of a potentially rare musical score and the fact that the protagonist kept making discoveries that may have put her mother in a new light for her. Sadly, I thought the author telegraphed the perpetrator in this mystery story pretty fast, but there was some ambiguity there that made it worth reading.
Some of the other stories in the anthology also dealt with interesting subjects to me: workplace politics, stage-door parents (even though these stage-door parents were actually pushing their athletic progeny as opposed to theatrical progeny), psychological theory, professional musicians, and games (a very short, but intriguing mystery built upon “Go-moku” (in China, “Wei-Chi”). Sadly, the latter was the only story that really surprised me. I liked them all—maybe because I felt like
I was “in” on the mystery in each story—but I like to be surprised a bit more often.
The best part of the anthology for me, though, was that all of the stories take place in and around Chicago—Wilmette where I live, Skokie where we like to go for shopping and entertainment, the Loop where I work, and the Lakeshore that is so beautiful. At one point in one of the stories, Warshawski mentions DePaul students where I teach and makes a classic Chicago observation while figuring her income for the month and listening to the Bears—neither was adequate. I loved it. It was “spoken” like most of the Chicago fans I know for most of the sports teams. We expect the worst and usually get it. Fortunately, with Ms. Paretsky’s mysteries, we usually expect a book we can devour and enjoy and we have yet to be disappointed.
April 28, 2013
Lets just say as a fan of the character V. I. Warshawski it would be ok to not pick up this set of short stories about her. This book does not add anything to her storyline. These mysteries are a nice way to pass the time if you simply want a small quick read between doing things. However, they do not showcase Warshawski's customary wit, although she quickly solves nine crimes pissing off everyone as usual, including cranky clients, along with the friends we have become familiar with through Paretsky's novels. I liked 'A Walk on the Wild Side' best, but it is not a mystery story. It is a short tour of Chicago as of 1995, written as an introduction.
December 31, 2019
Kudo's to Sara Paretsky for making V.I. Warshawski such an unforgettable, sustainable and lovable character. She gets my highest rating for having done so. I found this collection of stories(nine chapters all united by the Introduction titled: A Walk on the Wild Side: Touring Chicago with V.I. Warshawski) educational, entertaining, and intriguing. How else would I come to learn of the Japanese board game, Joseki highlighted in The Takamoku Joseki chapter? it was cleverly introduced as the medium through which essential company secrets were relayed. Likewise, I learned of the existence of the Maltese Cat thanks to the chapter with its name and of its rarity, in part, due to its difficulty in breeding. Due to V.I.'s superb snooping skills, we learn the cat in question, Lady Iva of Cairo, was said to have only had the "opportunity to mate" three times in her fourteen- year lifespan the present time being one of those "seasons" which ups the ante. The question thus becomes was V.I. really hired to locate the missing cat rather than the runaway sister of Brigitte LeBanc, Corinne? Fearless V.I. takes us to and through the deplorable, deserted and dilapidated building Jade Pierce ( ex-husband of Brigitte) calls home in search of the missing teen where she uncovers more than she could have imagined. As is typical in the series, V.I. encounters a physical assault ( when her defenses are down) yet manages to subdue her attacker turning him into the victim and a provider of needed information. V.I.'s heart and soul are revealed in her creative resolution to the sibling conflict that permeates which earns her credits as Mediator of the Year in my book.
I must confess to those who are to read this review that I am a long time fan of V.I. even though or because of her resemblance of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhoune. Both have lost mothers early in life and grew up with a father in the police force still known to many detectives in the Chicago and Santa Barbara (?) police departments with whom they each routinely interact in the course of their respective investigations. I do not know which came first but their independent spirit and resourcefulness is equally remarkable and lovable. I invite all to read Sara Paretskyl, she will not disappoint.
June 14, 2024
Book #: 50
Title: Windy City Blues
Author: Sara Paretsky
Series: V.I. Warshawski
Format: 337 pgs, Paperback, own
Pub Date: First published January 1, 1995
Started: 6/9/24 Finished: 6/10/24
Awards: none
Categories: GR37 A book that is part of a series (VI Warshawski #8.5); GR45 A book that is not a novel; CCLS26 A Book with a Female Protagonist; CCLS32 A Book by a Female Author; CCLS35 A Mystery; CCLS42 A Book with more than 200 Pages; CCLS47 A Book You Own but have Never Read;
Goodreads Rating: 3.85; 2,505 ratings; 144 reviews
My Rating: **** four out of five stars
Normally, I'd rate a short story collection as a 3, a few gems, a few clunkers, mostly average. I'm enjoying reading Sara Paretsky. She was one of the first authors to write about a female detective.
I'm entered in Rick Mill's Mystery Marathon, which requires keeping page counts for everything,
including short stories, so . . .
Story Title - Page Count
------------------------
"Grace Notes" - 66 pages
"The Pietro Andromache" - 41 pages
"Strung Out" - 42 pages
"At the Old Swimming Hole" - 34 pages
"The Maltese Cat" - 46 pages
"Settled Score" - 33 pages
"Skin Deep" - 22 pages
"Three-Dot Po" - 26 pages
"The Takamoku Joseki" - 56 pages
Title: Windy City Blues
Author: Sara Paretsky
Series: V.I. Warshawski
Format: 337 pgs, Paperback, own
Pub Date: First published January 1, 1995
Started: 6/9/24 Finished: 6/10/24
Awards: none
Categories: GR37 A book that is part of a series (VI Warshawski #8.5); GR45 A book that is not a novel; CCLS26 A Book with a Female Protagonist; CCLS32 A Book by a Female Author; CCLS35 A Mystery; CCLS42 A Book with more than 200 Pages; CCLS47 A Book You Own but have Never Read;
Goodreads Rating: 3.85; 2,505 ratings; 144 reviews
My Rating: **** four out of five stars
Normally, I'd rate a short story collection as a 3, a few gems, a few clunkers, mostly average. I'm enjoying reading Sara Paretsky. She was one of the first authors to write about a female detective.
I'm entered in Rick Mill's Mystery Marathon, which requires keeping page counts for everything,
including short stories, so . . .
Story Title - Page Count
------------------------
"Grace Notes" - 66 pages
"The Pietro Andromache" - 41 pages
"Strung Out" - 42 pages
"At the Old Swimming Hole" - 34 pages
"The Maltese Cat" - 46 pages
"Settled Score" - 33 pages
"Skin Deep" - 22 pages
"Three-Dot Po" - 26 pages
"The Takamoku Joseki" - 56 pages
May 5, 2020
Very interesting peek into an authors mind
This is a collection of short stories that did not become full length stores in the V. I. Warshawski series.
The stories are great in their own but to me the most interesting thing is seeing how the author’s mind works . . . seeing why and how these stories or ideas did not become full length novels or parts of them was really what held my interest most. In a way some of these stories almost seem like an outline you can see where the author could make a chapter or three out of this or that idea. You could also see how the 30 page long (or whatever length) story clearly would not function as anything other than a short story.
I feel like I’ve peaked behind the curtains at the authors process and mind and I loved every bit of it.
Even if you have not read other books in the series if you try to read this with an eye for why or how a story couldn’t make it into a novel I think it is something most avid readers would enjoy!
This is a collection of short stories that did not become full length stores in the V. I. Warshawski series.
The stories are great in their own but to me the most interesting thing is seeing how the author’s mind works . . . seeing why and how these stories or ideas did not become full length novels or parts of them was really what held my interest most. In a way some of these stories almost seem like an outline you can see where the author could make a chapter or three out of this or that idea. You could also see how the 30 page long (or whatever length) story clearly would not function as anything other than a short story.
I feel like I’ve peaked behind the curtains at the authors process and mind and I loved every bit of it.
Even if you have not read other books in the series if you try to read this with an eye for why or how a story couldn’t make it into a novel I think it is something most avid readers would enjoy!
June 27, 2017
Sebuah Antologi 10 kasus dari female P.I bernama V.I Warshaski. Karena ini antologi, maka ada beberapa cerita yang bagus dan ada beberapa yang biasa saja. tiga cerita favorit; At The Old Swimming Hole, The Maltese Cat, dan The Takamoku Joseki. Yang nggak banget The Piietro Andromache. emua kasus disini berhubungan dengan keluarga dan teman akrab sang detektif. Ada cerita yang berhubungan dengan ibunya, teman SMA, dan kasus adik kaka yang berantem sambil membawa kucing mahal, etc. Bila suka tipikal kisah private eye yang "not too hard-boiled" mungkin buku ini bisa menjadi acuan. Gaya bahasa Paretsky tetap jempolan di cerita ini meski disini Warshaski lebih manis dibandingkan dengan novel panjangnya yang terkesah lebih cadas.
September 15, 2017
A pleasant enough read, some cute little mysteries, rather more murders than I wanted to read -- I kind of feel that there should be some stories that aren't gruesome, that don't end with the protagonist bruised/at gun point/shot at/beaten up. And a bit too much of the trope that the police arrest the first likely suspect, and then stop looking. It feels more like sloppy plotting the more I read it.
This book was acquired from a friend rehoming several Paretsky books. I didn't enjoy it enough to keep it, and would not expect to want to read it again. Rating only as high as it is because Paretsky did a very good job of writing in the short story format without leaving too much of the story out.
This book was acquired from a friend rehoming several Paretsky books. I didn't enjoy it enough to keep it, and would not expect to want to read it again. Rating only as high as it is because Paretsky did a very good job of writing in the short story format without leaving too much of the story out.
October 23, 2021
I got this book at a library book sale because it's a collection of short stories by Paretsky. I started reading it and had a sense of déjà vu as I was reading and couldn't figure out why. I have a book of her short stories titled, Windy City Blues, but thought that the stories in this book couldn't possibly be from the Windy City Blues book. However, by the time I reached the last story, Grace Notes, the story seemed just too-o-o familiar and I decided to look at my copy of Windy City Blues. I found all of the stories in the V.I. for Short book listed there but in a different order. David looked at both books and told me that the V.I. short story book was printed and distributed in Britain or Australia and is likely a British edition of the Windy City Blues book.
March 31, 2021
Reminds me of Sherlock Homes detective mysteries. A variety of short stories with murders that take place in and around Chicago. Some are more complex than others but all interesting and complex. VI Warshawski, private investigator and lawyer, is the woman detective who solves the crimes often at risk to her own life. As usual these stories provide readers with a wonderful description of inner city Chicago with its ethnically different residents and racial mixed cultures. The stories are written in first person and usually involve friends and relatives.
August 20, 2019
I’m not usually a fan of short stories but give them a go every once in a while, as this was a detective I’ve not come across before thought it might be a good introduction. I have to say I’m half I’m not one of her friends or a member of the family as they always seem to get themselves in trouble. It was an ok read overall, a bit predictable after you’d read the first few but a pleasant way to pass a bit of time.
October 10, 2020
Unlike other books in the series, this one is a conglomeration of short stories--written over a period of time--and compiled in no apparent order. We're warned early on that certain details (such as the type of car V. I. drives) may differ.
No one story really stands out from the rest. For some reason, this showed up as the next one in the series when I searched it but shows up as earlier in the series on some sites.
No one story really stands out from the rest. For some reason, this showed up as the next one in the series when I searched it but shows up as earlier in the series on some sites.
March 31, 2022
I have enjoyed several books in this series. The author writes well and the best piece in this collection of short pieces is the opening essay. However , probably due to the shortened form, these stories seemed formulaic and were not satisfying. The protagonist seemed too hard bitten, the police too incompetent, and the solutions relied on information not developed much in the story.a pleasant enough read but not up to the standards of the longer books.
July 21, 2022
A collection of VI Warshawski short stories from 1995 (after Tunnel Vision). The stories are standalone - I don't recall much mention of events from the books or even current events of the time - so they can be picked up at any time. There are 9 stories in the book. I listened to them as I was going to sleep over a couple of weeks. They aren't groundbreaking or necessary to understand the rest of the books, more of a pleasant diversion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews