Category: Mystery

Payback in Death by J.D. Robb

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Futuristic, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

Payback in Death (In Death, #57)Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: In Death #57
Publication Date: 9/5/23
Period: Future New York City – 2061 or so
Number of Pages: 368

WOW! This long-running series is one of the best I have ever read, and I hope it continues for a long time to come. This fifty-seventh book is just as fresh and engrossing as the first one was. I’m not one to re-read books, but I have re-read the first three books in this series many times – just because those are the books that establish Roarke and Eve as a couple and set up the characters and background for the rest of the series. Also, don’t let the fact that it takes place in the future keep you from giving the books a try. Yes, the setting is in the future, but that is just an auxiliary fact – window dressing – to a superbly written mystery with wonderful characters and a tad of wit and humor sprinkled throughout to add to your enjoyment. Then, there is the romance – goodness – romance writers take note – if you want to write a toe-curling, heart-singing, sizzling romance read these books for the ultimate example.

Eve and Roarke are in for a crashing end to the vacation they took to celebrate their third anniversary. After long, romantic, sunny days on an island and then the beautiful, lush greens of Ireland, they return to the heat of crowded New York. Eve enjoyed her vacation, but she loves New York and her job as a Homicide Lieutenant in the New York Police and Security Division. She’s darn good at that job – probably the best there is – and that is how she came to be specially requested to handle the case of an apparent suicide. Lieutenant Donald Webster, Internal Affairs Bureau, is sure his old friend and mentor, retired Captain Martin Greenleaf, did not kill himself and he wants to assure justice for his friend.

Within minutes of arriving on the scene, Eve is also convinced that Martin Greenleaf did not kill himself. Martin had a warm, loving family – so – could the murder have something to do with work? He’s been retired for years, so that isn’t likely – or is it? As head of the Internal Affairs Bureau, Martin had a reputation as a by-the-book, no-gray-areas cop that many didn’t like, but most respected. Those who didn’t respect him were those who had broken their oaths to protect and serve.

We all know Eve never gives up, but this case frustrated her. Every thread she pulled led nowhere. She just knows the answer is buried somewhere in his past, but can’t find any connections. Until she does. Then she and her team are off and running to bring the villains down. With a villain who is so supremely self-confident that there is no way the NYPSD can ever link them to the victim, the interview room at cop central gets pretty heated.

I can definitely recommend this book! This author! This series! Each book is an exciting, perplexing case that can be read as a standalone. However, to truly understand the dynamics among the characters, the location, etc. (and to get some of the humor), you’ll definitely want to read at least the first three (maybe four) books first. If you are looking for excitement, suspense, mystery, and romance this is the book for you!

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

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The Heron’s Cry by Ann Cleeves

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a SeriesLeave a comment

The Heron's Cry (Two Rivers, #2)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Two Rivers #2
Publication Date: 9/7/21
Period: Contemporary North Devon, England
Number of Pages: 400

I thoroughly enjoyed this English Police Procedural with its team of quirky, talented police investigators. There is Detective Inspector Matthew Venn who heads the team and was raised as part of a religious cult. Jen Rafferty, his colleague, is divorced, has two children, and often parties much too hard. Ross May, the third member of the team, is married and is the golden boy of their Detective Chief Inspector. They all manage to work and solve crimes together despite their disparate personalities. If you enjoy J.L. Ross’s books, you’ll probably enjoy this series.

The team is called to the scene of a murder where the victim’s daughter discovered him with a very large piece of art glass through him. The glass was handmade by his daughter. The victim, Mr. Nigel Yeo was a gentle, caring man. So, who would want to murder him? Could it have something to do with his employment in the healthcare system?

It seems the victim had tried to speak with Jen at a party the previous night, but since she had overindulged, he decided not to do so. Was he going to tell her something that led to his murder? It seems they’ll never know.

With more victims, the team becomes more and more perplexed. What are they missing? What has it to do with old suicides?

The case will perplex you and it will keep you guessing throughout. There are many false trails and red herrings to keep you wondering.

One thing I enjoyed was learning more and more about who each member of the team was – especially with straight-laced, uptight Matthew Venn who was raised within the confines of a religious cult before he left as a young man. Matthew firmly compartmentalizes his life between work and personal, but in this book, those lines crossed several times when a number of witnesses and victims were acquainted with his husband Jonathan.

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

View all my reviews