Veena’s review of Calculated in Death (In Death Series, Book 36) by J.D. Robb
Romantic Suspense/Paranormal Romance published by Putnam Adult 26 Feb 13
I have been a diehard fan of this series and in some ways I feel that this one is a back-to-basics type of book with good old- fashioned police work necessary to solve the murder. I have expressed before that I am amazed the series is still going strong and do feel like many other people that we need a dramatic change to take this series to the next level or a way of bringing it to a good end.
We get to see Roarke and Eve as they find the happy place that well-adjusted, long-term married couples find. A good understanding of each other’s needs and the space each requires for themselves. The frantic new couple excitement is past and though one misses the intensity a bit, the book wouldn’t feel right to keep that level of intensity. Eve is now comfortable in her role of Roarke’s wife and able to use his taste and wealth in helping her do her job where it is necessary. It is very sweet when she asks him to pick out her wardrobe as she sets out to interview the rich and wealthy suspects on her list for the day.
Of course, we meet all the characters that we know and have developed relationships with from the past. We also meet some new characters and see how the justice system operates when it’s one of your own who is killed. In a murder made to look like a mugging, Eve Dallas is called to the scene with her trusty sidekick, Peabody. As they inform the next of kin and start to prepare their murder board and begin to look for evidence, they find that the killer has, as always, left clues in how they commit murder and a great profiler in the form of Eve and Dr. Mira can see into the psyche of the killer.
As Eve starts to create her circle of influence and tug strings, other bodies show up. I feel that there is good suspense until midway, at which point Eve solves the mystery of who gave the orders, who executed the orders, and the greed that inspired the killing. Now it’s up to Eve to find the proof that the justice system needs to complete the job.
The groundbreaking Icove case has been a part of many an In Death book as Nadine Furst writes a book which then gets made into a movie, and now it’s time for a premier and the backdrop to trapping the killer. Eve and Roarke retreat to a well-deserved time together instead of partying with the crowd.
All in all, a good, solid book with a good, solid story, sort of like curling up with a nice fuzzy blanket on a cool night.
Grade: B
Summary:
On Manhattan’s Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn’t seem the type to be on anyone’s hit list. When Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta’s murder was the work of a killer who’s trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.
When someone steals the files out of Marta’s office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke’s world of big business to figure out who’s cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer’s violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait. .
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
Naked in Death, Jul 1995
Glory in Death, Dec 1995
Immortal in Death, Jul 1996
Rapture in Death, Oct 1996
Ceremony in Death, May 1997
Vengeance in Death, Oct 1997
Holiday in Death, Jun 1998
“Midnight in Death,” Silent Night, Nov 1998 (anthology)
Conspiracy in Death, Apr 1999
Loyalty in Death, Oct 1999
Witness in Death, Mar 2000
Judgment in Death, Sep 2000
Betrayal in Death, Mar 2001
“Interlude in Death,” Out of This World, Aug 2001 (anthology)
Seduction in Death, Sep 2001
Reunion in Death, Mar 2002
Purity in Death, Sep 2002
Portrait in Death, Mar 2003
Imitation in Death, Sep 2003
Divided in Death, Jan 2004
Remember When, May 2004 (novella)
Visions in Death, Aug 2004
Survivor in Death, Feb 2005
Origin in Death, Jul 2005
Memory in Death, Jan 2006
“Haunted in Death,” Bump in the Night, Apr 2006 (anthology)
Born in Death, Nov 2006
Innocent in Death, Feb 2007
Creation in Death, Nov 2007
“Eternity in Death,” Dead of Night, Nov 2007 (anthology)
Strangers in Death, Feb 2008
Salvation in Death, Nov 2008
“Ritual in Death,” Suite 606, Nov 2008 (anthology)
Promises in Death, Feb 2009
Kindred in Death, Nov 2009
“Missing in Death,” The Lost, Dec 2009 (anthology)
Fantasy in Death, Feb 2010
Big Jack, Mar 2010 (novella)
“Possession in Death,” The Other Side, Nov 2010 (anthology)
Indulgence in Death, Mar 2011
Time of Death, Jun 2011 (novella)
Treachery in Death, Jul 2011
New York to Dallas, Sep 2011
“Chaos in Death,” The Unquiet, Sep 2011 (anthology)
“Celebrity in Death,” Feb 2012
“Thankless in Death,” 2013
