Chicago’s V. I. Warshawski confronts crooked politicians and buried family secrets in this gritty mystery from New York Times bestselling author Sara Paretsky.
 
No one would accuse V. I. Warshawski of backing down from a fight, but she’d happily avoid tangling with Chicago political bosses. Yet that’s what she ends up doing when she responds to a plea for help from an old high school flame, Frank Guzzo.
 
Frank’s mother Stella was convicted of killing his kid sister, but now that she’s out of prison, she’s looking for exoneration. Even though the Warshawskis and Stella never got along, V. I. agrees to make a few inquiries after she sees how hard life has been on Frank and her other childhood friends.
 
Only, that small favor leads her straight into the vipers’ nest of Illinois politics—and soon her main question isn’t about Stella’s case but whether or not she’ll make it out of this investigation alive...

Washington Post Best Mystery of 2015

Includes a Bonus Short Story!

Praise for Brush Back

“Truthfully drawn and mercilessly insightful.”—The New York Times Book Review
 
“[An] unquenchable need to know whodunit.”—Chicago Tribune
 
“Paretsky’s plotting is always ingenious.”—Los Angeles Times

“An old-school crime-writing pro.”—The Boston Globe

“One of the most-loved characters in crime fiction.”—Booklist (starred review)

More Praise for Sara Paretsky and the V. I. Warshawski series

“Sara Paretsky’s Chicago private eye, V. I. Warshawski, is one tough cookie.”—The New York Times Book Review

“One of our genre’s crucial, solid-gold, best-ever series. Paretsky is a genius.”—Lee Child

“V.I. Warshawski is one of my all-time favorite investigators.”—Lisa Gardner

“For me, the most remarkable of the moderns is Sara Paretsky.”—P.D. James

“No one, male or female, writes better P.I. books than Paretsky.”—The Denver Post

“Paretsky's books are beautifully paced and plotted, and the dialogue is fresh and smart...V.I. Warshawski is the most engaging woman in detective fiction.”—Newsweek

© Steven E. Gross
Sara Paretsky is the author of 20 books, including her renowned V. I. Warshawski novels. Her many awards include the Cartier Diamond Dagger Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Crime Writers' Association and the 2011 Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. She lives in Chicago, Illinois. View titles by Sara Paretsky

About

Chicago’s V. I. Warshawski confronts crooked politicians and buried family secrets in this gritty mystery from New York Times bestselling author Sara Paretsky.
 
No one would accuse V. I. Warshawski of backing down from a fight, but she’d happily avoid tangling with Chicago political bosses. Yet that’s what she ends up doing when she responds to a plea for help from an old high school flame, Frank Guzzo.
 
Frank’s mother Stella was convicted of killing his kid sister, but now that she’s out of prison, she’s looking for exoneration. Even though the Warshawskis and Stella never got along, V. I. agrees to make a few inquiries after she sees how hard life has been on Frank and her other childhood friends.
 
Only, that small favor leads her straight into the vipers’ nest of Illinois politics—and soon her main question isn’t about Stella’s case but whether or not she’ll make it out of this investigation alive...

Washington Post Best Mystery of 2015

Includes a Bonus Short Story!

Reviews

Praise for Brush Back

“Truthfully drawn and mercilessly insightful.”—The New York Times Book Review
 
“[An] unquenchable need to know whodunit.”—Chicago Tribune
 
“Paretsky’s plotting is always ingenious.”—Los Angeles Times

“An old-school crime-writing pro.”—The Boston Globe

“One of the most-loved characters in crime fiction.”—Booklist (starred review)

More Praise for Sara Paretsky and the V. I. Warshawski series

“Sara Paretsky’s Chicago private eye, V. I. Warshawski, is one tough cookie.”—The New York Times Book Review

“One of our genre’s crucial, solid-gold, best-ever series. Paretsky is a genius.”—Lee Child

“V.I. Warshawski is one of my all-time favorite investigators.”—Lisa Gardner

“For me, the most remarkable of the moderns is Sara Paretsky.”—P.D. James

“No one, male or female, writes better P.I. books than Paretsky.”—The Denver Post

“Paretsky's books are beautifully paced and plotted, and the dialogue is fresh and smart...V.I. Warshawski is the most engaging woman in detective fiction.”—Newsweek

Author

© Steven E. Gross
Sara Paretsky is the author of 20 books, including her renowned V. I. Warshawski novels. Her many awards include the Cartier Diamond Dagger Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Crime Writers' Association and the 2011 Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. She lives in Chicago, Illinois. View titles by Sara Paretsky