BLOG TOUR - What He Did

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for What He Did by J. G. Roberts.


DESCRIPTION:

Your husband’s car crash wasn’t an accident… 

Maddy Shaw learns the life-shattering news in the most horrific way: live on air. As the shaky mobile phone recording pans over the terrible crash, she recognises her husband Simon’s car in the wreckage… He is critically injured, and she rushes to his side.

Detective Rachel Hart knows how it feels to have a loved one’s life hanging in the balance, and hurries to support her friend. Maddy is distraught about her husband’s accident, and Rachel decides to investigate. It’s not her case, but if she can give her friend answers, she will. But she soon realises Simon didn’t crash because he was distracted, or because a tyre blew. Someone made this happen. Someone who wants Simon dead…

After the discovery of a threatening letter, buried in Simon’s diary, Maddy has to ask how well she knew her husband. Then a new victim is found – an old friend of Simon’s, a man he hasn’t seen in years. It seems a dark secret from their past has finally come to light… The killer has a list of targets, and they are dying one by one.

Rachel must race against time to protect her friend and find the murderer, before another life is taken. But however fast she runs, it seems the killer is always one step ahead. And Maddy must decide if she wants the truth – even if it puts her in the killer’s path…

A twisty and breath-taking thriller for fans of Rachel Abbott, Cara Hunter and Angela Marsons.  

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   What He Did

Author:  J. G. Roberts
Series:  DCI Rachel Hart #2

Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers

Publisher:  Bookouture

Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   315

Date of Publication:  October 22, 2019
My Rating:  4.5 Stars

I first met Detective Rachel Hart in the first book of this series, Little Girl Missing. Just like before, Rachel takes on another chilling case. 

Maddy Shaw is doing her regular newscast. As she begins reporting, images begin showing up on the video screen. She freezes and all of the color drains from her face. It is the worst thing she could have ever imagined. She is reporting of a life-threatening car wreck and it doesn't take her but a minute to recognize that the car belongs to her husband Simon. She races to the hospital to sit vigil at his bedside.

Meanwhile, Maddy is devastated by the fact that she is sitting in a hospital, waiting yet again. The other time, it was due to her daughter. She nearly took her own life. Maddy suddenly panics. She is hoping that her daughter does not hear about it on TV or via social media. At first she thinks she has no one to call, but remembers a detective who stood by her during and after her daughter's crisis, Rachel Hart.  

Rachel drops everything to get to Maddy's daughter, prepare her and bring her to the hospital. That is the friend in her. However, the cop in her immediately goes to work. She discreetly asks a coworker to start an investigation. As things slowly unravel, Rachel begins to see that this was no ordinary car accident. Before long, Rachel clearly sees that Simon's car crash was foul play.As Maddy begins to go through Simon's things, she finds a threatening letter. This letter leads credence to Rachel's suspicions.

What a fast-paced, thrilling story! It is not only extremely time sensitive for Rachel to find out who caused Simon's crash, she also has to try and stop other connected murders from occurring, keep Simon alive, all while being there for Maddy and their daughter.

I couldn't put this book down. It was written so very well. It touched on some sensitive subjects for sure, but they were handled quite well. Rachel is a no-holds barred detective and I cannot wait to see her solve her next case.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julia was born in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, and began her career as a professional singer/dancer. This enabled her to travel the world in her late teens storing up experiences she has since included in her writing.

Following roles as a hostess on The Price is Right and a member of the Beadle’s About ‘hit squad’ in the 1980s, she became a TV Presenter and filmed features for Sky Sports before launching the QVC shopping channel in 1993 where she still presents today. Having always wanted to write, she penned her first book, a memoir sold on QVC, in 2013 and has since written four full length novels, two novellas and several short stories.

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BLOG TOUR - Silent Night

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for Silent Night by Geraldine Hogan.

DESCRIPTION:

‘She reached into the pram and placed her hands on the cotton blanket. It was still warm. But her smiling, new baby sister, with her wide blue-grey eyes, was gone...’

Twenty five years later, three bodies are found at a ramshackle cottage in the Irish countryside, and Detective Iris Locke is sick to her stomach. The victims are Anna Crowe and her two young children.

Iris has only recently joined the Limerick Murder Squad. Against her father’s advice, she’s working the narrow lanes and green hills of her childhood. Iris still remembers Anna, who was just a small girl when her baby sister was snatched, never to be seen again. It was the one case Iris’ own father never solved, and Iris can’t help but wonder if the two crimes are connected.

She’ll stop at nothing to find Anna justice, but a fire has destroyed almost all the physical evidence, and Limerick is the same small town she remembers: everybody protects their neighbours, and Iris has been away for too long.

Can Iris unpick the lies beneath the surface of her pretty hometown, and catch the most twisted individual of her career, when reopening the old case means reopening old wounds for her team, the rest of the community, and her own father?

Fans of Patricia Gibney, Angela Marsons and L.J. Ross won’t want to miss this – the first book in a gripping and unputdownable new crime series.

BUY LINKS:

AMZ:  https://geni.us/B07S9XPT9TSocial
Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/y5nxuz7z
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/yxpq5nk2
Googleplay: https://tinyurl.com/y3ctd462

MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   Silent Night

Author:  Geraldine Hogan
Series:  Detective Iris Locke #1

Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers

Publisher:  Bookouture

Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   301

Date of Publication:  August 23, 2019
My Rating:  4 Stars

Detective Iris Locke is now a detective in her hometown of Limerick, despite her father's reticence. As a detective on the force for over 40 years, Jack Locke is worried for his daughter.  He doesn't want her to face anything like what he had to deal with during his career. When she approaches a horrifying crime scene, Iris is rather shocked to discover that she knew one of the victims, Anna Crowe.

Anna Crowe is a name Iris has heard many times before. She was related to a case that her father was never able to solve. That case involved her sister's disappearance from her pram decades ago. It soon seems more than likely that Anna's death definitely had something to do with what happened to her sister.

Iris is forced to dig deep, even bringing her father into the case, although he is long retired. This case begins to open up secrets and unlikely occurrences affecting people much too close to Iris. I loved the pacing of this book, and was rather shocked at some of the developments.

Silent Night is the first book in a new series. With such a harrowing case, Iris has proved her worth to her team, and no doubt, to readers of this series. I am addicted to series, especially ones related to mysteries and crime. I enjoy coming in at the start of this and really look forward to watching Iris excel as a detective. Reading books straight through is especially rewarding when they are written with the flair Geraldine Hogan possesses.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Geraldine Hogan was born in Ireland. She gained an Honors Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree in Training and Management from University College, Galway. She is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of four contemporary fiction novels under the pen name Faith Hogan.

Silent Night is her first crime novel, her second is due out in December 2019.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She's a writer, reader, enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger - except of course when it is raining!

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Review - An Unsettled Grave

Title:   An Unsettled Grave

Author:  Bernard Schaffer
Series:  A Santero and Rein Thriller #2

Genre:   Mystery/Thriller

Publisher:  Kensington

Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   288

Date of Publication:  July 30, 2019
My Rating:  4 Stars 

DESCRIPTION:

In this brilliantly chilling follow-up to The Thief of All Light, veteran police officer Bernard Schaffer digs deep into the past--and the haunted psyches of the detectives who search for truth . . . at any cost.

"There's a thousand scavengers in these woods."

Before being promoted to detective, Carrie Santero was given a rare glimpse into the mind of a killer. Through her mentor, Jacob Rein--a seasoned manhunter whose gift for plumbing the depths of madness nearly drove him over the brink--she was able to help capture one of the most depraved serial killers in the country. Now, the discovery of a small human foot buried in the Pennsylvania woods will lead her to a decades-old cold case--and the darkest secrets of her mentor's youth.

"Nobody trusts an animal that tries to eat its own kind."

Thirty years ago, a young girl went missing. A police officer was murdered. Another committed suicide. The lives of everyone involved would never be the same. For three agonizing decades, Jacob Rein has yearned for the truth. But when Detective Carrie Santero begins digging up new evidence, she discovers some answers come with shattering consequences.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

In this second book in this series by Bernard Schaffer, Carrie Santero is a full-fledged detective after solving an incredibly vile case. Carrie then worked with a former detective, Jacob Rein, who remains her mentor, even though he is highly disillusioned and really down on his luck.

The case Carrie is working on is a cold one. A foot was found, and it looks like it might belong to a young girl who went missing thirty years ago. At first Carrie approaches Jacob for help, and then realizes she must head to a small town. In so doing, Jacob's past is unearthed. Carrie learns all about a young boy, J.D. Rein, and discovers the connection the little girl lost so many years ago.

Carrie leaves no stone unturned, and reveals some disturbing and shattering evidence. Discovering a connection between Jacob and the formerly missing girl raised a lot of questions. However, Carrie showed remarkable integrity and ingenuity in solving this case.

Even though An Unsettled Grave is the second book in a series, it does remarkably well as a standalone. However, I did read the first book, The Thief of All Light, first as I wanted to become familiar with the primary characters. I generally read books in one sitting, including both of these, back-to-back. I was thoroughly entertained, even with the often gritty delivery as things played out.

I admire the writing style of Bernard Schaffer. His brilliance and honesty in the sometimes less-than-perfect police force shines. Another effective thing in this book was the determination showed by Carrie. I like how her character is written, and also how her past shaped her into the person she is now. I look forward to following this series in the future.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bernard Schaffer is the author of the Santero and Rein Thriller Series from Kensington Publications. AN UNSETTLED GRAVE, the second in the series, is available now. 

Prior to that, Schaffer was a prolific independent author and publisher with works that included best-selling titles such as SUPERBIA, WAY OF THE WARRIOR, and more. 

In addition to writing, Schaffer is the father of two children and a full-time police detective in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA

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Review - The Thief of All Light

Title:   The Thief of All Light

Author:  Bernard Schaffer
Series:  A Santero and Rein Thriller #1

Genre:   Mystery/Thriller

Publisher:  Kensington

Format:  Audiobook
No. of Pages:   368
Date of Publication:  July 31, 2018

My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

"Tense, fast, and excellent--I loved this book."
--Lee Child

From veteran police detective Bernard Schaffer comes a powerful new thriller that crackles with authenticity, page-turning suspense, and spellbinding glimpses into the criminal mind . . .

"It was one thing to fantasize about evil, to reach into the darkness and play with it a little . . ." 

Rookie cop Carrie Santero has always been fascinated by serial killers. As a teenager, she wrote a letter to Charles Manson in prison--and received a chilling reply. Then she came face to face with a child murderer in her small Pennsylvania town, an encounter that haunts her to this day. Now, as a detective in training, she finally has her chance to make a difference; to hunt down a psychopathic sadist who embodies the very nature of evil itself.

". . . but it was something different when it knew your name." 

The killer draws inspiration from the most twisted minds in modern crime. Ted Bundy. John Wayne Gacy. Ed Gein. The Green River Killer. As the body count rises, Carrie and her boss, Chief Bill Waylon, realize they're dealing with an unpredictable "omnikiller" who cannot be profiled. Their only hope is to enlist the help of Jacob Rein, a brilliant but tarnished former detective who has plumbed the darkest recesses of the soul. Who has seen the heart of darkness. And whose insights on evil could lead Carrie to the point of no return. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

A story about detectives written by a detective. In this thrilling start to a new series by Bernard Schaffer, Carrie Santero is a rookie cop who has managed to become a detective in the small town of Pennsylvania where she lives. Carrie has always had a fascination with the criminal mind. When she was a teenager, she wrote a letter to Charles Manson. Now, she faces a killer that is much too much like Manson.

Carrie is facing a child murderer. She is training and has the help of a former detective Jacob Rein. He has had some very dark cases over his career, and although he is no longer a cop, proves to be invaluable with Carrie's first murder case. Carrie's boss, Chief Bill Waylon, is tough but dedicated. When they realize the murderer they are after embodies the worst criminal minds wrapped up in one, Jacob proves to be invaluable to them.

Reading books written by cops are hit or miss for me. In some cases they are far too gruesome. While this book was incredibly intense, with some scenes that will take me a while to forget, there is no doubt that Schaffer's experience shines brightly in his writing. I was definitely captured by the intelligent writing, the case, the mind of the psychopathic killer and the teamwork involved when it came to taking down a brutal killer.

I have the second book in this series, An Unsettled Grave, for review, so I felt impelled to read this title, The Thief of All Light, first. I wanted to get to know Carrie and Jacob Rein. It was good to see how such a young woman could become a detective. It was also good to see how strong and intelligent she is. I have already read the second book and will definitely be following this series.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bernard Schaffer is the author of the Santero and Rein Thriller Series from Kensington Publications. AN UNSETTLED GRAVE, the second in the series, is available now. 

Prior to that, Schaffer was a prolific independent author and publisher with works that included best-selling titles such as SUPERBIA, WAY OF THE WARRIOR, and more. 

In addition to writing, Schaffer is the father of two children and a full-time police detective in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA

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Review - Loyalty in Death

Title:  Loyalty in Death

Author:  J.D. Robb

Series:  In Death #9

Genre:  Detective Fiction

Publisher:  Berkley Publishing Group

Format:  Audible

Date of Publication:  1999, 2007
No. of pages:  372

My Rating:   4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

In this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series known for its tantalizing blend of romance, suspense, and futuristic police procedural, New York cop Eve Dallas faces her most ingenious foe: a “secret admirer” who taunts her with letters…and kills without mercy.


An unknown bomber is stalking New York City. He is sending Eve Dallas taunting letters promising to wreak mass terror and destruction among the “corrupt masses.” And when his cruel web of deceit and destruction threatens those she cares for most, Eve fights back. It’s her city...it’s her job...and it’s hitting too close to home. Now, in a race against a ticking clock, Eve must make the pieces fit—before the city falls. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Not only is there an unknown bomber in New York City, there is a formerly unheard of group sending teasing messages to Detective Eve Dallas. As things go from bad to worse, Eve scrambles to keep the city safe. Eve fights hard, and relies on sexy husband Roarke even more than ever. His technical skills are matched by no other and time is definitely of the essence.

I love this series! One of the things that captivates me is the way Eve is opening up to Roarke. It is bit by bit and equally sad and frustrating, while at the same time imminently rewarding. A dichotomy! Eve had a horrid past and being fully present for Roarke is taxing at times. The way J. D. Robb keeps this as part of the conflict in the story is done so remarkably well. 

Peabody is front and center in this story. She is Eve's aide and they work together on every case. This time around, even with her professionalism, she manages to raise the ire of her boss. Peabody has gotten involved with McNab, another cop on the team. I enjoyed that distraction. Also, Eve's and Peabody's interactions are almost as fun as Eve's and Roarke's. Peabody is becoming one of my favorite characters in this series.

Let us not forget that this series is based in the middle of the 21st century. So the droids and other technology that are part of this story are definitely worth mentioning. Beyond the personal relationships, of course we have the mystery, danger and action. It never let up in this book.

There are fifty books in this amazing series, and Loyalty in Death is book nine. No matter how much I read every day, I cannot give this series the love and attention I wish. I will keep on reading as much as I can, and I am eager to read book ten, Witness in Death, as soon as reasonably possible.

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.”

Review - Conspiracy in Death

Title:  Conspiracy in Death

Author:  J.D. Robb

Series:  In Death #8

Genre:  Detective Fiction

Publisher:  Berkley Publishing Group

Format:  Kindle

Date of Publication:  1999; 2004; 2007
No. of pages:  364

My Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Streetwise cop Eve Dallas and her trusty sidekick Peabody face a methodical killer in this latest addition to the In Death series by J.D. Robb, better known as the bestselling author Nora Roberts. In the late 21st century, on the streets of New York City, a street sleeper is found murdered, his diseased heart removed with surgical precision. His death would typically drop to the bottom of a list of senseless and inexplicable killings, but Lieutenant Dallas, who "would stand for the dead and the living," is not about to let that happen. When her research uncovers similar crimes in several cities that were dropped under mysterious circumstances, Dallas knows she's facing a killer cruel enough to prey on the weakest in society and powerful enough to conspire an extensive coverup. To complicate matters further, Dallas faces an equally troubling threat to her career when she's linked to the death of a fellow cop. Now she must fight to restore her good name as well as track down the killer. 

In Conspiracy in Death, Roberts creates a futuristic world of evil that Eve Dallas negotiates through tough talk and brute force. While Robb crafts the crimes with great care, she assumes a familiarity with the characters that new readers will lack. But fans of the In Death series and newcomers alike will enjoy the thrill of the chase as Eve Dallas sets out to get her man. 

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Lieutenant Eve Dallas, and one of her officers Peobody have a new case. When they find a homeless person murdered with his heart removed, she finds that it is not just another random murder. The heart was removed with excellent precision, so Eve knows that this is not a run of the mill streeet killing. As Eve begins her investigation, she realizes that there were other killings in other cities with the same type of method, organs being removed with excellent detail. All of the victims were down and out.

While on the case, Eve has a run in with another cop. When that very cop turns up dead, Eve finds very career is threatened. Not only does Eve have to find the serial killer, she must get to the bottom of what happened to the cop, all while striving to get her good name and reputation restored.

I found this next book in the In Death series to be a bit more potent than the others that preceded this one. It was very tense throughout, even with Eve's sensitive and touching interchanges with gorgeous husband Roarke. No matter how their love was affirmed, Eve's past and present created problems that seemed impossible to overcome. The entire process that Eve experienced in this book hit me harder than any so far.

I was on the edge of my seat with this one. The futuristic aspect of this book went a bit further than others in this series, so that was a real bonus. I am ecstatic to get to the next book in the series, Loyalty in Death. There are 50 books in the series to-date.

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.”

Review - Midnight in Death

Title:  Midnight in Death

Author:  J.D. Robb

Series:  In Death #7.5

Genre:  Detective Fiction

Publisher:  Berkley Publishing Group

Format:  Kindle

Date of Publication:  1998; 2005
No. of pages:   90 

My Rating:   4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

The number-one New York Times bestselling In Death series explodes with intrigue, passion, and suspense.  Now, Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb, propels you into the darkest night of Lieutenant Eve Dallas's life...when a killer comes to call...

Eve's name has made a Christmas list, but it's not for being naughty or nice.  It's for putting a serial killer behind bars.  Now the escaped madman has her in his sights. With her husband, Roarke, at her side, Eve must stop the man from exacting his bloody vengeance...or die trying...

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

Eve and Dallas have barely been able to celebrate their first Christmas together. In this brief story, in novella length, Eve is after yet another killer. As always, Roarke is at her side while she works hard at finding the madman behind a series of brutal murders, and as Eve is one of his targets, she must manage to stay alive.

For a story told with so few pages, it is chock full of detail. We have the ever-loving couple, with Eve drawing closer and closer to her delectable husband Roarke. Then there is Eve's ever-irascible boss Feeney, and, of course, Peobody. Gotta love her. Who else do you just love, inasmuch as you want to hate? Only Summerset, Roarke's right-hand man and Eve's nemesis.

This story was so much fun that I couldn't wait follow my monthly schedule of reading each month, and so I went ahead and devoured the next in this series, Conspiracy in Death.

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.”

Review - Holiday in Death

Title:  Holiday in Death

Author:  J.D. Robb

Series:  In Death #7

Genre:  Detective Fiction

Publisher:  Berkley Publishing Group

Format:  Kindle

Date of Publication:  1998; 2002
No. of pages:   308

My Rating:  4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

IN A FUTURE WHEN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY BRINGS LOVERS TOGETHER, DATING CAN BE A DEADLY GAME...

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. And for New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: All of the killer's victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters an elite world of people searching for their one true love - and a killer searching for his next victim. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal...

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

A dating service for the exclusively rich. Something that could bring two lonely hearts together. However, a happily ever after is definitely not promised to some. as there is a brutal serial killer among their midst. 

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is after a killer, and it is said serial killer who is searching for victims from the clients of Personally Yours. Can Eve find the killer while at the same time protecting the clients still using the site?

Holiday in Death is the seventh book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb. I am pleased to have read the prior books in the series while watching Eve solve case after case. Not only that, but have enjoyed the experience of watching Eve and husband Roake grow closer together. Now, at Christmastime, the two are sharing this together for the very first time. 

It was rather cute when Eve struggled to find Roarke a gift. After all, he is richer than rich. What was more enjoyable was one particular gift Roarke gave to Eve. Without telling readers of this review, it worth mentioning because their relationship is a huge part as to why this series is so successful. Not only do Eve and Roarke have something so perfect together on a personal basis, but Roarke has been instrumental in helping Eve find horrible murderers. This is something that Roarke does yet again as Dallas struggles to discover what is happening at the dating site.

Although this is part of an ongoing series, this story can be read as a singular entry because not only do readers learn about how Roarke and Eve met, but readers are also reminded of Eve's past and what makes her such an incredible cop now. Despite how good she is, Eve  has more than a bit of temper in this book, to the point of showing frustration towards her coworkers. This proves that Eve is quite human,  I see this as growth in a character I have come to love and respect. This story was also rather enlightening when Roarke's childhood is discussed and how he became the man he is today. How can you not love these two?

I have already read the next book in the series before writing this review, Midnight in Death, and have started the very next one, Conspiracy in Death, and can only tell you that the series keeps getting better. I am very excited that it continues to the point that there are 50 books in the series as of February, 2020.

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.”