Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Pay Dirt” by Sara Paretsky: A V.I. Warshawski Novel of Grit and Tenacity

Sara Paretsky returns with her iconic private investigator, V.I. Warshawski, in “Pay Dirt,” a novel that intertwines mystery with a poignant historical narrative. Paretsky, known for her complex plots and compelling character development, does not disappoint in this 22nd installment of the series.

Set against the backdrop of a modern-day land-use battle with roots stretching back to the Civil War, “Pay Dirt” plunges Warshawski into a case that challenges her emotionally and intellectually. The story begins with a seemingly simple task: finding a missing college student. However, the investigation quickly spirals into a web of deceit involving opioid distribution and long-buried secrets.

Paretsky’s Warshawski is as resilient and sharp-witted as ever, yet in “Pay Dirt,” we see a more vulnerable side to the detective. Struggling with the aftermath of a case gone tragically wrong, Warshawski’s trip to Kansas for a weekend of college basketball turns into a fight for survival. The disappearance of a young woman leads her into the crosshairs of the FBI and the ire of a community ensnared in the opioid crisis.

The novel’s strength lies in its richly drawn characters and the intricate connections between past and present. Paretsky deftly navigates the historical context, drawing parallels between the fierce land disputes of the 1860s and the contemporary fight over territory and power. The narrative is a testament to the idea that history often repeats itself, and the sins of the past can resurface in unexpected ways.

“Pay Dirt” is a testament to Paretsky’s skill in crafting a thriller that is both a page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of societal issues. The novel’s pacing is impeccable, with each revelation adding depth to the mystery and urgency to Warshawski’s quest for the truth.

“Pay Dirt” is a gripping addition to the V.I. Warshawski series, offering readers a blend of suspense, history, and the unyielding spirit of a detective who embodies the very essence of grit and tenacity. Fans of the series and newcomers alike will find themselves captivated by the twists and turns of Paretsky’s latest masterpiece.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I've been reading the VI Warshawski series for about 20 years at this point. (I still have to go back and read some early installments, and can't wait to see what she was like without technology!) She is one of my favorite female characters, a strong, smart woman who doesn't take any **** from anyone. If you like mysteries with a whip-smart private investigator, you'll love this series.

There are installments of this series that I love and installments that I just like -- this is one on the 'like' side of the scale. I will always appreciate the fresh perspective that VI brings to cases. This book was set outside of her normal Chicago location, and I'm not sure that I loved the small-town feel and characters that she has to deal with. I love how VI's brain works, and how we are able to follow her as she tries to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. I really loved her allies, Lou and Ed. What I didn't love is how many characters there were -- my mind would drift at times because I lost track of who we were discussing. The mystery picks up in the last third of the book, which was my favorite part. It was a bit too long in the middle and I did get bored. I'm glad I stuck with it and I appreciate the attention that Paretsky brings to modern-day issues.

Trigger warnings: Transgender violence, racism, opioid addiction.

I have been reading books about VI Warshawski for so long that I feel like she's a real person. What a pleasure to get to read a new book so I can catch up with her!
Although pleasure might not be the right word. VI is going through a lot of emotional trauma because of horrific events that happened on her last case, and she's suffering physically. Of course, people won't leave her alone, and they ask for help to find a missing person. Reluctant is an understatement, but she agrees to help.
Usually these mysteries are set in Chicago, which is so vivid it's a character in itself. This mystery takes her away from home and we get to see her in a completely foreign environment.
One of the best things about these mysteries is how realistic the action is; there aren't any times when I scoff at an unrealistic rescue, for instance. This is a dangerous job and VI is in serious danger, but she solves more than she means.
Anyone who hasn't already started reading these books, I would recommend starting from the beginning. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

PAY DIRT by Sara Paretsky is book number 22 in the much-loved V.I. Warshawski series. Although the majority of private investigator Warshawski's adventures have been in Chicago, Paretsky chose to set this mystery primarily in Lawrence, Kansas – where Paretsky grew up, home of the University of Kansas Jayhawks, and an area that experienced significant violence over slavery's legality prior to the Civil War. As readers will discover, there are certainly flashbacks and relevance for some historical events in the mid-1800s. In the present day, however, Warshawski is battling her own demons after the death of her lover's student. She is, surprisingly, a mere shadow of her former highly resilient self. Locating and helping a drug-addicted college student goes some way towards recovery – she even accepts a new case but is then abruptly fired and forced to confront the discovery of another body. Under suspicion for murder and feeling off her game, Warshawski persists and utilizes her full coterie of supporters – Lotty, Mr. Contreras, Murray, and locals from Lawrence, including an aspiring journalist and two scrapyard operators – to fight corruption, greed, and evil.

Paretsky cites two recent books as influencing her writing in PAY DIRT. One, The Agitators by Dorothy Wickenden focuses on the lives of Harriet Tubman, Frances Seward, and Martha Wright as they fight for abolition and women's rights. I plan to review it here soon. The second, This Is Not Dixie by Brent M. S. Campney, is an academic work about the racist violence in Kansas from 1861 to 1927 published by University of Illinois Press. I was amazed to learn that Paretsky "wrote and discarded seven drafts before arriving at the storyline that makes up the book.." Her hard work is evident and fans will truly appreciate another great mystery filled with danger and suspense.

Over forty years ago, Sara Paretsky penned Indemnity Only, the first V.I, Warshawki novel. for 21 volumes, This hard boiled detective had been going strong. But V.I. isn't so strong these days. After witnessing the death of a young student, both she and her lover are having trouble dealing with life. Vic is depressed and is barely functioning. When dragged to accompany young friend to an out of town celebration, she soon becomes embroiled in a local murder investigation. As an outsider, who stumbles upon the crimes, she is a convenient scapegoat. Vic needs to pull herself together together to avoid being charged with the murder. Although Paretsky uses a common trope the author writes so well that the book is compelling anyway. This is a must read series for me, which is why I was thrilled to receive an advanced review copy from the publisher. I have always loved this series and recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery thrillers subgenre with a hardboiled female detectives.

Warshawsky is unable to say no to Angela.
This is not the first time that Angela has managed to get V.I. in trouble.
Not been in her familiar area of Chicago and still not herself after the trauma of the last case, she does not need the pressure of Angela’s request to help find her roommate after the girl disappeared after the game in Kansas. Local detectives are not very happy with V.I. interference in the case but nevertheless she is determined to find out what has happened. The story will keep your attention to the end. We have a murder. kidnapping, drug addiction and much more to keep you glued to the pages. As always, I am waiting for the next story to be told.

Sara Paretsky is a badass author with a badass protagonist. Her hero, Vic Warshawski, is a rough and ready private eye, and though based in Chicago, she sometimes—as now—finds herself elsewhere when duty beckons. Author Paretsky is one of the three that pioneered the hardboiled female private eye subgenre; the first in this series, Indemnity Only, came out in 1982, over 40 years ago, and that is how long I have been reading them. And though I was lucky to receive a review copy, thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow, this is one of those rare books that I would have paid full price to read if that was the only way I could get it.

This book will be available to the public April 16, 2024.

This story finds Vic in bad shape, both mentally and physically. She has attempted to help a student of her boyfriend Peter’s, a trans youth whose father blew out the kid’s brains rather than accept their new identity. The brains stuck to Vic, and the experience sent her reeling emotionally. She’s been forgetting self-care, not eating or exercising. What she needs is rest and quiet.

But that’s not how it goes.

Her godchild Bernie persuades Vic to attend a basketball championship game in Kansas. A group of them will be going down there; it’s just what Vic needs, she says. Reluctantly, Vic agrees, but once they are there and the game is over, one of the parties disappears, and Vic is enlisted to find her. When Vic finds the missing basketball player, she inadvertently finds a dead body. The cops in Lawrence, Kansas as well as the FBI like her for the killing. It’s so convenient to have a mouthy, street smart outsider blunder in; hopefully, they can pin it all on her, and then life will go on as it has been. And so Vic must stay behind because she’s been told not to leave town, but also in order to clear her name.

Now, this is one of the elements that generally irritates me in most mysteries; the whole clearing-my-name trope is desperately overdone. There’s another trope that shows up later in the story, but I won’t share it here because it’s a spoiler. But for every rule, there is an exception, and in the case of both tropes, Paretsky breezes through, and I barely bat an eye; this is because the characters are so real to me, and the situation they’re in is so immediate, that I blow it off so I can find out what happens next.

And as is so often the case, Vic Warshawski finds herself up against the town’s wealthy power brokers, who have a vested interest in not having the real killer caught. As for Vic, she makes friends with a few people that have no wealth and no power, but the small ways they assist her make all the difference.

Once she solves the crime, persuades the local police and others that she is innocent and that the blame lies with the men in the suits, are they hauled off in shackles? Don’t hold your breath. As one of her new pals reflects, “That is justice in America, plain and simple, before you wrap it up in a pretty package of Constitutional rights that only the rich get to have.”

The thing that sets this particular book apart from the other very good mysteries I’ve read recently is the development of the protagonist. She’s vulnerable because of her earlier trauma; her boyfriend left the country on business, and he hasn’t been responding to her texts. She is miserable, and she’s isolated. But as the pressure builds, Warshawski delivers. The last quarter of this novel is impossible to put down, and even before that, I set aside my usual rotation of books, because I wanted to read this, and only this.

This novel is written in such a way that a first time reader can jump into the series, but chances are good that once you do, you’ll reach back for some or all of the others. Highly recommended to those that love gritty, rough and tumble detectives; feminists; and those that lean to the left.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

For the entirety of Pay Dirt, Vic is following the slimmest of leads while under the most pressure with the opposite of help. When crimes are uncovered, the guilty try to frame her for them. She is away from home without more clothes or her things. And she's not allowed to leave town as a suspect.

Vic is smart and has tenacity plus she has some luck. Otherwise, she never could have solved this one. As usual, she needs to get injured and beat up when she doesn't submit to the bad guys demands. They only allow her to live because she may find the evidence they have searched for unsuccessfully.

I enjoy this series. This was an interesting read with its look at historical events. I find it easier in Chicago where she has some allies and support plus I know all the regular characters well. Pay Dirt was exciting though.

Pay Dirt is the 22nd book in the VI Warshawski series by veteran US crime author Sara Paretsky. Back in the 1980s, female characters in crime novels tended to be vamps or victims, according to the author, so at that time a lead character like Vic Warshawski was ground-breaking. Vic is a former lawyer, turned private investigator. She is smart, a quick thinker and unafraid to take on tough guys. It has been an impressive 42 years since the publication of the first book in the series.

Vic is to Chicago as Rebus is to Edinburgh but this time around Paretsky shakes things up. Much of Pay Dirt is set in Lawrence, Kansas, which is a small university city. Paretsky grew up in Kansas and her knowledge of the area and its history helps to give the book a strong sense of place.

Relocating Vic from Chicago is not the only significant change in Pay Dirt. You will see many signs that Vic is not her usual confident self. She is having nightmares about a traumatic incident that involved herself, her lover, Peter, and a missing trans femme student, Taylor. A violent confrontation between Taylor and their father ended with Peter injured, Taylor murdered and the father’s suicide. Both Vic and Peter feel responsible and their grief pushes them apart.

Vic is struggling so her goddaughter, Bernie, invites Vic to join her and her friends in Kansas to watch one of the group compete in a basketball game. The students head out to a bar after the game. The next morning they discover that Sabrina, one of the young women, never returned to the hotel.

The students must leave for Chicago, but Vic promises to stay a day to locate Sabrina. Looking for the missing student is a struggle for Vic. She doesn’t have the same resources and contacts that she would have in Chicago. These challenges are further complicated by her feelings about searching for another student as things ended so horrifically went Taylor went missing.

Vic traces Sabrina to a vacant house that has an unsavory reputation. Sabrina is in the throes of a drug overdose. Neither the local police nor the FBI are pleased that Vic located the student before them. Sabrina is quickly whisked off to rehab. When Vic returns to the property for follow-up and discovers a body in the house, she becomes a primary suspect. She decides to look further into the drug house to clear her name. Is the need to clear your name a common trope in crime fiction? Certainly, however it is effective in this instance.

Our protagonist ends up with a diverse group of supporters in Lawrence. Zoe, a local reporter who is eager to write an exposé, trades information with her. Lou and Ed, a couple who own the local scrapyard provide backup support and a homeless vet gives Vic with an alibi when she needs it.

Vic begins to regain her physical strength and confidence as well as an understanding of how her investigation has ties to the past. Paretsky has the challenge of handling a multitude of characters as Vic explores the past in order to make sense of the present. With dual time lines and different locations comes the need to remember many character names. Paretsky thoughtfully provides a list of characters with brief descriptions at the end of the book. The downside of the need to check names is that it can pull you away from the building momentum of a clever plot.

Parestky always manages to weave significant issues into her plots which is part of their appeal. In Pay Dirt we get a sense of the fear felt by some people in the trans community, the struggle of opiate addictions and feel the frustration of teachers when parents protest critical race theory. All of these issues combined with a dynamic lead character and an interesting plot line make for an enduring series.

In the early years of this series - this is the 22nd book therein - I never missed an installment. The author was a favorite, and edgy V.I. Warshawski was a private eye after my own heart. But then life intervened - my kids needed both parents and I'd returned to work and finishing the college education I'd put on the back burner for too long - and we lost touch. Happily, we've reconnected in recent years, this one being the most recent - and it seems both of us have grown, well, older.

But Victoria still has it, although maybe not quite together at this point. main squeeze, archeologist Peter, has dropped off the face of her earth following a particularly traumatic event - maybe never to return. Vic herself was psychologically impacted by said event and is still struggling to get her own head back on straight while dealing with Peter's disappearance from her life. When the roommate of one of Vic's college basketball "stars" goes missing, she agrees (albeit reluctantly) to hang around and track her down. Vic finds her - in what appears to be some kind of party house where drugs are the main attraction - and the girl's mother freaks out and suspects Vic of aiding, abetting and lying. The local police and FBI seem to be of the same opinion - with possible murderer thrown in, and they put up roadblocks to her investigation in the fervent hope that she'll go back where she came from (which, for the record, is Chicago).

Things go from bad to worse when Vic discovers the dead body of another young woman in the same house - but now Vic is determined to see it through. Complicating matters is the potential start-up of a nearby coal-fired power plant at the very historical site of a proposed resort that raises all kinds of questions - most notably, why would a resort need that much power? Even more to the point, why would someone put so much effort into keeping Vic from looking for the answers?

From that point on, it's pretty much nonstop action all the way to the end. If I have a criticism, it's that my aging brain struggled to keep the plethora of characters - some from long-ago days - straight in my head. But the plot won out, "forcing" me to stay up past my bedtime to get 'er done. Now that I did, I must say thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Well done!

In Sara Paretsky's latest thriller, Pay Dirt, legendary detective V.I. Warshawski finds herself shaken to the core after a case ends tragically, leaving her questioning her abilities and her place in the world. When a weekend getaway to Kansas with her goddaughter Bernie takes a dark turn with the disappearance of a young woman, V.I. reluctantly finds herself drawn into a complex web of deception and danger. Paretsky expertly captures V.I.'s struggle with her own demons as she navigates a town rife with secrets and suspicion. As the investigation unfolds, readers are treated to a masterful blend of suspense and intrigue, with twists and turns that keep them guessing until the very end. While the novel's pacing occasionally falters and political commentary may distract some readers, Pay Dirt remains a compelling read for fans of Paretsky's iconic heroine and the genre as a whole. With its rich character development and gripping plot, Pay Dirt is a testament to Paretsky's skill as a storyteller and a worthy addition to the V.I. Warshawski series.

The 22nd in Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawsk's Chicago-based series, Pay Dirt hits gold. Some of the more recent titles in the series had seemed to lose the energy of the earlier ones, but Pay Dirt brings it back on track and then some. Although the ending is a little contrived, and although V.I. seems to be getting a little too old to withstand all the beatings she endures, Pay Dirt tells a complex story of lineage, power, and greed, set not in Chicago but rather in Paretsky's native Kansas, where the action never stops. Whether a long devotee of the series or a reader who has just discovered it, all but the most queasy of readers will appreciate the skill with which Pay Dirt has been written. It's a darned good story told by an author at the top of her abilities.

"Pay Dirt" is the 22nd book in Sara Paretsky's V.I. (Vic) Warshawski series. Vic is with her goddaughter at a basketball game in Kansas when a local coed goes missing, and Vic steps in to help. Vic is emotionally and physically struggling after her previous case and perhaps shouldn't have gotten involved, but does because it's the right thing to do. Vic is without her usual support network, gets wrapped up in the case, and uncovers all sorts of "dirt" in this Kansas community.

Paretsky is an exceptional writer. She uses Vic's sense of justice to focus on issues ranging from land rights to the opioid crisis -- while telling a cracking good mystery story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

In the 22nd volume of the V.I. Warshawski series, author Sara Paretsky hits Pay Dirt with a mystery that she traces back to the Civil War era. Coming out April 16, the novel follows V.I. as she becomes involved in the search for a missing coed in Lawrence, Kansas, after having attended a basketball game there with her goddaughter Bernie. Bernie has to head back to Chicago for her classes at Northwestern University but she begs V.I. to stay and find the missing woman.

Having just come off a terrible case in which she found another missing teen only to have the irate father murder his son in cold blood then turn the gun on himself, V.I. was depressed. She had not been sleeping well, she was losing weight and muscle tone because she was not eating or working out. Telling herself she was not up to the task of finding the missing coed, she took the job on anyway, and found a drugged and injured girl in a house known for its drug parties.

When working in Chicago, V.I. has acquaintances in the police department as well as a few informants, but she has to work alone—and often in conflict—with the local police and the FBI, which has jumped in because the missing woman was thought to have been kidnapped. With no touchpoints in an unfamiliar city, V.I. doubles down and finds the local opioid distributers quickly, but the police turn a blind eye to her discovery.

V.I. turns up another dead body, this one belonging to an annoying woman from out of town who has been picketing the local school for the dismissal of a teacher accused of having a woke curriculum. The protester demanded that the real history of indigenous people and black settlers in Kansas be told. V.I. finds herself in the middle of a land-use battle over a piece of property that may still be titled to a black family in the 1860s. This tale will not end until V.I. finds herself kidnapped and beaten not once but twice.

Sara Paretsky never disappoints with her multi-layered detective fiction. Kansas raised, Paretsky has been living in Chicago since 1968. She has a Ph.D. in history and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Private investigator Warshawski is the protagonist of all but two of Paretsky's novels; the author is credited with transforming the role and image of women in the crime novel.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting March 19, 2024.

I would like to thank William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

It was a delight to be back in the company of V. I. Warshawski. She was not in Chicago anymore. Sorry, that was a vague reference to a line in the Wizard of Oz. This adventure has Vic in Kansas, no Dorothy in sight. An engaging mystery. A look at man's inhumanity to man in the past and they are not so nice in the present. Race may not be the current issue, but lives are still in jeopardy. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Reading this book was like sitting down with an old friend. Although Vic is emotionally and mentally battered after witnessing the murder of a teenager by their father and her boyfriend fleeing to Europe in the aftermath, she is still quintessentially Vic. As is typical, she gets pulled into a case after her goddaughter's friend goes missing after a college basketball game in Kansas. Vic gets stuck with the case and in Kansas after finding the missing friend and discovering a murdered woman and being accused of being involved in the crimes.

I enjoyed this one, like I enjoy all of Paretsky's books. Vic's sense of justice and toughness is always enjoyable and it was nice to see Vic prevail and hopefully move in the direction of recovering from the trauma she experienced.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I was thrilled to have an early read of a favorite series.

3.75 stars

The indomitable V.I. Warshawski is back, but beaten down by her last case, which involved a brutal murder that she witnessed. It split her and her boyfriend, who was also involved, and left her with flashbacks and stress that she can't seem to overcome. She is unfocused, disorganized, not really engaged in daily life.

Her young friends talk her into going to Lawrence, KS for a basketball weekend. But there's more drama that sucks V.I. in -- the disappearance of a friend of theirs and Vic's subsequent discovery of the young woman nearly dead from an overdose.

She reluctantly sets out to investigate but recognizes she is out of shape mentally, emotionally and physically. But she doggedly succeeds in pursuing leads that the local law enforcement team miss. It disturbs her that the local P.D. has links to the powerful and wealthy of the community.

These adventures are always action-packed and highlight Vic taking on the establishment. This one is a bit grimmer than most but by the end of the book it feels like she is coming back around. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Pay Dirt is another fantastic entry in the VI Warshawski series. It starts off on a tragic note: a student VI was trying to find is killed by their father in a murder-suicide right in front of her. She loses confidence in herself and shuts everyone out. In an attempt to cheer her up her goddaughter Bernie invites VI to watch a college basketball game down in Kansas (Bernie's friend Angela is the star player). VI agrees, thinking it will be a short trip. However, when Bernie and Angela's friends goes missing after the game VI feels compelled to investigate. This sets off a firestorm that threatens local land rights and drug operations. VI has to dodge threats from every angle as she tries to uncover the truth. Sara Paretsky is so skilled at weaving together a story that engages the reader from start to finish. VI is such a compelling character because she is still evolving after 22 books. She searches for the truth no matter what. She also has very loyal canine companions, which I love. Another great books from one of the best in the business. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Intriguing plot and beloved protagonist V.I. Warshawski combined in a new-er location (revisiting Lawrence, KS) combine for a can't-put-it-down mystery of the first order. With multiple threads pulled from current events, Vi pieces together how a drug house and multinational corporation relate to the death of local history gadfly, all before she gets the blame squarely aimed at her by the culprits.

What an amazing book, blending both a modern-day crime with a bit of history. This book has quite a complex, complicated and twisting plot that finds V. I. Warshawski on vacation to Kansas, to watch her young friend Angela compete in a college basketball tournament. She soon finds herself involved in finding another student who has disappeared. VI has not yet fully recovered from the emotional trauma of her last case, and she is also hindered by investigating in an area she is not familiar with. Still, she persists. The case leads her in down dark and twisted paths of murder, deceit and fraud, and she finds her own life in grave danger as she uncovers past unsolved crimes. This is a very timely book that brings to light how prejudices of the past still reverberate today. Sara Paretsky has created a bit of an everyday superhero in V. I. Warshawski, a strong woman that fights for justice, even when she's in danger and struggling herself. V. I. is one of my favorite fictional characters! Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.