Indemnity Only by Sara Paretsky

V.I. Warshawki Mystery

V.I. Warshawki is employed by a man who calls himself John Thayer to find his son's girlfriend, Anita Hill. However, as she begins her search, she. almost immediately comes across Peter Thayer, John's son, dead. Her investigation takes a definite turn as she discovers ulterior motives for Anita's whereabouts to be found. During her search, V.I. also discovers that the man who claims to be John Thayer turns out to be Andrew McGraw, the father of Anita Hill and a big labor union leader. It is revealed that Anita Hill herself does not exist, that her real name is Anita McGraw, and she had reasons for running after Peter's murder that lead into a case much bigger than murder. It is quickly know that V.I. knows too much as she takes a beating from gang member Earl Smeissen early on. While she attempts to figure out who murdered Peter, she comes across many different roadblocks. Including that in the same week, the real John Thayer is also killed, which turns her on to scams and connections in between the Knifegrinders labor union, the Ajax Insurance Company, and the Fort Dearborn Trust. Turns out that one of Earl's henchmen was identified at the scene of the crime by a witness. V.I.'s in a desperate race against time. At stake: a young woman's life.

  Printing History

Written by Sara Paretsky (June 1947- ) 

 

Dial Press, New York, 1982

ISBN 440 21069

Trivia

What does V.I. stand for?

Victoria Iphigenia