Indulgence in Death

J.D. Robb
aka Nora Roberts

The first day Lt. Eve Dallas returns from vacation she's assigned a strange murder case. A chauffeur from a prestigious limousine company was shot through the neck with a cross bow. Cross bows are restricted and licensed. The shot was extremely skilled showing the killer had practice with a cross bow. This should be fairly easy to track down.

Of course it isn't that easy. Soon one of the top licensed companions in New York is killed. She is found in an amusement park horror house, stabbed through the heart. Although the methods and victims are different, Dallas is certain the two murders are tied together.

Both of the services - limousine and licensed companion - had been bought with stolen corporate credit cards and information. The two companies involved are high end security companies that are supposed to be experts in identity protection. The executives whose identities were stolen have to deal with the repercussions of the thefts and murders.

Dallas and Peabody, her partner, have to deal with the deaths. Roarke, her husband, signs on as an expert consultant. McNab, Feeny, Dr. Mira, and others from past cases are also pulled in quickly. Despite the randomness of the murders, the group start pulling on threads. Dallas is sure there will be more murders of top notch people in their chosen fields. What she doesn't realize is that she could be next on the murderer's list.

After all these years I would think that this series would get stale. There are over 30 novels in the series as well as some short stories. Yet J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) keeps this series fresh. Sure, some are not as good as others, but some shine. Indulgence in Death is more on the "shine" side of the equation.

Before the reader gets to the real mystery in Indulgence in Death, Dallas and Roarke are in Ireland to visit his family. The family farm is not Dallas' or Roarke's world. Its silence bugs her. He enjoys the change. Even there, though, Dallas get involved in a murder. Robb shows a little more of the character's lives in this interlude, keeping the long time reader happy. Then Robb gives an intriguing mystery. Dallas jumps to the right conclusion a little too quickly, in my opinion, but still has to prove it. This is more the story of knowing who and how, yet not being able to prove what is known.

The detection builds well and justice is served in the end. Eve Dallas is able to get her satisfaction during the final interview - figuratively thumbing her nose at a man who had been doing the same to her through the investigation. Indulgence in Death is fast paced and easy to read. It can be read as a stand alone. Best main character development, though, comes from following the books in order through the series.

Notice:  Non-graphic violence, Strong indecent language, Strong sexual content

Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
"Midnight in Death" Silent Night
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgment in Death
Betrayal in Death
Seduction in Death
"Interlude in Death" Out of This World
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Remember When (written w/ Nora Roberts)
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
"Haunted in Death" in Bump in the Night
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
"Eternity in Death" in Dead of Night
Creation in Death
Strangers in Death
"Ritual in Death" in Suite 606
Salavation in Death
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
"Missing in Death" in The Lost
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
"Possession in Death" in The Other Side
Treachery in Death
New York to Dallas
Celebrity in Death
Delusion in Death
Calculated in Death
Thankless in Death