Rating: 
Summary: Character Development overshadows Plot
Review: Total Recall is a fine VI Warshawski novel, one of Sara's best.Both VI and Sara have evolved and matured over time. Sara has turned a corner by adding more dimension to VI, Lotty and Max. The development of the characters was more significant in this novel than the Byzantine plotting Ms. Paretsky is known for. A few tidbits: It's good to see VI finally got a cell phone. Except she has to remember to charge it once and awhile. I was getting concerned in the previous books that VI had the morals of an alley cat. I'm glad to see her settling down with a guy like Morrell, except I'm nervous about his trip to Afghanistan turns out. VI avoided getting beaten up every fifty pages. Lotty's bizarre behavior in this novel is explainable, if you read it through to the end. She becomes more understandable and human, but still remains the same spunky Lotty. The plot was well entwined, but it was not as impenetrable as some prior VI tales. All in all a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Best Yet
Review: I have read all of Sara Paretsky's novels and believe she is one of the best writers of mysteries around.
This book is perhaps her very best, as the plot is very complicated and moves along with tremendous speed. At the same time, Paretsky explains very well who all the main players are and what their roles are. Her street descriptions makes the reader feel that they are in Chicago.
And the ending -- this was a big surprise to me.
A very moving novel in many ways. Unlike Patricia Cornwell, Sara Paretsky knows how to bring a story to a climax and not leave the reader feel left down.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Waiting For...
Review: I've read all of Paretsky's books and am a long time admirer. This is up to her usual standard. Her plotting and her characters are carefully conceived, the setting well realized. Viva Paretsky! Now if she would only turn these mysteries out with greater frequency....
Rating:
Summary: What an Awesome Effort
Review: I love Sara Paretsky's novel's. They are certainly deeper than your average who-dunit, and it takes a bit of effort to get into the plot, but once there it is well worth the effort. In many ways, this is probably Ms. Paretsky's strongest effort to date. She takes on some really deep and difficult issues, and handles them really well while weaving them into the stroyline of the book. This book centres around Lotty Herschel, the closest thing to a mother that VI has. We see how current events drag Lotty into an abyss that was her life as a Jewish child during the appalling Second World War. The book examines the lasting issues that have followed these Holocaust children throughout their life. Living in a free country, we can only imagine the horror and fright that these Jewish people went through, both those that were lucky enough to get away, and those so many that didn't. This is a powerful novel, and it grabs out the reader's guts and spits them out like none I've read for some time. It's complex and deep and if you take the time to read it, you won't be disappointed. In many ways (dare I say it) it reminds me of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. It is truly a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Paretsky's Weakest Effort
Review: I'm a major Paretsky fan, but this one left me cold. The characterizations of Radbuka and his therapist were so over the top and uni-dimensional that it ruined the book. 'Hard Time' was pretty good, but Paretsky has never regained the heights of 'Bloodshot'.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Paretsky's best
Review: Sara Paretsky is one of my favorite authors and with Hard Time she's surpassed herself. I was disappointed with Total Recall even if it does shed some light on Lotty and I now understand the her much better than I did before. She was a lovable character but I did wonder about the reasons for her extreme aloofness. Now I understand and I like her even more. However, even if some of the power is clearly there (Lotty and her story), some is missing (the Swiss people are not very much alive, and the therapist remains a mystery).
However, it's a wonderful book nonetheless. I love Sara P. and Vic.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing...couldn't put it down...something for everyone.etc.
Review: Please do not feel daunted by some of the reviews below. Yes, Paretsky's characters seem to take a back seat to certain events, but the events are sufficiently compelling for the reader to stay interested. Indeed, when the characters' roles in said events are revealed, it is that much more satisfying and lends added significance to both the "play" and the "players," so to speak. This novel covers a great many interesting subjects, beginning with a fraudulent insurance claim and dovetailing nicely into the Holocaust and the denial of death benefits to survivors (due to the lack of death certificates). We also get a taste of the world of "recovered" memory, as well as duelling political action groups. Within these areas, anyone who feels certain characters are too "two dimensional" has not encountered a true believer-- tunnel-visioned devotees exist in EVERY field, whether it is psychology, religion, politics, etc. Through it all is an overwhelming sense of classism; the "haves" and "have-nots," which also exist in every field and society. VI finds herself navigating all of the above in an intensely personal way that calls into question her integrity and her loyalties. We, the readers, know the honesty of her intentions, but the characters she encounters have legitimate (to them) and internally believable reasons for their behavior towards her. Yes, it's a contentious book-- Paretsky has taken on some very hot-button issues with this one. She raises many troubling questions, answering some and letting others float in the ether. But her wrap-ups are consistent with the events she has presented and the leftover question marks are realistic (ask any real-life detective and he/she will tell you that NO case ever results in answering everything). Even more so, hopefully issues like Holocaust insurance death benefits (no,I'm not Jewish,FYI) and recovered memory will remain topics of earnest and realistic discussion.
Rating:
Summary: Not her best
Review: Sara Paretsky is one of the best mystery / detective writers we have and I look forward to every book. However, this one is not her best work. The political and historical issues she is dealing with take up too much of the book and the characters don't get enough time to shine. That said, a less than stellar Paretsky is better than 95% of the books, mystery or otherwise, available at any time.
Rating: 
Summary: 'Back To The Future' Kind've Read!
Review: Total Recall by gifted storyteller Sara Paretsky takes her readers on a road trip spaning through the ages of time. (50 years ago to be exact) This well written story is an intricate maze of wartime lies, heart-shattering secrets and harrowing retribuation. A must read...
Rating: 
Summary: Not up to her usual standards!
Review: This book was very disappointing. Many of the characters are 2 dimensional (especially Radbuka and his ridiculously overdrawn therapist) and much of the dialogue is unrealistic. The coincidences employed to bring the plot together really stretch the limits of credibility. I read it to the end but put it down feeling I would hesitate before buying the next VI.
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