Book Review - Golden in Death (In Death, Book 50) by J.D. Robb

"All that glitters is not gold."

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Golden in Death (In Death, Book 50) 

by J.D. Robb

Expected publication: February 4th, 2020 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 1250207207

Book Review

by Sofie Hern

Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of 

Edelweiss and St. Martin's Press

Four stars for this one. J.D. Robb’s words are so familiar to me that her books, her voice, has a form of cadence to them. Her books read smooth and precise that at times, I forget that I’m even reading. It has become such a pleasure to read these books and visit with characters that have become so familiar to me. With each book, I become more attached to the In Death universe that I can’t see me not reading them.

In this 50th installment, we continue to follow kick-ass cop Eve Dallas and company as she solves yet another tough case. With golden eggs, toxins, murder, and sexy scenes, JD Robb continues to produce beautiful work.

Lieutenant Dallas and Detective Peabody are looking for a killer who uses toxins hidden in a golden egg. As Dallas and Peabody investigate the case, they encounter unlikable characters and memorable ones. What I love about this book is that I get to follow every lead and dead-end alongside the homicide duo and other regular characters. This one is particularly refreshing as we see Dallas finally accept that Roarke is part of her process and that with his help, her work has become a little bit easier. She still kicks ass and takes no BS, she just does it more efficiently.

In this book, we see a few beloved characters and Eve’s interactions with them. When one of my favorite characters makes an appearance, I appreciate the book even more. This one had me laughing out loud at Eve’s literal sense, and it also had me in tears with her beautiful heart and compassion. 

Robb isn't one for cliffhangers or major plot twists but instead allows the plot, the case, to unravel right before your eyes, which is not to say there is no suspense. There is the right amount of twists, turns, funny and touching moments. Not many authors can make this happen and still continue to produce outstanding work. An absolute gem.

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Could Lieutenant Eve Dallas still kick ass in our current time?

"These days, I strive to be a bitch, because not being one sucks. Not being a bitch means not having your voice heard."
—Margaret Cho

Modesty Blaise

Over the years I've seen numerous bad-ass female detectives do amazing things. Be it on television, big screen and my all-time favorite: books!  Sure each one is different and unique in their peculiar way and time.

I’m a huge fan of crime and police procedure, murder and mayhem. Some of the best kick-ass women in fiction include Modesty Blaise, Jessica Jones, Olivia Benson, Clarice Starling, Kate Becket, Dana Scully, Nancy Drew, Jessica Fletcher, Barbara Havers, just to name a few. The one that fascinates me the most is Lieutenant Eve Dallas, the bad-ass heroine (though she would hate to hear it) in the popular In Death series written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym J.D. Robb

We first meet Eve Dallas in Naked in Death, which was published in 1995. What sets this series apart from others you might ask?  I’ll tell you why I’m obsessed with this series. To start, its futuristic setting in New York City. 

A future where guns are banned, cars fly, domestic robots clean your home or office. The food sounds horrible; from soy dogs, dehydrated eggs, fake meat, and poisonous coffee –not literally, but pretty close– (and only the rich can afford the real stuff), prostitution is legal and vagabonds need licenses to beg for money.

Pretty interesting, right?

In the In Death universe, with its amazing technology and fascinating tools, one would think investigating a murder would be easy, right?  You’d be wrong! Sure, technology is a big deal and plays a big part in an investigation but it still takes skill and, well... investigating. If you are a fan of the In Death series then you know how important the supporting set of characters is. Each one with an important role and a purpose. 

Those of us who've read every single book [48] up to this point -with the release of Vendetta in Death only three months away- have fallen in love with every single one of these funny, beautiful, passionate and colorful set of characters. Who can resist an Irishman-criminal-turned-billionaire married to a bad-ass cop? Or the soft-hearted Free-Ager sidekick, Peabody? These characters feel like family to us. A family we get to visit two times a year. In early 2020, Golden in Death will mark Robb's 50th book. 50! I mean think about that. Fifty books (not including novellas) and still the story, the cases she writes are as fresh as ever!

As you can see, I can go on and on and on about how much I love the series but I have a purpose for this piece. Could Lieutenant Eve Dallas still kick ass if she were placed in our time? My answer is yes! 

Eve Dallas is a no-nonsense, dedicated, work-till-you-drop NYPSD (Ne York Police and Security Department) homicide lieutenant who does not rest (sometimes literally) until she has solved her case.

If we take away the technology of 2062, including the Electronic Detectives Division (EDD), which plays a big part in each one of her investigations. Take away the flying cars, the field-kit containing all those cool gadgets. 

Field Kit

What would she do then? If we bring in her supporting characters, including her gorgeous husband, Roarke, who is pretty much good at everything he does (that’s a discussion for another time), I have to say Eve Dallas would blow everyone out of the water.  It may take a bit longer to solve a case but she’ll do it simply because she is the best at what she does.

Her skills are superb, her physical condition is on point, her fighting skills are excellent, and her ability to read a scene and ask the right questions makes her, in my view, one of the best there is, was and ever will be.

By Sofie Hern

You can follow me on twitter, goodreads and if you are a fan of the In Death series, I'd like to invite to our Facebook community: Reading in Death

Overview In Death

"The dead were her business. She lived them, worked with them, studied them. She dreamed of them. And because that didn’t seem to be enough, in some deep, secret chamber of her heart, she mourned them."

J.D. Robb - Glory in Death

-

This year marks the 23^rd anniversary of the release of Naked in Death by J.D. Robb, which was meant to be the first book in a trilogy. Forty-five books later, the In Death series continues to be one of the most popular crime series. If you are not familiar with the series, do not fear!

First off, let me share that J.D. Robb is a pseudonym used by Nora Roberts to help brand the in Death series. As of 2009, there are more than 400 million copies of books by Nora Roberts in print worldwide. She was the third author to sell more than one million Kindle books. Her books are published in over thirty-four counties. There are enough Nora Roberts books in print to fill the seats of Wrigley Field over 9,900 times. If you place all her books top to bottom, they would stretch across the United States from New York to Los Angeles eighteen times. Okay, you get my point.

Fifty-nine books by Nora Roberts or J.D. Robb have debuted in the #1 spot on a New York Times best seller list. Innocent in Death was the first book written as J.D. Robb to debut at #1 on March 11, 2007. Treachery in Death was the first J.D. Robb book to debut at the #1 position on the New York Times Combined Print and E-Book Fiction list on March 13, 2011.

Set in a futuristic New York (2059 – 2060’s), the series follows Eve Dallas, a homicide lieutenant with the NYPSD (New York Police and Security Department). Eve has an extremely difficult past which she can’t seem to run away from. There is a constant reminder of the abused child she once was. It is not a pretty past or even a challenging one. It is flat out a painfully horrific ordeal which she endured until the age of eight. You could say that she is the heroine of the series but I can assure you that she would not think of herself as a heroine. She stands for the death and will do whatever it takes to bring the killers to justice.

Then we have Roarke, Eve's billionaire husband who has had his share of childhood struggles and abuse. He has worked his way up from poverty in the streets of Dublin to becoming the most financially powerful man in the world. Not only is he a billionaire and owns practically half the universe, but is he gorgeous!

Together, Roarke, Eve and her squad will do whatever it takes to capture criminals, serial killers and anyone causing havoc in the streets of New York. There are several other characters, each with an important role in the series. Peabody is Eve’s hilarious partner who has made me laugh and cry. Mavis is Eve’s oldest and closest friend. Every single character in the series has grown and become essential. J.D. Robb continues to develop each character in order to help with the dynamics of the story. She writes each book in a way that feels as fresh as the very first one in 1995.

If you like crime novels, police procedure, hot guys and kick ass women, then I really, really would like you to give this one a try. If you think it sounds a bit science fiction-ish, I promise it isn’t. (Not that I have anything against Sci-Fi). Give it a try and I guarantee that you will be hooked!

Dark in Death will be the 46^th book in the series with a release date of January 30^th. There is however, a waiting period of eight months for the following book (Leverage in Death in September). I know it sounds like a lot of time in between, but trust me, it’s absolutely perfect! It gives new readers a chance to begin the series and finish it in time for the next one.

Those of us who are now huge fans of the series, we are looking forward to this as well as many more that might come our way. Meanwhile, if you are on Facebook and are a fan of the In Death series, I would like to invite you to our small community of Reading in Death where we share anything and everything In Death! 

-Sofie Hern

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New Year, New Books

2018 is right around the corner and with it comes new books!

2017 has been a productive year for me as far as reading goes. I discovered new authors like Barbara Claypole White, author of Echoes of Family which touches on mental illness. 

Kimberly Belle and The Marriage Lie, a great thriller! 

I discovered a refreshing voice in CathyLamb with Henry’s Sisters and The Last Time I was Me (among others).  

I still read my usual authors including JD Robb with Echoes in Death and Secretes in Death. This series remains my number one. 

I traveled up the California coast with Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Allie and Bea and read her newest release, The Wake Up. 

Diane Chamberlain’s The Stolen Marriage is in my top three this year. Not only is it an outstanding read but look at this stunning cover! 

I was late to the party (by a couple years) but Kristin Hanna’s The Nighingale finally made its way to the top of my TBR list. It broke me into a million pieces but it made it to my top three. 

Alice Hoffman’s The Rules of Magic stole my heart . It was a wonderful story about accepting who you are. This one completed my top three.

2018 looks promising with a few books that I am definitely looking forward to. This of course includes JD Robb’s Dark inDeath and Leverage in Death, number 46 and 47 in the series. 

Krisntin Hanna’s The Great Alone is one of the most anticipated books this year and one I am looking forward to. I do believe The Nighingale has set quite a bar for Hanna’s work moving forward. 

We will get acquainted with Louisa Clark in Jojo Moyes’ StillMe. I want to know what Louisa is up to when she moves to New York.

The Wife Between us by  Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen is one of the best thrillers coming out next year. 

Of my newly discovered authors, I am looking forward to The Promise Between Us by Barbara Claypole White. 

I have a good feeling about The Runaway Children by Sandy Taylor. I believe it has the potential to be a number one along with Susan Meissner’s As Bright as Heaven.

I usually focus on the first half of the year that way I can attempt to keep up with my TBR list. What about you? Which books made your top three this year and which ones are you most excited about in 2018? I’d love to see your recommendations in the comments. Happy new year and of course, Happy Reading!