Killing Orders

by Sara Paretsky

Book Overview

From New York Times Bestselling Author Sara Paretsky comes another electrifying novel of suspense in her beloved V. I. Warshawski series... They say blood is thicker than water. Private eye V. I.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440215285
• Release Date: September 1993
• Publisher: Dell
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.9" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

V.I. Swims with the Sharks Again

This is another fun page-turner in the V.I. Warshowski mystery series. Forged stock certificates turn up in a monastery safe and V.I. must find out who, what, when and why. The characters include he bitter, hateful aunt and a sexy Ajax insurance executive. Ajax insurance has appeared in other V.I. books and is involved in this one as well. There are many mean, unscrupulous men of the cloth and a cast of colorful, fun people and situations. Lots of scary, not so fun time for V.I. is to be had. The plot is interesting and this is an overall good mystery. Paretsky is an intelligent mystery lover's writer.

My first Paretsky, but not my last

I'm typically not a fan of the more "hard-boiled" detective story, since the subgenre is so littered with cliches. However, I am a huge fan of conspiracy stories involving the Catholic Church, so I had to try this one out. And now I'm completely hooked on Paretsky and Warshawski. The writing is tight, the plot moves fast, the protagonist is clever and tough, yet also vulnerable in the right places, and the Archbishop gets blown up in the end! What more could anyone ask for?

Early VI

One of the first in Paretsky's V.I Warshawski series, Killing Orders involves stock fraud among the friars in a Chicago Dominican convent. When VI's less than beloved aunt, who works at the friary, is implicated, she calls in her niece to help her retain her good reputation. It's surprising how interesting a mystery about financial fraud can be in the hands of Sara Paretsky. VI (Victoria) is no pushover, and when the case grows personally intimidating, she digs in and resolves to break it no matter what or who she has to take on. Even if her new love interest is involved.....

Gets into the character

KILLING ORDERS is one of Paretsky's earlier V. I. Warshawski novels. In this case her aunt Rosa is accused by her church in committing stock fraud. She reluctantly asks her niece for her help in clearing her name.I have read most of Warshawski's novels and this one is one of my favorites mainly because I got to learn more about her character as well as her relationship with her friend, Lotty. I regret having read them in disorder but I recommend this novel for anyone interested in learning how V. I. got started. Although this is the third novel in the series it tells a lot.

Weird but good

Very good, in fact. I don't think Paretsky had quite fashioned her own mold for the genre yet, so there are a few cliché elements in the book, but everything else is a highly original treat. Lots of great little twists throughout--not just plot twists, but different ways of looking at things. With V.I. Warshawski, Paretsky has created a heroine who is intelligent, engaging, and not afraid to shake things up. I haven't read much early V.I. yet, but I intend to, so I can get to know this woman from the beginning.