Breakdown (V.I. Warshawski Novels Book 15)

I ordered Breakdown because I wanted to read a book by Sara Paretsky. I should say that I ordered and read this book some months ago, so what follows are my remembered impressions. I rate this book a three in the positive sense because of the story itself. I like mystery/thrillers. This book I would call a well-done job of standard fare, with a caveat that I'll move on to. Because, on the other hand, I rated the book down to a three because Ms. Paretsky interjects too much of her bias as to political orientation into what ought to be a fun and witty story. Part of the fun of this genre is the skill with which the writer is often present but deep in the background. For example, I couldn't make a confident guess about the political loyalties of Lee Child, Elmore Leonard, Robert Parker or Sue Grafton. But I could make a more confident guess at their personalities and what their own senses of humor might be like. Ms. Paretsky feeds back the standard Liberal bias against corporations and the wealthy, and hints at how our society diminishes the hidebound Forgotten Man. For my taste, that sort of agenda impalement detracts from the purity of the identity of the story itself.

I've read many of Paretsky's books, and loved them. Too bad she had to get political with this one. If you are a liberal, you will love the way she paints the right in a very unflattering light. I guess I should have expected it, in a way, since she is from Chicago, but I cannot understand why Paretsky would think it's okay to insult a large portion of her readers.

I couldn't get past the first few chapters of the book, and am sorry I wasted my money on it. Going forward, I will exercise my right to not financially support Ms. Paretsky.

Paretsky is such a gifted storyteller. In spite of her aggressive use of her own politics in her fiction, it’s a joy to read. However, I’ve noticed her baseball bat is getting bigger and only 66 pages in here and just exhausted from it. I wouldn’t enjoy a fiction that depicted all Democrats as Welfare pushing Socialists, and I also don’t enjoy this one that is showing all conservatives as religion pushing science denying clowns.

"The twenty-first richest person? How odd that they can be counted that way, from top down. I wonder if they know the twenty-first poorest person?" muses V.I. Warshawski in "Breakdown", Sara Paretsky's latest mystery featuring the Chicago PI. Musing such as this are one reason why I love this series.

In this particular book, V.I., or Vic, becomes involved in investigating the murder of another Chicago, PI, the semi-sleazy Miles Wuchnik. It is, in fact, Vic who finds the man with a stake through his heart in an abandoned cemetery while searching for some missing pre-teens at the request of her cousin, Petra. At the same time, Vic begins looking into why Leydon Ashford, a wealthy friend of V.I.'s who has been in and out of hospitals for a mental disorder, wanted to meet with her and who might have had a reason to make Leydon "fall" from the balcony of a church.

As Vic searches for the truth behind both incidents, she realizes they may be connected. She also interacts with a number of interesting characters and institutions, including a conservative TV talk show host, the rich man whom the talk show host seems bent on destroying, two senatorial candidates, a group of pre-teens fascinated by a fiction book series about a teenage shape changer, a mega media corporation, a high-powered law firm, and a mental health facility.

Along the way, she muses about racism, the arrogance of the rich, how the media and media personalities shape public opinion on nothing but unsubstantiated rumor and speculation, and responsibility. She also shows she knows her way around current trends, such as texting and social networking sites. The title, "Breakdown" could neatly refer to a number of things, including Leydon's mental state and real journalism.

Vic's investigation is intricate and complex, holding the reader's attention, the diverse characters are interesting (although in some cases a bit stereotyped), and the guilty party not really evident until the end of the book. I'm so very glad Paretsky brought V.I. back.

A very, very good book. Four and a half stars.

I have read many of this author’s books and enjoyed them all but, this one has to be the absolute best one she ever wrote. It just grabs you from the get go and doesn’t let go until it’s conclusion and even now, that my heartbeat has resumed its normal rhythm, I want to read more. I never guessed the real murderers, but I tried and I was so into the story that when my dog barked, I jumped in fright!! I wish I could be on her proofreading team but I know that is probably a pipe dream. However, you have to read this book. You will love it as I do!!! I don’t know, can she ever write another story as mesmerizing as this one???

I am a big fan of Paretsky/V.I. Warshawski, so I'm sad to write this. It felt formulaic and cheap at times. Not every right wing conservative is a blood-thirsty nut that treats their family awful. I don't know how V.I. would get anything done with anyone if she worked so bloody hard at telling everyone off and pissing everyone off, sometimes seemingly for no reason. I almost worried that Paretsky was getting tired of writing her. I found the earlier ones had characters that were less caricatures, and were better plots.
I really only gave it the second star because it was a V.I. Warshawski story and I am a fan.

one of the best paretsky novels, but too heavy on the liberal politics. detracted from the escape of everyday issues i look for.

Greed and politics go together in this book just as we see in real life today. The book is intense, and at times I was fearful where it was going. Who were really the bad guys, and who were the good guys. Especially revel Eva the to me. I had a friend who was a Jew born in Lithuania in 1942. I liked the book, and I was surprised by the ending.

My favorite Warshawski book so far. It feels so good to see justice done, and unbelievably slimy people get what they deserve. And has a heart-wrenching ending. Bravo V.I.!

It pretty good. I’ve always enjoyed her book.