Sara Paretsky (born June 8, 1947) is an American author of

detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an criminal investigation, investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around ...

, best known for her novels focused on the protagonist V. I. Warshawski.

Life and career

Paretsky was born in

Ames, Iowa Ames () is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States, located approximately north of Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines in central Iowa. It is the home of Iowa State University (ISU). According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Ames ha ...

. Her father was a microbiologist and moved the family to

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

in 1951 after taking a job at the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

, where Paretsky eventually graduated. The family rented an old farm house. Her relationship with her parents was strained; her mother was an

alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...

and her father was a harsh disciplinarian. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

from the

, she did

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community contributing to a noble cause. In many cases, people doing community service are compensated in other ways, such as gettin ...

work on the south side of Chicago in 1966 and returned in 1968 to work there. She completed her AM (masters) degree at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

in 1969 and completed a Ph.D. in history there in 1977; her dissertation was titled "The Breakdown of Moral Philosophy in New England Before the Civil War". She also earned an

MBA A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular a ...

in 1977 from the

University of Chicago Booth School of Business The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (branded as Chicago Booth) is the graduate business school of the University of Chicago, a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1898, Chicago Booth is the second-oldest ...

. Her husband, Courtenay Wright, was a professor of

physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

at the University of Chicago; the two were together from 1970 until his death in 2018. Paretsky is an alumna of the Ragdale Foundation. She was to appear in an amateur light opera production in 2011. The protagonist of all but two of Paretsky's novels is the female

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

V.I. Warshawski Victoria Iphigenia "Vic" "V. I." Warshawski is a fictional private investigator from Chicago who is the protagonist featured in a series of detective novels and short stories written by Chicago author Sara Paretsky. With the exception of "The P ...

, and the author is credited with transforming the role and image of women in the crime novel.Martin, Nora (1996).
""In the business of believing women's stories": Feminism through detective fiction (Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton)"
' (M.A. thesis) Wilfrid Laurier University The Winter 2007 issue of ''Clues: A Journal of Detection'' is devoted to her work. She is also considered the founding mother of

Sisters in Crime Sisters in Crime (SinC) is a writing organization focused on increasing equity and inclusion for women crime writers within the publishing industry. The group has 4,500 members in 60+ regional chapters worldwide, offering networking, advice and su ...

, an organization that supports and promotes women in the mystery field.

Bibliography

Novels

*''

Indemnity Only ''Indemnity Only'' is a mystery novel written by Sara Paretsky. Summary V. I. Warshawski, a private detective, is employed by a man who calls himself John Thayer to find his son's girlfriend, Anita Hill. However, as she begins her search, V. ...

'' (1982) *''

Deadlock Deadlock commonly refers to: * Deadlock (computer science), a situation where two processes are each waiting for the other to finish * Deadlock (locksmithing) or deadbolt, a physical door locking mechanism * Political deadlock or gridlock, a si ...

'' (1984) *''Killing Orders'' (1985) *''Bitter Medicine'' (1987) *'' Blood Shot'' (1988) (Published in the UK as ''Toxic Shock'') *''Burn Marks'' (1990) *''Guardian Angel'' (1992) *''Tunnel Vision'' (1994) *''Ghost Country'' (1998) (non-Warshawski novel) *''Hard Time'' (1999) *''Total Recall'' (2001) *''

Blacklist Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list; if people are on a blacklist, then they are considere ...

'' (2003) *''Fire Sale'' (2005) *''Bleeding Kansas'' (2008) (non-Warshawski novel) *''Hardball'' (2009) *''Body Work'' (2010) *''Breakdown'' (2012) *''Critical Mass'' (2013) *''Brush Back'' (2015) *''Fallout'' (2017) *''Shell Game'' (2018) *''Dead Land'' (2020) *''Overboard'' (2022) *''Pay Dirt'' (2024)

Short story collections

* ''Windy City Blues'', Delacorte (1995). . ** (Published in the UK as ''V.I. for Short'') * ''A Taste of Life and Other Stories'' (1995), London: Penguin. *''Love & Other Crimes'' (2020). ISBN 9780062915542

eBooks

* ''Photo Finish'' (2000). * ''V.I. x 2'' (2002) includes short stories "Photo Finish" & "Publicity Stunts". * ''V.I. x 3'' (2011) includes both stories from V.I. x 2 and "A Family Sunday in the Park".

Non-fiction

*''Case Studies in Alternative Education'' (1975). Chicago Center for New Schools. *''Writing in an Age of Silence'' (2007). *''Words, Works, and Ways of Knowing: The Breakdown of Moral Philosophy in New England Before the Civil War.'' Chicago:

University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the university press of the University of Chicago, a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. It is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It pu ...

, 2016.

As editor

*''Eye of a Woman'' (1990). New York: Delacorte Press; **as ''A Woman's Eye: New Stories by the Best Women Crime Writers'' (1991)''.'' London: Virago. *''Women on the Case'' (1997). ; **as ''Woman's Other Eye'' (1996). London: Virago. *''Sisters on the Case'' (2007).

Awards and recognition

* 1986

Anthony Award The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. Categori ...

nomination for best novel, ''Killing Orders'' * 1989

nomination for best novel, '' Blood Shot'' * 1992

winner of best short story collection, ''A Woman's Eye'' * 2002 Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for lifetime achievement by the

Crime Writers' Association The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) is a specialist authors' organisation in the United Kingdom, most notable for its "Dagger" awards for the best crime writing of the year, and the Diamond Dagger awarded to an author for lifetime achievement. ...

. * 2004

Gold Dagger The CWA Gold Dagger is an award given annually by the Crime Writers' Association of the United Kingdom since 1960 for the best crime novel of the year. From 1955 to 1959, the organization named their top honor as the Crossed Red Herring Award. ...

Award for

by the

. * 2011

Lifetime Achievement Award winner * 2011 Grand Master by the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is a professional organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the E ...

* 2019

Winner of Sue Grafton Memoriam, ''Shell Game'' * 2021

Nomination for Sue Grafton Memoriam, ''Dead Land''Edgar Awards category list

References

External links

*
Roger Nichols of Modern Signed Books interviews Sara ParetskyInterview with Sara Paretsky
''Speaking of Mysteries TV Series'' (2001)
Sara Paretsky papers
at The Newberry {{DEFAULTSORT:Paretsky, Sara 1947 births 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American mystery writers American detective fiction writers American women novelists Cartier Diamond Dagger winners Living people Artists from Ames, Iowa American people of Polish-Jewish descent University of Chicago alumni University of Chicago Booth School of Business alumni University of Kansas alumni Novelists from Chicago Jewish American novelists Anthony Award winners Edgar Award winners American women mystery writers Novelists from Iowa 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers 21st-century American Jews