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A review by liberrydude
Burn Marks by Sara Paretsky
3.0
This story’s plot can be summed up in two aphorisms: no good deed goes unpunished and don’t shoot the messenger. At times Vic is more a social worker than an investigator.
Vic takes in her indigent, alcoholic Aunt Elena after her apartment building burns down. Vic even finds another apartment for her but her aunt goes off and reappears later with a young black woman who is pregnant and a junkie. They steal from Vic and disappear. Vic finds that the apartment building is insured by a company she’s done business with previously and is hired to investigate its arson. Meanwhile the police arson investigator accuses her of being the arsonist and treats her like a criminal. Concurrently one of her Latina friends is running for office and has the support of “the machine” and warns her not to be bringing up her past.
Vic soon finds the connections between the politicians, corrupt police, and the ultimate goal of “the machine.” Lots of danger close for Vic in this one.
As usual the misogyny and paternalism from the cops makes you want to gag. This is set in the 1980’s and it’s like time traveling.
Vic takes in her indigent, alcoholic Aunt Elena after her apartment building burns down. Vic even finds another apartment for her but her aunt goes off and reappears later with a young black woman who is pregnant and a junkie. They steal from Vic and disappear. Vic finds that the apartment building is insured by a company she’s done business with previously and is hired to investigate its arson. Meanwhile the police arson investigator accuses her of being the arsonist and treats her like a criminal. Concurrently one of her Latina friends is running for office and has the support of “the machine” and warns her not to be bringing up her past.
Vic soon finds the connections between the politicians, corrupt police, and the ultimate goal of “the machine.” Lots of danger close for Vic in this one.
As usual the misogyny and paternalism from the cops makes you want to gag. This is set in the 1980’s and it’s like time traveling.