Rating: 
Summary: a New England reader
Review: Please, Sara Paretsky, let VI grow up! While I enjoyed some parts of this book, I was ultimately bored by the unrelenting bitter tone of the narrative. VI's body has aged with the years but her mental attitude has not matured. Let her mature and mellow! In this book, all female prisoners are victims regardless of their crimes; all rich people are evil; all married women in the suburbs (even the helpful one) are bimbos. I am single, in my 40's and I've fought for liberal causes. Yet I could in no way relate to VI--though I did in my younger years. She is simply not believable anymore. I used to love this series-I will still read it just to see if VI ever grows up.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard read
Review: Paretsky needs to let V.I. grow up. A character in a continuing series is interesting and believable only if allowed to mature and grow, i.e., learn from their experiences. Throughout the book V.I. reminds us her body is aging -- at least something is changing about her. I found the characterizations extreme and the plot predictable as well as melodramatic. Paretsky needs to choose another vehicle for a diatribe about prison issues.
Rating: 
Summary: A quick, easy read
Review: I'm a big fan of Sara Paretsky so I was excited to see that she has a new book out. Hard Time was a great read and I had no idea what was going on "behind the scenes" until the very end. I love when you feel you know the characters, and I was quite involved from the very beginning.
Rating:
Summary: In the mostly great VI series, this sticks out as a stinker
Review: Our heroine must be suffering from depression. Paretsky has replaced our witty fun detective with a morose whiny dud who takes herself way to seriously. Add to that a plot that is too hokey and characters that just aren't believable and you start to wonder if you're reading a VI book at all. I found the depiction of the womans prison painfully childish and the ending predictable and anticlimactic. I'd say borrow this book from the library if your a die hard fan and must read it but don't waste your money on buying it.
Rating:
Summary: Improbable but V.I. triumphs again
Review: I agree that V.I. is getting a bit long in the tooth to be carrying on as she does, but it works. The plot in this latest Paretsky offering had me turning the pages like a house afire. As an avid mystery reader, I enjoy the forthrightness of V.I. while fully realizing the improbability of her life. But who wouldn't want Mr. Contreras as a neighbor or the slavish devotion of her two dogs? Coupled with the realistic look at our prison system, this book has a great deal to say (also about corruption in the legal system). Thanks, Ms. Paretsky...anxiously awaiting the next offering.
Rating: 
Summary: Like Revisiting and Old Friend
Review: Reading Paretsky is like going back to visit old friends. As this series progresses, I've noticed that the stories have become more socially relevant. I agree with other Amazon reviewers that V.I. taking so many physical risks in her 40's is getting just plain stupid, but Paretsky's writing and plotting is so good, it's hard to nit pick. One thing: I started reading this series years ago. V.I. ages, but Golden Retreiver Peppy must be about 20 years old by now. Similarly, Old Lottie and Mr. Contreras must be about 100. Nontheless, for fans of Sara Paretsky, her books are too few, and too far between. This is one of her best.
Rating:
Summary: Older, though not wiser
Review: Although Paretsky has allowed VI to age, she definitely hasn't allowed her to mature. Her insistence on taking on matters when it's unwise to do so makes you wonder just how smart a private detective she actually as is. As well, I was getting tired of the constant beatings VI took throughout the story. I liked the story nevertheless and was surprised at Jean Smart's ability to take on different accents and attitudes as she brought the characters to life.
Rating:
Summary: Paretsky bounces back
Review: For those who have followed V.I. Warshawsky over the years, this is one of the best of the series. If you have never read one, this is as good a place to start as any. Paretsky writes a great mystery, and brings Chicago's neighborhoods to life.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great Book from Sara Paretsky!
Review: I always enjoy novels by Sara Paretsky. Hard Time, although an excellent book, it may not be as engaging as her others, but it is definitley a very different book. V.I. is actually put into prison and you get a frist hand account of her horrors and dangers within. Definitley action packed, with a little more violence than usual. Overall an excellent book definitley worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Welcome Back, VI
Review: I am an unabashed fan of female detective novels, and Sara Paretsky is one of my favorites. This is a terrific read - one I hated to put down. As usual, the characters - even minor ones - were vivid, people you knew or might know. I eagerly waited for the story to unfold. Too often, when a popular novelist decides to "raise our consciousness" with social issues, the result is a failure; not so in this case. Paretsky draws a picture of Coolis, a fictional prison, that made me uncomfortable. I felt concern - even as I eagerly turned the page to see the plot unfold. This is a well-crafted piece of work and a satisfying mystery.
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