Devotion In Death by J.D. Robb Series: In Death #41
Published by Berkley Trade on September 15th 2015
Genres: Mystery
Format: ebook
Source: Borrowed, Library
Purchase @ AMAZON or BN
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When Lieutenant Eve Dallas examines a body in a downtown Manhattan alleyway, the victim’s injuries are so extensive that she almost misses the clue. Carved into the skin is the shape of a heart—and initials inside reading E and D . . .
Ella-Loo and her boyfriend, Darryl, had been separated while Darryl was a guest of the state of Oklahoma, and now that his sentence has been served they don’t ever intend to part again. Ella-Loo’s got dreams. And Darryl believes there are better ways to achieve your dreams than working for them. So they hit the road, and when their car breaks down in Arkansas, they make plans to take someone else’s. Then things get messy and they wind up killing someone—an experience that stokes a fierce, wild desire in Ella-Loo. A desire for Darryl. And a desire to kill again.
As they cross state lines on their way to New York to find the life they think they deserve, they will leave a trail of evil behind them. But now they’ve landed in the jurisdiction of Lieutenant Dallas and her team at the New York Police and Security Department. And with her husband, Roarke, at her side, she has every intention of hunting them down and giving them what they truly deserve . . .
Liezel’s Thoughts:
Devoted is about a somewhat accidental murder that becomes a titillating sport for star-crossed lovers Ella-Loo and Darryl. And I thought I’ve read it all! Apparently, I have not considering the subject matter that JD Robb brought up in the 41st installment of the In Death Series.
After the first kill, which they both got off on, there was no stopping this couple until they perfected their technique and reached their planned destination. Although the couple was becoming smart about crafty executions they weren’t smart about their target city. New York City. The home of everything Eve Dallas. No one escapes her and her crew.
Again, I appreciated how each one of the previous characters played a significant role in solving the murder and how a new character entered their strong knit unit without batting an eyelash. Smalltown officer Banner made this good impression and I hope we see him as a permanent fixture in the upcoming books.
I do have to mention that I had some difficulty getting into the story. It took me about 30% to become fully vested but once I hit that point I couldn’t put it down. There were one or two minor issues that were left unaddressed but despite that, I was content with how it all ended.
Looking for a fast-paced murder mystery with remarkable characters that plays out like a movie? Pick this one! (or perhaps the entire series). I enjoyed it and can’t wait to crack into the next one.
The Verdict:
About J.D. Robb
With a phenomenal career full of bestsellers, Nora Roberts was ready for a new writing challenge. As her agent put it, like Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and caffeine-free Pepsi, a pseudonym offered her the opportunity to reach a new and different group of readers. The first futuristic suspense J. D. Robb book, Naked in Death, was published in paperback in 1995, and readers were immediately drawn to Eve Dallas, a tough cop with a dark past, and her even more mysterious love interest, Roarke.
The series quickly gained attention, great reviews, and devoted readers. Since the debut of Loyalty in Death (the ninth In Death book) on Halloween 1999 on the New York Times bestseller list, every J. D. Robb title has been a New York Times bestseller. While fans had their suspicions, it wasn’t until the twelfth book in the series, Betrayal in Death (2001), that the publisher fully revealed that J. D. Robb was a pseudonym for bestselling powerhouse Nora Roberts. Unmasked, Nora Roberts fans who hadn’t yet picked up one of the Robb books were quickly playing catch-up.
Robb’s peers in the mystery world are fans as well, with accolades for the In Death series from such blockbuster authors as Stephen King, Jonathan Kellerman, Dennis Lehane, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline, Janet Evanovich, David Baldacci, Harlan Coben, Robert B. Parker, Ridley Pearson, Linda Fairstein, and Andrew Gross.
The In Death books are perpetual bestsellers, and frequently share the bestseller list with other Nora Roberts novels. J. D. Robb publishes two hardcover In Death books per year, with the occasional stand-alone original In Death story featured in an anthology.
