Reunion in Death

Just in time for Eve and Roarke's first wedding anniversary, an old enemy comes from Eve's past determined to take away the one thing she loves most - Roarke. This woman has made a career of meeting, marrying, and killing older men. She is an accomplished liar and very adept at presenting whatever image she needs. It is harder to track her down for this new set of killings because she has changed her pattern. She is still killing rich older men but she isn't forming a relationship with them first. The pieces of the story we get from her point of view show a thrill killer who is angry that she didn't get the respect she thought Eve owed her when she caught her the first time.

Even while her Free Ager parents are visiting and charming show more everyone around them, Peabody gets her first cold case to investigate and amply shows that Eve's training is developing her into an excellent police officer. She even stands up to Eve once or twice which shows that their relationship is growing more to friendship and a relationship of equals. On another relationship front, LC Charles relationship is growing closer to Dr. Louise Dimatto. Louise has a bigger role in this one as she is called in to patch Eve up after various dangerous encounters. It is also at one of her fundraisers for her clinics in poor areas of town that the book's events come to a climax.

Eve is also starting to be willing to look into the past that has mostly haunted her nightmares since she was a child. When the case takes them to Dallas, Eve is forced to relive the time when she killed her father and escaped with a broken arm in the city. They find the hotel where she killed him and are surprised to find that it has undergone gentrification. The scenes where Eve and Roarke retrace Eve's steps are some of the most emotionally intense scenes I have ever read.

This episode also sees Mira becoming more of a confident than just a colleague as Eve goes to talk to her and urges her to talk to Roarke too.

This series has chilling villains and intriguing plots, but the best part for me is watching the relationships. I think watching Eve and Roarke build a strong marriage and relationship is the core of the series for me. This is, however, one of those series that has to be read in order. Yes, there are lots of books. But I recommend beginning this series and getting to know Eve and Roarke. show less

REUNION IN DEATH by J.D. Robb is the fourteenth in the series. As with the previous thirteen books, it provides another opportunity to see Eve Dallas face her fears and embrace her emotions. And, while the idea of one of Eve's former collars coming back to exact revenge may sound familiar, her response to the threat this time is quite different.

One of the best parts about REUNION IN DEATH is that it occurs around Eve and Roarke's first anniversary. Despite an ongoing murder investigation, Ms. Robb takes the time to show her heroes taking the night off to celebrate and reflect. It is a beautiful scene. More importantly, it shows how much they've grown over the past year.

Another scene of note in REUNION IN DEATH is Eve's trip back to show more Dallas. Here, Ms. Robb is delicate, showing Eve confronting her past and remembering hidden memories without delving into specifics. We feel Eve's emotional state more than we get the details of what happened to her. It is one of the most difficult scenes to read but one that is very necessary for Eve's well-being.

Julie Dockport, as Eve's nemesis in REUNION IN DEATH, is a great foil. Her toxic femininity is downright scary. Even better, however, is how well it showcases the idea that our past does not have to define us. Given her past, Eve could have gone down a very different path than the one she chose, and the same holds true for Julie.

As always, Susan Erickson is a delight to listen to. As I've said before, by this time, she is Eve Dallas for all intents and purposes. I don't think I could watch a movie or TV show of the In Death series (should they ever choose to make one) simply because her voices are the characters. No actor will ever be able to match Ms. Erickson's performance.

I know I say this in every review, but I feel that REUNION IN DEATH is the best book in the series to this point. Between the trip to Dallas, their anniversary, and some of the smaller but still vital scenes between Eve and Roarke as they maneuver their way through another dangerous confrontation with Eve's foe, I suspect REUNION IN DEATH contains some of the most important events in Eve's growing humanity. show less

Just in time for Eve and Roarke's first wedding anniversary, an old enemy comes from Eve's past determined to take away the one thing she loves most - Roarke. This woman has made a career of meeting, marrying, and killing older men. She is an accomplished liar and very adept at presenting whatever image she needs. It is harder to track her down for this new set of killings because she has changed her pattern. She is still killing rich older men but she isn't forming a relationship with them first. The pieces of the story we get from her point of view show a thrill killer who is angry that she didn't get the respect she thought Eve owed her when she caught her the first time.

Even while her Free Ager parents are visiting and charming show more everyone around them, Peabody gets her first cold case to investigate and amply shows that Eve's training is developing her into an excellent police officer. She even stands up to Eve once or twice which shows that their relationship is growing more to friendship and a relationship of equals. On another relationship front, LC Charles relationship is growing closer to Dr. Louise Dimatto. Louise has a bigger role in this one as she is called in to patch Eve up after various dangerous encounters. It is also at one of her fundraisers for her clinics in poor areas of town that the book's events come to a climax.

Eve is also starting to be willing to look into the past that has mostly haunted her nightmares since she was a child. When the case takes them to Dallas, Eve is forced to relive the time when she killed her father and escaped with a broken arm in the city. They find the hotel where she killed him and are surprised to find that it has undergone gentrification. The scenes where Eve and Roarke retrace Eve's steps are some of the most emotionally intense scenes I have ever read.

This episode also sees Mira becoming more of a confident than just a colleague as Eve goes to talk to her and urges her to talk to Roarke too.

This series has chilling villains and intriguing plots, but the best part for me is watching the relationships. I think watching Eve and Roarke build a strong marriage and relationship is the core of the series for me. This is, however, one of those series that has to be read in order. Yes, there are lots of books. But I recommend beginning this series and getting to know Eve and Roarke. show less

After a day at his World of Flowers business, Walter Pettibone arrives home to a “surprise” birthday party. But one sip from a cyanide-laced flute of champagne ends Walter’s life.

NYPSD homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows the woman who killed Walter. She’s Julianna Dunne, a woman Eve helped send to prison a decade earlier. But a reduced sentence for good behavior earned her an early release and now Julianna’s embarked on a killing spree, targeting wealthy older men. Despite her perverse respect for Eve, Julianna’s has her sights set on killing Roarke to punish her. Can Eve put an end to Julianna’s murderous rampage? Can she keep Roarke safe? And can she track down the elusive candy thief?

In this, the fourteenth show more entry in the “In Death” series, all the expected characters are in place. Peabody’s parents have come to visit and managed to finagle their way into staying with Eve and Roarke. Characters continue to grow, revealing more of themselves, realistic and believable, their relationships intertwining, all of them intriguing and interesting.

Eve’s investigation necessitates quite a bit of travel, including an apprehensive trip to Dallas and a visit to New York City’s seedy underground. The cat-and-mouse game between Eve and Julianna builds the suspense; Eve’s difficult visit to her childhood home town is tense and heartbreaking. As the plot twists and turns, there’s witty repartee, romance, and despair . . . all wrapped up in a layered, nuanced story that reveals its depth as it slowly unfolds.

Readers new to the series will appreciate this narrative as a stand-alone; fans of Eve, Roarke, and the gang will find this to be a perfect addition to the canon.

Highly recommended. show less

Reunion in Death
4 Stars

In her latest case, Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates the poisoning of a wealthy business man. After ruling out the obvious suspects, Eve realizes that the victim was targeted by a newly paroled prisoner - a killer that Eve was responsible for incarcerating. With vengeance in mind, the killer has set her sights on Eve and is determined to fulfill her deadly agenda.

The mystery in this installment is interesting, mainly due to the sociopathic nature of the villain who always seems to be one step ahead of our intrepid heroine. Nevertheless, much of the book actually focuses on the continuing character development and growth as Eve confronts some of her personal demons, Roarke accepts some difficult truths, and show more Peabody is put to the test when she is given responsibility for investigating a cold case and interrogating a suspect.

The dramatic scenes in which Eve and Roarke travel to Dallas highlight the emotional and psychological depths of Robb's writing as Eve takes the first steps in dealing with the horrific events of her past, and Roarke fully comprehends the enormity of what happened to her.

In addition to this trip down memory lane, the story also includes a visit from Peabody's New-Ager parents. While Sam Peabody is another father figure in the same vein as Feeney, Whitney, Mr. Mira and even Summerset, his wife is another matter. Phoebe Peabody has that protective mother vibe, but she is also somewhat creepy and perhaps even a lot scary. She's not someone you would want to mess with.

All in all, another action packed book in the series, but also one with some intense introspection on the part of the characters. Looking forward to the next one. show less

Holy crap...this book has what has to be the best "Eve takes down the baddie" scene EVER. I literally had to put the book down to punch the air in glee. Then I reread it. It was that good.

There were also some extremely difficult moments as Eve travels back to Dallas and has to face her past. I cried as she relived the horrible abuse and trauma she suffered during her first 8 years of life. My heart broke for the child she was and the incredibly strong woman she is now, and also for Roarke as he watched the woman he loves more than anything go back to the night her--and I hate to call him her father, because he's so utterly vile--father died.

Eve admitting she'd never be able to face her past without Roarke and his steadfast love, and show more Roarke's helpless fury as he (and we) finally get the full scope of just what Eve suffered had me crying again.

Peabody got some great character development, as she was allowed to work a cold case on her own. We also met her parents.

Above all, my favorite parts of these books remains Eve and Roarke and their ever deepening and ever strengthening relationship. No matter what happens between them or how big their argument is you never once doubt that these two love each other beyond all reason, and they will work things out and be even more united because of it.

(Though, Roarke did irritate me in this one by going over Eve's head to her superior about something, and she ended up getting informed about it in front of her team. Fortunately after Eve--and Peabody in her way--called him out on it, he realized his massive misstep and apologized.) show less

Just in time for Eve and Roarke's first wedding anniversary, an old enemy comes from Eve's past determined to take away the one thing she loves most - Roarke. This woman has made a career of meeting, marrying, and killing older men. She is an accomplished liar and very adept at presenting whatever image she needs. It is harder to track her down for this new set of killings because she has changed her pattern. She is still killing rich older men but she isn't forming a relationship with them first. The pieces of the story we get from her point of view show a thrill killer who is angry that she didn't get the respect she thought Eve owed her when she caught her the first time.

Even while her Free Ager parents are visiting and charming show more everyone around them, Peabody gets her first cold case to investigate and amply shows that Eve's training is developing her into an excellent police officer. She even stands up to Eve once or twice which shows that their relationship is growing more to friendship and a relationship of equals. On another relationship front, LC Charles relationship is growing closer to Dr. Louise Dimatto. Louise has a bigger role in this one as she is called in to patch Eve up after various dangerous encounters. It is also at one of her fundraisers for her clinics in poor areas of town that the book's events come to a climax.

Eve is also starting to be willing to look into the past that has mostly haunted her nightmares since she was a child. When the case takes them to Dallas, Eve is forced to relive the time when she killed her father and escaped with a broken arm in the city. They find the hotel where she killed him and are surprised to find that it has undergone gentrification. The scenes where Eve and Roarke retrace Eve's steps are some of the most emotionally intense scenes I have ever read.

This episode also sees Mira becoming more of a confident than just a colleague as Eve goes to talk to her and urges her to talk to Roarke too.

This series has chilling villains and intriguing plots, but the best part for me is watching the relationships. I think watching Eve and Roarke build a strong marriage and relationship is the core of the series for me. This is, however, one of those series that has to be read in order. Yes, there are lots of books. But I recommend beginning this series and getting to know Eve and Roarke. show less