University of St. Thomas

Sara Paretsky revolutionized the mystery world when she introduced her private detective, “V.I. Warshawski,” in her 1982 novel Indemnity Only. By creating a strong female investigator who uses her wits as well as her fists, Paretsky challenged the conventions of a genre in which women traditionally were either vamps or victims. Fourteen other “Warshawski” novels followed, all national bestsellers, including her most recent, Breakdown. The Los Angeles Times says, “Paretsky is unique among the women writing about women,” while Publishers Weekly claims, “Among today’s P.I.’s nobody comes close to Warshawski.” In addition to her “Warshawski” novels, Paretsky has written Ghost Country, which blends comedy, magic, and gritty realism in Chicago’s mean streets. She has also edited three collections of short stories and her books are published in 24 languages.

Paretsky’s deep-rooted concern for social justice—the hallmark of her novels—has carried her voice beyond the world of crime fiction. In her powerful book Writing in an Age of Silence, she explores the traditions of political and literary dissent that have informed her life and work against the unparalleled repression of free speech and thought in the US today. As a frequent contributor to the New York Times’ op-ed page and a speaker at the Library of Congress, Oxford University, and the University of Chicago, she is an impassioned advocate for those on society’s margins.

The Luann Dummer Lecture Series features a distinguished woman speaker each March, Women's History Month.  Established in 1994 through a gift from the estate of Dr. Luann Dummer, the lecture series is open to the St. Thomas community and the public.