Bump in the Night [Mass Market Paperback]

J.D. Robb (Author), Mary Blayney (Author), Ruth Ryan Langan (Author), Mary Kay McComas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 28, 2006

Follow four of today’s most provocative authors to a place where love can transform reality—and anything can happen. Here they present stories of ethereal circumstances, magical romance, and otherworldly suspense. Beginning with an all-new tale from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts writing as J. D. Robb—and featuring lieutenant-of-the-future Eve Dallas—this collection will take you on a breathtaking journey through the passions of the heart and its power to transcend the everyday…

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A talky, tepid entry from Robb/Roberts sets the stage for a disjointed and mostly disappointing collection of paranormal romances. Only Robb's and Ryan's stories adhere to the volume's "bump in the night" theme, and they are the weakest by far. The former, which centers on a murder in a haunted house, substitutes tough cop talk between series detective Eve Dallas and her assistant for verve and suspense; the latter spins a by-the-numbers romance between two workaholics who find love and inner peace while relaxing near a haunted lake. The remaining stories feature a sunnier atmosphere and more well-developed protagonists. Blayney tells a sweet if conventional 19th-century romance in which a young girl's magic coin helps a widow and a down-on-his-luck officer find happiness. But it's the inventive contribution from relative unknown McComas, about a woman who changes her life for the better with the help of her handsome imaginary friend, that steals the show. McComas focuses on the most important relationship of all—the relationship one has with oneself—and spins an introspective and irresistible story that, for some readers, may make this collection worthwhile. (Apr.)
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About the Author

J.D. Robb is the pseudonym for a number one New York Times bestselling author of more than 190 novels, including the futuristic suspense In Death series. There are more than 400 million copies of her books in print.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Jove (March 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515141178
• ISBN-13: 978-0051514114
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four good stories that are worth reading...., April 1, 2006

By 

Deborah Wiley (Winter Haven, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bump in the Night (Mass Market Paperback)

I automatically buy all of J.D. Robb's books so this was a no-brainer purchase for me. Robb kickstarts this anthology with "Haunted in Death", another detective story involving Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke. The year is 2060 and Eve is investigating the murder of Radcliff C. Hopkins III at Number Twelve, a building that that reportedly been haunted since the disappearance of Bobbie Bray 85 years ago. Bobbie's skeleton is found near Radcliff's body and the murder weapon, a gun (considered unusual in 2060), is the same for both murders. Eve is very pragmatic and doesn't believe in ghosts despite the cold chill and mysterious voices she hears in Number Twelve. The ending is a bit unusual for a J.D. Robb story but I was not disappointed.

In "Poppy's Coin" by Mary Blayney, a young girl is told a story of a magic coin and true love occurring in 1817. David Lindsay has returned from the war with honor but no money and two children to raise (only one of whom may be his child). His daughter gives him a magic coin and he wishes for prosperous employment. Shortly afterwards, a wealthy widow, Lady Grace Anderson, hires him to be her escort at all the Society events as she doesn't want the hassle of men courting her. The story is a sweet romance with only a tinge of the paranormal.

Ruth Ryan Langan's "The Passenger" explores the mystery behind Spirit Lake with its history of boats and planes disappearing and lights of unknown origin appearing. Grace Marin is a photojournalist who is at Spirit Lake to document the happenings there. Josh Cramer is an adventure junkie whose next journey is a trek through the wilderness, starting at Spirit Lake. While flying to his starting point, he notices a stowaway passenger just before his plane crashes. Grace sees the crash and rescues him. Together, they find true love while experiencing the mysteries at Spirit Lake.

"Mellow Lemon Yellow" by Mary Kay McComas is one of the more unique stories I have read. Charlotte is the stereotypical accountant until her childhood imaginary friend, Mel, resurfaces at her father's viewing. Mel teaches Charlotte how to break out of her monotony and find that spark within her that wants to go scuba diving, wear stylish clothes, and find true love. She finally meets Sam and it's a sweet ending to a story about a woman's personal growth.

Overall, this was a good anthology and definitely worth reading. I'm not sure the title fit the type of stories in the book but all four stories were very enjoyable. Definitely a recommended read!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just OK - far from the norm for Robb, May 18, 2006

By 

L. Moon "LM" (Pasadena, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bump in the Night (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm a HUGE Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb fan. I've read all of Robb's In Death books and always look forward to the latest release. Haunted in Death was enjoyable, but left a lot to be desired... where was Summerset and McNab and Feeney? She has built so much character into these characters that a person misses them when they're not there!

The two middle stories were ok but not memorable.

The fourth story - Mellow Lemon Yellow - was the worst story I've ever read. In my opinion, the book is very elementary. Did anyone notice Mary Kay McComas' incorrect use of the word "then"? I counted at least 3 times where she used "then" when she should've used "than". Doesn't anyone check grammar anymore? You'd think a prominent writer would be grammatically correct.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay but..., April 4, 2006

By 

Atalanta - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bump in the Night (Mass Market Paperback)

As a huge fan of J.D. Robb, I knew I would buy this book for her story alone. While it was an okay short story, it's not great. In my opinion, both of the other short stories that Robb has done in other anthologies adds something to the overall "mystique" of the In Death series.

I couldn't read the second story (Poppy's Coin). No interest.

Both The Passenger and Mellow Lemon Yellow were interesting reads. Of course, throughout the entire reading of Mellow Lemon Yellow, I kept thinking about the movie "Drop Dead Fred" which explores a similar premise.

Overall, enjoyable and easy reading.