Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb #JDRobb @StMartinsPress

Posted February 4, 2025 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review / 13 Comments

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb #JDRobb @StMartinsPressBonded In Death by J. D. Robb
Series: In Death #60
Published by St. Martin's Press on February 4, 2025
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 400
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

His passport read Giovanni Rossi. But decades ago, during the Urban Wars, he was part of a small, secret organization called The Twelve. Responding to an urgent summons from an old compatriot, he landed in New York and eased into the waiting car. And died within minutes…

Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds the Rossi case frustrating. She’s got an elderly victim who’d just arrived from Rome; a widow who knows nothing about why he’d left; an as-yet unidentifiable weapon; and zero results on facial recognition. But when she finds a connection to the Urban Wars of the 2020s, she thinks Summerset—fiercely loyal, if somewhat grouchy, major-domo and the man who’d rescued her husband from the Dublin streets—may know something from his stint as a medic in Europe back then.

When Summerset learns of the crime, his shock and grief are clear—because, as he eventually reveals, he himself was one of The Twelve. It’s not a part of his past he likes to revisit. But now he must—not only to assist Eve’s investigation, but because a cryptic message from the killer has boasted that others of The Twelve have also died. Summerset is one of those who remain—and the murderous mission is yet to be fully accomplished…

I love the  In Death series.  I am always so happy to have a new book in this series.  The characters have become beloved to me, and their circle of friends with comfortable connections. The smart way the police work the cases and try to get a vision of what happened and what makes sense is always exciting.  In addition to the case, I enjoy the personal growth of the characters.  There’s nothing realistic about the stories but the characters’ emotions.

Bonded in Death is the 60th in the series.  I have read every one. Each book is a comfort read with much loved characters.  I love police procedurals and the technology which Roarke and EDD use.  The characters and their progress is fun with their wide group of friends.

I was very excited for the story of the Twelve and more on Summerset’s past.  It was thrilling to learn about each of his compatriots and what happened to his wife.  I don’t recall very much information about the Urban Wars in the series and the knowledge added on it is limited.  But we meet each of the Twelve and gain an understanding what their skills and roles were.

The murderer is quickly determined but it is a big task to prove it and collect evidence while protecting the remaining members of the Twelve.  Luckily,  they immediately like and trust Eve so they are convinced to provide support without running about on their own. They stay together in Roarke’s home with exceptional security and Summerset sees to their needs.

As usual Eve gathers facts and information quickly and deduces some of the culprit’s plans.  Her ability to narrow down the options to capture him is an incredible talent. She is also adept at managing her team to track down information and evidence.  I felt a great connection to the intellectual aspects.

On the other hand,  the emotional aspects was less than usual.  There seemed less time for the couple or the collection of friends.  Most of the story was focused on the action of the case.  The reunion of the Twelve was heartwarming but they aren’t highlighted other than as aids to the investigation.

I’ll always read these and love them.  I would start at the beginning if you haven’t read them, as all the books are excellent and the personal relationships and careers develop as you progress in the series.   I can’t wait for Framed in Death in September.

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.

Over forty books and fifteen years later, there is no end in sight for the ever-popular In Death series.

Rating Breakdown
Plot
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Writing
One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Characters
One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Overall: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Anne - Books of My Heart
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Posted February 4, 2025 by Anne - Books of My Heart in Book Review / 13 Comments


13 responses to “Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb

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