Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, #41
Futuristic Romantic Suspense
September 15, 2015
G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “He’s mine now and he’ll get my best.”
Ella-Loo and her boyfriend Darryl were separated once by the state of Oklahoma but now that Darryl has been released, they vow never to be separated again. Committed soul mates, they feel the world owes them. When they get tired of waiting for it to be handed to them on a silver platter, they try to take it by force. When a carjacking goes bad, ending in death, Ella-Loo finds the danger and violence sexually thrilling. Wanting to experience it more and more, she takes Darryl by the hand and leads them down a long bloody road towards New York City.
Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPD is at a loss on her latest homicide victim. Unable to find answers to his death, it’s not until more victims pop up that Eve realises they may have a pair of sadistic serial killers on their hands. When a young woman goes missing, Eve knows they have a limited window of time to find them alive. With the help of her husband, her team, and some outside resources, Eve begins a deadly game of hide and seek with a pair of killers who made the mistake of thinking NYC was theirs for the taking.
Devoted in Death is the 41st installment in J.D. Robb’s thrilling futuristic mystery series. Taking place in the year 2061, the series revolves around a tough as nails police lieutenant, Eve Dallas, and her sexy billionaire husband, Roarke. I find it amazing that this series (story wise) has only advanced two years in time. The writing and character advancement are so strong and creatively revealed, you get the impression that years have gone by. Robb perfectly blends Eve’s personal life with her professional one, creating an addictive action packed police thriller with a lush established romance that constantly hums in the background. Though plumb with police procedurals and investigative terms, Robb writes with a liberal hand, making it easy for those unfamiliar with either of these aspects to follow along with nary a hiccup.
Eve has just returned from a much needed tropical vacation with her husband Roarke only to be called out on a homicide. A famous cello player has been tortured and murdered; his body dumped far from home. The only clues are the letters E & D surrounded by a heart carved into his skin. As Eve submerges herself into her investigation, she meets up with an out of town cop who claims he has knowledge of this case. Deputy William T. Banner from Arkansas has been investigating earlier murders whose MO bears a striking resemblance to Eve’s case. Unable to get his chief on board, Banner starts connecting the dots on his own time which leads him to NYC and Eve. Eve invites Banner to join her team as they slowly begin to piece the puzzle together and discover a way to capture this destructive duo.
This installment starts out a little different from previous installments as we are made privy to the villains in the beginning. The storyline revolves around watching how Eve puts it all together to solve the case. Robb flashes between the past and present, allowing us an intimate view of Ella-Loo and Darryl as they make their way towards NYC while Eve and her squad investigate their crimes in present day NYC. Robb gradually intersects the two storylines and merges them together towards the climactic finale. A majority of the book focuses mainly on the investigation of the case with snippets of Eve’s personal life dotting the storyline. Readers will appreciate the continued evolution of Eve as she continues to become more comfortable in her life with Roarke and in her own skin. Though she will never forget her childhood, she is gradually coming to terms with it and letting go of the guilt that has held her hostage for years.
The case itself is interesting in the way it’s presented. The readers are in the know before Eve and I found this caused me to be more heavily invested in watching her use her skills and gut feelings in solving the case. Some violence and sexual assault is alluded to so for some readers this may be a trigger.
Old familiar faces along with some new ones provide entertainment, sweet sigh invoking scenes, and the usual humor. Eve still continues to be confounded by the oft-repeated and taken for granted sayings we all sprout unconsciously. Fans will love the deepened friendship and camaraderie Eve has developed with her squad. The family style atmosphere only serves to further enhance how much Eve has grown in the past two years. The chemistry between her and Roarke is still steamy hot and Robb doesn’t cheat readers out of their private times together-assuring us the honeymoon phase is still going strong. *wink* I love there is a small scene where Roarke experiences some jealousy. It’s nice to see as he is usually in tight control of his emotions and seemingly maintains a level head at all times.
Fans of the series will find comfort in the familiar as Devoted in Death continues the In Death saga with a thrill based storyline, much beloved characters, and a timeless romance.
RATING: B
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