Book Review: Devoted in Death by J. D. Robb

Devoted in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 41)
Publication: G.P. Putnam's Sons (September 15, 2015)

Description: Eve Dallas tracks a couple whose passion is fueled by cold brutality in the newest crime thriller from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Obsession in Death and Festive in Death.

When Lieutenant Eve Dallas examines a body in a downtown Manhattan alleyway, the victim’s injuries are so extensive that she almost misses the clue. Carved into the skin is the shape of a heart—and initials inside reading E and D. . .

Ella-Loo and her boyfriend, Darryl, had been separated while Darryl was a guest of the state of Oklahoma, and now that his sentence has been served they don’t ever intend to part again. Ella-Loo’s got dreams. And Darryl believes there are better ways to achieve your dreams than working for them. So they hit the road, and when their car breaks down in Arkansas, they make plans to take someone else’s. Then things get messy and they wind up killing someone—an experience that stokes a fierce, wild desire in Ella-Loo. A desire for Darryl. And a desire to kill again.

As they cross state lines on their way to New York to find the life they think they deserve, they will leave a trail of evil behind them. But now they’ve landed in the jurisdiction of Lieutenant Dallas and her team at the New York Police and Security Department. And with her husband, Roarke, at her side, she has every intention of hunting them down and giving them what they truly deserve . . .

My Thoughts: This In Death episode was definitely a police procedural as Eve and her team need to track down a pair of lovers who show their love for each other by torturing and murdering strangers. Eve comes in once the pair gets to New York. The first victim that Eve finds out about is a cellist named Dorian Kuper who was dumped on the street. Eve and Peabody do the usual checking out friends and family but it soon becomes apparent to them that he was a random victim. This starts Eve and Roarke trying to identify other similar cases.

Enter Deputy Will Banner from Arkansas who has also been tracking the pair on their killing spree across the country. He got involved because one of their earliest victims was an old guy that he was used to looking out for. The FBI has gotten involved but they don't believe Will's victim fits into their profile.

Eve calls in her friends and colleagues Morris, Mira, and McNabb to assist in the investigation as they rush to find something before the next victims are murdered. There was a lot of tension that kept building as Eve and her team uncovered clue after clue.

Outside of the investigation, tensions were high in the team because Trueheart l was scheduled to take the exam to become a detective and both he and his trainer Baxter were nervous about it. Luckily, Eve had lots for them to do to take their minds off the exam. As usual the humor in the story came from Eve misunderstanding some idioms and especially becoming confused about time zones as she sent her detectives to Arkansas and Oklahoma to dig into out criminals' pasts.

It was also good to see the comparison between Eve and Roarke's love for each other and the love of the two villains. It is good seeing that Eve and Roarke are settling into a strong, deep love and that Eve is becoming more comfortable with her emotions.

All in all, this was another excellent addition to this long-running series.

Favorite Quote:

She started to open the door, looked back at him. "Whatever came before, whatever comes after, I know what love is because of you."

He took her free hand. "Whatever came before, whatever comes after, it's you who've shown me love changes everything. Lifts everything. Gives everything."

I bought this book. You can buy your copy here.