Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

In this spellbinding collection, Sara Paretsky showcases her extraordinary talents with fourteen short stories, including one new V.I. story and seven other classics featuring the indomitable detective.
Overall this was a fun, exciting book that gave me several hours of escapism and enjoyment. Id definitely read other books released by this author.

It's the first time I read Sara Paretsky's short stories and the first time I read stories not featuring V.I. Warshawski.
That said this is one of those rare cases when I loved all the stories. It's hard to tell which of the 14 stories was the best and I appreciated how the author can deliver excellent works in different genres.
Well written, riveting and entertaining.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have followed this Author's V I Warshawski books from the start and loved them all so I looked forward to this collection of short stories .

I found that the ones set in VI's world were more to my taste , particularly those that gave us a look at her backstory ' The notes the Author provides after each story were also well worth reading - giving greater context
to her characters/stories
The other stories were entertaining but not what I expected from the Author- which is no bad thing as reading outside our normal genres can only improve our reading range

I look forward to reading more VI books in the future

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

A really good collection of 14 short stories from Sara Paretsky, best known for the VI Warshawski series of Chicago based detective novels.

Some of the stories here are based in the VI universe, with many of the recurring characters we know so well making appearances. These are the strongest in the compilation, particularly those that fill in elements of VI’s back story. The notes Paretsky provides after each story give great context, helping to place the stories in the bigger picture.

A particular favourite is Safety First, a near-future dystopian fantasy that takes Trump era laws to their ultimate 1984 conclusion. The story is disturbing and thought provoking, as well as offering a horrifying view of what a second Trump term may have led to. Of the other stories, The Curious Affair of the Italian Art Dealer featuring none other than Sherlock Homes is very good.

Sara Paretsky writes excellent full length novels with wonderfully vivid characters. This collection shows that she can create believable and rounded characters that readers can connect with in this shorter format too.

Delicious Reading…
A riveting collection of fourteen tales of crime and detection, many of which feature the authors’ famed Detective. Each tale is as compelling and as well written as the last, demonstrating some top notch storytelling. Delicious reading.

Sara Paretsky gives us an excellent collection of short stories, 8 of which feature her iconic Chicago PI, VI Warshawski, almost all the stories have been published previously, some are reworked here, and Paretsky helpfully provides the background and motivation at the end of each story. There are 14 stories in total, I enjoyed all of them, and there is only one that I have read previously, Publicity Stunts:

Love and Other Crimes
Miss Bianca
Is It Justice
Flashpoint
Acid Test
Safety First
Trial by Fire
Murder at the Century of Progress
The Curious Affair of the Italian Art Dealer
Wildcat
Death on the Edge
Photo Finish
Publicity Stunts
Heartbreak House

Some of the stories use the supporting cast from the VI Warshawski series, such as the dystopian tale of the arrest and trial of Dr Lottie Herschel that echoes the many troubling contemporary realites of women and refugees, and Freeman Carter, VI's go to lawyer, represents Karin, when she is arrested for an explosion that kills 2 people, including her neighbour Clarence Epstein. It is Karin's daughter, Temple who works for Cheviot Engineering, the source for forensic advice for Vic, who employs Carter for her mother, unaware the two of them already know each other. Paretsky addresses the injustice in her novel, Critical Mass, with a shooting outside the courthouse and recounts the terrors of the fight for Civil Rights in 1960s Chicago. VI gets to the bottom of a body found in a warehouse, buried beneath $25 million worth of broken wine bottles, and is the prime suspect in the murder of Lisa Macauley, a writer with a big right wing following.

Paretsky pays homage to other well known fictional PIs, Race Williams, and to Amelia Butterworth in a Sherlock Holmes story, and to Miss Marple in the creation of her character, Charlotte Palmer, determined to find the real killer of her nephew, Eric. We are taken to the beginning of the 20th century in rural Kansas, the inability of women to implement their wishes when it comes to inheritance and the horrors of the widespread racism against Native Americans. The delightful 10 year old Abigail acquires Miss Bianca, a mouse from a research lab, going on to uncover a Cold War conspiracy. If you are a crime and mystery fan and have never read Sarah Paretsky, this is a wonderful selection of stories with which to acquaint yourself with her brilliant storytelling and her unforgettable PI heroine, VI Warshawski. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Like any anthology of short stories, there is something here for everyone. Some stories I loved, others I wasn’t as keen on. What I did like, however, was the comment by Sara Paretsky after each story, giving the history behind it.

A really interesting collection of short stories with each one being just as interesting, if not more so, than the previous one. it was such an enjoyable and quick read.