Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: In Death #58
Publication Date: 1/23/24
Period: Future (2061) New York City
Number of Pages: 362

It is all-hands-on-deck in this exciting, action-packed, edge of your chair, can’t put it down, 58th addition to the In Death series by J.D. Robb. One might think that a series with that many books would begin to drop in quality and excitement – but one would be wrong. This author has the ability to elicit strong emotions and reactions from the reader, yet she also uses bits of humor to dampen down some of those really intense moments. We always come to know both the victim(s) and the villain(s) – sometimes, we admire the victims (as in this book) and sometimes we wonder why someone didn’t kill them earlier. We also always know that whether the victim is admirable or not, Lt. Eve Dallas will give her all to finding who took their lives.

This story’s victims are girls just on the cusp of womanhood – in the 15-16-year-old range. Lovely, happy, young women with their whole lives before them. Yet, that life has come to an abrupt and very painful end. The first victim, Jenna, had a life planned. She knew what she wanted and she had the talent and intelligence to make it happen. Then, she died in her hero’s arms in an alley behind the club where she wanted desperately to get a copy of her demo tape to Jake from the band, Avenue A.

Dallas, Roarke, Peabody, McNab, and the rest of the crew begin their investigation wondering if Jenna was specifically targeted or if she was just a random choice. When there is a second murder – same method, same signature – they become more and more sure the victims are chosen randomly. Evidence is scarce – the villain is extremely intelligent (yet somehow naïve) – and there is no way for Eve and the crew to predict who the next victim might be. They do know there will be a next victim – and soon.

I believe everyone from the ‘Dallas’ ensemble makes an appearance and contributes to either the solution /or consoling the grieving parents. Every small clue adds to what they know – and the villain’s profile emerges – but – who would believe it? Yet, Eve is sure of the profile, she just has to find some clues leading to the identity before yet another young lady is victimized. They’ve weeded through thousands of random clues and have little to go on – until – the right clue at the right time brings it together.

Can they apprehend the villain before he claims another victim? Will he escape capture? You’ll have to read this excellent book to find out.

I have recommended this series to a multitude of friends, acquaintances, and even strangers with whom I’ve chatted, and all of them have tried it – and all of them have loved it. I know it is a long series, but I sincerely recommend reading the books from the first one. The relationships are built and developed from one book to the next, and you can certainly better identify with all of the relationships between the characters – and the characters themselves – much better if you read them in order. I hope you’ll choose to read this book and this series and love it as much as I do.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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