Lily comes out of retirement to run one last op while on the run from her former employers in U.S. intelligence, but also to reexamine her legacy as a field agent and as an American in foreign lands. Throughout her career she was known as frequently impulsive and even insubordinate, but also an effective and loyal agent. She believed she was a force for good in the world and someone who could raise the voices and visibility of the marginalized peoples of Central Asia, where she was stationed. Forced to confront her complicity in the American exploitation of the people and resources of the former Soviet satellite of Hayalistan, she springs into action to expose the secret machinations of power. Lily doesn’t hesitate to put her own life on the line to fight for what she believes is right, revealing the considerable skills of disguise and infiltration that she has retained into her seventies.
Bad Company is full of fiercely talented and determined women, each trying to make their own way in a world that denies them respect and agency. As a longtime fan of Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski series, I recognize these traits and admire the characters as they outwit and outplay the rich and powerful in the pursuit of justice. In addition to Lily, CIA analysts Marissa and Halina struggle with the ethics and constrictions of their roles within the intelligence power structure. And while they aren’t given a narrative point of view, there are many other women of various ages in Chicago, Long Island and Hayalistan finding their voice and their power to aid Lily along the way.