Title: Shell Game by Sara Paretsky
V.I. Warshawski Series Book 19
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
Sara Paretsky follows her instant New York Times bestseller Fallout—her most widely read novel in years—with an extraordinary adventure that pits her acclaimed detective, V.I. Warshawski, against some of today’s most powerful figures.
Legendary sleuth V.I. Warshawski returns to the Windy City to save an old friend’s nephew from a murder arrest. The case involves a stolen artifact that could implicate a shadowy network of international criminals. As V.I. investigates, the detective soon finds herself tangling with the Russian mob, ISIS backers, and a shady network of stock scams and stolen art that stretches from Chicago to the East Indies and the Middle East. In Shell Game, nothing and no one are what they seem, except for the detective herself, who loses sleep, money, and blood, but remains indomitable in her quest for justice.
Review:
Shell Game by Sara Paretsky is an engrossing crime drama featuring two perplexing mysteries. This nineteenth installment in the V.I. Warshawski series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series.
V.I. Warshawski is called out in the middle of the night when her close friend Lottie Herschel’s grandnephew Felix is ordered to a crime scene. The dead man has Felix’s name on a scrap of paper in his pocket and Lt. McGivney is convinced Felix is involved in his death. Before V.I. can delve too deeply into the murder, her smarmy ex-husband Richard Yarborough’s niece Harmony Seale asks for her help in locating her missing sister, Reno. Reno works for Rest EZ, a payday lending company and she vanished following a business trip to the Caribbean. V.I. is very worried for her niece’s safety after making an ominous discovery at the missing young woman’s apartment. Before long, V.I. and Harmony are targeted by Russian thugs who will stop at nothing to find what they are looking for. Meanwhile, Felix is under intense scrutiny by Lt. McGivney who is chomping at the bit to arrest him for murder. Will V.I. uncover locate Reno and unmask the dead man’s murderer before it is too late?
After receiving an anonymous tip, Warshawski quickly learn the identity of the murdered man. After she searches his apartment, she finds her first lead and crosses paths with the thugs who continue to bedevil her throughout her investigation. Her findings take her to a local university where she learns intriguing information about the victim’s overseas activities and his interest in priceless antiquities. How all of this adds up to murder is unclear, but V.I. doggedly tracks down clues despite being stretched thin by two cases and demanding clients.
V.I. is also still trying to find out what happened to Reno. The employees at Rest EZ are less than forthcoming about what happened to Reno on the employee retreat and V.I. begins digging into the corporation’s background. The business ownership is murky and V.I. is very curious about their connection to other shadowy corporations.
With danger lurking around every corner, Shell Game is a thrilling mystery with a topical storyline. V.I.’s investigation is a bit slow at first but once the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, she gradually begins to suspect the two cases might be linked. With plenty of action, Sara Paretsky brings this complex and intriguing mystery to a twisty-turny conclusion. Fans of the genre are sure to enjoy this newest addition to the V.I. Warshawski series.
