Dear Reader,In the world of murder there is no one better than Lt. Eve Dallas. Eve is that special kind of murder cop, the kind that gets inside the head of the murderer all the while standing up for the murdered. In J.D. Robb’s newest release Indulgence in Death, Eve Dallas faces a crime not of passion but of sport and watching her dissect the evidence piece by piece is riveting. Fans of the series will not only get a complex and interesting murder for Eve to solve, but they’ll have the added bonus of watching her work with characters we’ve come to know and love.
I have read all of J.D. Robb’s In Death books and with each book I gain a clearer insight into Lt. Eve Dallas of the New York Police and Security Department. With each new installment of the series I look forward to catching up with Eve, her husband Roarke, her partner Detective Peabody, and all of her friends and co-workers. Each new book brings us more insight into their personalities and their relationships. The exciting part is that each time we meet these characters they have experiences and life changing events that allow them to grow and we get to witness their evolutions. Of course with each book we also get a murder mystery that has to be solved. This one is a particularly good one.
Since this is the 31st book in the series, you heard me right 31 books, I wondered if it would be hard for a reader to pick this one up and still get a sense of what was going on. At this point, I’m so invested in the characters it is hard for me to be objective enough to know if these books stand alone; if a reader would be able to jump into the middle of this series and really know what was going on. To that end I gave this book to my older sister to read. She’s never read a J.D. Robb book (I know, I too asked her what cave she’d been living in). But, she graciously consented to read the book without any prior knowledge of the characters and their pasts. It was early (very early) the next day when I received a phone call from my sister asking me if I had any more In Death books and if I could bring them over right away. Another convert. But not so fast… I had to know if she really understood the dynamics between the characters. Her response was simple; she loved the strength, intelligence and integrity of Eve, the passion and power of Roarke, and the camaraderie and by-play between the characters. She was invested in the clear focus and determination of the investigation and was interested, curious and excited about ‘who done it’. I knew then, yes, these books do stand alone; because no matter what happens between the characters, J.D. Robb has also created each book to be a compelling stand alone murder mystery.
In Indulgence in Death, Eve and Roarke return from vacation and Eve barely has time to sit down before she’s on a new case. When a limousine driver and then a high-price licensed companion are found dead the only thing connecting them are the murder weapons. It soon becomes a game of finding the killer before he/she/them strike again. This one is a fast paced dynamic read. Eve is clever and has the ability to put the pieces together because of her experience, intellect and good old fashioned police work. She’s a heroine worthy of the name. When you read and In Death book you get both the piecing together of a crime as well as insight into how Eve Dallas thinks, acts and feels. Each step in the investigation brings us a piece of the murder puzzle, as well as a piece of Eve.
Lots of wit, charm and humor along with murder, mayhem and blood, are the rare combination that fuels this book and makes you a convert to the world of Eve Dallas.
So dear reader, with deft interplay between the characters, the mystery of murder, clever plotting, and dramatic timing all interspersed with sharp dialogue and a sense of camaraderie and family, this one has it all.
Until next Monday, remember, there’s a book waiting to be read.
I’m curious; how many of you are fans of J.D. Robb’s In Death series? If you are who’s your favorite character? What character would you like to see featured in the next book?
