V.I. is hired to search for a young gangster who has been missing since the night of a snowstorm in 1967. Her search leads to confrontations with an incarcerated gang leader, to involvement with a decades-old murder that took place during a civil rights demonstration, and gets entangled with the senatorial campaign that her new young cousin is working on. Along the way she finds seemingly unrelated information that could implicate her adored father or uncle as accessories to something unsavoury. Coming to terms with the possibility that her memory of her father might not be true was probably one of the hardest things she’s had to face yet. But she continues her investigation nonetheless; she has a lot of integrity along with the smartass attitude, and always tries to do what she thinks is right. Racism, corruption, politics, and family loyalty all play a role in this intriguing mystery that will keep you hooked right up to the end. “Hardball” was my first novel by Sara Peretsky, who has written a series of novels starring V.I. Warshawski, a tough lady detective roaming the mean streets of Chicago. I do not place Peretsky in the top rank of detective authors, but I freely admit that my wife says that I am a chauvinistic reader and that I am not very forgiving when Peretsky creates, uh, helpful plot “coincidences” for Vic, her lady detective. She says that I am completely forgiving with my favorites--like John Sandford, Michael Connelly, and James Lee Burke. I will point out that I love the books of Nevada Barr, starring that intrepid park ranger, Anna Pidgeon--but enough with disclaimers.V. I. Warshawski—Vic to her friends—meets a woman while trying to help a homeless guy. That woman helps the homeless guy, and Vic reciprocates her kindness. The woman is trying to help a couple of elderly black sisters. The son of the one that is dying had disappeared and gone missing for over 40 years. She asks Vic to find out what happened to him. There had been a murder during a rally for Martin Luther King, and a friend of the missing guy had confessed under torture, as we learn later. Vic goes to visit a nun, who had marched with King and had been there that day. This cold case turns very hot when Vic's meeting with the nun is interrupted by a Molotov cocktail. The nun dies and, suddenly, there is lots of police interest. Not to mention that Vic is rather pissed off at almost being killed.Vic has a young cousin on the scene who is working on a political campaign. Chicago is a city with a history of racial conflict and Vic finds that her own family may have played a part in a rather sordid coverup dating from the 1960s. Several of the principles are still around and they are intent on protecting themselves from the past.Well, V.I. Warshawski is up to the task and Peretsky tells a pretty good story to get us to keep turning pages until the end.
What do You think about Hardball (2009)?
Fast moving and intriguing as usual. Paretsky turns out another page turner.
—Lili
As usual with a Paretsky novel, I could not put this book down.
—Denise
Listened to recording; I really enjoyed it.
—olivia
