Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: January 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: It was a stab in the dark.
On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan’s neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel’s best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel’s blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional.
Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime—from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn’t think it’s coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else’s imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series.
The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer’s deranged private drama—and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong.
My Thoughts: Another winner in the series and what makes this one so interesting is the murderer is committing the murders exactly as they are written by an author of police thrillers. Usually with serial killers, there are patterns to be followed. There is often a common thread connecting the victims or the MO of the crime is typically the same. This killer uses different methods and the victims are pretty random. Until the author comes forward, this doesn’t seem like a case that Eve will easily solve.
How frightening it must be for an author to recognize their work being copied by a maniac, someone trying to take credit for their work and takes their revenge in the most heinous manner. The killer in this story was insane, no doubt about it, but the precision with which they carry out their retribution gave me chills.
I really enjoyed that Eve and Roarke have to delve into the author’s others works to research how and where the killer may strike next. It totally helps that Summerset is out of the house, away on vacation so Eve and Roarke are afforded peace, quiet and privacy to work the case.
With all too many series, the stories begin to stagnate and are often not as large. They become cookie-cutter and repetitive and the reader can figure everything out pretty quickly. Happily this series has not done that. Each installment features an interesting plot that blends gritty murder scenes, spot-on investigations, humor and romance all neatly packaged with characters that continue to impress and amaze me.
My Final Verdict: I prefer this series on audio. The emotion and depth the narrator gives the characters, especially Eve, brings more enjoyment to the story. Eve’s snark and sarcasm shine through brighter and more vivid than on the page, which heightens the entertainment value of the story. Whatever format the reader chooses to read this series, they are sure to be entertained for several hours and will anticipate the next installment with equal parts anticipation and impatience.
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