Reviewer: Holly Rapture in Death by J. D. Robb, Nora Roberts
Series: In Death #4
Also in this series: Creation in Death, Strangers in Death, Suite 606, Salvation in Death, Kindred In Death, Naked in Death, Glory in Death, The Lost, Immortal in Death, New York to Dallas, Celebrity in Death, Brotherhood in Death, Fantasy in Death
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: 1996
Genres: Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 310
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Series Rating:
They died with smiles on their faces. Three apparent suicides: a brilliant engineer, an infamous lawyer, and a controversial politician. Three strangers with nothing in common - and no obvious reasons for killing themselves. Police lieutenenat Eve Dallas found the deaths suspicious. And her instincts paid off when autopsises revealed small burns on the brains of the victims. Was it a genetic abnormality or a high-tech method of murder? Eve's investigation turned to the provocative world of virtual reality games - where the same technique used to create joy and desire could also prompt the mind to become the weapon of its own destruction.
This novel takes place right at the end of Eve and Roarke’s honeymoon. I think this is the first book where we really see them in harmony with each other.
Once again Eve’s case spills over into her personal life. People keep killing themselves, but Eve is convinced they were helped along. Her only evidence – besides her gut feeling – is each had a small blip on the brain. For me it isn’t ever hard to figure out who the villains are, but it is a joy watching Eve work. I especially liked the moral and social implications this case delved into. Mind control/mood control is a very scary thing.
There’s one scene in particular with Roarke that’s very emotional to read about. I will say, reading this book knowing what’s going on ahead of time really changed the tone of some of the scenes. The first time around my reaction was much different than it was this time around.
Something about the end of this book strikes me as odd, however. I don’t want to spoil it, but Eve’s reaction during the very last scene of the book seems off somehow. I can’t quite put my finger on why it’s wrong, though.
Overall a good entry.
4 out of 5
For a full list of the books and their reading order, see here.
This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
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