Author: J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 58)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (January 23, 2024)
Description: In the new crime thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling J.D. Robb, a small and easily concealed weapon wreaks havoc, and the killer is just a face in the crowd.
Jenna’s parents had finally given in, and there she was, at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A, carrying her demo in hopes of slipping it to the guitarist, Jake Kincade. Then, from the stage, Jake catches her eye, and smiles. It’s the best night of her life.
Minutes later, Jake’s in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it’s no use. He doesn’t know that someone in the crowd has jabbed her with a needle―and when his girlfriend Nadine arrives, she knows the only thing left to do for the girl is call her friend, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.
After everyone on the scene is interviewed, lab results show a toxic mix of substances in the victim’s body―and for an extra touch of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious agents. Dallas searches for a pattern: Had any boys been harassing Jenna? Was she engaging in risky behavior or caught up in something shady? But there are no obvious clues why this levelheaded sixteen-year-old, passionate about her music, would be targeted.
And that worries Dallas. Because if Jenna wasn’t targeted, if she was just the random, unlucky victim of a madman consumed by hatred, there are likely more deaths to come.
My Thoughts: Eve was hoping for a quiet weekend off to spend with her husband Roarke when a call comes in taking her to Club Rock It where Avenue A is performing as they do each year to remember where they all started. The club is open that night to teens who pack the place.
One of the teens is Jenna Harbough who is a 16-year-old aspiring songwriter and performer who is hoping to get a chance to slip lead singer Jake Kincaid a copy of her demo. She isn't expecting to feel a poke in her arm and to die just minutes later in Jake's arms.
It looks like Jenna died of a drug overdose and it soon becomes apparent that the drugs were injected in her without her knowledge or consent. Investigations into her life don't reveal anyone known to her who might want her dead. The only clues on scene are some threads of fiber on a window in the mens' room and some scuff marks on the wall below the window.
The next night 17-year-old Arlie Dillon is at an open-air battle of the bands when she feels what she things is a bee sting on her arm. She dies just a few minutes later despite attempts from her friends and the MTs to save her. It is the same poison mix as killed Jenna. And Eve has a serial killer who is picking his victims randomly to find and stop before he can kill again.
Kiki Hernandez is almost the third victim when she feels an injection while she's at the premier of the latest blockbuster. But layers on her arms and a massive bruise where the killer tries to inject his poison causes her to make a commotion and send the killer running.
This case is a definite police procedural. Eve and her team have to gather the tiny clues left behind and many eyewitness accounts from people who didn't really look at the killer before she can find him and stop him.
This was another excellent episode in the long-running Eve Dallas series. I like the way she works with her team including especially Peabody and Jenkinson in this episode. I also like how characters from earlier series - Charles and Louise, Nadine Furst and Jake Kincaid, and Jamie and Quilla make important appearances in this episode.
I love her relationship with Roarke. This time their conflict centers around him giving her some pocket money when she forgets to visit an ATM. It hurts her pride to accept and his pride when she tries to pay him back.
Fans of the series won't want to miss this episode. I loved it so much I read it twice with just a few hours in between readings.
Favorite Quote:
Favorite Quote:
"She wasn't alone," Eve continued. "In those minutes when she was afraid and confused and hurting, someone was there with her. You were there with her. She heard your voice, she may not have understood the words, but she heard your voice. She saw your face, she felt your arms around her, and knew she wasn't alone."I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
Sounds riveting.
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