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

Leverage in Death
Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 47)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (September 4, 2018)

Description: Lieutenant Eve Dallas puzzles over a bizarre suicide bombing in a Wall St. office building in Leverage in Death, the latest in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from J.D. Robb…

For the airline executives finalizing a merger that would make news in the business world, the nine a.m. meeting would be a major milestone. But after marketing VP Paul Rogan walked into the plush conference room, strapped with explosives, the headlines told of death and destruction instead. The NYPSD’s Eve Dallas confirms that Rogan was cruelly coerced by two masked men holding his family hostage. His motive was saving his wife and daughter—but what was the motive of the masked men?

Despite the chaos and bad publicity, blowing up one meeting isn’t going to put the brakes on the merger. All it’s accomplished is shattering a lot of innocent lives. Now, with the help of her billionaire husband Roarke, Eve must untangle the reason for an inexplicable act of terror, look at suspects inside and outside both corporations, and determine whether the root of this crime lies in simple sabotage, or something far more complex and twisted.

My Thoughts: A good man walks into a meeting discussing a merger between two airlines and detonates the explosives in a vest on his body. Eve catches the case and quickly learns that Paul Rogan was coerced by men holding his family hostage. But what did the two men want? What good would killing a dozen people and delaying a merger do?

Luckily, Eve has on tap a financial consultant - her husband Roarke - who can help her figure out what some possible motives might be. It seems that the most likely motive is to make money when the threat of terrorism causes panic on Wall Street and the stocks lose value only to rebound when the news that the merger will go through after all.

Knowing the motive doesn't initially help Eve find out who planned this brutal scheme. Interviewing survivors and running down suspects to try to find leads is the reality of this investigation. Then, when a person of interest is found dead with a broken neck and dumped in s reservoir in Central Park, Eve knows that she's getting closer. Then a second incident happens. This time a rising artist is killed in the gallery setting up his first show, his loft is broken into, and his art is either stolen or destroyed.

Eve needs to find this pair of killers before they can strike again -- as Eve is sure they will.

Wrapping around this main plot is the build up to the Academy Awards. Nadine Furst is up for an Oscar for adapting her book The Icove Agenda for the screen. The film is also up for Best Picture. Mavis is up for an Oscar for the Best Song. Eve absolutely does not want to attend the Oscar festivities but Nadine has invited Peabody and McNab. Attending the Oscars has been a life-long dream of Peabody's but find these killers might make it impossible for her to get away. Eve knows what it means to her partner and so recruits Roarke to fill in for Peabody while she's gone.

This was another great episode in a long-running series. Fans won't want to miss it.

Favorite Quote:

"Here now," he soothed.

"It's nothing wrong. It's just...good to be home, and here. I can take the lon, crap days, the multiple DBs in the long, crap days. I can even take feelings like I'm getting basically nowhere after the long, crap days because it's good to be home, and here."

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