Category: Barb’s Reviews

Passions in Death by J.D. Robb

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Futuristic, Mystery, Part of a Series2 Comments

Passions in Death (In Death, #59)

Barbara’s rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Series: In Death #59
Publication Date: 9/3/24
Period: Future – August 2061, New York
Number of Pages: 363

In some book series, you are tired of the characters and stories long before the series is done. That is not the case with J.D. Robb’s long-running In Death series. This is book fifty-nine and I have been awaiting its release just as anxiously as I did the first books. The characters have grown and broadened, the relationships have matured, and the cases have remained engrossing and complex. By the end of each book, you know the victim personally – and that is often sad, and you know the murderer personally – and that is often horrifying. I have wondered what it would be like to wander around inside this prolific author’s head. Where does she come up with so many varied plots and people – not to mention the wit and humor that softens the stories?

Near the midnight hour of a slow Monday night, New York City homicide’s Lieutenant Eve Dallas receives a call from dispatch. There has been a murder at the Down and Dirty club and the club owner, Crack, has requested Eve to investigate. Crack and Eve have a long history going back to her early days in Homicide – not to mention her own attack at the Down and Dirty Club. The garroted body of lovely young bride-to-be, Erin Albright, is lying in a pool of her own blood in the very room in which Eve herself was attacked. Eve survived to take down her own attacker, but this young woman did not – so Eve will do it for her. Eve always stands for the dead.

As we move through the investigation, we get to know Erin, her bride-to-be Shauna Hunnicut, and the close loving friends surrounding them. Could the murderer be a random stranger who just happened to be at the club? Or, could it be someone who was in her close inner circle? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

The fun, loving, joyful pre-wedding girl party will engage your emotions and pull you into the story while the solid investigation, twists, turns, red herrings, and drama will hold you through the very last page. The plot is excellently crafted and pulls you along step-by-step. The author uses wit and humor to temper the strong emotions elicited by the murder investigation and to help showcase some of the interpersonal relationships among the ongoing characters.

This very engaging book can be read as a standalone, however, as someone who has read the entire series, I would strongly suggest reading all the books in order. If that seems a daunting task, then at least read the first 3-5 books as those give you a feel for the characters, their personalities, what brought Eve and Roarke together, and what made Eve into who she is.

If you enjoy a good whodunit with compelling plots, engaging characters, wit, humor, and a glimpse into the future – this is the book and series for you.

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

The Duke and the Darkness by Anna Harrington

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Duke and the Darkness (The Dukes of Darkness #1)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: The Dukes of Darkness #1
Publication Date: 8/27/24
Number of Pages: 308

This author’s introduction to her new series, The Dukes of Darkness, is intriguing, interesting, and entertaining. Not only did we meet the Duke featured in this book, but we were also introduced to the dark Dukes who will follow in subsequent books. Each duke has a darkness haunting them and I know it will be great fun to follow them into their HEA.

This book follows Devlin Raines, the Duke of Dartmoor, and Peyton Chandler whose parents were brutally murdered ten years earlier. Devlin is on a mission to set right all of the things his father initiated in his search for greater riches and power and Peyton’s mission is to punish those she holds responsible for the murder of her parents. Though the two barely knew each other ten years ago, their fates are now inextricably entwined. Can they both complete their mission without harm to the other? Must one lose for the other to win?

Peyton was barely sixteen when she accompanied her parents to a soiree hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Dartmoor on the night of her parent’s brutal murder. Little did she understand that she would be forever linked to Devlin, the handsome young man who was barely into his manhood and who barely noticed her. But she remembered him – Oh! Yes! She remembered him and he would pay!

To say that Devlin’s father was a vile, despicable human being would be putting it mildly. The atrocities he inflicted on his family don’t bear speaking of – and those he inflicted on the rest of the world are just as unspeakable. Yet, Devlin inherited none of his vileness and has spent the years since his father’s death trying to make up for the evil his father did. He has come a long way, but he isn’t there yet.

Peyton barely escaped death – and worse – when her parents were murdered. She has one single, profound, irrefutable memory of that night. She knows Devlin was there – he was the man who tried to rape her – and he was the man who saw to her parent’s murder. She remembers – she KNOWS – and she will make him pay with all he holds dear.

I liked Peyton and Devlin and enjoyed watching Peyton exact her revenge – though I felt sorry for Devlin. Their characters were nuanced, layered, complex, and interesting and their backgrounds made their current actions more relatable and understandable. I was excited to watch their relationship grow, but I was concerned for them and how they would handle the information about the past events. Their views were very different and I was curious about how or if they could come to a compromise on which they could both agree.

This story could have been very dark, but the author gracefully blended a spicy romance with some sweet touching moments into the darkness so it was more palatable. The darkness is mostly spoken of rather than shown, but if you are sensitive, this book does contain mention of physical violence, rape, etc.

I didn’t care for Peyton as the MFCs name because it seemed anachronistic to me, but the story was excellently done, the romance was sweet and spicy, and the characters were full and robust. It was an excellent story and I hope you will enjoy it.

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