 "A softer and kindler Eve. And she still rocks." | 2009-09-09 |
| - Reviewed By mbeck007 |
This was perhaps my favorite JD Robb novel to date. There are several things to love about "Promises in Death", among them we get to see a side of Eve that we have been longing to see...that of a compassionate and not overly obsessed detective/lieutenant who has finally managed to find just the right balance between the job and her personal life. For the first time, although this is perhaps the MOST important case of her career, Eve seems to be the most comfortable in her own skin, more so than ever before. She isn't missing meals, or loosing sleep. She is not allowing the case to drown or consume her. The old Eve would never have had a bridal shower during a murder investigation, but the new one realizes the value in a tradition that should seem frivolous but is necessary for her sanity and the sanity of her friends.
In "Promises", Morris' girlfriend and fellow officer, Amaryllis Coltraine, has been murdered and while on the surface it appears that she may have been a cop on the take, Eve believes she owes her friend Morris the truth (making a promise/vow to discover the
Truth and bring her killer to justice. Of course, Eve leaves no stone unturned and when the investigation leads to the son of her biggest nemesis (and Roarke's) Alex Ricker (Max's son), Eve isn't sure what it all really means. At the heart of this tale is a web of deception that only Eve can decipher with her trusted sidekick/partner (Peabody); e-geek (Feeny & McNabb) and her ever devoted husband (Roarke).
For those who love the series, we get to see how Eve's relationship with Roarke could have turned out had Roarke not been ready to give up his shall we say illegal activities (although we know he will use the unregistered). Apparently, Alex Ricker dated Amaryllis Coltraine years ago, and when faced with the option of choosing between her and his father's business (i.e., other illegal activities), Alex chose business and not love. Eve gets the opportunity to see how things might have ended had Roarke not loved her enough or if he had been someone different than who he is. And while Eve sees all the potential of what could have been between Morris and Amaryllis, she also sees all that wasn't between Alex and Amaryllis.
And finally, Eve seems to come to grips, finally, with who she really is. Having always questioned her genetics and what effects, if any did they have on forming who she is and now realizes that your genes aren't the only thing that make you who and what you are. After all, she and Roarke overcame genetics and now stand for good and justice. The only question remaining is "did Alex's genes affect him, and is he his father"? Of course you'll have to read the book to find out!
What merits my "5" rating...well, there were some hilarious moments in the novel (Eve taking her new car for a spin. Roarke and the gang preparing to go to Vegas. Mira topless in the pool.), and some truly sad moments (Eve telling Morris the woman he loves is dead). But what made this story so great was how the story gelled and made you feel satisfied, not to mention there is action, suspense, and a great plot. I can't wait until the next story comes out. I will be the first in line.
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| "Loved it!" | 2009-09-08 |
| - Reviewed By User: ARGUMCK8SCO3U |
| Anyone who loves Eve Dallas and Roarke will love this one. It was complex, moving, and with the usual humor you would expect from the Eve Dallas series. I hope Nora Roberts keeps up the pace of this series. I can't wait to read the next one! |
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| "Excellent service" | 2009-09-01 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3P0IPPV5VV0SU |
| Was notified quickly about receiving my order. Received order well before deadline and in very good shape. Would be happy to do business with them again. |
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| "Another great installment in the Eve Dallas series..." | 2009-07-12 |
| - Reviewed By never_stop_reading |
I finally got to the top of the hold list for J. D. Robb's latest, Promises in Death. I've made no bones about the fact that the In Death series written by Nora Roberts (writing as J. D. Robb) is a guilty pleasure of mine. I love the characters, the plots, the whole police/crime novel set in the near future with a nice touch of sci-fi. She cranks these out at a phenomenal rate, and I don't know how she does it without becoming stale. All I can say is that I'm happy she hasn't hit that point, and Promises is one of the best ones in the series. I really enjoyed this one.
The main plot here is that a female cop from a different precinct, Amaryllis Coltraine, is murdered. She's hit with a blaster that does a lot of damage but doesn't kill her. The killer then revives her, apparently spends a bit of time talking to her, and then finishes her off with her own issued stunner. Dallas pulls the case, and takes it even more personally than normal as it was a fellow cop. She was also involved with Morris, the chief medical examiner in Dallas' office, and it's torn him up. Dallas starts investigating Coltraine's fellow officers, which they don't take kindly to. Dallas also ties Coltraine to Alex Ricker, the son of a notorious killer that Dallas put away on a prior case. Dallas has to determine if Ricker had her murdered, if Coltraine was aware of Ricker's ties, or even the possibility that Coltraine might have been on the take. Regardless of which it is, Dallas won't give up until the truth is uncovered, no matter who it may hurt...
Even though I find all the In Death novels interesting and entertaining, some of them work better than others. This one is perfect. There's a solid crime right up front that establishes the plot. Dallas has to sort through a number of false leads and dead ends to establish some solid suspects. Even then, the picture keeps changing. Roarke uses his considerable skills to help dig out information, as well as keeping Dallas grounded in reality. And for good measure, there's a bridal shower that Dallas has to attend, a fate worse than death for her. All the elements that make for a great Eve Dallas adventure.
It only took me a couple days to start and finish this novel. Now it's back to waiting for the next one. Which, with Robert's pace, won't be long... :)
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| "fast shipment great book" | 2009-07-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1U5XHUUC8LAIW |
| no problem with purchase. love the book. another great one in this set. warning-- absolutely you need to read this set in the correct order . |
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| "Very well written" | 2009-07-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2KWQ64TRHB3YH |
Promises in death
By J. D. Robb
G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2009, 342 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-15548-2
Reviewed by Israel Drazin
Nora Roberts writes love stories under her own name and police mysteries with the pseudonym J. D. Robb. Promises in Death is one of more than 150 of her novels. It is the twenty-eighth in her futuristic In Death series, set in New York in 2060. Publishers Weekly highlights Nora Roberts' popularity: three of the ten best-selling mass-market paperbacks that were sold in 2008 were her books. She published her first book in 1981. She writes quickly, taking an average of a month and a half to finish a novel.
In Promises in Death an attractive well-liked female detective transfers from Atlanta to New York. She begins a romance with the New York Chief Medical examiner, a friend of the book's heroine, Lieutenant Eve Dallas. She is murdered under unusual circumstances. She is widely known as a good and careful detective who focuses on details. Yet, despite her training and years of experience fighting crime, there is no evidence that she tried to defend herself against her assailant.
The murder raises many questions. Why did the victim leave Atlanta? Was she as expert a detective as she appeared to be? Was she somehow involved with crime or criminals? Why was she killed just outside her apartment? Why was her badge taken? Why was she killed with her own stun gun? Is the murder somehow an attack on Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke?
J. D. Robb's style is to tell her tale through dialogue. She also describes actions. This enlivens her tales. Some of these descriptions and some of the reactions between the sexes might remind the reader of Robert's other books, her romance novels, because of the way the characters think and act. An example is when Roarke "cupped her (his wife's) neck, and leaning to her took her mouth in a kiss that made her swear she could see little red hearts dancing over her head." Later, he turns to his wife and "shot her a look with those blue laser eyes." Love is involved and explored, such as the love between Eve and Roarke, and other loves, including that of the murder victim.
Unlike science fiction novels, this tale of murder in 2060 does not belabor futuristic gadgets. Some of those that are mentioned add a sense of humor and wonder. Computer and other electrical machinery police are called the E Geek Squad. People have mechanical cats that purr but need no liter box. Cars can go "vertical"; that is, leap over a vehicle or other object in front of them. Cars do not eject balloons in accidents, but gels that surround the occupants. Lingerie shops use a hologram of customers to see how apparels fit. No one needs to carry a computer phone or wear it in a belt; it is part of a "wrist unit." Computers analyze case facts and calculate the statistical possibility of such matters as: did the killer and victim know each other and was the victim the target of the murder or was it a random killing? Phones - called `links - have face screens. Police and criminals use stun guns. Interestingly, some blacks still speak with the black patois in 2060.
The principal characters, Eve and Roarke, are nicely drawn. Both of their parents were violent people. Eve is a dedicated police officer giving more time, effort and emotion to her case than the average officer. Her general dedication and her specific need to solve this case causes Eve to work at a frenetic pace, and this, in turn, gives the novel a fast pace thrust.
Eve's husband was a criminal before their marriage and abandoned crime when he married Eve. This history creates some strain between the couple, almost fully resolved after two years of marriage, but still there. Her marriage to a criminal, even though it is a matter of the past, affects her status in the force, making it unlikely that despite her obvious dedication and successes she will ever be promoted.
Some mystery novels have the book's protagonists being involved in two or three cases. Promises in Death has a single case. This offers an opportunity for greater development, horizontally in depicting events, and vertically in the delving into the depth of characters.
The book's title is based on three dreams that Eve has when she promises the murder victim that she would catch her killer. J.D. Robb tells the tale of the murder and what follows very well.
Dr. Israel Drazin is the author of a series of books on Maimonides, a twelfth century rational philosopher, and is the co-author of a series of books on Targum Onkelos, the earliest existing translation of the Hebrew Bible. Both are published by Gefen Publishing House, www.israelbooks.com.
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