Author: Sara Paretsky
Publication: Minotaur Books (November 10, 2026)
Description: International bestseller and groundbreaking icon Sara Paretsky returns with a brand new novel and character - proving once again that she's one of the pre-eminent authors in crime fiction and beyond.
To all appearances, Lily Sedako is an ordinary retiree―a seventy-something single woman living in Chicago, her days filled with the routine tasks of normal life. But underneath that exterior, lies a remarkable past. A former CIA field agent, she spent her career in various Central Asian countries, most notably in Hayalistan, a former USSR territory. But everything went sideways when Lily's connections to the mountain tribes resulted in her being moved to a new post and Rani, the tribal leader and first democratically elected President was removed, presumed killed, in a coup
All of this is long behind her when she receives an anonymous package containing a magazine with an article about Hayalistan―an article with a previously unknown photo showing Lily in the background. This was no mistake―someone out there is trying to expose Lily, after more than two decades, for reasons unknown. Even worse, the magazine story casts doubt on everything she believed to be true about her time in Hayalistan.
Lily is determined to find out who is behind this and, even more important, the truth of what really happened so long ago. As word of her investigation reaches the CIA, the company knows that they must silence her but Lily is no one's pawn, even now. Using hard won skills and personal connections from her former life, Lily takes on the unwise, and perhaps impossible task of fighting back against the powerful forces aligning against her.
In a powerful novel about love, power, corruption, aging, trust...and revenge, Bad Company reaffirms Sara Paretsky place as one of the pre-eminent crime writers of our time.
My Thoughts: Lily Sedako looks like an ordinary retiree who is living in Chicago. However, Lily spent forty years as a CIA agent. She spent most of her time in Hayalistan which is one of the Stans. She fell in love with the people and with the man who became the Prime Minister until he was violently overthrown.
Lily was a successful agent despite being hated by her immediate supervisor who didn't think women belonged in the field and did everything he could to sabotage her. His supervisor was her godfather who managed to keep Lily in the field.
Now, she receives an anonymous package containing a magazine with an article about current day Hayalistan which features a photo of Lily taking part in a women's ceremony. The article blames Lily for the woes Hayalistan suffered after a billionaire opened lithium mines in the country which led to pollution, drug abuse, and the destruction of the way of life.
She is determined to find out who outed her and who is blaming her for the problems. Also, the mining leases are coming up for renewal, and the owner doesn't want anything to get in the way of that process. The current CIA is unduly influenced by the billionaires who are darlings of the current administration and want Lily silenced.
Lily is on the run from the CIA while she tries to find out what is going on and deciding what to do about it.
This was a fast-paced thriller with an intriguing main character. She smart. She's determined. And she's old with the various aches and pains that come with age and with a woman who suffered injuries on her job.
Lily not only needs to save herself but has to save her mentor while bringing down the bad guys. Great story!
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
Although this does not sound like a book I would read, I enjoyed your review
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