Strangers in Death
by J.D. Robb
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.24 You Save: $5.75 (72%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Strangers in Death
Book Review: More strong story-telling by Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb
Summary: 4 Stars
It looks like the most ordinary of crimes--a wealthy businessman is found dead in his bed, a rope around his neck and sexual aids both point to a possible sexual escapade going wrong. When his wife, safely alibied a thousand miles away, indicates that the dead man, Thomas Anders, was into kinky sex, the case seems open and shut. Except there are too many flaws for police Inspector Eve Dallas. Eve suspects the dead man's beautiful but cold wife, Ava--who stands to gain richly from her husband's death. Still, there's no doubt she was a thousand miles away, no bank withdrawals indicate the possibility of a murder for hire, and Ava's only known outside lover is a Licensed Companion who's personally known to Eve--no way would he have killed for her.
Eve continues to push on the case, looking for the flaw she knows must exist. The murder seemed well-planned, but the flaws indicated that the killer's nerve may have failed. Who could Ava have persuaded to do the deed? With the help of her billionaire-husband, Roark, Eve diggs deeper into Ava's activities. Could she have been responsible for her father-in-law's death as well? Still, without evidence, all she has is suspicion. Eve swears Ava won't get away with her crime, but even in 2060, evidence is needed to convict.
Author J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts) delivers another clever and well-written futuristic mystery. We didn't get the real emotional depth in some of the other In Death novels, but clever Eve, perky Sgt. Peabody, brilliant (and rich) Roark, and the rest of the characters in Eve's police world come together to follow distant connections, linking together possible crimes and possible connections that Ava had believed could never be found. STRANGERS IN DEATH is an enjoyable read--one I ended up consuming in a single sitting.
Book Review: A solid crime story with great characters
Summary: 4 Stars
It should first be said that this is part of a series about New York Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas, her friends and colleagues and her husband, multibillionaire Rourke. It makes sense on its own, but regarding the characters it's a lot better to have read the other titles in the series first. And they're definitely worth it.
'Strangers in death' is about the death of the wealthy owner of a sports equipment company. At first glance, it seems like a kinky sex session gone wrong. But it becomes clear very soon that this was a well-planned murder. The man was a nice guy according to everyone but his wife, who's obviously lying about a lot of things. But she has a watertight alibi and friends in high places. That doesn't stop Eve from following her instincts and trying to find out how and why the widow could have murdered her husband.
I enjoy the series a lot, mostly because I really like the characters and because the crime stories are always intelligent and have depth. The reason why I didn't give it 5 stars was that this time, the idea comes from a film whose story I happen to know, so I was somewhat ahead of part of the solution. Apart from that, which may not be a problem for all readers, it was a good crime story. I always enjoy some more stories about these characters, so a new Eve Dallas-novel is always a treat. Former titles had more depth and bite when it came to Eve's and Rourke's pasts and relationship, but then they have been together for a while now and I guess you can only write so much about their secrets and conflicts. So all in all, this is a solid and satisfying new title in this great series.
Naked in Death (In Death)
Book Review: As Good as Ever with an Ending to Satisfy
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't know how many novels about Eve Dallas I've read. I started at the beginning before she met Roarke and have kept going. This one is as satisfying as all the others. The familiar cast of characters is here, each one doing their thing, all still evolving and growing in their roles. In this one, there are two murders: a beloved sporting goods magnet is found dead in bed, apparently the result of kicky sex gone wrong, and a no-good straying husband who seems to have been killed by the woman he picked up in a bar. Wrong! It doesn't take Eve long to suspect a specific person, the one person everyone thinks couldn't possibly be guilty of such a crime, and the way she solves both crimes is great. The climax when she's facing the killer is satisfying because, when it happens, she does exactly what a lot of the readers will probably be wanting to do. Other climaxes are on a more personal level--more interaction between the richest man in the world and his police lieutenant wife. In this one, they have one of their rare arguments--over his money and her lack of it--before the inevitable making-up. Watch out for the scene in Roarke's steamy, heated swimming pool. If the water wasn't hot before Eve slid into it, it certainly is afterward! One of the things I particularly like about these books are the exchanges between Eve and Peabody, and Eve and Roarke--and the obvious love these two characters--who have both had hard lives and are still to a certain extent picking their way through their relationship. This book is up the same high standards as the other novels and is one I recommend.Book Review: Why does every mystery series do this? (Possible Spoiler)
Summary: 1 Stars
Two books prior in this series, I was becoming concerned that Ms. Robb was running out of things to say about her "...in Death" series. This book pretty much clinched that. I understand the urge authors and other creative media people have to pay homage to the classics that inspired them, but there's a very fine line between "homage" and "Oh, crap! I have a deadline! What will essentially write itself?"
For the first time, Eve disgusted me. If she'd been a flesh-and-blood person and said some of those thoughts out loud, I would've punched her and taken the 'assaulting an officer' charge. She's been overdue for a massive ego deflation for a few books now, but of course, that's not going to happen.
There's only one way to sum up this book without giving away *everything*: Hitchcock did it better the first time. In addition, this book seems to have come out when just about 3/4 of every procedural show was using the *exact same plot*. Even the *title* gives it away to anyone who's read a few mysteries or watched classic films. Very disappointed. She can do so much better than this.
Book Review: Just... ok.
Summary: 3 Stars
I've read all of the In Death series and most of Nora Roberts' other novels. While I enjoy them all and find them all to be a step above most other authors in the genre, this one just kind of... annoyed me.
I've enjoyed Eve and Roarke and the murder mysteries. As a female in law enforcement, I enjoy seeing a lead character that is a strong female in the profession. However, I really found Eve's behavior in this book to be really offensive. I do not enjoy how Roberts seems to portray beat cops/patrol officers as morons and fat slobs. Eve seems to take pleasure in treating the beat cops like crap, which I really disliked.
As far as the story itself, it was entertaining and worth the cost of the book. It wasn't my favorite, but I did like a break from the "killer wants Eve as his ultimate trophy, so Eve sets herself up as bait and takes him down with a karate chop of doom!" plotline that Roberts seems so fond of with these books.
It wasn't her best effort, but it was still a decent read.