1. A Hero's Death

At the funeral of her ice-hockey hero cousin, private eye V I Warshawski gets suspicious.

Was his death really an accident?

Sara Paretsky's thriller stars Kathleen Turner.

Dramatised in six-parts by Michelene Wandor.

VI Warshawski …… Kathleen Turner
Lotty …… Eleanor Bron
Bobby Mallory …… William Hootkins
Martin Bledsoe …… James Aubrey
Nils Greyfalk …… Peter Marinker
Paige Carrington …… Teresa Gallagher
Clayton Phillips …… William Roberts

Sara Paretsky has created one of the most popular female sleuths in modern crime-fiction. VI Warshawski is a strong female character in a male-dominated world. She’s comfortable packing heat and trailing nasty suspects, but never loses touch with her basic femininity.

Paretsky says of her Warshawski: "I was troubled by the way women were portrayed in (detective fiction) they always seemed either evil or powerless. I thought it was time for a tough, smart, likeable female private investigator".

Kathleen Turner also starred in the same role in the 1991 film 'VI Warshawski'.

Music:

Rememberin’ Stevie - Buddy Guy
Ballade Pour Adeline – Richard Clayderman

Director: Janet Whitaker

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1993.