In a recent article in New Statesman, Sara Paretsky revealed that she was almost arrested a few years ago when her name, coupled with the words "Killing Orders," was found in a hit-man's personal papers. Luckily, the State Attorney who was asked to issue the warrant for her arrest recognised the phrase as being the title of one of her books rather than instructions to the assassin. Paretsky explained that, if the same thing happened today, she might not be so lucky. "Under the Patriot Act, the police would not have to explain why they wanted a warrant... They could take me away and make me account for myself without allowing me to talk to a lawyer. They could hold me indefinitely without charging me. They could keep me from telling my family where I was..."
Blacklist is a fictional exploration of such issues. It is also a stunningly good crime novel. Investigating mysterious goings-on in the grounds of a deserted mansion, VI Warshawksi literally stumbles across a corpse. Black journalist Mrcus Whitby met his death while working on a story about the McCarthy era. But how could events of half a century ago be a threat to anyone today? Investigating his death, VI uncovers the dark secrets of some of Chicago's oldest and richest families. In the process, she falls foul of the Patriot Act when she is accused of harbouring a suspected terrorist.
Underlying the exciting, fast-moving plot are disturbing comparisions between
the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s and the post-9/11 right-wing backlash
in the USA. Blacklist is gripping, fascinating and disturbing, both as a crime
novel and as a reflection of the increasingly repressive society in which we
live.
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Chris Willis
Other VI Warshawski adventures are Indemnity Only, Deadlock, Killing Orders,
Bitter Medicine, Toxic Shock, Burn Marks, Guardian Angel, Tunnel Vision, Ghost
Country, Hard Time, Total Recall