Big Jack

A jewel theft more than 50 years earlier and the novel that is written about it are the keys to this Eve Dallas futuristic mystery.

Sam Gannon has written a best-selling novel about the jewel theft that brought her grandparents together more than fifty years earlier. The kicker is that one quarter of the diamonds were never recovered which excites modern day treasure hunters.

When Sam returns from a whirlwind book tour, she discovers the body of her friend and house sitter who was brutally murdered. Eve Dallas gets the case and soon has to look into who killed the house sitter and why.

The diamonds quickly become the motive requiring Eve, Roarke, Feeney and the rest of Eve's team to investigate a crime that occurred before any of them show more were born. A second murder, that of the woman who was Sam's housecleaner, adds to the mystery.

This was another excellent adventure in the In Death series. Roberts has also written HOT ROCKS which tells the story of the jewel theft and investigation into it which also details the romance of the couple who will become Sam's grandparents. show less

Big Jack
4 Stars

Eve Dallas and her team investigate two homicides with an apparent connection to a diamond heist from 5 decades ago. It would seem that someone is searching for the missing gems and is willing to kill anyone who gets in the way.

Note: This book is the sequel to Hot Rocks, which should be read first as it provides the background necessary for truly appreciating the story.

Big Jack wraps up the loose ends from the first book satisfactorily although the villain's identity is obvious from the start.

The lack of romance for Samantha Gannon is also disappointing. Yes, this is an Eve and Roarke book, but Sam is a very likable character and it would have been great for her to get her own HEA and thereby provide continuity to show more Laine and Max's story.

Finally, the publisher may have done readers a disservice by separating the combined edition of Remember When into its component parts. Those unfamiliar with the In Death series may find themselves at sea with the futuristic setting and ongoing character development. Similarly, fans of the series who missed out on Hot Rocks may feel lost without the detail provided in that installment. show less

BIG JACK is the sequel to HOT ROCKS (which I read a few weeks ago) and takes place about fifty years after the first book concludes. N.B. both these stories appeared together in a previous publication titled ‘Remember When’ and a few fans seem to be a little put out by this, as I had not read that book then these two separate stories were not a problem for me.

Sam is the granddaughter of the heroine of ‘Big Jack’, Laine Tavish. Sam has just published a book based on the experiences of her when they solved the mystery of the stolen diamonds. Now someone thinks that Sam knows where the last stash of diamonds are and is not afraid to kill to get them. BIG JACK opens with Sam returning from her book promotion tour and discovering her show more friend, and house sitter, has been murdered and Lieutenant Eve Dallas is soon on the case, with her hubby Roarke and sidekick Peabody. As the body count rises the murderer, and the diamonds, both have to be found.

I enjoy the Eve Dallas stories, and the characters continue to grow and reveal themselves in surprising ways. The crimes Eve solves are gritty and gruesome, and the background rumpy pumpy and humour are a good way of diffusing the tension.

If you are a Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb fan do yourself a favour and read these two interconnected books. show less

Remember When: Big Jack
In Death, Book 17.5

I Picked Up This Book Because: #IDLR #InDeathLongReadathon

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Everand
Dates Read: 12/9/25 - 12/12/25
Stars: 4
Narrator(s): Susan Ericksen

The Characters:

Eve Dallas: Police Lieutenant
Roarke: Husband, independently wealthy, entrepreneurial, man of mystery and sexy times
Delia “DeeDee” Peabody (Police Detective), Ryan Feeny (former police partner, cyber detective, and friend), Mavis Freestone (BFF), Dr. Charlotte Mira (psych), Nadine Furst (reporter/friend), Ian McNab (cyber detective, Peabody’s boo), Officer Trueheart

The Story:

We are bounced to the future and now trying to solve the mystery left by Big Jack. Where are the diamonds that were never recovered? As usual, show more I love Eve and Roarke’s bond. They are always there for each other, even when they (Eve) don’t know what to do to help. Oh and I’m loving Peabody as Eve’s partner. show less

Dallas catches a murder. It is the murder of a young woman house sitting for her friend, Samantha Gannon. Then Gannon's maid is found dead and her body burned in a vacant lot. Samantha Gannon has just written a novel based on a diamond heist more than 50 years before, but at least a 1/4 of the diamonds were never recovered and they are worth millions. Is this the connection that will lead to a murderer?

Dallas and Roarke, with Peabody, MacNab and Feeney are the core of this tale and once again the relationships are what matter as they search for a murderer. Another great futuristic story from J D Robb,

I was introduced to this series when I was in a book club. I've read other books in the series, but not in publishing order. I'm currently going back to read some of the titles I missed.

This book apparently also relates to a Nora Roberts (same author as J. D. Robb) book titled "Hot Rocks" which I did not read.

At the beginning, I thought the narrator was Dallas--so it was a bit jarring to find out it was someone else entirely.

Peabody has just made detective. Roarke's past is believably useful.

Samantha Gannon, author of a best-selling book about her great-grandfather, con artist/jewel thief Big Jack O’Hara, her grandparents, Laine Tavish and Max Gannon, and some missing hot rocks [diamonds], returns from a book tour to find her friend Andrea dead. A killer searches for the gems that have been missing for five decades while New York Police and Security Department’s Lieutenant Eve Dallas sets out to solve the house-sitter’s murder and to track down the stolen diamonds. Can she put an end to the death that has surrounded the gems for so long?

This narrative, the conclusion of the story begun in “Hot Rocks” [or the second part of “Remember When”], follows “Imitation in Death” and offers readers the expected show more humor, repartee between Eve and Peabody, romance, and an intriguing crime to solve. It slips nicely into the “In Death” world with all the expected characters in place

Readers should read “Hot Rocks” first for the background and the complete story of Laine, Max, and Big Jack.

Highly recommended. show less