Cover Image: Random in Death

Random in Death

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Member Reviews

A young girl is poisoned at a concert and Eve, Roarke and the detectives of the NY Police Department are investigating. When a second girl is murdered and there is no connection between the two victims the path to a solution becomes more difficult, but Eve is up to the job. This is a great addiction to the series but could easily be red as a stand alone. The book has a great cast of characters and the suspense starts from the first and doesn’t let up. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

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Robb's Lt Eve and her husband have yet another mystery that they need to solve. Let me start by saying how much I enjoy this series and this couple in particular.

A young woman is stabbed with a needle at a concert. She dies in the alley and a woman who tries to help calls Eve to help.

It becomes a question of whether this was deliberate to the victim or is it the work of a malicious killer targeting anyone.

The mystery is delicious as always and I recommend this book and this series.

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It's the latest from JD Robb. A young girl is attacked with a needle filled with infectious chemicals. Eve must investigate with her husband and friends....

Eve and Roarke still sizzle after so many books. Love their connections and talks. They are total couple goals. It's hard to believe that this is book #58 and it's still so fresh. The snarky humour is terrific. The pace is great. Terrific plot.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

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Even with a familiar storyline, Random In Death is another great entry into the In Death series. Fast-paced and written with the usual wit and charm that we've come to know and love of these characters.

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No one writes crime thrillers like J.D. Robb. The In Death Series is by far my favorite. This latest book does not disappoint. I love how methodical and dedicated Eve is to arresting killers I love her snarky humor. There’s a lot of science behind this particular case. .i love the interactions she has with the other characters. It’s setting up the clues and the direction it leads us, as readers, to the identity of the killer that makes this such a terrific book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

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Thrilled to receive an ARC of "Random in Death", I enjoyed the opportunity to be in the world of Eve, Rourke, Peabody, and the crew. I've been going back and reading earlier books so am not caught up on all recent. Regardless, it was easy to jump back in without losing a beat as well as having references to newer cases that make me want to catch up.

Random in Death starts with cute teenagers at a concert when the young songwriting hopeful is injected with something and quickly dies. Not only does the #1 homicide cop get the case, there are ties to Eve's inner circle. As the title implies, the killing - and related ones that follow - appear random but related enough for Eve to know that she has to solve the case before another one happens and the killer escalates.

As always, the writing is fantastic and sets the scene beautifully. The relationships and dialog is done well and the emotions and connections come across. Somehow, however, some frequent effects were distracting. The victims were all the best and would be successful. The families all shone with love and spectacular connections. We heard that Eve now stood for the victim, which we know from the series, but it seemed to be repeated. All participants except the killer were the most upstanding, best intentioned. Even the killer had the same attitudes and misogynistic phrasing that we've seen before. Still enjoyable but more formulaic than expected.

I enjoyed my time with this book and will continue to look for and read JD Robb, Eve Dallas, and the In Death series. This book encourages me to see any of the past series I may have missed, but I also hope that some real human experiences will slip into the next one. The killer and I can't be the only imperfect people involved!

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J.D. Robb is a prolific writer whose amazing talent is never more evident than when gifting readers another thrilling episode featuring Lt. Eve Dallas and comrades in a series so many readers have come to know and love. It's mind boggling to think that RANDOM IN DEATH is the fifty-eighth book in the In Death series, a futuristic police procedural series set in New York City around 2061. Books in the series are character driven featuring outstanding writing with intriguing murder cases to be solved in each book. The character development and intricate investigations carry the stories with a sprinkling of humor woven throughout elevating an otherwise dire tone.

Eve and husband Roarke are enjoying a rare weekend evening at home when Eve's link signals, calling her to the scene of a murder at a music concert. The young age of the victim makes this case particularly disturbing as does the fact that she's a smart, dedicated sixteen-year-old girl with no apparent vices or enemies. Even worse is the fact she was randomly stabbed with a dirty needle injecting her with a vicious cocktail of pure drugs and contagious viruses. Jenna’s death comes within minutes of being injected as she collapses in the arms of her idol, musician Jake Kincaide whose girlfriend reporter Nadine calls Lt. Eve Dallas to the scene. A day later at another public venue another young teen with no apparent connection to the first victim is targeted, leaving no doubt that a psychopath is randomly targeting young girls. Lt. Eve Dallas and her team are in a race against time to identify a needle in a haystack before another young person loses their life.

RANDOM IN DEATH explores the dark mind of a young, highly intelligent, enraged psychopath with an exaggerated sense of entitlement and superiority. Per her signature style, Eve works the case meticulously, leaving no stone unturned, combing through evidence, uncovering clues where there appear to be none. By her side is husband Roarke and partner Peabody along with several reoccurring characters fans will enjoy catching up with. As always, character and relationship development are in the driver’s seat, one of my favorite aspects of the series. Robb's vivid character descriptions transport individuals off the pages into readers' living rooms, bringing them to life like long, lost friends . . . or your worse enemy. A sense of urgency and malice drive a fast pace through the many twists and turns as the case unfolds before exploding in the shocking climax with Eve and the accused in the interrogation room.

RANDOM IN DEATH is one of many books in a long series; however, each title stands alone with a satisfying conclusion. Having said that, I highly recommend the series be read in order of publication for the character introductions and development as main characters appear in each book in an ongoing story arc. Unique plotlines, taut pacing and strong characters are always evident in the In Death series books, and RANDOM IN DEATH is another prime example of excellence in the crime and police procedural genre. Highly recommended to fans of the series as well as fans of police procedurals.

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The storytelling is magnificent. I was on the edge of my seat since the opening. Absolutely loved how engrossing the plot was. I loved the summation of the plot. Ms. Robb does a great job of mixing the brain power, the action, the cleverness, the emotion to have us enthralled through and through!!

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If you are a fan of JD Robb, this is classic Eve breaking down the brutal homicides brick by brick and uncovering a killer. JD Robb does such a phenomenal job with the psyche of her killers, it always impresses the heck out of me. how she is able to detail the motivation and emotions behind the killer.

This story stays true to the investigation process and the curve I liked of this one was its very fast paced timeline of the kills. It created a sense of urgency that kept me interested a reader.

I don't think I'll ever tire of this world building with the dynamic's of Eve's squad and her marriage to the mega-billionaire Roarke.
TW: Young teens dying

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My Thoughts

I have a strong reaction emotionally to every single one of these books but this time for some reason the deaths, the reasons for and method of execution hits me even harder.

The third targeted teen girl especially is the catalyst for things changing in Eves’ favor and when the ball starts rolling it rolls fast!

When the murderer is revealed the person is just as Dallas imagined them to be and how she and her team brought this investigation to a close was as usual an impressive effort on all counts.

The thought that something like this could happen at any time and at any point is particularly disturbing to me, as is the fact the first two victims had so much going for them and then it was all taken from them in an instant.

As a longtime fan, I admit to not reading all 58 of this hard-hitting series.

I also admit that thanks to some of those books being available digitally from my library am slowly catching up on ones have missed reading before this latest.

Eve has grown as not only an investigator but as a person over the course of series, as she was expected to by myself and all her reading fans.

For myself the series itself has also grown over time in ways that I love to revisit as the familiar cast of characters not only become family to Eve Dallas but to many readers as well.

Myself included.

I look forward to each and every book, even the ones with stories like this one that hurt more to read.
[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

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Excellent plot

I loved the plot. Young women are injected with a deadly combination of drugs. Is it random, or is there a reason they were selected?

I have read and enjoyed numerous books by this author, I found the writing in this surprisingly dis-jointed. In fact, it caused me to put the book down several times and hesitate to pick it back up. It is only because of my past experience with this Robb and the excellent plot that I didn't skip the middle and read the end.

This book is set several decades into the future. That sometimes worked and sometimes didn't. For example, the main character, with CSI help, was able to identify the purchaser of a shoe that caused a partial smudge on a wall. That was a bit of a stretch. But people were still calling sneakers "kicks". I doubt if that slang will stick.

Five star plot, three star writing.

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I am finally getting review an advance review copy for my favorite author for my favorites series, Naked in Death by J.D. Robb. I adore the series with its futuristic setting and technology- set in New York City.

Random in Death features our heroine- bad a$$ homicide Lieutenant, Eve Dallas and her mostly reformed husband, Roarke. This is an intense read!

Fans of the series get to continue reading about the development in the lives of their favorite characters incident Peabody, McNab, Somerset, Nadine, Jake and many other favorites. I do believe this can be read as a stand-alone.

Lieutenant Dallas has a murder to solve- a serial killer is targeting young women with his bacteria loaded drug dose that he viciously injects in random victims. She’s racing against the clock because his crimes are escalating.

What I love about Random in Death is that the pace seems to tighten up with this installment (number 58 in the series). A few of the past few books in the series just didn’t have the grit and the sparkle that most of the books have. Random in Death has the action; pace and tension readers want. The character development continues which is great.

J. D. Robb has a way of tying up the loose ends as well as interweaving character development in a tight plot that engages the reader’s interest from the beginning… and Robb truly shines in Random in Death. I am enjoying Eve Dallas’ changing role in her position in the homicide department. I also love the involvement from Nadine and Jake!

Thank you for this advance review copy to NetGalley, author J. D. Robb, and St. Martin’s Press publishing company. My view, and my opinions are my own and completely voluntary.

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I've been on hold at my library for the audio version of this (Susan Ericksen is the GOAT of audiobook narration...and I actually heard her voice as I read!) I don't know how Nora, er. J.D. continues to pump out these titles AND keep everyone interested and waiting on the next. Eve and Roarke, Peabody and McNabb, I can't wait until Mavis has Number Two and it just wouldn't be the same with Sommerset and Galahad. The story is always gritty enough to make you root extra hard for Dallas to get things done. This one was no exception. It's amazing how much detail can be packed into a book taking place over just four days...without feeling like the story isn't moving. Sometimes I feel just as exhausted as Eve, but seeing Jake and Nadine through different eyes was a delight. I love how different characters are featured, without taking the storyline away from Eve. Nora Roberts/J.D.Robb is a master storyteller and like the 57 (literally) titles before this one in the series, number 58 is not to be missed!

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Random in Death by JD Robb is the newest of the Eve Dallas in Death Series. I was blessed with an advanced copy and I have to admit I inhaled the book! (Okay, I waited a whole day before reading!) It was awesome!

All my favorite characters were present as Eve and Peabody picked up a homicide of a teenager at a club. The case is muddied by the unusual circumstances of the toxic cocktail that killed her. However, the biggest issue is the who. The killer certainly knew what he/she was doing. I love how seamlessly the team works together, especially with Eve directing the show.

There were several interesting developments with the newest book. I think Eve’s role is changing slightly with her giving more of the leg work to the other detectives. I like how Roarke was so integrated with the story. I like how Nadine and Jake were together and how they were interwoven in the story and the reemergence of Louise and Charles. It is hard to believe that this is the 58th book in the series. I did miss Mr Mira (one of my favorite characters). I love adding the new interns into the storyline as well.

I feel like this book was a new take on a murder. Including the drugs and dirty needles as well as teenager’s lingo was all new. I look forward to continuing to follow the future with Eve and Roarke. Random in Death is another great read by JD Robb.

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