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

What makes us return, repeatedly, to the futuristic thriller collection In Demise? Random in Demise is #58 of 59 Eve Dallas novels—by any measuring stick, that’s fairly a run. J.D. Robb cleverly balances deepening familiarity with Eve Dallas and her gazillionaire husband Roarke—and their pals, co-workers, and household—whereas introducing new folks to the combination. The key sauce is Robb’s capacity to teleport the visceral fears of at the moment a long time into the longer term. In Eve Dallas’s universe, it’s the summer season of 2061, sizzling nights in New York Metropolis, however some issues keep fixed over time. One in all them is the everlasting battle for freedom between teenagers and their mother and father.

It’s essentially the most thrilling night time of Jenna Harborough’s sixteen-year-old life. Her mother and father have lastly relented and mentioned she will be able to go to a music membership in order that she will be able to see and listen to guitarist Jake Kincaid and his well-known band Avenue A in individual. Jenna’s a passionate musician: she brings a demo along with her to the membership within the hopes she will be able to get it in Jake’s palms. When Jake winks at her from the stage, she thinks she’s died of happiness. Tragically, Jenna is stabbed by an unknown individual within the crowd. She stumbles out to the alley, disoriented and in poor health. Jake’s within the alley too, catching a breath of air. He’s the final individual to see Jenna alive: though he does all the pieces in his energy to save lots of her, she dies in his arms. Jake’s girlfriend is uber-famous celeb journalist Nadine Furst and a buddy of Eve Dallas. Nadine is aware of what Jake should do, although he’s paralyzed with grief and horror: get Lieutenant Eve Dallas on the scene yesterday. Jenna’s life has tragically ended however Nadine is aware of that Eve Dallas and her trusty sidekick Peabody will work with out ceasing to get justice for the younger woman. As at all times, Roarke has Eve’s again.

“It’s going to be a extremely ugly night time for the sufferer’s mother and father. I’m going to go do the notification.”

 

“With out Peabody?”

 

“I can’t spare her for this when now we have all these potential wits and suspects in that membership. Look, I don’t know the way lengthy we’ll be at this so—”

 

“You’re about to go inform a mom and father their little one’s lifeless.” He took her discipline package to place it within the trunk. “I’m with you, Lieutenant.”

One in all Dallas’s crucial however painful jobs is to interview Jenna’s pals Leelee and Chelsea—the ladies who accompanied her to the music membership. Given their ages, their mother and father sit in on the interview. The women are indignant, grieving, and hostile. Dallas understands, however she wants to chop by their hostility to get to the naked bones of what occurred to Jenna, notably for the reason that rumor mill has it that Jenna overdosed. Chelsea is especially incensed on the character assassination of her buddy.

“It’s freaking me as a result of they’re fuckwads saying she OD’d, and he or she was a junkie.”

 

“They’re fuckwads,” Eve agreed, ignoring the mom, giving the woman her consideration. “They usually’re liars trying to fire up ugliness about somebody who can’t defend herself. We’ve additionally concluded, conclusively, by strong proof, Jenna didn’t use illegals.”

 

“As if,” Leelee muttered. “Illegals are for losers and flakers. Jenna wasn’t, ever.”

 

“However somebody did jab her, and he or she did overdose—by no fault of her personal. I need you to assume again to that final track earlier than the break.”

 

“We’ve thought and thought.”

 

“And it’s arduous,” Peabody put in, “arduous to maintain pondering. However that’s when and the place he harm her.”

 

“We had been all there, all three of us. This shut.” Chelsea held her palms up, a foot aside. “And he or she was so mega juiced as a result of Jake checked out her, proper at her, and smiled. I imply that was the ult!”

Eve’s job is two-fold: discover who stabbed Jenna but in addition, maybe much more importantly, have her medical crew develop an antidote. Why? “After everybody on the scene is interviewed, lab outcomes present a poisonous combine of drugs within the sufferer’s physique—and for an additional contact of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious brokers.” Uncovering clues will probably be like discovering a needle in a haystack. Sadly, one other woman is murdered utilizing the identical technique: Dallas and Peabody don’t want publicity and stress to rachet up their investigation…they’re on it, although it’s seemingly hopeless. Dallas says to Peabody, “Sweepers aren’t more likely to discover a lot on this mess. Over two thousand folks stomped round.” 

Followers of the In Demise collection know that Dallas is wise, persistent, and {that a} stellar crew of investigators have her again. It could appear that the 2 murders are “random in demise,” however Dallas weaves collectively essentially the most miniscule of clues to develop a case and discover a killer. As at all times, the newest In Demise is unputdownable. 

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