Review: Critical Mass

Critical Mass by Putnam Adult
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I've read this series-2013 was the last time to be exact! I just got the newest one from the library and realized I'd missed this one, so I read this first. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy the series. I read this in almost one sitting, (interrupted by having to cook dinner.) V.I. Warshawski's friend Lotty Herschel has asked her to look for Judy Binder, the daughter of a fellow Holocaust survivor. V.I. is stymied by the lack of cooperation from Judy's relatives, and discovers a greater mystery when Judy's son Martin is discovered to have gone missing. Meth addicts, nuclear physics, and high tech secrets become intertwined as V.I.'s investigation continues. The plot was exciting, and kept me reading.

As I was reading I realized how similar V.I. Warshawski and Kinsey Milhone are. Both are single private investigators. Both live closely to elderly single men who look out for them and often get involved with their investigations. Both use running for exercise and for thinking. Both ignore sensible advice and go with their hearts which gets them into some dicey situations. There are differences of course, and overall, I think that the Warshawski plots are grittier and darker than the Milhone plots. I like both characters a lot, however, and will continue reading both.

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