Veena’s review of Passions in Death (Eve Dallas, Book 59) by J.D. Robb
Romantic Suspense published by St. Martin’s Press 03 Sep 24
Eve Dallas is a homicide cop, but this one hit close to home. A bachelorette party at the Down and Dirty and a murder in the same room, where Eve was once assaulted at her own pre-wedding bash. A surprise turns bloody, the wedding flowers will become funeral flowers, and the long-dreamed-about honeymoon to Hawaii will never happen. Is it a crime of passion or cold premediated murder? Eve and her trusty sidekick Peabody are on the job and justice will be served.
There were no cameras and no clues as to whodunit. It will take old fashioned police work with a good helping of gut to get to the bottom of the crime and bring the killer out into the open. It’s only as Eve begins to crack the case open in the end and starts looking for proof that the story picks up the pace. Otherwise, it’s a little slow and meandering.
Since there is no flashbang or multiple murders, there was time to dwell on how much Eve has grown into her rich and luxurious lifestyle and how much her relationship with her billionaire husband has settled into a comfortable fit. Dr. Mira is, of course, there to provide her insights and consults, and along the way if we catch a glimpse of the relationship between the Miras and see Mr. Mira in a role as cook and plumber, all the better. We also catch a very quick glance at all the other usual suspects between the electronic division, Eve’s own squad, etc.
Slow and steady wins the race, and I salute Ms. Roberts – or Ms. Robb as I should refer to her here for this series – for coming up with yet another motive for murder. I miss the fast pace, the curve balls, late-night dream chats with the victims, fun interactions with Eve’s squad, and glimpses into Roarke’s largesse as he treats the team to food and drink to fuel their investigation. So I can’t wait for the next case in the In Death series.
Grade: B
Summary:
On a hot August night, Lt. Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, speed through the streets of Manhattan to the Down and Dirty club, where a joyful, boisterous pre-wedding girls’ night out has turned into a murder scene. One of the brides lies in a pool of blood, garroted in a private room where she was preparing a surprise for her fiancée—two scrimped and saved-for tickets to Hawaii.
Despite the dozens of people present, useful witnesses are hard to come by. It all brings back some bad memories for Eve who once suffered an assault in the very same room—but she’d been able to fight back and survive. She’d gotten justice. And now she needs to provide some for poor young Erin.
Eve knows that the level of violence and the apparent premeditation involved suggest a volatile mix of hidden, heated passion and ice-cold calculation. This is a crime that can be countered only by hard detective work and relentless dedication—and Eve will not stop until she finds the killer who destroyed this couple’s dreams before the honeymoon even began…
No excerpt available.
