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In Death #57
Payback in Death
When a retired police officer is found shot dead in his home, Eve and the team are called to the scene to investigate. It looks as though the dead man committed suicide but Eve smells foul play. Is everything as straightforward as it appears or is there more to it than meets the eye? Could someone have held a grudge and delivered payback in death.....
400 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2023
About the author
J.D. Robb
215 books34.3k followersJ.D. Robb is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series and the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. The futuristic suspense series stars Eve Dallas, a New York City police lieutenant with a dark past. Initially conceived as a trilogy, readers clamored for more of Eve and the mysterious Roarke. Forgotten in Death (St. Martin's Press, September 2021) is the 53rd entry in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,475 reviews
September 2, 2023
Death, suspense, action, and drama immediately pull readers into
Payback in Death
by J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts). This well-written futuristic police procedural is set in New York City (NYC) in the summer of 2061 and features Lieutenant Eve Dallas with the NYC homicide police department. After three weeks of vacation, Dallas and her husband Roarke have returned home. Before they get unpacked, a retired internal affairs police captain is found dead and Dallas is called to the scene to investigate. Is it foul play or not?
Time spent with Dallas, Roarke, Delia Peabody (Eve’s partner), and Eve’s colleagues is always entertaining. The main characters are compelling and three-dimensional. She’s honorable, honest, has strong moral principles, and has a sense of duty to victims and their families. Eve’s need to serve and protect comes through in every book, but the underlying impetus for this is best understood by reading this series in order. As always, the interactions between Eve and Roarke are enjoyable and bring a different facet of Eve’s personality to light. Roarke is complicated, fascinating, and generous, but he can also be irritating. I also enjoyed seeing Delia continue to take on more responsibility in this story line. Additionally, Detective Jenkinson plays a more significant role in this book. Readers get to see a bit of the private lives of Peabody and her significant other, McNab.
The prose is well-written and engaging. The plot is twisty, thought-provoking and tragic. While Robb usually manages to weave humor into her novels, providing levity to offset some of the more serious and grim aspects of the story, this one had less of it than usual. The author brings strong characters, great plots, wonderful relationships, and excellent pacing to the series. Woven through the novel are threads of caring for others, standing for victims, friendship, relationships, ego, careers, leadership, love, respect, and trust.
Robb is an excellent storyteller who combines a creative plot with suspenseful scenes and some action. The writing is fluid and there are many suspects to investigate. Besides the investigation, Dallas’s relationships with her friends and colleagues drive the narrative. It has the right balance of mystery, police investigation, romance, and creative twists. There is one steamy scene late in the novel.
Overall, this novel was a twisty tale with great characterization that kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy engaging near-future police procedurals, then I recommend this series. This is the fifty-seventh book in the In Death Eve Dallas series and I have read all of them up to this point. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
St. Martin’s Press and J.D. Robb provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for September 05, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.7 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Time spent with Dallas, Roarke, Delia Peabody (Eve’s partner), and Eve’s colleagues is always entertaining. The main characters are compelling and three-dimensional. She’s honorable, honest, has strong moral principles, and has a sense of duty to victims and their families. Eve’s need to serve and protect comes through in every book, but the underlying impetus for this is best understood by reading this series in order. As always, the interactions between Eve and Roarke are enjoyable and bring a different facet of Eve’s personality to light. Roarke is complicated, fascinating, and generous, but he can also be irritating. I also enjoyed seeing Delia continue to take on more responsibility in this story line. Additionally, Detective Jenkinson plays a more significant role in this book. Readers get to see a bit of the private lives of Peabody and her significant other, McNab.
The prose is well-written and engaging. The plot is twisty, thought-provoking and tragic. While Robb usually manages to weave humor into her novels, providing levity to offset some of the more serious and grim aspects of the story, this one had less of it than usual. The author brings strong characters, great plots, wonderful relationships, and excellent pacing to the series. Woven through the novel are threads of caring for others, standing for victims, friendship, relationships, ego, careers, leadership, love, respect, and trust.
Robb is an excellent storyteller who combines a creative plot with suspenseful scenes and some action. The writing is fluid and there are many suspects to investigate. Besides the investigation, Dallas’s relationships with her friends and colleagues drive the narrative. It has the right balance of mystery, police investigation, romance, and creative twists. There is one steamy scene late in the novel.
Overall, this novel was a twisty tale with great characterization that kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy engaging near-future police procedurals, then I recommend this series. This is the fifty-seventh book in the In Death Eve Dallas series and I have read all of them up to this point. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
St. Martin’s Press and J.D. Robb provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for September 05, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.7 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
October 3, 2023
the setup…
NYPSD Lieutenant and Homicide Detective Eve Dallas and her über wealthy husband Roarke have just returned from a well-earned vacation to Greece with a brief stopover in Ireland. They thought they had a least 24 hours before she had to face the backlog of paperwork and he the demands of a massive business empire. But Eve receives an urgent request in the middle of the night to come to a murder scene, coming from an unusual source…IAB Detective Don Webster, a former suitor and Roarke’s nemesis. The victim is retired IAB Captain Martin Greenleaf who was found dead in what looked like a possible suicide. But Webster is convinced otherwise and knows he needs the very best investigator on the case.
the heart of the story…
To say that Eve and Webster have a complicated past is putting it rather mildly but they’ve always respected one another. It doesn’t take long for Eve to share Webster’s suspicions that the scene was staged. But she knows what’s needed is to do the job and that means to gather the evidence and follow procedure to the letter. Being a cop who took down bad cops, Greenleaf had an endless list of suspects to pursue. I loved the procedurals in this one because they were not only stellar, they exposed the level of muck Internal Affairs has to deal with when faced with bad cops. I watched as Eve’s opinion of Greenleaf evolved from one of forced acceptance to respect as a cop who died in the line of duty.
the bottom line…
Strong themes about family were pervasive, including those that aren’t created biologically. It was a wonderful aspect of the story as Eve seems to finally get who and what that means to her. One of the reasons I love this series is because of its outstanding character development and it’s in full force here as we revisit old and continuing relationships, including Mavis & Peabody’s great house project. But it was the procedural here that kept me hooked as Eve trusted her instincts, even when there was little to support it, to ferret out the elusive killer. This one is outstanding.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
NYPSD Lieutenant and Homicide Detective Eve Dallas and her über wealthy husband Roarke have just returned from a well-earned vacation to Greece with a brief stopover in Ireland. They thought they had a least 24 hours before she had to face the backlog of paperwork and he the demands of a massive business empire. But Eve receives an urgent request in the middle of the night to come to a murder scene, coming from an unusual source…IAB Detective Don Webster, a former suitor and Roarke’s nemesis. The victim is retired IAB Captain Martin Greenleaf who was found dead in what looked like a possible suicide. But Webster is convinced otherwise and knows he needs the very best investigator on the case.
the heart of the story…
To say that Eve and Webster have a complicated past is putting it rather mildly but they’ve always respected one another. It doesn’t take long for Eve to share Webster’s suspicions that the scene was staged. But she knows what’s needed is to do the job and that means to gather the evidence and follow procedure to the letter. Being a cop who took down bad cops, Greenleaf had an endless list of suspects to pursue. I loved the procedurals in this one because they were not only stellar, they exposed the level of muck Internal Affairs has to deal with when faced with bad cops. I watched as Eve’s opinion of Greenleaf evolved from one of forced acceptance to respect as a cop who died in the line of duty.
the bottom line…
Strong themes about family were pervasive, including those that aren’t created biologically. It was a wonderful aspect of the story as Eve seems to finally get who and what that means to her. One of the reasons I love this series is because of its outstanding character development and it’s in full force here as we revisit old and continuing relationships, including Mavis & Peabody’s great house project. But it was the procedural here that kept me hooked as Eve trusted her instincts, even when there was little to support it, to ferret out the elusive killer. This one is outstanding.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
September 19, 2023
The fifty seventh book in the series and this is my 57th review! They get trickier to write as you go along. What to say that hasn't been said before?
In Payback in Death Eve is fresh back from vacation and she hits the ground running when a retired cop is found murdered in his home. Lots of thorough police work follows and this, plus Eve's natural instinct for the suspects, leads to a very satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the way Roarke supported and assisted her and her team and even, indirectly, saved one team member from serious injury if not death.
Loved the continuing saga of the progress on Peabody and Mavis's home. Really enjoyed revisiting many of the main characters although the candy thief must have gone on vacation too. Very happy that Galahad is still enjoying his bacon and that he suffers no nonsense when his humans invade his bed.
All is right in the In Death world so it is all okay in my world too. Thank you J.D. Robb and long may you continue to write this great series.
In Payback in Death Eve is fresh back from vacation and she hits the ground running when a retired cop is found murdered in his home. Lots of thorough police work follows and this, plus Eve's natural instinct for the suspects, leads to a very satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed the way Roarke supported and assisted her and her team and even, indirectly, saved one team member from serious injury if not death.
Loved the continuing saga of the progress on Peabody and Mavis's home. Really enjoyed revisiting many of the main characters although the candy thief must have gone on vacation too. Very happy that Galahad is still enjoying his bacon and that he suffers no nonsense when his humans invade his bed.
All is right in the In Death world so it is all okay in my world too. Thank you J.D. Robb and long may you continue to write this great series.
October 4, 2023
Even after 57 books, I'm still excited for the next one! I just love this series so much. :)
I listened the audiobook. And Susan Ericksen seriously amazing. :)
Read an excerpt for Payback in Death
Watch the book trailer for Payback in Death
Eve Dallas 🙂
Roarke 😍
I listened the audiobook. And Susan Ericksen seriously amazing. :)
Read an excerpt for Payback in Death
Watch the book trailer for Payback in Death
Eve Dallas 🙂
Roarke 😍
April 30, 2024
In this 57th book in the 'Detective Eve Dallas' series, Eve is on the trail of a cop killer.
It's 2061 and people communicate via links, watch movies and programs on their screens, and commit crimes.....just like current times. Lt. Eve Dallas is a capable New York detective married to Irish billionaire Roarke - a handsome devil with wild blue eyes.
Dallas and Roarke have just returned from visiting Roarke's family in Ireland when a Eve is called to the scene of a suspicious death. Former Police Captain Martin Greenleaf, who once headed the Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB), is dead in his home office.
Greenleaf has a taser burn on his neck, and the weapon is on the floor beside him. Greenleaf's death is staged to look like a suicide, but Dallas quickly observes discrepancies in the scene and determines it's murder.
During Greenleaf's decades with the IAB he rooted out many 'bad cops', and the consequences for the disgraced officers ranged from dismissal, to prison, to suicide. Thus many ex-cops, and often their families, have a grudge against Greenleaf.
All these angry people make up a big suspect pool, and Eve and her police partner, bubbly Delia Peabody, question one possible perpetrator after another.
Roark helps with the investigation as well, using his network of computer experts to unearth suspects' backgrounds, financial records, activities, and so on.
Meanwhile, a detective called Joe Lansing (unfairly) accuses Dallas of trying to muddy Captain Greenleaf's name. Lansing can't seem to control his fury, and his assaults go from verbal insults to physical confrontations with Eve.
In between collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses, Dallas and Peabody go on with their personal lives: Peabody is remodeling her house in an art deco style she calls "abso-mag", and she shows off the work in progress to Dallas and Roark;
and Dallas and Roark dine on meals like meatballs and spaghetti or pizza, and enjoy each other's company. Roark also soothes and treats Dallas's wounds after she has a confrontation with the angry cop Lansing. (Considering Roark is a billionaire, the couple has a pretty low-key lifestyle).
Unlike some Eve Dallas books where the detective does more CSI type work, this novel is a police procedural in which Dallas and Peabody mostly go around speaking to people. For me, these interviews were too repetitive but the book would probably appeal to fans of the series.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 25, 2024
Lieutenant Eve Dallas and husband Roarke were just back from their holiday in Greece, followed by time in Ireland with Roarke's family, when Eve was called to a homicide. Lieutenant Webster had found the body of retired Captain Martin Greenleaf, of the Internal Affairs Division, when he called into the family home for a visit. As he wanted the best to investigate the case, he called - through the right channels - Eve, as she was the best at what she did. When it was determined to be murder, not the suicide it was set up to be, Eve and her team, along with Roarke, set to finding the killer...
Payback in Death is the 57th in the In Death series by J.D. Robb and once again it was brilliant! I love this series, and left this one a little while after publication, so I could treat myself before #58, Random in Death is published :) And what a treat it was!! Eve is a strong, determined to single mindedness when she has the end goal in sight, person, and I admire her character. The people she surrounds herself with all play a great role - even Summerset ;) Highly recommended.
Payback in Death is the 57th in the In Death series by J.D. Robb and once again it was brilliant! I love this series, and left this one a little while after publication, so I could treat myself before #58, Random in Death is published :) And what a treat it was!! Eve is a strong, determined to single mindedness when she has the end goal in sight, person, and I admire her character. The people she surrounds herself with all play a great role - even Summerset ;) Highly recommended.
April 26, 2023
Payback In Death is book #57 in the long running In Death series written by Author J.D. Robb (an alias for Author Nora Roberts). This series is a futuristic police procedural based in New York City and set around the year 2061. To those who may be turned off by the "futuristic" label, please don't allow that to stop you from enjoying these books. While those aspects are interesting, they're really only window dressing to a well written, highly engaging, character driven series featuring outstanding writing with puzzling murder cases to be solved in each book. The character development and intricate investigations and suspense are always front and center with a sprinkling of humor woven throughout elevating the mood. Futuristic elements such as Auto Chef's and Hover Cars appear secondary at best and in no way distract from the quest to solve a murder. And actually, are we really that far away from having flying cars? Maybe not so futuristic after all.
Payback In Death opens with Roarke and Eve enjoying the last days of a two week Greek vacation that is extended with a week-long stopover in Ireland with Roarke's family where Eve has prearranged her anniversary gift presentation to Roarke. Fans of the series know that any down time is rare for this couple so it's nice to enjoy their more personal, intimate side and interactions with family. Arriving back in New York on a Sunday, their plans are to enjoy one last intimate evening of vacation time before hitting work again early on Blue Monday. Unfortunately, those plans fly out the window when Eve's link signals with an unusual request from Webster that she take the lead at the scene of an apparent suicide of the man Webster considered a father figure. Roarke accompanies Eve, and they're off and running again.
The apparent suicide of retired IAB Captain Martin Greenleaf quickly turns into a murder investigation when Eve steps on the scene and recognizes signs of a staged suicide. While Eve has never been a fan of Greenleaf, he becomes one of hers as a murder victim and she begins meticulously working the murder scene. As always, there're several red herrings muddying the water challenging readers and Lt. Dallas to sift through the evidence, find the motive and track down the killer. The plot line is creative and well-crafted as are all of the series books, and I enjoyed the manner in which Robb wove the "payback" revenge theme throughout the story. The main series support characters make appearances with Peabody by Eve's side as they work the case which is always a delight as Peabody's larger than life personality never fails to add a dose of humor to an otherwise dark subject.
While every single title in the In Death Series stands alone, you're missing one of the most important elements of the series if you don't read these books in order of publication. The In Death series features characters that carry over from book to book with an overall character story arc starting with the hero and heroine, Roarke and Eve. From their first meeting in Naked In Death to the present with this newest release, each character - individually and together - evolves, strengthens and stands the test of time as does the support cast. Start at the beginning and by the time you're a few books in, you'll feel like you know these characters personally - they'll become your friends and neighbors and you'll look forward to each new chapter in their life with every new release.
Payback In Death is a challenging police procedural with tension increasing in time with Eve's handling of the case as the plot unfolds. Eve is bold, brash and unrelenting, as always, as she turns every clue over time and again until it finally clicks into place on her murder board and in her own mind. Some of her best scenes occur near the end when she finally gets a murder suspect into an interrogation room where she does some of her finest work. Strong characters and relationships, unique plot lines and tight pacing make this a must read series for fans of crime and police procedurals. I highly recommend Payback In Death to fans of the In Death series and to everyone who enjoys a challenging mystery and police procedural.
Much appreciation to publisher St. Martins Press for an advanced readers copy of this book. Release date is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2023. This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine on April 24, 2023. It's also available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.
Payback In Death opens with Roarke and Eve enjoying the last days of a two week Greek vacation that is extended with a week-long stopover in Ireland with Roarke's family where Eve has prearranged her anniversary gift presentation to Roarke. Fans of the series know that any down time is rare for this couple so it's nice to enjoy their more personal, intimate side and interactions with family. Arriving back in New York on a Sunday, their plans are to enjoy one last intimate evening of vacation time before hitting work again early on Blue Monday. Unfortunately, those plans fly out the window when Eve's link signals with an unusual request from Webster that she take the lead at the scene of an apparent suicide of the man Webster considered a father figure. Roarke accompanies Eve, and they're off and running again.
The apparent suicide of retired IAB Captain Martin Greenleaf quickly turns into a murder investigation when Eve steps on the scene and recognizes signs of a staged suicide. While Eve has never been a fan of Greenleaf, he becomes one of hers as a murder victim and she begins meticulously working the murder scene. As always, there're several red herrings muddying the water challenging readers and Lt. Dallas to sift through the evidence, find the motive and track down the killer. The plot line is creative and well-crafted as are all of the series books, and I enjoyed the manner in which Robb wove the "payback" revenge theme throughout the story. The main series support characters make appearances with Peabody by Eve's side as they work the case which is always a delight as Peabody's larger than life personality never fails to add a dose of humor to an otherwise dark subject.
While every single title in the In Death Series stands alone, you're missing one of the most important elements of the series if you don't read these books in order of publication. The In Death series features characters that carry over from book to book with an overall character story arc starting with the hero and heroine, Roarke and Eve. From their first meeting in Naked In Death to the present with this newest release, each character - individually and together - evolves, strengthens and stands the test of time as does the support cast. Start at the beginning and by the time you're a few books in, you'll feel like you know these characters personally - they'll become your friends and neighbors and you'll look forward to each new chapter in their life with every new release.
Payback In Death is a challenging police procedural with tension increasing in time with Eve's handling of the case as the plot unfolds. Eve is bold, brash and unrelenting, as always, as she turns every clue over time and again until it finally clicks into place on her murder board and in her own mind. Some of her best scenes occur near the end when she finally gets a murder suspect into an interrogation room where she does some of her finest work. Strong characters and relationships, unique plot lines and tight pacing make this a must read series for fans of crime and police procedurals. I highly recommend Payback In Death to fans of the In Death series and to everyone who enjoys a challenging mystery and police procedural.
Much appreciation to publisher St. Martins Press for an advanced readers copy of this book. Release date is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2023. This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine on April 24, 2023. It's also available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 21, 2023
3.75 stars**
October 2, 2023
I am still amazed that Robb has not repeated stories. This is book number 57 and how she does it I don’t know. I keep thinking after 57 books I should move on, but the characters have become like friends and each has such individual uniqueness. They always are delightful. My only complaint about the story is I felt I was getting impatient as the hunt went on and on. But that could just have been the mood I was in.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours. Susan Ericksen has done an excellent job narrating this series.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours. Susan Ericksen has done an excellent job narrating this series.
September 21, 2023
Fantastic 57th book in an absolute fabulous series!!!
As always I devoured the book and I'm already waiting for the next one.
It's the best kind of comfort food for my bookish heart :D
As always I devoured the book and I'm already waiting for the next one.
It's the best kind of comfort food for my bookish heart :D
September 4, 2024
4.5 stars - My favorite In Death book was Treachery in Death, and this gave me a lot of those vibes. Great mystery, good moments with the characters we love... all around a great entry!
September 6, 2023
I thought this book is a solid entry into the series, but not one of the stand out ones. There were parts that really got to me. Eve's present to Roarke, especially when done in front of the family in Ireland, along with Eve's chats with the young kid who is so enthralled by her and police work. Then there is how Eve is with her squad. She 100% knows they have her back, see what happened in the garage and how they all dealt with the funeral and she has their back, see how she let Baxter know his good news and even at the end. Eve wanted to celebrate closing the case and did so with her crew.
I thought the connection to Webster was interesting, as was Webster's plans now that the case is closed. It seems liked the right thing for him.
I thought the connection to Webster was interesting, as was Webster's plans now that the case is closed. It seems liked the right thing for him.
October 9, 2023
Book 57 - it's a bit crazy really that I am still invested in this series, 57 books in. Some are better than others - some I will re-read - maybe not this one. A good tale and it kept me interested but felt myself drifting off a bit too, while I was listening to it. Excellent narration, as per usual. Roarke and Eve are still two of my favourite book characters. We catch up with most of the other characters from previous books.
It's taking me forever to get through books these days. My reviews are not as detailed as what they used to be - work and real life just gets in the way. If I did not have my trusted Scribd, I would't read a thing ... audible is my 'go to' way to getting the 'reading' done these days.
It's taking me forever to get through books these days. My reviews are not as detailed as what they used to be - work and real life just gets in the way. If I did not have my trusted Scribd, I would't read a thing ... audible is my 'go to' way to getting the 'reading' done these days.
September 16, 2024
On some level, it is astonishing to me that a series could go 57 books and still have me so engaged.
But then, you can think about it like a TV series. There are mountains of TV series that have hooked me for way more than 57 episodes (I believe my record is Supernatural and yes, I watched every single episode). The key to making that work is having characters that you adore, so that every chapter is just another chance to visit with them, and having what in TV shows they'd call "bad guy of the week" - each episode has an independent short plot for that episode alone, as the characters tackle whatever the new situation is. For genre shows like Supernatural or Buffy it was "monster of the week" and for cop dramas like Law & Order or CSI (two shows that I swear have been on for decades), it is more like this book series. I guess you'd call it "crime of the week" and the team has to solve them. There can be overarching plot threads, but each episode/book has a satisfying arc itself, so that every visit with these characters that you love leaves you feeling good, wanting more.
This was a really good crime of the week episode. Tangled, sad, and pretty thrilling at the end. We got to touch base with most of our favorites in the large secondary cast (I think that after 57 books, the cast is too large to touch base with ALL our favorites in every book, but I believe most of them were here at least briefly, except for Charles and Louise).
We had an odd subplot with Lansing, but if I'm honest, I'm not sure that worked - I just don't understand what his deal was and why he dialed up from 0-100 like that. Is it over, or is this going to be a continuing thread? It was a good, dramatic encounter and a good way to involve her team, but I just don't really get what his beef was. But whatever, it was a side plot to the story, and as I said, a thrilling beat with her team.
I love that we see Eve and Roarke's relationship thrive - they have such a solid foundation together, and they understand each other so well. The scene in Ireland was just wonderful and gooey.
All in all, I can't wait for the next visit with these characters. And because I'm not sure I want to leave just yet, I might pick a random book from the series for a re-read (when a new book comes out in a favorite series and a I finish but am not ready to leave the world yet, I generally re-read the series. I'm definitely NOT doing that with a 57 book series, but I can try picking an old favorite from it instead).
But then, you can think about it like a TV series. There are mountains of TV series that have hooked me for way more than 57 episodes (I believe my record is Supernatural and yes, I watched every single episode). The key to making that work is having characters that you adore, so that every chapter is just another chance to visit with them, and having what in TV shows they'd call "bad guy of the week" - each episode has an independent short plot for that episode alone, as the characters tackle whatever the new situation is. For genre shows like Supernatural or Buffy it was "monster of the week" and for cop dramas like Law & Order or CSI (two shows that I swear have been on for decades), it is more like this book series. I guess you'd call it "crime of the week" and the team has to solve them. There can be overarching plot threads, but each episode/book has a satisfying arc itself, so that every visit with these characters that you love leaves you feeling good, wanting more.
This was a really good crime of the week episode. Tangled, sad, and pretty thrilling at the end. We got to touch base with most of our favorites in the large secondary cast (I think that after 57 books, the cast is too large to touch base with ALL our favorites in every book, but I believe most of them were here at least briefly, except for Charles and Louise).
We had an odd subplot with Lansing, but if I'm honest, I'm not sure that worked - I just don't understand what his deal was and why he dialed up from 0-100 like that. Is it over, or is this going to be a continuing thread? It was a good, dramatic encounter and a good way to involve her team, but I just don't really get what his beef was. But whatever, it was a side plot to the story, and as I said, a thrilling beat with her team.
I love that we see Eve and Roarke's relationship thrive - they have such a solid foundation together, and they understand each other so well. The scene in Ireland was just wonderful and gooey.
All in all, I can't wait for the next visit with these characters. And because I'm not sure I want to leave just yet, I might pick a random book from the series for a re-read (when a new book comes out in a favorite series and a I finish but am not ready to leave the world yet, I generally re-read the series. I'm definitely NOT doing that with a 57 book series, but I can try picking an old favorite from it instead).
August 9, 2024
PAYBACK IN DEATH (IN DEATH #57)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“bad guys beware. dallas is back in town”
WOW. just wow. well some people are just CRAZYYY i guess. IMAGINE WAITING THAT LONG FOR REVENGE. so many dead ends that i got worried but in the end justice was served. that was a curious storyline, full of suspects, theories, a sweet family crushed by grief, some shifty and downright criminal characters, reformed addicts and a killer with kink for recreating suicides.
🚓EVE DALLAS🚓
more badass than ever. you kick them bad guys ass girl!! she really struggled this book with trying to find the motive. but her gut instincts are on point like always! ahhh there was just something off about the whole thing that eve just couldn’t seem to shake. i relate!! maybe it’s just robb’s great writing style tho 😂
“if i had a dollar for every time i heard that one, i could probably buy that silly heart purse”
“a delago evening bag can go for twenty large”
“i could buy it it with my you’re-going-to-pay-for-this dollars”
💸ROARKE💸
hot asf. and as caring and talented as ever before. his point really helped! a suicide note with no mention of feeling? red flag for roarke. that beginning with his family was so wholesome.
“i wonder what your business rivals would think if they knew you argue with your cat”
🕵️♂️WEBSTER🕵️♂���
he doesn’t come up often but he’s so sweet, apart from his lil crazy time (which he’s been forgiven for) so i was so excited when he managed to become a main character! i’ll admit for a moment there i was going “NOOOO HE CANT BE THE KILLER” but he wasn’t (OBVIOUSLY 😋)
omg him and darcia are so cuteee 🫶🫶
🖇️PEABODY AND THE BULLPEN🖇️
peabody was as bouncy as ever! and sassyyyy. i really wish i could see her new house. the loyalty and humour of dallas’s bullpen was a great break from interviewing former criminals.
😡LANSING😡
GO ROT IN HELL YOU STUPID MAN! he definitely deserved that. he was like NOT OKAY in the head. but i feel like he’s important. will he come up in another book?
“joyful bouncing is forbidden on the job”
side note: oglebee is a dickhead who doesn’t deserve to live
📝🔫🛠️🛍️🏥🖇️🚓🎉💔📸🪑🎤🪢🚨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“bad guys beware. dallas is back in town”
WOW. just wow. well some people are just CRAZYYY i guess. IMAGINE WAITING THAT LONG FOR REVENGE. so many dead ends that i got worried but in the end justice was served. that was a curious storyline, full of suspects, theories, a sweet family crushed by grief, some shifty and downright criminal characters, reformed addicts and a killer with kink for recreating suicides.
🚓EVE DALLAS🚓
more badass than ever. you kick them bad guys ass girl!! she really struggled this book with trying to find the motive. but her gut instincts are on point like always! ahhh there was just something off about the whole thing that eve just couldn’t seem to shake. i relate!! maybe it’s just robb’s great writing style tho 😂
“if i had a dollar for every time i heard that one, i could probably buy that silly heart purse”
“a delago evening bag can go for twenty large”
“i could buy it it with my you’re-going-to-pay-for-this dollars”
💸ROARKE💸
hot asf. and as caring and talented as ever before. his point really helped! a suicide note with no mention of feeling? red flag for roarke. that beginning with his family was so wholesome.
“i wonder what your business rivals would think if they knew you argue with your cat”
🕵️♂️WEBSTER🕵️♂���
he doesn’t come up often but he’s so sweet, apart from his lil crazy time (which he’s been forgiven for) so i was so excited when he managed to become a main character! i’ll admit for a moment there i was going “NOOOO HE CANT BE THE KILLER” but he wasn’t (OBVIOUSLY 😋)
omg him and darcia are so cuteee 🫶🫶
🖇️PEABODY AND THE BULLPEN🖇️
peabody was as bouncy as ever! and sassyyyy. i really wish i could see her new house. the loyalty and humour of dallas’s bullpen was a great break from interviewing former criminals.
😡LANSING😡
GO ROT IN HELL YOU STUPID MAN! he definitely deserved that. he was like NOT OKAY in the head. but i feel like he’s important. will he come up in another book?
“joyful bouncing is forbidden on the job”
side note: oglebee is a dickhead who doesn’t deserve to live
📝🔫🛠️🛍️🏥🖇️🚓🎉💔📸🪑🎤🪢🚨
January 25, 2024
Three years married, Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke visit his home country of Ireland for a short visit. Now back home in New York, Eve is called onto the case of an unattended death of Martin Greenleaf. Martin was a retired cop and was the captain of internal affairs. From the outset, suspects include some of the officers that had to stand before him due to misconduct.
Martin's wife is beside herself and the two had a terrific marriage. She had gone out for the evening with a friend, and Martin was going to have a visit from another police officer, who is almost immediately not considered to be a suspect.
Eve, with the help of Roarke, and her partner Peabody, dive headfirst into the case, and do the best they can to find out who killed Martin.
This book and the entire series by J. D. Robb, Nora Roberts' pseudonym, was yet another example of fabulous writing. The characters were great, the intrigue was compelling and the twists were timed perfectly.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Martin's wife is beside herself and the two had a terrific marriage. She had gone out for the evening with a friend, and Martin was going to have a visit from another police officer, who is almost immediately not considered to be a suspect.
Eve, with the help of Roarke, and her partner Peabody, dive headfirst into the case, and do the best they can to find out who killed Martin.
This book and the entire series by J. D. Robb, Nora Roberts' pseudonym, was yet another example of fabulous writing. The characters were great, the intrigue was compelling and the twists were timed perfectly.
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
November 10, 2023
I loved this 57th book in J.D. Robb's "In Death" series!
September 21, 2023
4 stars - Futuristic Crime/Mystery
It's hard to believe that this is the 57th (wow!) In Death book, and I still absolutely love this amazing series. I can't imagine ever getting tired of these characters, so I hope Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb never gets tired of writing them! And I'm still holding out hope for a TV series or movie someday.
It's hard to believe that this is the 57th (wow!) In Death book, and I still absolutely love this amazing series. I can't imagine ever getting tired of these characters, so I hope Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb never gets tired of writing them! And I'm still holding out hope for a TV series or movie someday.
September 2, 2024
Entertaining mystery relationship listening🎆🎎✨😎🎉
This kindle e-book novel is from my local library
Eve and Roark are on vacation coming from Greece to Ireland and Roark's family. On arrival in New York City they are thrown into a murder investigation. It leads them and the team in circles before coming to a happy ending 😃.
I would recommend this series to readers of romantic family and friends relationships mystery novel in future New York City. 2024
This kindle e-book novel is from my local library
Eve and Roark are on vacation coming from Greece to Ireland and Roark's family. On arrival in New York City they are thrown into a murder investigation. It leads them and the team in circles before coming to a happy ending 😃.
I would recommend this series to readers of romantic family and friends relationships mystery novel in future New York City. 2024
September 18, 2023
Always a joy. I don't.know.how.the author does it two books a year for almost thirty years and not a dud in the batch. Eve and Roarke are two of my favourite characters (if not the favourite) I always buy hese books.in hardback on the day of release and.also.get an electronic copy so I cm read the series.anytime and.anywhere. Eve's backstory is a tragic.one.as.is Roarkes, in this series set in 2059 (at the start) the world has been through World.War.3 called here the Urban Wars.. This caused major upheaval around the world with many major cities.taking heavy damage and causing a lot of human suffering, this is the world Eve and Roarke.were.born into not into a safe upper or middle class home but one.on the fringes of society. Roarke in Ireland and Eve in America. Due to the trauma Eve suffered as a child she was raised in the foster care system and decided very young.she would be a police officer, Roarke went the other way living a life of crime, stealing, smuggling, whatever turned a profit till he he enough to start his own buisness. A business which soon grew to make him one.of the richest man on planet. Then on a case one day they meet, Eve is investigating a serial murderer and Roarke knew the first victim. It's love at first sight, though having never known love it takes Eve some time to accept what Roarke is offering her. Each book sees Eve tackle a case and Roarke provides whatever help and support he can ( he is a genius with computers) over the series.the.side.characters have grown and.become.a family, favourites have to be Somerset (Roarkes adopted father) Peabody Eve's current partner, Feeney Eve's old partner and Mavis, Eve's best and for a long time only friend. To.name.just a few. There's humour and.heartbreak in these books, what Eve he survived would crush most people, the crimes/murders are always well thought out with clever motives running the spectrum from.stupid impulse driven to.terrorist attacks. My advice would be start with book one Naked in Death you won't be sorry. ...............
December 8, 2023
Full RTC
Great In Death. Loved the twists and reveal. I did skip the renovation stuff. Sorry, not sorry.
I ultimately gave this four stars because the shoehorning in of Nadine with a side incident was so ridiculous and not necessary. I really think that Robb needs to consider having Nadine permanently exit the series, or stop including her in every book. At times I wonder what is the point of Eve if she "always" needs to talk to Nadine or Dr. Mira after a while.
That said, this felt like a back to basics "In Death" like the last one was. No big criminal enterprise or thing going on. Just a terrible murderer that Eve catches.
I did love the beginning of the book with Eve and Roarke on vacation in Greece and then in Ireland. It was great to see them with Roarke's family and it just didn't get quickly done away with in a few pages. And I maybe cheered about Eve saying to Summerset's face with Roarke present that he's his father.
Great In Death. Loved the twists and reveal. I did skip the renovation stuff. Sorry, not sorry.
I ultimately gave this four stars because the shoehorning in of Nadine with a side incident was so ridiculous and not necessary. I really think that Robb needs to consider having Nadine permanently exit the series, or stop including her in every book. At times I wonder what is the point of Eve if she "always" needs to talk to Nadine or Dr. Mira after a while.
That said, this felt like a back to basics "In Death" like the last one was. No big criminal enterprise or thing going on. Just a terrible murderer that Eve catches.
I did love the beginning of the book with Eve and Roarke on vacation in Greece and then in Ireland. It was great to see them with Roarke's family and it just didn't get quickly done away with in a few pages. And I maybe cheered about Eve saying to Summerset's face with Roarke present that he's his father.
September 16, 2023
I keep reading these books because I love the characters, but the author either has started really phoning in the plot effort or handed this series off to a ghostwriter.
The good: because I’m here for the characters at this point, I always love the scenes away from the job the most. This book had a number of those, and I enjoyed each one. I also appreciated the effort to throw in a couple of scenes where Eve is actually training Peabody - making her think out loud, handing off witness interviews or research, even letting her handle a suspect grilling. Someday, Peabody may even get to drive or find a clue all by herself! (We all know she will never be the one to ID the killer.). I also liked Eve’s reflections on how her life and social circle have expanded, and the reinforcement of how much her work team supports one another.
The not good: the who-did-it. I was already bored with the Eve-just-has-a-feeling style of investigation - this book took that tired trope to a whole other level. The killers in this book make NO SENSE and the feeling Eve says she had about Person A from the second she saw that person was not documented at the time. Person B’s involvement is just ridiculous on every level; even more ludicrous is the time delay between the act that allegedly created the desire for revenge (i.e. payback - get it?) and the actual revenge killing. You heard it here first: the primary plot of the book Makes No Sense. Like, at all. People would not wreck their own lives years later for silly reasons like this.
And while I always enjoy time with the work gang, if ever there was a plot that did NOT require the whole team, it would be this one. Even the author couldn’t come up with reasons to include Harpo and her boss; McNabb and Nadine are barely in the book. There is no good reason for Mira to be in it at all, much less Mira, Chief Whitney and Roarke standing around listening to Eve cracking the final suspect in the last pages of the book, but Robb refuses to have Eve interrogate anyone without an audience.
I used to pre-order these books, but for the last half a dozen, I just wait on the library hold to come up. My local library won’t allow patrons to place books on hold until after the release date - the fact that my hold has allowed me to read the last few books within 1-2 weeks of those release dates tells me that despite all the five star reviews here, I am not alone in thinking this series is no longer Must Read Immediately material. I used to buy these because the library wait time back in the day was MONTHS. The author may want to marinate on that.
The good: because I’m here for the characters at this point, I always love the scenes away from the job the most. This book had a number of those, and I enjoyed each one. I also appreciated the effort to throw in a couple of scenes where Eve is actually training Peabody - making her think out loud, handing off witness interviews or research, even letting her handle a suspect grilling. Someday, Peabody may even get to drive or find a clue all by herself! (We all know she will never be the one to ID the killer.). I also liked Eve’s reflections on how her life and social circle have expanded, and the reinforcement of how much her work team supports one another.
The not good: the who-did-it. I was already bored with the Eve-just-has-a-feeling style of investigation - this book took that tired trope to a whole other level. The killers in this book make NO SENSE and the feeling Eve says she had about Person A from the second she saw that person was not documented at the time. Person B’s involvement is just ridiculous on every level; even more ludicrous is the time delay between the act that allegedly created the desire for revenge (i.e. payback - get it?) and the actual revenge killing. You heard it here first: the primary plot of the book Makes No Sense. Like, at all. People would not wreck their own lives years later for silly reasons like this.
And while I always enjoy time with the work gang, if ever there was a plot that did NOT require the whole team, it would be this one. Even the author couldn’t come up with reasons to include Harpo and her boss; McNabb and Nadine are barely in the book. There is no good reason for Mira to be in it at all, much less Mira, Chief Whitney and Roarke standing around listening to Eve cracking the final suspect in the last pages of the book, but Robb refuses to have Eve interrogate anyone without an audience.
I used to pre-order these books, but for the last half a dozen, I just wait on the library hold to come up. My local library won’t allow patrons to place books on hold until after the release date - the fact that my hold has allowed me to read the last few books within 1-2 weeks of those release dates tells me that despite all the five star reviews here, I am not alone in thinking this series is no longer Must Read Immediately material. I used to buy these because the library wait time back in the day was MONTHS. The author may want to marinate on that.
March 28, 2024
I managed to snag a copy of this book for a third of its original price at my library bookstore. Hell yeah. This was an amazing case. I briefly commented that the mention of Peabody's home renovation was significantly reduced, only to get a whole doggone chapter on it later on in the book. I cannot stand listening to construction updates in fact or fiction. I hope Mavis' mansion gets finished within the next few books because I'm totally over it, dude. Payback in Death was an engaging mystery with a homocide of a well known Internal Affairs Bureau captain staged as a suicide. It was really tricky and Dallas couldn't quite snag the suspect. I had some difficulty following her logic but we eventually got there. This was a quick easy case and I breezed through it. There was a lot of discussion regarding suicide and the author even wrote a note in the appendix regarding this issue. If that's triggering for you, I would personally advise skipping this particular book. I've been swapping out my personal collection of Eve Dallas hardcovers for paperbacks to maximize the space on my bookshelf. This series has over 50 books. I need all the space I can get, baby. Just keep the construction updates out my murder cases!
January 29, 2023
This wasn't one of my favorites in the series, but it's a decent enough entry. I was expecting a different connection between the murderer and the reason for the murder; I didn't really buy the stated connection/reason. It was also a little off to me how Dallas kept complaining about how slow the investigation was going when it had only been 48 hours.
I did enjoy the catch up with family in Ireland and the continuing house renovation.
I did enjoy the catch up with family in Ireland and the continuing house renovation.
September 29, 2023
A fairly low-key entry in this long-running series, with a straight-forward mystery.
Lt. Eve Dallas, barely back from a 3-week vacation, is called to the home of a retired Internal Affairs officer, Martin Greenleaf. His body had been discovered by a close friend (also an IAB officer), who is convinced the apparent suicide has been staged; that Greenleaf was murdered.
As Dallas investigates the more she agrees that foul murder has been done. But by whom? who had both means and motive to pull off such a crime?
What unfolds is all the necessary footwork, list-making, potential suspect interviewing, and theory revision that goes into a murder investigation. It was fun to follow along with Dallas and company.
No grand fireworks in this one, but that didn't stop me from turning the pages as fast as I could read them. I was hooked; I needed to know 'whodunnit'.
All in all, a very satisfactory outing.
Lt. Eve Dallas, barely back from a 3-week vacation, is called to the home of a retired Internal Affairs officer, Martin Greenleaf. His body had been discovered by a close friend (also an IAB officer), who is convinced the apparent suicide has been staged; that Greenleaf was murdered.
As Dallas investigates the more she agrees that foul murder has been done. But by whom? who had both means and motive to pull off such a crime?
What unfolds is all the necessary footwork, list-making, potential suspect interviewing, and theory revision that goes into a murder investigation. It was fun to follow along with Dallas and company.
No grand fireworks in this one, but that didn't stop me from turning the pages as fast as I could read them. I was hooked; I needed to know 'whodunnit'.
All in all, a very satisfactory outing.
March 13, 2024
You can’t go wrong with a Lt. Dallas book! A retired internal affairs police officer is murdered. It’s stage to look like a suicide. Eve sees right through it and is on the hunt for a cop killer.
June 1, 2023
Eve and Roarke have just enjoyed a nice, long vacation in Greece, followed by Ireland for a visit with Roarke's family. But Eve is thrust right back into action when a retired Internal Affairs officer is found dead in his study, of a supposed suicide. But Eve isn't quite so sure. Number fifty-seven in the series and these books are just as much of a page-turner as the first one!
This one felt like it was earlier in the editing process than it should have been for an ARC. A lot of the phrasing felt unfinished and some of the references just felt a little confusing to me. Or course, it could just be me.
Also, this is probably extremely obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but the way cops in media always hate IA so much as always struck me as weird. They always unconditionally hate them. But why? Because IA's job is treating the cops how the cops treat the rest of us. And they just can't stand being questioned about their actions...as if they think they're above the law and should be able to do whatever they want. Even the ones that aren't guilty don't like being treated like all the innocent people they treat the same way. 😒
This one felt like it was earlier in the editing process than it should have been for an ARC. A lot of the phrasing felt unfinished and some of the references just felt a little confusing to me. Or course, it could just be me.
Also, this is probably extremely obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but the way cops in media always hate IA so much as always struck me as weird. They always unconditionally hate them. But why? Because IA's job is treating the cops how the cops treat the rest of us. And they just can't stand being questioned about their actions...as if they think they're above the law and should be able to do whatever they want. Even the ones that aren't guilty don't like being treated like all the innocent people they treat the same way. 😒
April 6, 2024
Yes, this one book took me over 6 months to finish. In my defense, I was (and still) in my biggest slump.
It began like always. I was kinda uninterested in the premise (other than any Roarke's scenes. I devoured those). But then, when I reached the end, I got all melancholic again. Missing these characters and the cases. The relationship dynamic. That comfort safe net that the books in the series gave me.
Anyway. That was another good installment I guess. I wonder how and when these characters will change for the penultimate ending now. I'm scared to lose them.
It began like always. I was kinda uninterested in the premise (other than any Roarke's scenes. I devoured those). But then, when I reached the end, I got all melancholic again. Missing these characters and the cases. The relationship dynamic. That comfort safe net that the books in the series gave me.
Anyway. That was another good installment I guess. I wonder how and when these characters will change for the penultimate ending now. I'm scared to lose them.
December 4, 2023
Hard to believe this is book 57 in this series. I can remember starting the series 20 some years ago after a friend I met online raved about them. Haven't regretted picking up that first one.
Another great book in the series, one that starts out very light-hearted, which is different from the way most of her books start out, so the time they spend in Ireland with Roarke's family was a welcome beginning.
Alas, then we get to the murder and mayhem...well, no mayhem but the murder of a former IA detective, one who could have a number of enemies. One that has a very loving family so it is very heartbreaking when we read his wife breaking down over the death.
As always, we get a rough on the outside Eve and a peppy and exciting Peabody. A couple of nice love scenes with Roarke and a very protective Roarke too.
It's always good to get back into the lives of Eve and Roarke and all their friends.
Another great book in the series, one that starts out very light-hearted, which is different from the way most of her books start out, so the time they spend in Ireland with Roarke's family was a welcome beginning.
Alas, then we get to the murder and mayhem...well, no mayhem but the murder of a former IA detective, one who could have a number of enemies. One that has a very loving family so it is very heartbreaking when we read his wife breaking down over the death.
As always, we get a rough on the outside Eve and a peppy and exciting Peabody. A couple of nice love scenes with Roarke and a very protective Roarke too.
It's always good to get back into the lives of Eve and Roarke and all their friends.
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