Desperation in Death: An Eve Dallas thriller (In Death 55)

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This is a heavy topic and a very serious one, but there is still opportunity for some very funny one liners between Peabody and Eve. The author never loses sight of her characters and they stay true to themselves at all times. As usual the police work is thorough and interesting. Altogether a well balanced and very well written book which is totally absorbing, but what else would we expect from this experienced and talented author.

The storyline is very much reminiscent of the slew of cult documentaries and religious based indoctrination schools and camps of this modern day where wealthy men buy little girls who have been groomed for them. After seeing so many of todays GOP legislate for child marriage, it’s quite plausible that they don’t need to snatch them off the street when they just raise them to believe that God wants them to marry and be fruitful starting at 12 years old. This book pushed my belief that they’d need to keep it a secret when it’s happening very much out in the open right now. There were a few sightings and hints of new -- and what appear to be fun and interesting characters joining the good guy pool. And the possibilities are strong that it won’t be long before readers see more of them, when . . . Desperation In Death, Book No. 55 arrives in September. Yippee – that’s positively without a doubt defined as “the good stuff.” With two girls having been abducted, and one escaping, Sadly, as the girls were escaping, one of them died. Detective Eve Dallas is in a frantic race against time to find out who abducted the girls. It doesn't take long for Eve to realize that exploitation is behind the abductions and Eve cannot help but remember her tragic past when it comes to said abuse. Eve is an amazing character that J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts) has blessed her readers with. Multidimensional emotions, including being tough on the outside, but with strong sensitivities when it comes to handling cases such as this. Also, Eve's past comes through from time-to-time, and this is one of the ways that allows her billionaire husband Roarke to shine through, as he helps her through the trauma that was her past. Reading the newest J.D. Robb book always feels like a chance to catch up with dear friends, while said friends are trying to save the world. And I don’t know that I’ll ever tire of that. Desperation in Death is the 55th full-length installment in the In Death series, and I’m still just as attached to Eve and Roarke and Peabody and the rest as I could ever hope to be. I absolutely love seeing how they’ve grown and changed over the years. While this particular installment dealt with some incredibly difficult and heartbreaking topics, and was very hard to read in some places, it was handled with care and was well worth reading.The #1 New York Timesbestselling author presents a gripping new thriller that pits homicide detective Eve Dallas against a conspiracy of exploitation and evil… I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I believe it is one of my favorites of the series and I am quite sure it is one I’ll read again and again.

Robb details the abuse that the girls experience from the very beginning, so when one of them turns up dead, I feel like readers can connect more with the victim. I think this may disturb some readers due to the subject matter, but the details are glossed over. But I did just want to give a warming just to be safe.

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Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 8, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine. This story starts when Mina Cabot and Dorian Gregg, abducted teenagers, attempt to escape the Pleasure Academy where they have been imprisoned for months and trained for a life of service and exploitation. Unfortunately, the plan isn’t the success they desired. The prose is well-written and engaging. This time Eve’s passion for justice and those that need help pushes the story beyond finding a single murderer, to taking down those that prey on children. The plot is thought-provoking and tragic. While this book has some action, it is mostly a police procedural. The action is concentrated at the beginning and the ending. It is appalling in places and uplifting in others. In the early morning hours, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called to the scene of a murder. The victim is twenty-six-year-old Lauren Elder. Lauren is lovely, well-liked at work, and well-loved by friends and family. Who could have done this to Lauren? Who would meticulously dress and stage Lauren’s body and then leave her in a children’s playground with a crayon sign saying ‘Bad Mommy’? Lauren had been reported missing ten days ago – where had she been all of that time? Add to that the usual Fifty-esque diet and clothing scenes and you've got an installment that, while much better, doesn't quite hit the five-star mark.