Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb | Book Review

Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb

In Death #4
First Published: 1996
Paperback
Adult, Mystery
Rating:

When the autopsies of three suspicious suicides reveal small burns on the brains of the victims, Eve's investigation turns to the provocative world of virtual reality games--where the same techniques used to create joy and desire could also prompt the mind to become the weapon of its own destruction. J.D. Robb is the pseudonym of author Nora Roberts.

With every book that I read, the In Death series seems to be getting better. Maybe I'm watching the growth of Robb as a writer in front of my very eyes. Maybe it's the characters developing. But whatever the reason, Rapture in Death is my favorite of the series so far, but something tells me it might not stay there for long--maybe not even as far as the next book.

We left Eve and Roarke finally married, and what comes after a wedding? a honeymoon! Only, a power couple like Eve and Roarke can't possibly have a normal honeymoon. Nope, their honeymoon has to end with a murder looking like a suicide.

Yikes.

If you don't know these books and are a bit confused, Eve is a tough homicide detective in 2058 New York whose sole mission in life is to bring justice to those who have been robbed of theirד. Her other half, Roarke, is the guy who owns half of this futuristic world. The guy who's picture you'd see in the dictionary underneath multi-billionaire. The guy who is the definition of wicked, smart and sizzling.

And if you're ever in search of a brilliant, sustaining, steady romance in books - this couple will always be at the top of my list.

The strongest part of this book was seeing the growth in Eve. She finally shows fear; both ordinary fears and emotional ones. That's a far cry from the detective we met in Naked in Death, who would've never even dreamed of letting someone else see her afraid.

Then there was the fact she finally trusts Roarke and his magical hands enough to go against procedures and the rules in exchange for a faster result. That is yet another thing she would've never done before.

But Eve isn't the only one developing - Roarke is, as well. We got to see a lot more of him and his past in this book, and we encountered his cruel and cold side when someone does something he can't forgive. Call me twisted or crazy, but I loved that side of him in this context. Sometime, a little evil is warranted.

And while this book deals with horrific murders, it never failed to make me laugh. I love that about J.D. Robb. The power to take something heavy and, without taking from it, make it into something a person can smile from is rare and valuable.

Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb | Book Review

Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb

In Death #3
First Published: 1996
Paperback
Adult, Mystery
Rating:

She was one of the most sought-after women in the world. A top model who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted -- even another woman's man. And now she was dead, the victim of a brutal murder. Police lieutenant Eve Dallas put her professional life on the line to take the case when suspicion fell on her best friend, the other woman in the fatal love triangle. Beneath the facade of glamour, Eve found that the world of high fashion thrived on an all-consuming passion for youth and fame. One that led from the runway to the dark underworld of New York City where drugs could fulfill any desire -- for a price . . .

When I finished reading Glory in Death, the second book in the series, I was so hungry for more that I just had to read the next book immediately. Ultimately, I think this was not the right choice - because I feel fairly certain that I would've liked this book a lot more if I took a short break between the two books.

Why? Two reasons.

The first, I feel like I was kind of too in-sync with Robb and that helped me identify the killer the moment I met him. That made me feel like it was too obvious (or Robb is just very talented at radiating underlying evil-ness from her characters) and frustrated that no one figured it out sooner.

The second is the pacing, which was much slower compared to Glory in Death. While I loved the homey bits between parts of the case, I wasn't the biggest fan of how the investigation dragged. Not that the pace wasn't realistic, but still.

Speaking of which, the homey parts are the best. We previously left Eve and Roarke on a cliffhanger in the form of a marriage proposal. Immortal in Death opens up with the most adorable and funny exchange between the love birds about the upcoming wedding, ensuring that Eve accepted and that I am a happy, grinning, camper.

But nothing is ever simple for Eve Dallas. On top of wedding preparations--of which she is scared stiff--she's got to deal with a couple of murders, clear her best friend from said murders, and deal with her murky and abusive childhood.

But don't let that scare you - while these books always deal with harsh subjects, J.D. Robb is a master at balancing the ugly with the good, the cute and the heartwarming, through quirky dialogues, colorful and lovable characters and swoon-worthy romances, and she does it in a way that puts a smile on your face.

Speaking of the characters... Eve is, as usual, amazingly likable and kickass. I won't delve into too many general details about her 'cause I did that in my review of Glory in Death, but I will say that I love seeing her loyal side and deal with her emotions over her horrific father.

Roarke, her soulmate, is as yummy as always. This time we got to see another side of him, the side of him that can get upset with Eve. And if anything, it just added to their relationship.

A thing that kind of retracted from their relationship, or at the very least from some of the things that happened with it was how Robb squeezed in a worry Eve had over the wedding and their feelings in the last chapter. That was just so sudden and sprang put of nowhere. There was no need to add this one, especially not in the last chapter, and then solve it so easily.

An interesting character we got to know better in Immortal in Death is Eve's bestie, Mavis. I've always loved Mavis, with her ridiculous and over the top personality, but she somehow ended up being "just another character" in the book for me. She felt somewhat flat, as opposed to Peabody who positively shone!

I'm getting ahead of myself. Peobody is a young, ambitious cop who looks up to Eve. We met her before, but we got to see a whole lot more of her in Immortal in Death as Eve attaches her to the case. What we find is a witty, strong and smart woman who has a funny comeback to everything, but takes her job very seriously. She added much needed humor to the dry parts, but she was never just that. She was an integral and important part of the plot--not just comic relief.

J.D. Robb brings interesting, engaging, believable and likable characters to life in a complex web of mystery and intrigue, with no lack of sexy or heartbreaking times. This series is rapidly becoming one of my favorites!