Secrets in Death

The book begins with Eve meeting Dr. Garnet DeWinter for a drink. She's irritated because something about DeWinter rubs her the wrong way but she is connected with a number of people who are in Eve's tight social circle. There is lots of nice snark about her reluctance to meet. Next thing you know is that "social information reporter" Larinda Mars comes up from the restroom and dies in Eve's arms. Eve knew her peripherally and disliked her. Someone has sliced her brachial artery causing her to bleed out.

Now Eve has to find out who killed a person that she really disliked. Just a little investigation shows that Mars was a blackmailer and her pool of victims is huge. Lots of people were willing to pay to keep their secrets hidden. As the show more investigation continues, it is Mars' victims who garner sympathy from Eve. Some of their secrets bring back memories of Eve's own childhood abuse and show that she is coming to terms with her own troubled past. Eve becomes even more angry at Larinda Mars when she learns that she, Roarke, Mavis, Leonardo and their infant Bella, along with Nadine Furst have also been targets in Mars' blackmail scheme.

And Mars had secrets of her own that she jealously guarded. The autopsy reveals that she had extensive face and body work which sends Eve, with the assistance of forensic anthropologist Dr. Garnet DeWinter, on a quest to find out who she was before she reinvented herself as Larinda Mars. And, while her home has some records and some of her loot, Eve and Roarke are trying to find the rest of her records to know the full scope of people that Mars had blackmailed or investigated.

This was another excellent entry into one of my favorite series. Book 45 shows that Eve and Roarke have not worn out their welcome with me and leaves me eager for their next mystery. show less

The book begins with Eve meeting Dr. Garnet DeWinter for a drink. She's irritated because something about DeWinter rubs her the wrong way but she is connected with a number of people who are in Eve's tight social circle. There is lots of nice snark about her reluctance to meet. Next thing you know is that "social information reporter" Larinda Mars comes up from the restroom and dies in Eve's arms. Eve knew her peripherally and disliked her. Someone has sliced her brachial artery causing her to bleed out.

Now Eve has to find out who killed a person that she really disliked. Just a little investigation shows that Mars was a blackmailer and her pool of victims is huge. Lots of people were willing to pay to keep their secrets hidden. As the show more investigation continues, it is Mars' victims who garner sympathy from Eve. Some of their secrets bring back memories of Eve's own childhood abuse and show that she is coming to terms with her own troubled past. Eve becomes even more angry at Larinda Mars when she learns that she, Roarke, Mavis, Leonardo and their infant Bella, along with Nadine Furst have also been targets in Mars' blackmail scheme.

And Mars had secrets of her own that she jealously guarded. The autopsy reveals that she had extensive face and body work which sends Eve, with the assistance of forensic anthropologist Dr. Garnet DeWinter, on a quest to find out who she was before she reinvented herself as Larinda Mars. And, while her home has some records and some of her loot, Eve and Roarke are trying to find the rest of her records to know the full scope of people that Mars had blackmailed or investigated.

This was another excellent entry into one of my favorite series. Book 45 shows that Eve and Roarke have not worn out their welcome with me and leaves me eager for their next mystery. show less

Eve, acting very un-Eve like, goes to have a drink after work with a new colleague. She feels more comfortable when a dead body literally drops in front of her. Larinda Mars made her living as a gossip reporter. And she made her real living blackmailing some of her subjects. The criminal was a let down, but the price blackmail takes on the victims made this one of her more despicable corpses.

SECRETS IN DEATH, book forty-five in J. D. Robb's In Death series, is one of the rare times when Eve must find justice for a victim who, some could argue, deserves what she got. It also happens to include a murder that happens more or less in front of Eve. It's an interesting little twist, as Eve not only has to find a murderer among a myriad of potential suspects, all with good reasons for wanting the victim dead, but she also has to figure out how it happened. Along the way, Eve shows how much she's grown when she provides support for Peabody and McNabb. Plus, we learn a little more about the demise of Roarke's father. Eve certainly has an eventful life, and the In Death stories are never dull!

This was a more procedural murder mystery than action packed. Actually, no action to speak of, which is different from the usual In Death novels. Eve meets with the forensic anthropologist DeWinter for a drink. While there a well known gossip columnist Lorinda Mars is killed, bled to death in Lt. Eve Dallas’ arms. As Eve seeks the murderer, she finds a twisted blackmailing scheme which Mars was engaged in. Mars was bleeding dry bank accounts for information on a wide variety of the rich and famous. Meanwhile Det. Peabody needs to get her co-hab and e-detective some R&R, as she is afraid he is ready to burn out. This was a fast read and very enjoyable.

Series: In Death
Publication Date: 9/5/17

This is still my favorite series even after 45 books. After this many books, you’d think the series would begin to be stale – but it isn’t. Each new book is as exciting and interesting as the previous one. This one is more like a police procedural than most others have been. Eve and Roarke aren’t running at breakneck speed trying to catch a psychotic serial killer, terrorist, etc., they are following the clues step-by-step and it is great to have a slower pace and see how the two of them play off each other. It is so nice to see that Eve is settling into the ‘Marriage Thing’ as she calls it. Of course, Roarke, being the most romantic hero ever, makes it easy.

Larinda Mars (I think we show more met her at the beginning of the series – book #2 maybe) doesn’t have a single redeeming quality, but she doesn’t deserve to be murdered – especially right in front of Lieutenant Eve Dallas, NYPSD. Eve had finally agreed to have an after-work drink with Garnet DeWinter, a forensic anthropologist, at a trendy nightspot. As Eve enters Du Vin she notices Larinda sitting at a table with a male and the next time she sees Larinda she is staggering, bumping into people and – bleeding – a lot. She falls to the floor and dies almost instantly.

Larinda is a gossip show host on the same channel with Nadine Furst. However, her real talent is discovering people’s secrets and threatening them with exposure. Eve doesn’t like her and she likes her less and less as she learns more about her. Eve always stands for the dead and she’ll stand for Larinda whether she likes her or not.

I bought the Whispersync narration to go along with the written text because Susan Erickson does such an awesome job. It is worth every penny just to hear her say – as Roarke – “Darlin’ Eve” in that soft Irish accent. It just gives you shivers!

This is a great book – and it could be read as a stand-alone, but you will be missing so much. This is one series that I definitely recommend reading from the beginning just to get the growth of Eve and Roarke’s relationship, backgrounds and the friendships they form with the supporting characters.

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Secrets in Death
3.5 Stars

Homicide Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds herself in a unique position when the victim in her latest case, notorious gossip reporter Larinda Mars, bleeds out before her eyes. As the list of people who hated Mars grows, Eve and her team may just uncover one secret too many . . .

Unfortunately, this book just did not resonate for several reasons. First, the victim is a truly nasty piece of work who exploits the weaknesses of others and preys on their need to protect their loved ones. The fact that someone killed her is not at all surprising, and notwithstanding Eve's mission of obtaining justice even for the most despicable of people, Larinda Mars got what she deserved.

Second, the identity of the culprit is glaringly show more obvious from the moment they are introduced. It is difficult to garner much interest when the solution is so plain to see.

Finally, there are several unresolved threads with regard to Mars' victims, which prevents a true sense of closure for the case.

Despite these issues, there are one or two wonderful moments between Eve and Roarke as well as a revelation regarding an event from Summersets' past that make this a worthwhile read. show less