Overboard by Sara Paretsky

It has been a while since I read a mystery featuring the private investigator V.I. Warshawski so reading the latest, OVERBOARD, by Sara Paretsky reminded me why I enjoy these stories so much. The strong heroine, the Chicago  neighborhood settings, and the almost non-stop action all have strong appeal. This suspenseful story begins when Vic and her dogs find a young girl hiding amongst the rocks between Sheridan Road and Lake Michigan. From there, things get confusing due to multiple story lines involving that girl and also members of the Litvak family, former childhood classmates of Warshawski and her cousin Boom-Boom. True to its Chicago roots, police corruption, suspect real estate deals, innovative tech, hate crimes, and even elder abuse add conflict and drama, too. At one point Vic muses: “Between Julia and her grandmother, Brad, the Skyrocket, the Shaamar Hashomayim synagogue, I felt as though I was carrying a giant plastic bag so filled with unwieldly shapes I couldn’t see around it.”  Fortunately, she has her dogs and many good friends like reporter Murray Ryerson, Dr. Lotty Herschel, and neighbor Mr. Contreras who always seem to have a connection or helpful advice. As Booklist notes, “Two teen characters will extend the reach of Paretsky's latest to mystery-loving YA readers.” Enjoy!