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Book ReviewsConspiracy in Death (In Death (Paperback)) |
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Book: Conspiracy in Death (In Death (Paperback))
Written by: J. D. Robb |
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5
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Eve Dallas Stripped
Rating:
5 / 5
I was wrong. Ok, I've admitted it. I always thought science fiction or futuristic type novels weren't my cup of tea. While reading Conspiracy in Death I realized I couldn't have been more wrong - I love this futuristic series!
A homeless man is murdered and the case is assigned to Eve Dallas, since it's not a random act of violence. This man, Snooks, died when his heart was surgically removed by what appeared to be a very skilled surgeon. When Dallas digs a bit further, she discovers that this crime is connected to another committed in New York City where an aged LC (licensed companion) died as the result of her liver being removed. After even more digging, Dallas discovers a case in Chicago and one abroad that were all similar.
These were not the result of black market organ sales since all of the victims were within a few months of dying. In order for Eve Dallas to find the murderer she had to figure out why these victims were chosen. The closer she got to that answer, the more nervous very influential politicians and doctors became.
When she got too close to the truth, the villain had to put a stop to her investigation. The best way to get Dallas off the case was to have her suspended from the police department. This was a simple procedure since there was a conflict between the patrol officer who discovered Snook's body and Dallas. When that patrolwoman was brutally murdered suspicion fell on Dallas. Stripped of her badge and weapon, the very items that have been the heart and sole of her during her adult life, she has to deal with not only the idea of not being a police detective, but also with trying to solve this crime having her hands tied.
The main plot was interesting but the villain was predictable and no surprise. There was excellent character development and as usual J.D. Robb (AKA Nora Roberts) draws the reader into the suspense to the point of not being able to put down the book. What makes this book above average and falling into the excellent range is the fantastic subplot of Eve Dallas being stripped of her identity as a policewoman and how she must deal with the various facets of that. At times, it was more intense and more exciting that the main plot.
This is definitely one to read, as all of the "In Death" series books have been. Start with the first book when reading because J.D. Robb always has a couple of instances where she reflects on previous happenings. Or you can start with the first book just because it's the beginning of an excellent adventure!
"Now she pays the price"
Rating:
4 / 5
This is one of my favorite series because it blends two of the genres I like most, fantasy / sci-fi and mystery. Nevertheless, I have found that in a couple of cases I feel that one of the books in the series is missing something. In this one the storyline was not particularly interesting to me, and I think that J.D. Robb did not progress as far as she could with the development of the different characters.
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is summoned to a very unusual scene: a homeless man was murdered and his heart was removed with surgical precision. The killers, because the medical examiner determines it has to be more than one, used high quality tools and have to be experts in the surgical field. This creates a real problem for Eve, because it is hard to figure out a motive. Man-made organs are fully perfected and even though rich people prefer human organs, these have to be in prime condition and, needless to say, the ones from the victim weren't.
Besides having to deal with finding the killers, Eve is faced with an uncooperative and outright confrontational female officer that will take part of Eve's energy away from the case and drive her close to desperation and doom. Also, when her investigation leads her to the Drake Center of Medicine, Eve realizes that she is very close to two of the members of the board: Dr. Charlotte Mira, her psychologist, and Roarke, her billionaire husband.
J.D. Robb has a very special way of presenting what I interpret as her vision of a better future through some of the features of the world in which the series develops in the year 2059. For example, firearms are banned, there are licensed companions who can carry their business in privacy without getting in trouble with the law, and the Drake Center is named after the man who discovered the anticancer vaccine.
As I mentioned, this is not one of the best books in the series, and it made me feel as if Robb was in some kind of schedule to release another novel for a certain date and had to go with the first idea that came to her mind. Maybe my slight disappointment is partly my fault, because I have been expecting five-star books in every time I start an Eve Dallas' mystery. This one falls a little short of the mark; but there is no way around it, those who have been following the series have to read it and hope that the next novel will get better.
The Best Yet!..
Rating:
5 / 5
My wife got me hooked on this series and I have read it beginning with the first book, Naked In Death. Some I enjoyed more that others, however, Conspiracy in Death is the best one yet! When Eve is faced with not only a complex case of someone who is using great medical skill to kill for no apparent reason, but also with accusations of abuse from another cop, the intensity level keeps rising.
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