Kaye Barley is right. Nora Roberts, under that name or under J.D. Robb, never disappoints, and her storylines are always fresh and original. Faithless in Death, although it’s set in 2061 (not that far in the future anymore), feels like it’s topical and newsworthy in this country right now. That’s unfortunate.
The person who killed Ariel Byrd in her West Village apartment made a few mistakes. They should have cleaned up the bedroom with its messy bed and two wine glasses. The scene and the morning call of 911 lead Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD, New York Police and Security Department, to a wealthy socialite Gwendolyn Huffman. In front of her fiance and lawyer, Gwen tells a story of sitting for a painting early that morning and finding the body, but her story doesn’t add up. And, every time Eve interviews her, her story changes until Gwen is arrested. Even then, something doesn’t feel right. And, Gwen’s story doesn’t get any better after her fiance breaks off their engagement.
Eve Dallas is a bulldog on a homicide investigation. She and her team investigate Gwen’s friends, family, her background. Nothing excuses Gwen’s lies, but the team uncovers secrets involving powerful people and a cult-like group extending all across Manhattan, into the Midwest, and even to an island. Step-by-step, Dallas and her team, along with Eve’s husband, Roarke, investigate, uncovering stories of greed and power and manipulation. It only gets worse as the FBI joins the hunt. And, it all started with a few mistakes and a murder.
Robb’s Faithless in Death is a pageturner. The new book deserves to be, and is, on the bestseller lists. It’s riveting to watch Dallas and her team investigate, building and planning their case. At the same time, the book wouldn’t be as charming and interesting if it didn’t feature fascinating characters, Eve and Roarke, her team, her friends, even the one with appalling tastes in ties that shock Eve’s eyes. Robb adds all the little touches that brings her books to life.
I’d read some of the early In Death books, and for some reason, I just stopped. If I want to go back now, I have close to fifty to read to catch up. It’s always a possibility with such a storyteller.
J.D. Robb’s website is https://jdrobb.com/
Faithless in death by J.D. Robb. St. Martin’s Press, 2021. ISBN 9781250272744 (hardcover), 390p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of the book, hoping I would review it.
Needless to say, Jackie has this on her list to read as soon as the library copy is available. She’s read them all from the beginning (when she started there were a lot fewer to catch up on!) and this is certainly one of her favorite series. She probably has three-quarters of them on the shelf in paperback.
Like most other women, she has a thing for Roarke.
Well, of course. For me, it would be the Irish accent (sigh). I thought of Jackie when I wrote the review. I knew she’s a fan.
Yay Eve and Roarke And the whole gang!
Yay is right, Kaye!
I have never read any of these.
Kevin, I really think you’d like them. Start with the first, Naked in Death. The library will probably have it. And, if you like it, you have 51 more to read! (Just what you want to hear.)
lol….well, if I read one a week……
See, it would only take you a year!
Barry Ergang saw my comment here and sent a eBook of the first one to me yesterday. It may get started this afternoon while sitting out on the deck.
Oh, good, Kevin. You’ll have to let me know what you think. That was great of him to send an eBook!
I’m 15th in line at the library – down from 63.
Whoops…I just checked my library site, my local library must have received the book, I now have it waiting for me to pickup at curbside…
Very good, Gram! I’m glad you’ll have it any day now.