Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, #42
Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Mystery/Thriller
February 2, 2016
Berkley
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “I would have stood for you, the law would have stood for you.”
A former senator goes missing, his cousin, Dr. Dennis Mira, is the only witness to the crime. Left with a concussion and a sense of forbidding, Dr. Mira calls his wife for help. Luckily for him, he is married to a renowned profiler for the NYSPD, Dr. Charlotte Mira, and good friends with Lieutenant Eve Dallas. When Eve and Charlotte arrive, Dennis tells them he saw his cousin beaten and sitting in a chair but was hit from behind and now his cousin is gone.
What starts out as a random abduction soon turns into something more insidious when the senator is found dead and tortured. As Eve begins to investigate the senator’s death, she discovers politics and power can make for strange bedfellows. Eve uses her badge and wealth to open closed doors, determined to shine a light on the private lives of the elite and powerful, only to discover a series of crimes so heinous that the lines between victim and killer blur.
Brotherhood in Death is the 42nd installment in J.D. Robb’s long-running futuristic In Death series. Set in the year 2061, a hard as nails lieutenant brings criminals to justice with some help from her billionaire husband and the NYSPD. Strong writing, well-plotted mysteries, intriguing subplots, and continuous characterization helps to keep the world fresh but comforting. Though there is a certain predictable quality to the story, the show us different angles used in police investigation. Robb continues to blend our heroine Eve’s personal life with her professional one, keeping the addictive action packed mystery perfectly in tune with the established romance and personal drama that constantly hums in the background. Humor and some lighthearted moments walk hand in hand with the more emotional scenes, giving readers the time to come to terms with the darker aspects of the story. Though riddled with police procedurals and investigative terms, Robb writes with an easy hand, allowing those unfamiliar with either of these aspects to follow along.
Eve is on her way home early for once when she receives a frantic call from her friend and department resident shrink, Dr. Charlotte Mira, begging her to come to an unknown address. Her husband, Dennis Mira, has been hurt and a family member is missing. Eve rushes over to learn that Mr. Mira was knocked unconscious and his cousin, the powerful ex-senator Edward Mira, has been abducted. Eve learns Dennis was at the family homestead to discuss Edward’s attempts to sell the family property out from under Dennis. With little to no evidence, Eve is starting out blind with only Dennis’s vague recollections and a politician’s legacy to help guide her.
I have noticed this series becoming progressively darker as Robb moves from futuristic based crimes into more personal timeless ones. I want to note that this particular storyline is sexually dark and may be a trigger for some. While Robb doesn’t write violence gratuitously, she also doesn’t whitewash. Per usual, the storyline revolves around watching how Eve and her team using their myriad of skills and know how to solve the case. I did feel this one started off a bit slow in the beginning. I felt more time was spent listening to Eve investigate then actually seeing her in action. There was also some oddness to the dialogue in the beginning. It seemed to struggle to find a comfortable flow. The pacing and dialogue both pick up just before the halfway point and Eve begins to make inroads into the investigation and the pieces start to form a picture. As the nature of the crime(s) speak personally to Eve, we see the connections made and the flashbacks that plague Eve as she struggles to remain objective. We also see her dismay that two people she whom she sees as friends and pseudo parent figures are hurt by this case. Dennis Mira has always been an important secondary character and I enjoyed Robb taking the time to peel back his layers to show us what lies behind his normally affordable personality. HIs and Eve’s scenes together are particularly poignant.
Familiar faces along with some new ones provide entertainment, outrage, and some sorrow tinged moments. Eve continues to loosen up in the workplace and love her ability to joke with her squad. They have her back and she finally believes it. Readers will love seeing Eve and Roarke as they continue to grow in their lives together. Steamy love scenes, romantic declarations of love, and just enough fire out of the bed (or the shower, the elevator, etc…) tells a beautiful tale of triumph over tragedy. One scene in particular sets the stage for some changes in their home, telling us that they are ready to move onto another chapter in their life together.
Brotherhood in Death is another welcomed addition to the series, giving readers an engagingly layered mystery to help solve and a dynamic couple whose love affair continues to capture our attention even 42 books in. As always, I love visiting Robb’s version of the future and look forward to the next installment.
RATING: B
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