Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death #60
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Mystery/Thrillers
Format: Audio ALC
Narrator: Susan Erickson
Date of Publication: February 4, 2025
No. of Pages: 368
Length: 10 hr 30 min
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
His passport read Giovanni Rossi. But decades ago, during the Urban Wars, he was part of a small, secret organization called The Twelve. Responding to an urgent summons from an old compatriot, he landed in New York and eased into the waiting car. And died within minutes…
Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds the Rossi case frustrating. She’s got an elderly victim who’d just arrived from Rome; a widow who knows nothing about why he’d left; an as-yet unidentifiable weapon; and zero results on facial recognition. But when she finds a connection to the Urban Wars of the 2020s, she thinks Summerset―fiercely loyal, if somewhat grouchy, major-domo and the man who’d rescued her husband from the Dublin streets―may know something from his stint as a medic in Europe back then.
When Summerset learns of the crime, his shock and grief are clear―because, as he eventually reveals, he himself was one of The Twelve. It’s not a part of his past he likes to revisit. But now he must―not only to assist Eve’s investigation, but because a cryptic message from the killer has boasted that others of The Twelve have also died. Summerset is one of those who remain―and the murderous mission is yet to be fully accomplished…
MY THOUGHTS:
Four decades ago, the Urban Wars marked a period of significant historical upheaval. Detective Eve Dallas’s most recent murder investigation leads her to examine the conflict in Europe in 2026. Summerset, Roarke’s majordomo, is poised to play a pivotal role in Eve’s new case. The murder victim, Giovanni Rossi, is revealed to have been a member of a clandestine group known as The Twelve. Surprisingly, Summerset is also a member of this group, albeit for reasons that remain enigmatic. The group comprises only a select few individuals, and the discovery of a kill list underscores the urgency for Summerset and the remaining members to seek protection under Eve and Roarke’s watchful eyes.
Upon discovering Rossi’s peculiar demise, Eve’s pursuit of his perpetrator intensifies, concurrently with her responsibility to safeguard Summerset and the others. For newcomers to the series, this revelation is undoubtedly shocking. Roarke, Eve’s affluent billionaire husband, possesses expertise in various fields. For several years, Summerset has been employed by Roarke, and Eve, following their marriage. He has played a significant yet discreet role in their lives. This is particularly noteworthy given that Summerset is the individual who ultimately gave Roarke his life and saved him during his youth.
The In Death series, set in the mid-21st century, several decades after the end of the Urban Wars, surprisingly shocks Summerset with Rossi’s demise, yet not entirely in disbelief. The shock he experiences is palpable. In this latest captivating and addictive installment, a substantial portion of the narrative focuses on Summerset, offering readers a glimpse into his early life.
Eve is in a very good place in her life. Loving Roarke and living a life with him is more than she ever imagined for herself. However, Eve has always felt a certain way towards Summerset, even avoiding him whenever possible. Now, Eve finds herself responsible for his life. Her carefully orchestrated life is controlled by rules, or boundaries, that she sets for herself - marriage rules, work rules, friend rules.
My review would be incomplete without acknowledging the exceptional narration provided by Susan Erickson throughout the entire series. Her remarkable ability to capture voices and convey the distinct personalities of each character is unparalleled. With Erickson’s voice acting, it becomes effortlessly apparent that Eve’s witty and sharp remarks, Peabody’s humorous demeanor, Summerset’s reserved nature, and Roarke’s protective instincts are all vividly portrayed. I really sunk into this audiobook, making me utterly crazy about this book, just as I was with every book in this series. Now, to wait for book 61 …
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nora Roberts was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, the youngest of five children. After a school career that included some time in Catholic school and the discipline of nuns, she married young and settled in Keedysville, Maryland.
She worked briefly as a legal secretary. “I could type fast but couldn’t spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever,” she says now. After her sons were born she stayed home and tried every craft that came along. A blizzard in February 1979 forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate.
Born into a family of readers, Nora had never known a time that she wasn’t reading or making up stories. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981.
Nora met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Since that time, they’ve expanded their home, traveled the world and opened a bookstore together
Through the years, Nora has always been surrounded by men. Not only was she the youngest in her family, but she was also the only girl. She has raised two sons. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming.
Nora is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.”
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