Review: Strangers in Death

STRANGERS IN DEATH is the latest in J. D. Robb’s (or rather, Nora Robert’s) long-running ‘In Death’ series, starring Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke. The series is immensely popular and STRANGERS IN DEATH will not disappoint the author’s legions of fans. Thomas Anders, a prominent businessman, is found tied to his bed and strangled with black velvet cords. It looks like some sort of sex game gone wrong, but the physical evidence does not tally. Eve Dallas investigates and discovers that she has a well-planned execution on her hands.

The requisite elements of Robb’s series are all apparent in STRANGERS IN DEATH – romance, humour, police investigations and violence, to name but a few. Robb continues to develop the relationship between Dallas and Roarke, with their playful bickering and banter making them appear all the more human. The plot is intriguing and developed well, with Dallas moving tirelessly towards the inevitable denouement. Once Dallas has got her detective’s grip on someone, they are not going to escape.

While the novel may take place in a futuristic version of New York City – the year 2060, to be exact – there is not actually a great deal of difference between that and the current era. A few droids here and there, and some more advanced technology, but, overall, the novel reads as though it could take place today. This makes it more accessible than a particularly futuristic work with which readers would find it hard to identify.

Overall, the novel is extremely enjoyable and excellent reading if you are looking for something with which to sit by the pool and pass a few hours, catching some rays, given that it is not overly cerebral and does not, therefore, require vast amounts of concentration. Nora Roberts, we are told, has over 300 million copies of her books in print, and with the arrival of this latest novel, I have no doubt that that figure is going to rise quite a bit more.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

Book Review: Strangers in Death