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

Review: Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb

 

Rapture in Death (In Death # 4)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

Starting off with a sexy pic of Roarke again...because I can. 

RAPTURE IN DEATH is by far my favourite of the entire series and that’s quite a statement since I loved all the books leading up to this one. There was just something about this book that lured me in from the get-go. In this one, Eve Dallas is happy for a change. This is not to say that she was morbid and depressing in the previous books, but there’s this spark within her that I noticed right away. She’s a woman in love and it’s just so great to read how her relationship with Roarke grows with each passing book.

Lieutenant Dallas’s case this time involves a series of deaths that seem to be caused by self-termination. But upon closer inspection, Eve believes that another factor is causing these rich and relatively happy people to become suicide victims. As she explores various avenues and leads, she finds herself meeting an associate of Dr. Mira, a woman named Reeanna Ott. Dr. Ott is also a psychologist whose beliefs are that experiences do not shape people’s lives and that the fate of a person relies on who you are at birth. I loved this side of the story because psychology is my field of study. All that frontal lobe damage and psych talk was definitely my thing.

Then there’s Mavis and her gig with a new character named Jess. Jess sees potential in Mavis’s overall music career and he wants to be the man behind it. So Mavis, along with her beau, Leonardo and Jess put their heads together to make a demo for Mavis which premieres at a party that Roarke hosts. All in all, Robb crafts an amazing story. There is so much that goes on, but she manages to keep the pace moving.

And I haven’t even mentioned Roarke yet! Wow, there are so many scenes with Roarke in this book and it’s partially the reason why I loved this book so much! Eve and Roarke steam things up in this book! There is one particular scene that has topped my favourite scenes with Roarke and it’s the car/lawn scene that involves Eve putting the pedal to the metal, flashing lights, torn and ripped clothing and some bite marks. This scene alone is enough reason for you to start this series!

Here's a pic of sexy Roarke after this hawt sex scene...

Another great thing about this book is PEABODY! I love her! Delia is becoming more and more prevalent in this series and I’m so excited about it! I love the idle banter between her and Eve. They’ve become such great friends. And Peabody cracks me up whenever her ovaries start taking over.

I can’t wait to read the next book! There are soo many reasons why you should start reading this series. I don’t think I could name them all. But perhaps this last picture of Roarke will persuade you.

(You're welcome.)

Purchase links: Amazon

 

 

Review: Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb

 

Immortal in Death (In Death # 3)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads!

 

Immortal in Death is the third book in the In Death series and although it wasn’t my favorite out of the three, it was still a solid installment to the series. In this book, Eve Dallas’s best friend, the eccentric Mavis Freestone is the prime suspect for the murder of a well-known celebrity. So it’s up to Eve and her partner, Delia Peabody to find the real killer in this case while Eve gets set to marry Roarke in a few week’s time. Busy lady, but I guess it’s all in a day’s work for Lieutenant Dallas, huh?

I liked the new twist in this one with Mavis being more involved. I love her character and found that even though she was caught under the red lights, she was still a very enjoyable character to read. I mean, really, Roarke can’t be the prime suspect in every book. So I liked this change.

All these books so far have put Eve in a tough position where the suspects are usually someone she cares about, such as Roarke and Mavis. But I feel like in this one, it hit closer to home. There was this vulnerability in Eve that we didn’t see so much in the previous books. Her guilt overrides her logical and restless mind until she can’t really take it anymore. And furthermore, there are her nightmares that she’s been having that unravel the truth about her past. I will admit that there were some moments that were too much for me. Eve Dallas’s past is a haunting one. But they also make her who she is as a character. It is because of her past that she is as resilient as she is as a cop.

I also have to note how much I adore Dr. Mira. I loved how she handled Eve when she was summoned in the middle of the night because of her nightmares. Since Psychology is my field of study, I was fascinated by how Mira turned a horrific night into something that Eve could handle, showing her that despite her past, she wasn’t to blame and that she has grown to be a different person now.

Then there is Delia Peabody, Eve’s partner in crime. I LOVED Peabody. I adored her dry humor and occasional sexual remarks about Casto. I am definitely looking forward to reading more about her. She’s climbing up on my list of favourite characters!

And then of course, there is Roarke who is just perfect! Always the gentleman, always there. I love him! Of course, I must speak about that sexy gym scene? That was hawt! That particular scene is probably one of my favourites of Roarke! Again, I love his faith in Eve and the fact that he allows her to be who she is. Even with the ongoing investigations and all the twists and turns, their love still shines. Robb does a great job balancing the romance and the mystery in this one.

As for the investigation, I was a little upset to find out who the killer was. I happened to really like this particular character and hoped to see more of this person in future books. What can I say....sometimes, I like the baddies.

 As is tradition....I have to post my Gandy Candy. No In Death review is complete without Roarke.

 

Review: Glory in Death by JD Robb

Glory in Death (In Death # 2)

by JD Robb

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads!

Opening line: “The dead were her business.”

From that first line, I was sucked in. There is something about Robb’s writing that just sucks me in completely. I love the way she describes things. I love the way the words flow and I love that there’s this sense of detachment or coldness in the overall tone of her writing. It makes the mystery of the story that much more intriguing.

Eve Dallas is one of my favourite heroines. I love her strength and determination in her work. It’s admirable. Ironically enough, Eve Dallas lives and breathes death. It’s her job and Eve takes her duty seriously. So much so that she forgets to take care of herself.

In Glory in Death, Eve is the primary on another murder case, this time of a well-known woman in law who was caught off-guard with a slice to her throat. Lieutenant Dallas is on the case, doing her job to perfection. But when more deaths occur, Dallas is thinking that maybe the person she initially thought was committing the crimes isn’t the right person anymore. This causes her to retrace her steps and review the evidence. The suspense in this book is amazing, all the way to the end of the book. I can’t even choose which one I prefer between the first book or this one! Both are great!

And then there’s Eve’s relationship with Roarke. There are some rough tides between the lovebirds in this one, but in the end, Roarke is still as loyal as can be. I want to marry Roarke! Even when he’s angry, he manages to turn me on. There’s nothing about this guy that isn’t sexy. Simply put, Roarke is a dream. And I want him bad.

I loved that Eve let herself feel in this one. She’s so preoccupied with her work life that she doesn’t take time for herself. In this one, she does. She spends some quality time with Mavis, her awesome best friend and of course, Roarke, who does the most sweetest things for her. I’m incredibly jealous. Would it be creepy to say I wish I was Eve Dallas?

I can’t wait to read the next one! I wonder why it took me so long to read this series. Obviously, I was missing out. And if you haven’t read this either, then make sure you pick this one up soon! 

This is my Roarke *sigh*

 

Review: Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

Naked in Death (In Death # 1)

by J.D. Robb

Romantic Suspense

Find it on Goodreads!

Can you believe that this book was published in 1995? I was seven years old when it came out! Robb’s In Death series contains thirty books and is still going strong. I know it’s daunting to start a series with so many books, but there is a reason why it’s still alive and kicking. The reason is...Roarke.

Simply put, Roarke is dynamite in this book! From his very first mention in this book, that penetrating stare he gives Eve Dallas, is enough to keep me swooning for days. There’s just something so compelling about Roarke that I can’t exactly specify. I think it’s a combination of his intelligence, his allure as a wealthy business man and the fact that he is so loyal and believing in Eve that makes me love him so much! He is definitely the newest addition to my harem list! I want more Roarke!

“I don’t like the idea of you shivering unless I cause it. Stay warm. – Roarke”

As if Roarke wasn’t enough reason to keep reading this series, there is another character who is just as compelling. Despite her washed out appearance and stone-cold exterior, Eve Dallas, a veteran cop kicks some serious ass in this book. Her single-minded focus and sharp-tongue gets the job done and I love her determination when dealing with investigations. How can I not love a heroine after saying something like this:

Unable to resist, she swung by the bench, leaned close enough to smell sour vomit. “That was a charming invitation,” she murmured, then arched a brow when the man peeled open his fly patch and wagged his personality to her. “Oh, look, kitty. A teeny-tiny little penis.” She smiled, leaned just a bit closer. “Better take care of it, asshole, or my pussy here might mistake it for a teeny-tiny little mouse and bite it off.”

Clearly, she is a woman who can hold her own, one who doesn’t rely on a man to get what she wants. In fact, that’s one of the problems Eve faces in this book. Being independent all her life, Eve isn’t comfortable with men. But Roarke comes barging into her life and as he pursues her relentlessly. And as a result, he slowly gains her trust. I loved their chemistry and their developing relationship. And I look forward to reading about them more.

In addition to the great romance, there’s a plot! When a young prostitute is murdered, Eve finds herself singlehandedly investigating the case. And as more and more deaths occur, Eve is starting to believe that more is happening than meets the eye. There’s a great bit of action that goes on in this book and I really enjoyed Robb’s writing style. It had the perfect amount of gore, violence and sex and with strategically placed humorous scenes, I had a ball reading it! Now I simply have to find more time to read the rest of the books in this series!