Customer Reviews

Innocent in Death

5 star:		(95)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Reader speculation about the marital discord between Eve and Roarke had me imagining all sorts of things about this book, but most of it was unfounded, and Eve and Roarke work through their troubles in the way we've come to expect them to: they talk it out, bare their souls, reassure one another, see the other's viewpoint, beat up a few droids, manhandle each other, and have wild monkey sex. Man, I love these guys.

But back to the story...

When grade-school teacher Craig Foster is found dead in his classroom from apparent poisoning, Eve is hard-pressed to determine a suspect. Fellow teachers, parents, caregivers, and students are all on her short-list, but no one is jumping out at her as a probable lead. The murder seems senseless and without a motive; the man seems as innocent as they come. Into the mix, on a personal front, arrives Magdelena Percell, an old flame of Roarke's. During their first meeting, Eve sees something on Roarke's face as he catches sight of Maggie that unnerves her, for it's a look that Eve's only ever seen directed at her. Maggie comes on strong, calling Roarke "lover" and making loaded references to their long-ago liaison. When they talk about it later that night, Roarke assures Eve that she's no reason to be jealous or concerned. The next morning, however, she overhears him making lunch plans with Maggie. Meanwhile, the case is progressing slowly until another teacher is found dead on school grounds, and the suspect list narrows. Putting the pieces together, Eve focuses on an unlikely suspect and her alarming suspicions are not well received by her commander or Dr. Mira.

This is a more personal story than some that have come before, so the secondary characters don't play as big a role as in past books. But still there are some satisfying scenes with Mira, Peabody, Mavis, Whitney and -- especially -- Summerset, who proves once and for all just how solidly fixed he is in Eve's corner. (It's great to see how much these two have come to care about each other, despite all their recreational sniping and insults. Despite their obvious differences, they're unified by their absolute devotion to Roarke.)

When I finished reading this book I was struck again by how well-crafted this series is. I love how the crime parallels with Eve's personal life and how the title reflects both sides of the story. I love how Eve and Roarke stay true to their characters as they deal with this new potential threat to their marriage. They don't squabble like children. They don't have temper tantrums and call each other names or behave stupidly in ways that will cause irreparable damage. Eve's feelings -- more fear than jealousy -- are perfectly understandable within the context of the story as it is laid out. Even Roarke's uncharacteristic obtuseness seems totally plausible in this case. And the resolution is equally characteristic of these two strong-willed, physical personalities.

Another great installment in a great series.

As always with any Nora Robert or JD Robb book, I finished this in one sitting! I just couldn't let go. I even went to the bathroom with it! (sorry for sharing)

I think out of all the books in the series this is my favorite. The emotional turmoil Eve went through because of that blonde tarts reappearance in Roarke's life really had me going! I just wanted to reach in and strangle her and smack some sense into Roarke. What I love about their relationship is that it's very well developed. Like what the other reviewers say there's none of the petty fights and stupid misunderstanding that are blown way out of proportion! Every motion in the relationship is well-developed and believable (a choreography that is executed beautifully). Even though, I wish Eve would have drop kicked the bimbo a lot sooner--she did what we all were begging for in the end! I just loved it!

As for the mystery, the turmoil between Eve and Roarke almost took precedence but I just love the twist and turns the book took me through! The end was not shocking, if you catch it quickly you already know who the killer is--but your in so much denial that you keep fighting the truth! It was in itself a very shocking ending!

A must read! Bravo!

This is book # 28 in the In Death Series.

Right from page one J.D.Robb has the reader captivated as she spins her newest tale. She walks us through the victims last moments of life and then sets the graphic stage of his death. Each time I read an In Death book I am impressed at how well her words can create such vivid images in my head. It is so easy to get wrapped up and all consumed by one of her books. I don't know how she does it.

Eve Dallas, Lt. of the NYPSD, and her partner, Det. Delia Peabody are investigating the murder of a young teacher at a pricey private school. The staff and students are in shock and Eve can not find one motive for killing this man.

This book flowed a little differently to me than the previous books. Usually you have the homicide investigation as the center of the story and then the personal storylines either run side by side with the investigation or they play second fiddle. In Innocent In Death the personal issues between Eve and Roarke took center stage for me. For the first time in their relationship a woman from Roarke's past is really causing problems between the two of them. J.D. Robb takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of emotions, both Eve and Roarke's; you suffer with both of them.

It's hard to say anything about this book without giving away vital information. The homicide investigation takes some interesting twists and turns and it shocks and surprises. Summerset and Eve form one of their rare alliances in this book, and Eve shows a softer side of herself.

This would definitely rate as one of the top In Death books, so far. I can't remember feeling so much while reading one book. Between the gripping mystery and the front row seat to Roarke and Eve's marriage, it is impossible to be bored.

Alright: you're not here, looking at the Innocent in Death page, if you haven't already read several (if not all) of the previous books in this series.

To get a few things out of the way, the book was certainly up to par - it's funny, not as funny as other books, but clever, and the murder mystery has a fantastic choice in murderer. Side characters are minimal, due to the overwhelming amount of Eve and Roarke ANGST... bringing me to the point.

As a huge fan, this book was extremely painful to read. Not because it was bad, but because Eve emotionally suffers a great deal. Murder mystery aside, the most important part of the novel revolves around Eve and her pain in dealing with one of Roarke's previous lovers, one he didn't leave (because, horribly enough, *she* left him), the woman's clear desire to win Roarke back, and Roarke's own obliviousness about it.

It's a testament to Roberts, who isn't always this good, that when Eve suffers, oh, the reader suffers. There's a particular line where Eve's unease is described as "there was still that small, cold place inside her where the heat hadn't quite reached". Well, reading this book is exactly like that: every mistake Roarke makes, every move the other woman successfully completes, every bit of emotion that Eve bleeds - it's very, very painful, and moreso if you're a fan of Eve and Roarke.

In my opinion, Roarke didn't suffer nearly enough, which is why this book gets four stars instead of five, because I was still left with a distinctly bitter taste in my mouth at the end. Not. Fair. He suffers perhaps one-tenth of what Eve did (and mostly a couple evenings of paranoia), and relationships aside, he really needed pain, if only to make me feel better.

My only guess as to why he doesn't suffer *nearly* enough Roberts has said that she writes the In Death books three at a time - in one big character arc - and since the next book, Creation in Death, has the killer stalking Eve, that should be where Roarke finally suffers. And after this book, he'd better.

After Robb's last book fell a little flat, this was a welcome foray back into the world of New York Police & Security Department's Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Eve tags the murder of Craig Foster, a private school history teacher with no enemies. Even Foster's students loved him. Foster was poisoned with ricin in his hot chocolate, and his body discovered by two of his 10-year-old students. Eve's investigation into the faculty and staff of Sarah Child Academy is turning up a hotbed of tawdry sex, but no murder suspects.

Meanwhile, things at home have taken an unexpected turn. One evening while Eve and Roarke are entertaining clients of his at dinner, one of Roarke's old flames shows up, and she's not like the others. Magdalena Percell is a blonde bombshell who once held a piece of Roarke's heart, and Roarke is not only oblivious to her attempts to lure him buck; he's also clueless as to the effect Magdalena's sudden appearance is having on his wife. Magdalena has shaken Eve to her core, but Roarke takes her reaction as petty jealousy and a lack of trust in him.

What JD Robb, nee Nora Roberts, has spent years crafting is the ability to understand and convey facets of human emotion, and she does an excellent job of taking Eve through her crisis. Eve doesn't just get what's bothering her off the bat, it has to eat away at her and wear itself so plainly on the outside that her friends can see it and ask her about it. Only through some discussion with her pals and several hours of private contemplation is she able to lay it out in her mind, and then have it out with Roarke. Things from his angle are also handled expertly, from his reminiscing about what was with Maggie, to being sure that he had changed and knowing that Eve is the only woman for him. What he can't quite grasp is the sudden rift between him and Eve, which he mistakenly labels as jealousy.

As Eve navigates the murky waters of marriage, her investigation into Craig Foster's murder is going nowhere. Every angle she explores is a dead end, and any suspects are so farfetched she can't make it stick. Until she starts exploring a shocking idea, and discovers a stone cold killer of monstrous proportions.

I had the killer pegged right off in this one, but the clues were ignored for so long I started to doubt myself. But, just when I started thinking it was somebody else, a few more clues popped up and I was back on track, which kept me reading until way past my bedtime.

This is another page-turning murder mystery set in futuristic New York, but there is also real emotional dept as the author explores an almost nebulous region of marital territory with aplomb. Additionally, Eve opens up yet another portion of herself as she falls into an unexpected situation with another woman, and leans on her friends for support. A success in more ways than one as it treads some very fine lines, this is a real page-turner.

I must say that I really feel for Eve in this book, she goes through an emotional wringer that I really do blame Roarke for. No wife would happily accept her husband arranging to have lunch with an old flame the morning after they had met. Roarke's offended remark of 'do you not trust me' is really neither here nor there, the question should be 'why would you want to have lunch with her' and Eve does say, 'let's get this clear, she is not an old friend, she is an old lover!'(one that he obviously had an emotional tie to). The actual murder story, I found quite secondary, I could not concentrate on that sufficiently because I was too caught up Eve's problems, however I would say that I really enjoyed this book and Roarke was put through an emotional wringer of his own when he did not know if Eve had left him or not at one stage. To be honest I thought he deserved it! The ending of the book I thought was very good and the culprit for the murders was surprising!

Lt. Eve Dallas is dispatched to Sarah Child Private Academy where she finds the body of teacher Craig Foster. Eve is stymied by the fact that she has a dead 26 year old teacher whom, by all accounts, was well loved by students and teachers alike. What looked like an accident at first inspection soon turns into murder when there is poison found in the victim's body. As Eve uncovers the secrets of Sarah Child Academy, she learns that not all is well within its' doors.

Eve is usually able to give her complete focus on the case at hand, especially when she has her husband Roarke to bounce ideas off of. Eve is completely unprepared when an old acquaintance of Roarke's, Magdelina Purcell, returns to his life after a fifteen year absence. What she is more surprised at is Roarke's reaction to the stunning blonde and his inability to see her for what she really is. At a time when she should be focused on her case, Eve is instead twisted in knots over her marriage and Roarke's involvement with the beautiful Magdelina. As for Roarke, he is insulted that Eve would ever doubt him and is determined not to turn a friend away because of his wife's petty jealously.

This is one of the best In Death books to date. From the blurb, you would think that there would be an emphasis on the situation at home between Eve and Roarke. That is not the case. It is amazing to me how JDR conveys the depths of Eve's feelings, during a time she can not stop to examine them. While Eve is torn up inside, she still has a murder to solve. There were times I really wanted to cry for Eve because you could just feel her pain coming straight out of the pages. The killer in this case is unlikely, but highly believable by the last page. Overall, this book is an amazing addition to the In Death series.

The JD Robb series has become more than a favorite........it's an obsession. This series is so good and so well done with it's depth and clever dialogue..........that it's been near to impossible to find another series that compares on all levels; personal discord, historical implications, social challenges and of course, the murders themselves. No other series has characters with as much to offer or to lose like Eve & Roarke (w/and their unique friends.) I can actually feel their trials in my gut as I read. Now that's just great writing.

Anyway, I digress......... I was a little disappointed with Memory and Born. Both books worth the read, but it didn't have all the elements. They may have kept my attention with the personal stories to some degree, but left me wanting more with the investigations. The hard part is those investigations take a good deal of the book and can be struggling to the reader if the connections are hard to identify. NOT THIS ONE!! The personal side (very new to Eve/Roarke readers), the inclusion of the friends again, the candy theif's return & a great murder plot, gave me plenty of reasons to keep going. I read until I finished. I thought this was one of the best. I think you'll find JD Robb taking you through an emotional journey during this installment(you'll be happy, sad, pissed off and in disbelief).

I hope you all enjoy it as well. Fan Forever!!!

JD Robb has done it again - a truly spectacular entertaining read. This edition of the In Death series introduces us to two exceptional story lines - the murder of an elementary school teacher without any provocation or motive... and Eve witnessing the coincidental meeting between Roarke and one of his old flames, Magdelana Percell.

The key theme that runs thru both the personal story and the murder mystery is simple: We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are. (- quote from Anais Nin).

The story is set in Mid February 2060 - hovering just around Valentine's Day. Eve and Peabody snag a murder case involving the death of a 25-year-old male working as an elementary school teacher in some posh private school. When Eve starts investigating this case, there is absolutely no motive to this man's death. He appears to be a young man in his 2nd year of teaching school, newlywed, and strong morale character. He has no flaws or history that help Eve & Peabody find his killer.

While Eve's case is unfolding (and going nowhere), she rushes to meet Roarke for one of his business dinners...she's running late, tired and irritated that she has to be the Corporate Wife tonight... As the evening winds down, a stunning shapely blonde, in a RED dress, approaches Roarke and grabs him for an intimate / passionate kiss. Eve witnesses something new from Roarke -- a manly reaction to this stunning female; sexy intimate memories and lustful gleam - and Eve realizes this woman is somehow different from the other women of Roarke's past. This woman meant something to Roarke and stirred up old memories & emotions.

For the first time in her married life, Eve experiences `fear' of losing the one you love.

The emotional turmoil that Eve experiences is heart wrenching. You know an author is good, when they can make you react emotionally to written words... JD Robb really scores with this book. The characters are developed. You feel the pain and anguish between Roarke and Eve. If you have ever fought with someone you love, these emotions are captured well in this book. You will laugh & cry with this book. It is an Excellent read and one of the best of the "In Death Series."

Never fear - Eve and Roarke survive the discord and she solves the murder. The ending to both stories will surprise you. The best part of the book - Chapter 21 - page 349 (hardback edition)... Read the book & experience the emotions - then rejoice! :-)

I have to admit that I enjoyed this "the latest in the death series" a little more than a lot of the others. While we have seen Eve Dallas,struggle with her horrific past, and form a future with the devastatingly sexy Roarke, we never saw her really worry about or wonder "did he make the right decision when he married her"? I think deep down, Eve has always wondered what the sophisticated, educated, sexy Roarke saw so interesting about her, and although I do not think that he would ever stray (run into the arms of another woman) it allowed us to see how he blindly thinks that Eve was made of sterner stuff. So while trying to solve the mystery of who killed a beloved, private school teacher, she has to focus on how Roarke doesn't appreciate her feelings of unease. The reason I think I enjoyed this one so much was because Eve finally showed Roarke that although she is strong, she is human and a little insecure like everyone else. She is the unsophisticated woman who only attends galas to please her husband...while her competetion (in her mind only) is everything she is not. Eve feels that she is an ugly duckling versus a beautiful swan. While Eve is steak, Maggie is cavier and knows it. And once Eve realizes that the reason Roarke loves her is because of who she is, and not because of who she is not, she is able to solve the mystery that appears to be eluding her. In the end, it was those qualities that only Eve possesses that captivate Roarke. And as far as the mystery, I think it is not only one of the most obvious but the most disturbing yet, in the series. And I simply love Summerset for being there when Eve needed him, and understanding her feelings when it counted. And Mavis is simply a hoot. So there is nothing that I can say but READ this book. It was wonderful and I can't wait until the next on comes out.