Review: Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb

(More like 4.5 feathers!)
Seduction in Death

(In Death #13 )

by J.D. Robb

The pursuit of love has never been so deadly. A killer seduced by the idea of love targets victims of an online poetry chatroom where after making an arrangement to meet, he wines and dines them, slipping potent and rare date-rape drugs into their drinks until all they feel is euphoria and desire. These unsuspecting romantics continue to be targeted by this anonymous killer. Coming in to stop this string of murders from occurring, Eve Dallas uses everything in her arsenal to take this killer down. Unfortunately for her, her own past keeping veering her concentration off the case. As Eve tries to battle her own personal demons, McNab and Peabody engage in their own dance of bitter lovers.

 I LOVED the idea of this book. The seducing killer was such an interesting idea that I think it really made this case stands out from the others in my opinion. In this book, Eve’s past is played up a little more and we see a much more graphic and tortured scene painted before us. It really made me love Eve more. As a reader you can sympathize with her and what she has gone through when you read the parts about her dark childhood, but as Detective Eve Dallas, you also experience a side of Eve that is strong and competent and confident. I like that we see so many facets of Eve in one single book.

This time I listened to the audio of this book and noticed right off the bat that Susan Ericksen tweaked the voices a little bit. The most notable was Peabody. Our favorite aid no longer has that nasally voice anymore, which to be honest, was a little annoying in the previous recordings. But I found that I really liked the changes that Ericksen made in this book.

Of course, no UTC review of an In Death is complete without Roarke. Still as endearing and desirable as ever....Roarke doesn’t need a date rape drug to seduce such willing victims, his charm and that Irish lilt is all he needs. I love him.

Purchase Links: Amazon

ARC Review: Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb

 

(more like 4.5 feathers!)

Delusion in Death

(In Death #35)

by J.D. Robb

Eve and Roarke will always have a place in my heart. Even after 35 books, Robb is able to captivate me and take me on a ride that is thrilling and exciting and new.

In DELUSION IN DEATH, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called in when an entire bar is slaughtered, leaving the number of deaths in double digits. With few survivors and out of character behaviour, Eve is again stumped at the occurrence of events. It seems that everyone in the bar attacked one another, causing a bloodbath that even an experienced cop like Eve has to look away. Survivors speak of experiencing an intense headache that slowly builds to these horrific delusions where angers flare and fear rises which results in them to act out in defense or attack.

Eve gets her goons in place and tries to solve this mystery as quickly as possible. However, Eve believes that this could be the works of a terrorist. As fear rises of another attack, Eve works doubletime to catch the killer.

Meanwhile, Roarke has been pushing Eve to see Dr. Mira where she can confront her past head-on and finally battle those demons that have haunted her for so long. Eve does and it’s such a great leap of faith because readers now feel as if Eve sees light at the end of the tunnel. That she finally believes that she can overcome this and simply not just bury those experiences in the hopes that they will just fade away in time. I loved that Eve took initiative and it displays her emotional strength well.

As with all of Robb’s books, I was totally engrossed in this story. While there is more focus on Eve’s case, there are still some memorable moments between Roarke and Eve that make it to my favorite moments list. I love that there is still so much heat between them even after all this time. Their love is potent and that comes across in each of these books, especially in DELUSION IN DEATH.

*ARC provided by publisher

 

 

 Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb

 

Betrayal in Death

( In Death # 12)

by J.D. Robb

A trained killer is on the loose. He is attacking people who work for Roarke and has been having his merry way with them. He beats then, rapes them and then finishes them off with his trademark weapon, a silver piece of wire. This guy is a slick criminal, both intelligent and cunning as a cat. He manages to always slip out of Eve’s grasp like water.

But Eve Dallas still won’t give up this fight because this case hits a little closer to home. Roarke is now feeling responsible for these deaths because of their involvement with them. He believes that they wouldn’t have been targeted if they didn’t work for him. His grief is palpable and shadowing and it was nice to see how the tables turned in this one. Usually, it’s Eve who feels the weight of the grief and horror of her job, but in this book Roarke shows another side of him that I wasn’t expecting. Robb continues to enhance her characters in a way that makes me love them more. She is able to portray both the light and dark times of their lives in a way that you feel like you can relate to them.

A couple of twists and turns are evident in this book, making this one an easy one to devour. I also really loved reading from Yost’s POV because it offered a look into a killer’s mind. You can see his plans, see how his mind works and in comparison to Eve’s mind, it was a refreshing glance at two sides of a coin.

There’s some trouble in paradise between Peabody and McNab. Their casual relationship is now strained because it seems that McNab has an different idea of their relationship. My fingers are crossed that things work out for them, but for now, the ride is a little rough as they try to work out their differences.

In the end, I found that BETRAYAL IN DEATH was one of my favorites of the series. I find it harder to choose the best one since all of them are equally great. I still don’t know how Robb manages to keep things fresh without repeating the same notions over and over again. Somehow, it all just works.

 

 

 

 

Purchase Links:  Amazon

Review: Witness in Death by J.D. Robb

 

Witness in Death

(In Death # 10)

by J.D. Robb

A man is murdered right before Lt. Eve Dallas’s eyes.

My favourite cop and her hunky husband Roarke go out to attend a play. Undoubtedly enjoying the fact that Roarke owns the theatre, Eve feels like she can finally relax a bit.

But when someone takes the death of a character into literal means and stabs the superstar of the show, Darco dies with a single stab through the heart.

Eve soon finds out that actors are very good liars because she is thrown this way and that way until another murder catches her attention. Seeming to think that both homicides are linked, Eve uses that smart brain of hers and plays a game of who-did-it?

Witness in Death gripped me from the very first page and I devoured this book! Again, Robb never fails to make me fall in love again and again with Roarke and Eve. It seems that in this book, Roarke had more of a presence. Despite being ten books into the series, Robb keeps the romantic aspect of this series solid. And countless times I feel like she is able to recreate their love that only makes it evolve and delve deeper.

The tone, while still gritty and hardass like Eve, is a tad lighter in this one. There are plenty of jokes that made me laugh out loud or smile. It makes for a perfect balance between all that death and more sensitive subjects that Witness in Death covers.

All in all, this book goes down as one of my favourites. Again.

At this rate, I’d be surprised to find a Robb book I didn’t like.

 

Review: Loyalty in Death by J.D. Robb

 

Loyalty in Death

(In Death # 9)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

Loyalty in Death has one of the best endings in so far in the series! It kept me on my toes and got my heart jackhammering in my chest! But before I talk about the ending, let’s start from page one...

My favourite cop, Lieutenant Eve Dallas has a murder case where a wife has literally screwed her husband over. When Lisbeth literally drills her cheating husband to a wall with one of his power tools, Eve doesn’t think her life could get worse. But then she starts getting these suspicious notifications from a group called “Cassandra”. Cue rolling of the eyes because, yes they believe they’re acts are for the betterment of society. Blah-blah. Every, single time Eve receives one of these messages, my hate for them grew and grew until I couldn’t take it anymore! Eve Dallas had to take them down! Their arrogance, their ignorance and their false belief that their actions were what the world needed made me want to take them down myself. And that is how I came to love this series, and especially this book.

Robb has the ability to take hold of your heartstrings and thug until you feel that ache in your chest. Some of the events in this book shattered a lot of the characters, including the rocksteady Lieutenant we all know and love. And I felt it too.

A new character is introduced. Zeke is Peabody’s younger brother and he is such a sweet soul. However, his visit to New York brings forth a lot more trouble than he is expecting. He develops feelings for Clarissa, B.D.’s wife and thus, gets sucked into a whole world he is not ready for.  I really loved his presence in this one.

But it’s the other Peabody that made this book for me! DELIA PEABODY, YOU ARE AWESOME! I absolutely adore Peabody and her quirky remarks here and there. I especially love it when her ovaries take over and all she can think about is getting some-some. And boy, does she get it in this one! I couldn’t have been more happy for the two of them! So well deserved!

And the ending. Wow, the ending was amazing. Action-packed and filled with adrenaline, I loved  every single moment of it! Perhaps the best thing about it is the fact that Roarke is becoming more and more prevalent in Dallas’s cop business. How he does this without stepping on her toes is beyond me!

The Roarke and Eve dynamic is as dynamite as ever. They go through some struggles, some little arguments here and there. And most of the time it’s due to Eve’s lasting belief that being with Roarke is still all a dream. I love seeing that soft spot of Eve’s when it comes to Roarke.

And last but not least, here’s your Roarke.

Let’s keep the drooling to a minimum, okay?

 

 

Purchase Links: Amazon

Review: Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb

 

Vengeance in Death

(In Death # 6)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

VENGEANCE IN DEATH is ice, frigid. Or as the eccentric Mavis would say, mag. I think this book just topped my previous favourite, RAPTURE IN DEATH. There were so many good things about this book that I’m not sure where to start. First off, the case that Lieutenant Dallas has been dealt is a gruesome one. It hits a little closer to home because of the violation that these victims have endured and it all seems to lead to Roarke’s past.

As you know, Roarke hasn’t always been the polished and powerful businessman he is now. Once, long ago, he was a just a kid in Dublin trying to make ends meet that likely got his hands dirty. It was his acts in Dublin years ago that seem to anger someone enough to push them into a killing spree.

This book is much more gritty and bloody than the previous books and I loved every moment of it. It always showcases a lot of Dublin, the place where Roarke is from. I loved reading the little bouts here and there were his Irish brogue revealed itself. It was sexy.

There’s also the introduction of Ian McNab from the EDD who has come in to assist Eve in this case. With his colourful choice of clothing and his flashing earrings and smart mouth, McNab has easily become one of my favourite characters! I am hoping for more appearances from him in future books. I see something between him and Peabody, whether its attraction or irritation, I don’t know yet, but I LIKE IT!

 

 

Purchase links: Amazon

Review: Holiday in Death by J.D. Robb

 Holiday in Death (In Death # 7)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

Even the Christmas holidays are filled with death in this series! But I guess when you work as a Lieutenant like Eve in New York, you’re bound to meet a few dead bodies along the way.

HOLIDAY IN DEATH is another keeper! In this book, Eve Dallas finds herself in another jam, where a murderer is on the loose, approaching people in a Santa costume and binding and raping them before he kills them. Yeah, this person is a sick one.

And it’s Eve’s job to find the killer before they kill more people.

I loved this book! It seems that Robb isn’t capable of writing a bad book. I honestly have nothing to say that hasn’t been said before. She weaves such fantastic stories, keeping you engaged until the very last pages of the book. And it’s those very last fifteen pages or so that really set Robb’s books apart from other authors. She unravels the mystery quickly in the end, revealing who the murderer is while also uping the ante of the action. And this makes for such an amazing ride as a reader.

I really can’t compare her writing to anyone else I’ve read. She’s in a league of her own.

I also want to mention how happy I am to read about McNab again in this one! I love his character! That smart mouth of his always gets him into trouble, but he enjoys the punishment anyway. I’m hoping to read more of him and Peabody!!

And, of course, as tradition I have my Gandy Candy....

 

Purchase links: Amazon

Review: Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb

Ceremony in Death (In Death # 5)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

Robb can weave such great stories and CEREMONY IN DEATH is another great installment to this series. It seems that anything she writes is gold. What’s great about this series is that she is able to keep things fresh but still familiar.

Lieutenant Dallas has a case involving the death of a fellow police officer. More and more clues point the finger at Selina Cross, a crazy Satanic worshiper who participates in dark rituals. While the whole Wicca and Satanic thing didn’t hold my attention as much as the previous books, it was still a solid read for me. I liked that Robb showcased Eve as a nonbeliever in the slight paranormal twist to this book. It is so Eve, who is based on fact and evidence. Then there’s Roarke who doesn’t hold the same opinions as Eve and is more open to the idea of magic. I loved the little detail of the Celtic protection writings engraved in Eve’s wedding ring. Of course Roarke would do that. He’d do anything for Eve.

I really enjoyed Jamie who is Alice’s brother. I thought he was a great new character. He brought that spark of humor that Peabody usually brings. Peabody doesn’t have that usual sparkle of mischief in this one because she is down with a cold, but her presence is still enjoyable.

And then there’s Roarke whom I fall in love with more and more. It seems that my list of favourite scenes with him grows with each passing book.

I absolutely loved this scene:

For once, he slept first. She lay in the dark, listening to him breathe, stealing a little of his warmth as her own body cooled. Since he was asleep, she stroked his hair.
“I love you,” she murmured. “I love you so much, I’m stupid about it.”
With a sigh, she settled down, closed her eyes, and willed her mind to empty.
Beside her, Roarke smiled into the dark.
He never slept first.

Purchase links: Amazon