Part of V.I. Warshawski, book 11
First published 2003
Private investigator V.I. Warshawski takes on a case that pulls her into Chicago's dark history of political persecution. When a journalist turns up dead, V.I. discovers connections to the Hollywood blacklist era and McCarthy-era witch hunts. Her investigation uncovers how past betrayals continue to destroy lives in the present. V.I. must navigate dangerous territory where powerful people will kill to keep their secrets buried. The case forces her to confront how fear and ideology can corrupt even those who claim to fight for justice. V.I. faces threats from multiple directions as she pursues the truth about who profited from destroying careers and lives during America's most paranoid period.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, detective, 21st-century
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism, secrets-and-lies
Setting: Chicago
Period: Hollywood Blacklist Era, McCarthy Era
415 pages · Hamish Hamilton