Author: J.D. Robb
Narrator: Susan Ericksen
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: September 2021
Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: In the latest novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas sifts through the wreckage of the past to find a killer.
The body was left in a dumpster like so much trash, the victim a woman of no fixed address, known for offering paper flowers in return for spare change―and for keeping the cops informed of any infractions she witnessed on the street. But the notebook where she scribbled her intel on litterers and other such offenders is nowhere to be found.
Then Eve is summoned away to a nearby building site to view more remains―in this case decades old, adorned with gold jewelry and fine clothing―unearthed by recent construction work. She isn’t happy when she realizes that the scene of the crime belongs to her husband, Roarke―not that it should surprise her, since the Irish billionaire owns a good chunk of New York. Now Eve must enter a complex world of real estate development, family history, shady deals, and shocking secrets to find justice for two women whose lives were thrown away…
My Thoughts: This series is simply amazing! Forgotten in Death, the stellar fifty-third offering in the In Death series continues to impress, entertain and shock me. This series gives no indication that it is starting to wind down, which is excellent for the many fans of this series as we have not yet begun to get enough of Eve Dallas and the equally wonderful cast of characters. These characters are so well developed through this series that the reader feels a deep connection with them. The reader cannot help but care about what happens to them and time spent with them is always a joy.
After fifty-three installments of this futuristic series, one cannot help but think Eve has pretty much seen it all. Nothing should come as a surprise or shock to Eve. In the relatively short time she has been a homicide cop, she has been thrust into the underbelly of New York City. She has seen the worst humanity is capable of. I wouldn’t say this case is any different than those she has undertaken, but it serves as a reminder just how cruel, selfish and heartless mankind can be and, often, are.
While investigating the apparent random murder of a homeless woman, Eve is called to an excavation site at a nearby building where the skeletal remains of an adult and an infant are discovered. Adding to the issue is that her Irish hottie husband, Roarke owns this building doesn’t surprise Eve as he pretty much owns the planet, but it does create snags.
I loved the way Eve tackles both of these cases. Her determination to not only find the killer of the homeless woman, but she is also determined to lay some punishment on the ex-husband who brutally abused her years before. Eve is convinced that the acts of domestic abuse are what set this woman on a path that led to her eventual murder, so to Eve’s way of thinking, it’s connected. Additionally, the discovery of decades old remains don’t stop Eve in her tracks. Her methodical approach to uncovering not only the identity of the victims, but her ability to quickly analyze and piece together the forensic evidence is simply brilliant.
In addition to the characters, the reader can connect and empathize with, J.D. Robb creates a futuristic New York City, circa early 2060. I get such a kick out of what this world entails, including prisons that are off-planet, cars that fly, Pepsi that comes in a tube and full course meals delivered through a machine called an auto-chef. This time period is not too far away from the time period I live in. I can only hope that some of these amazing things will sprout from J.D. Robb’s imagination into reality.
With the exception of the first few books in this series, I have gone with the audiobook format narrated by Susan Ericksen. Her performance adds to the enjoyment of this series with the various voices and emotions displayed by the characters. The realism she gives to these characters gives the reader a sense of being in the room with these characters, witnessing first-hand the eyerolls, the body language and Jenkinson’s eye-blinding ties.
The best part of this series and this story in particular occurs when Eve goes in for the apprehension of the killers. Her tenacity and dogged determination make for a supremely satisfying conclusion to a hard-hitting story, leaving the reader excited for the next book.
My Final Verdict: An excellent series that I highly recommend to fans of the mystery, thriller, police procedural and urban fantasy genres that need to be read in order.
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