Witness in Death

Witness in Death
4 Stars

In her newest case, homicide lieutenant Eve Dallas finds herself in uncharted territory when she, along with the entire audience, witnesses the murder of an actor during a performance. Before long, Eve and her team are up to their necks in suspects and motives as the victim was uniformly despised by one and by all.

An excellent homage to Agatha Christie's mysteries in general and to her play, Witness for the Prosecution, in particular. Reading this book brought back fond memories of watching the film with my father.

Although the identity of the culprit is quite obvious early on, perhaps because the style is so Christie-like, it is, nonetheless, entertaining to follow along with Eve as she uncovers the clues and show more unmasks the killer. It must be said that this is definitely the first time in the series that the murder is 100% justified as the victim is a vile excuse for a human being.

In terms of the character development, readers are provided with additional insights into Eve's personality as the case demonstrates that she is still struggling with the horrific memories that have only recently risen to the surface. Thankfully, Roarke is there when she needs him the most and their romance is still exciting and fresh even after ten books.

All in all, another solid installment in a fun series. show less

Let's face it. J. D. Robb/Nora Roberts has to be a clever person to be able to write so prolifically and keep each one of her novels unique. That being said, Witness in Death, number ten in the In Death series, is particularly clever. Her use of a story within a story is always a fun plot device. But to use an Agatha Christie mystery to establish another murder mystery? That's genius.

I remain surprised by how dark Ms. Robb is willing to go with this series. While we know most of Eve's childhood traumas, Witness in Death goes even darker. What's more, she can discuss such a taboo subject without glamorizing or trivializing it. Her focus is less on the act itself and more on the mental distress that comes from learning about such show more actions.

I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. I love how every book shows Eve becoming a little more vulnerable. She was so robotic at first, and even though we are only ten books in, she has grown so much. Friendships still baffle her, as do lavish displays of affection, but it is so satisfying to see her become almost human. show less

Witness in Death
4 Stars

In her newest case, homicide lieutenant Eve Dallas finds herself in uncharted territory when she, along with the entire audience, witnesses the murder of an actor during a performance. Before long, Eve and her team are up to their necks in suspects and motives as the victim was uniformly despised by one and by all.

An excellent homage to Agatha Christie's mysteries in general and to her play, Witness for the Prosecution, in particular. Reading this book brought back fond memories of watching the film with my father.

Although the identity of the culprit is quite obvious early on, perhaps because the style is so Christie-like, it is, nonetheless, entertaining to follow along with Eve as she uncovers the clues and show more unmasks the killer. It must be said that this is definitely the first time in the series that the murder is 100% justified as the victim is a vile excuse for a human being.

In terms of the character development, readers are provided with additional insights into Eve's personality as the case demonstrates that she is still struggling with the horrific memories that have only recently risen to the surface. Thankfully, Roarke is there when she needs him the most and their romance is still exciting and fresh even after ten books.

All in all, another solid installment in a fun series. show less

In this book Eve is at a play with Roarke and witnesses a murder first had on stage in front of her. OH I really liked this one. The depth of the characters and the motives was amazing. I almost didn't want Eve to solve it so the story wouldn't end. It has gotten to a point in these novels that the romance element and the mystery element have taken a back seat for me. I NEED to know how each character is going to evolve and where they are going in their story arc. How are they going to grow and deepen? They are becoming real people to me and that is the true danger of a series, that the characters become part of your life. That you have connections and desires for them. Roberts i.e. Robb has done this magnificently, I am so happy I am show more only 1/3 of the way through the series, I can't wait to see where it goes!
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com show less

What do you do when your husband takes you to the theatre and you're watching a murder mystery? When you're Eve Dallas, foremost murder cop in New York you scream (quietly!) that the play's a load of bollocks, but even Eve fails to guess the outcome of this evening's outing. When the final murder of the night's performance is committed, even Eve is so caught up in the scene that she fails to realise that the scene isn't actually an act but an act of real murder. Soon, the newly opened theatre is the scene of a murder investigation and Eve and her crack murder squad have sort of the truths from the lies of the actors, trained to put deliver even the most outrageous text as if it were the truth. Eve cuts through the rubbish and closes in show more on murderer and motive in a case that had been decades in the making.

As usual, JD Robb manages to hold the reader entranced in the investigation while she provides moments of humour even in the darkest parts of the book show less

I started this book yesterday and found myself sitting up until the wee hours of the morning finishing it.

The story begins with Eve and Roarke out for a night at the theatre, enjoying a performance of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution, when one of the actors is killed on stage when a prop knife is replaced with the real thing. What follows is a very Christie-esque mystery complete with countless suspects and many twists and turns.

And while I love watching the cases play out, my favorite parts of these books are watching the relationships between the characters develop. For example, Eve and Peabody, Peabody and McNab, and of course Eve and Roarke's. There was a moment in this book that I had to read twice. The normally smooth show more and suave Roarke was so shocked by a romantic gesture of Eve's that he put his foot in his mouth most spectacularly. Usually it's Eve who is thrown off-kilter by Roarke, and to see the shoe on the other foot was just too good.

Also...I was glad to see Officer Trueheart back.

I hope these books continue to keep hitting my happy spot the way they are now. Yes, they all to tend to follow a formula, but like the many Amanda Quick books I've read over the years, I often times find comfort in that formula. show less

I really like this author and have read most of the In Death series. Funny, realistic portrayal of emotions and interpersonal relationships. Cracking one-liners, and the plots are ok too! Would recommend. Wish I had an autochef & those kinds of gadgets. Wouldn't mind a husband like that, either!