Delusion in Death [Hardcover]

J. D. Robb (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 11, 2012 | Series: In Death (Book 35)

It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks . . .until something went terribly wrong. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things—monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics gives its report, the mass delusions make more sense: It appears the
bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and illegal drugs that could drive anyone to temporary insanity—if not kill them outright.

But that doesn’t explain who would unleash such horror—or why. And if Eve can’t figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it’s airborne. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Happy hour in a Manhattan bar becomes a scene of carnage when a potent hallucinogenic-drug mixture, released into the air, causes everyone inside to attack everyone else. While members of the NYPD unit headed by Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon identify the drugs, they can’t stop another incident days later at a nearby cafe. With a total of 127 dead and the looming threat of another incident, Dallas and her colleagues (with Dallas billionaire husband, Roarke, who owns the bar, serving as a consultant) race to check out victims, including the few who survived the attack, as they search for connections and motives, with an unexpected assist from the historical knowledge of Roarke’s live-in butler. Although sleepless for days, Dallas remains at the top of her game in this thirty-fifth entry in this suspense series by the prolific Robb (aka Nora Roberts); and even with the help of modern technology, it’s still dogged police work and keen intuition that solve crimes. With its final twist, this is a compelling addition to a best-selling series. --Michele Leber

Review

Praise for the In Death series:

“Robb is a virtuoso.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“It’s Law & Order: SVU—in the future.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Gritty thrillers highlighted by humor and heart…The ‘In Death’ novels offer something for every fan of genre fiction.”—This Week (Columbus, OH)
“The series [is] groundbreaking in its unique combination of futuristic setting, suspense and romance.”—The Romance Reader

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; 1 edition (September 11, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780399158810
• ISBN-13: 978-0399158810
• ASIN: 0399158812
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (784 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J.D. Robb is the pseudonym for a number-one New York Times-bestselling author of more than 170 novels, including the futuristic suspense In Death series. There are more than 300 million copies of her books in print.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#67 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#5 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#6 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

#7 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Police Procedurals

#9 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Police Procedurals

#11 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery

#5 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#6 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

#7 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Police Procedurals

#9 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Police Procedurals

#11 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Mystery

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 88 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 4.5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies! September 11, 2012

By Lily

Format:Hardcover

It's an ordinary enough scenario; happy-hour at a downtown bar, where white collar workers meet and relax for an after-work drink. Then the bar's patrons and staff start to get headaches...and something goes horribly wrong. Twelve minutes later, over eighty people are dead.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas thought she'd seen it all, but nothing could prepare her for the crime scene she steps into. The victims were all killed by each other and what few survivors there are all report massive delusions. It seems that everyone in the bar was exposed to a lethal cocktail of drugs designed to drive them to homicidal insanity. Eve and her team must discover who the killer is and fast, because the virus is airborne, and no one in New York is safe.

Eve, Roarke, their colleagues and loved ones face what is perhaps their most frightening case to date in DELUSION IN DEATH. Author J.D. Robb ups the tension in this engaging futuristic suspense by creating a terrorist threat that's terrifying in its plausibility. I was practically on the edge of my seat as I read DELUSION IN DEATH, putting the pieces of the case together alongside Eve. I fear I cannot say too much about the case without spoiling the story. Suffice it to say this isn't your average homicide, and the urgency with which Eve and her team work to catch the killer will have you reading late into the night.

In general, the IN DEATH books tend to fall into two categories; case-centric and character-centric. DELUSION IN DEATH is more of a case-centric story, but that doesn't mean Ms. Robb skimps on character growth. Eve - and by extension, Roarke - hasn't fully dealt with the aftermath of what happened in NEW YORK TO DALLAS. In DELUSION IN DEATH, she's finally ready to face memories and emotions that she's pushed to the back of her mind as best she could. The result is some heartbreaking, wonderful moments that show the progression of Eve's character and how she and Roarke are growing as a couple.

DELUSION IN DEATH is the thirty-fifth book in the IN DEATH series, but, as always, Ms. Robb provides enough information for readers new to the series to follow along with ease. That being said, if you haven't read any IN DEATH books before, the emotional impact of certain scenes involving the main characters might be lessened. And fair warning, DELUSION IN DEATH has major spoilers for NEW YORK TO DALLAS. Fans of the series, however, should be thrilled to revisit their favorite characters and what's more, Ms. Robb shows us more of the IN DEATH world's history. That's right; DELUSION IN DEATH gives more detail about the Urban Wars than any IN DEATH story has so far. Having heard the Urban Wars referenced so often in the series, I was as fascinated by those bits of information as I was about the main case. All in all, I'd say DELUSION IN DEATH is a unique, evocative story that should not be missed!

Lily
Review courtesy of Romance Junkies

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For those that wanted more action. The this one is for you September 11, 2012

By L. COP TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Please forgive typos, doing this from my phone. It starts out with a mass murder and just keeps going. While the last book was pretty relationship driven this goes back to police work and lots of it. I am not going to get into a ton of detail - I don't want to give away spoilers and the first chapter dealt with the mass murder and had been released and out - so no spoiler there.

There are moments with great relationship growth, it actually surprised me because of the scope of the investigation. But they are moments - it is not the book.

Also good news, things are not be sent out for anal as much. Lol that drove me nuts.

The only criticism I might have for this book was that I felt it over used Eve mixing up her metaphors. It was cute at first however she did it more than normal and I rolled my eyes on a couple.

This one didn't have great Roarke moments, in fact it seems more like they have both settled into their marriage. Eve has grown a lot and does not make the immature mistakes with him she used to. There just wasn't that tension we frequently get with them, but after the Dallas book - I am not surprised.

I loved the book but I don't feel like I need to re read it right away. I can not my finger on it, it was a good book but not a favorite of this series. One of my favorites from this series is Treachery in Death To me it had it all - the case and the relationship, it is in my top 5, probably top 2. This one is really good but not a stand out.

If you are are new to the series start with Naked in Death (In Death, Book 1)h. You will not want previous book spoilers if you started with this book.

Read this in one sitting with no breaks. This series remains automatic release day purchase at full price, and that is quite a testament to an excellent series. I love that we are over 30 books in and I still love it.

41 of 49 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good police procedural September 13, 2012

By Sharon

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A good police procedural but lacking in the sense of humor and individual characterization that hooked me into this series from the beginning.

The trend seemed to start with New York to Dallas. I could understand it in that book as she was in a different city. However, I noticed it in the book after that as well and it was very noticeable in this book. None of the little scenes that offered Eve the chance for one of the rants I've always enjoyed so much about this series.

Some of my disappointment is certainly because I've always had such high expectations of this series. It's certainly a good police procedural but for a character-driven reader it just doesn't have the vivid individuality I expect from this series.