Part of V.I. Warshawski, book 6
First published 1991
V.I. Warshawski wakes to pounding on her door at three in the morning. Her aunt Elena stands outside, reeking of alcohol and babbling about a fire that destroyed a rundown hotel. Elena needs help, but V.I. knows her aunt brings nothing but chaos. The hotel blaze looks suspicious, and V.I. soon realizes someone set the fire deliberately. Her investigation pulls her into Chicago's underbelly, where homeless people struggle to survive and powerful interests work to keep them invisible. Elena hides secrets behind her drunken rambling, secrets that connect to the arson. As V.I. digs deeper, she encounters corrupt officials and ruthless developers who profit from the city's housing crisis. They want her investigation stopped and will use any means necessary, including murder. V.I. must navigate the dangerous politics of urban development while protecting her unpredictable aunt. The case forces her to confront family obligations she has long avoided.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: corrupt-officials, family-obligations
Setting: Chicago
Period: 20th-century
352 pages · Paperback · Virago
Content warnings: violence