Bonded in Death

Bonded in Death is the sixtieth book in Author J.D. Robb’s futuristic police procedural series set in New York City during the 21st century. Homicide Lieutenant Eve Dallas, billionaire husband and entrepreneur Roarke and an eclectic assortment of friends and colleagues unite to fight crime and bring justice to victims and their families. As always, Robb excels at rendering a tautly plotted murder mystery featuring strong, vibrant characterizations and settings with a sprinkling of humor to lighten darker storylines. 

A man in Rome receives an urgent phone call causing him to drop everything and travel to New York City with no explanation to his family. He gets in a waiting limo at the airport and soon thereafter, he’s found dead in the backseat with no immediate cause of death indicated. Called to the scene, Lt. Dallas quickly becomes irritated at the lack of clues, especially when facial recognition fails to identify the limo driver and presumed killer. As Eve and her team dig deeper, facts emerge indicating the victim had a connection to the historic Urban Wars that occurred during a period of unrest in Europe over four decades earlier. Dallas turns to the only person she knows who lived through those Wars – Roarke’s major domo, Summerset, who resides in the mansion and takes immense pleasure in irritating Eve with daily exchanges of banter. The shock and pain on Summerset’s face upon hearing of Rossi’s death tells Eve that he holds the key to solving the murder if she can convince him to share his secretive past. When it becomes clear someone is targeting old comrades, Summerset reluctantly tells a dark tale about an organization he swore allegiance to known as “The Twelve” – a group of confidants who secretly fought behind the scenes during the Urban Wars. With Summerset at the top of a “kill list”, Eve and Roarke offer safe harbor in the mansion to the remaining members of The Twelve while Eve, Peabody and the rest of the police team search for an elusive killer. Can they unmask a mastermind of disguise before he kills again? 

Bonded in Death is THE In Death book I’ve been waiting for as I suspect is true of other fans of the series. The Urban Wars are mentioned in previous books with little to no information being revealed. It’s been alluded to that Summerset’s dark past is buried somewhere in the ashes of the Urban Wars, and readers are finally receiving the full story. Bringing the tale home to New York with safe shelter taking place in Roarke’s mansion is brilliant on the part of the author as it brings people who knew, loved and worked with Summerset in his youth together in one place, allowing readers inside Eve’s at-home interview room as each remaining member relays their story. Flashbacks carry readers straight into the war zone enabling them to watch the horror of the ultimate betrayal play out firsthand. Robb expertly maneuvers characters and readers through connecting plot lines as intensity and urgency grow with frustrations at being unable to put a face to a suspected killer. 

Author J.D. Robb is a brilliant storyteller who knows how to weave a fascinating, multi-faceted tale with characters readers love like family. I never tire of watching the cases play out through Eve’s eyes as her mind is a fascinating place to be whether she’s working a case or navigating the murky waters of wife and/or friendship rules. Character relationship development is always huge in these books, remaining the number one reason I recommend experiencing this series from the beginning – although each book stands alone with an intriguing murder case being investigated. I always look forward to the quirky banter between characters, especially Eve and Peabody, as well as the hilarious prose describing the vibrant dress and larger-than-life personalities of some characters. Pacing moves forward steadily with each revelation keeping characters and readers engaged. 

Author J.D. Robb has rendered another excellent, immersive police procedural with strong, engaging characters and complex plot lines bearing the perfect blend of mystery, intrigue, romance and humor. I predict Bonded in Death will be a favorite among long-time fans of the series. I also highly recommend it to those readers who enjoy a beautifully written and delivered murder mystery.