Sara Paretsky is an American author best known for her detective fiction, particularly the V. I. Warshawski series. Paretsky was born on June 8, 1947, in Ames, Iowa. She is the creator of the private investigator character V. I. Warshawski, who has appeared in numerous novels since the 1982 publication of Paretsky's first book, Indemnity Only. Paretsky's work is known for its strong female protagonist and its exploration of social and political issues.