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Haunted in Death

  • Dec. 3rd, 2009 at 9:04 AM

JD Robb - Haunted in Death JD Robb - Haunted in Death
Number Twelve is an urban legend in 2060 New York City. The hot club in the 1960s, it is now reported to be haunted…and cursed. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called there to investigate the apparent murder of Radcliff Hopkins, its new owner and the grandson of the man who made Number Twelve a cultural icon. Several bullets from a banned gun end his dream of returning the building to its former glory.

With everyone around her talking about the supernatural, pragmatic Eve won't let rumors of ghosts distract her from hard evidence. The case becomes even more bizarre when it appears to be linked to the suspicious disappearance of a rock star eighty-five years ago. As Eve searches for the connection, logic clashes with the unexplainable. She may be forced to face the threat of something more dangerous than a flesh-and-blood killer.

Review: I considered skipping this one because I just didn't care for it, but then decided to listen to it anyway. Still don't care for it. Previously reviewed here.

Overall: 2/5

Memory in Death

  • Dec. 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 PM

JD Robb - Memory in Death JD Robb - Memory in Death
Eve Dallas is one tough cop. It should take more than a seemingly ordinary middle-aged lady to make her fall apart. But when that lady is Trudy Lombard, all bets are off. Just seeing Trudy at the station plunges Eve back to the days when she was a vulnerable, traumatized young girl—trapped in foster care with the twisted woman who now sits smiling in front of her.

Trudy claims she came all the way to New York just to see how Eve is doing. But Eve's fiercely protective husband, Roarke, suspects otherwise—and a blackmail attempt by Trudy proves -his suspicion correct. Eve and Roarke just want the woman out of their lives. Someone else wants her dead. And when her murder comes to pass, Eve and Roarke will follow a circuitous and dangerous path to find out who turned the victimizer into the victim.

Review: I could agree more with my first review of this book.

Overall: 3/5

Rising Tides

  • Nov. 29th, 2009 at 11:41 PM

Nora Roberts - Rising Tides Nora Roberts - Rising Tides
Eager to honour their father's dying wish that their youngest brother, Seth, be cared for, the three Quinn brothers settle into life with a 10-year-old. Ethan finds himself the most drawn to the young boy, because both suffered horrific abuse before being adopted by the Quinns. Time hasn't extinguished Ethan's pain, however, only buried it deep within his heart, a fact that may keep him from the only woman he has ever loved. Of all the brothers, it was Ethan who shared his father's passion for the Maryland shore, and now with his father gone, he is determined to make the family boat building business a success. But amidst his achievements lie the most important challenges of his life. There is young Seth, who needs him more than ever. And the woman he has always loved but never believed he could have. Beneath Ethan's seemingly still waters is his dark and painful past. He must learn to see through the shadows and to accept who he is, or risk losing his one true chance at happiness...

Review: I really liked Ethan as a character but I really did not care for Grace at all. She was very boring and her behavior about forcing Ethan into marriage was strange.

Overall: 3/5

Origin in Death

  • Nov. 29th, 2009 at 5:34 PM

JD Robb - Origin in Death JD Robb - Origin in Death
A pioneer of modern reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, Dr. Wilfred B. Icove, is found dead in his office—murdered in a chillingly efficient manner: one swift stab to the heart. Struck by the immaculate condition of the crime scene, Dallas suspects a professional killing. Security disks show a stunningly beautiful woman calmly entering and leaving the building—the doctor's final appointment.

Known as "Dr. Perfect:' the saintly Icove had devoted his life to his family and his work. His record was clean. Too clean for Dallas. She knows he was hiding something and suspects that his son—and successor—knows what it is. Then, like father, like son, the younger Dr. Icove is killed ... with the same deadly precision. Who is the mystery woman—and what was her relationship with the good doctors? While her husband, Roarke, works behind the scenes, Dallas follows her darkest instincts into the Icoves' pasts. What she discovers are men driven to create perfection—playing fast and loose with the laws of nature, the limits of science, and the morals of humanity ...

Review: This time I was a lot more interested in the Icove research because I knew what was going to happen. I still do wish that there had been more about the Thanksgiving holidays with Roarke's family. And I thought it was fun that I was hearing about their Turkey Day celebrations during the Thanksgiving holiday. Previously reviewed here

Overall: 4/5

Survivor in Death

  • Nov. 28th, 2009 at 12:39 AM

JD Robb - Survivor in Death JD Robb - Survivor in Death
No affairs. No criminal connections. No DNA. No clues. Eve Dallas may be the best cop in the city—not to mention having the lavish resources of her husband, Roarke, at her disposal—but the Swisher case has her baffled. The family members were murdered in their beds with brutal, military precision. The state-of-the-art security was breached, and the killers used night vision equipment to find their way through the upper middle-class house. Clearly, Dallas is dealing with pros. The only mistake they made was to overlook the nine-year-old girl cowering in the dark kitchen...

Now Nixie Swisher is an orphan—and the sole eyewitness to a seemingly inexplicable crime. Kids are not Dallas's strong suit. But Nixie needs a safe place to stay, and Dallas needs to solve this case. Not only because of the promise she made to Nixie. Not only for the cause of justice. But also to put to rest some of her own darkest memories—and deepest fears. With her partner, Peabody, on the job, and watching her back—and with Roarke providing the kind of help that only he can give—Lieutenant Eve Dallas is running after shadows, and dead set on finding out who's behind them.

Review: This book is just so sad. Previously reviewed here.

Overall: 4/5

Visions in Death

  • Nov. 24th, 2009 at 10:12 PM

JD Robb - Visions in Death JD Robb - Visions in Death
The summer of 2059 has been long, hot—and bloody. On one of the city's warmest nights, a call from dispatch sends Lieutenant Eve Dallas to Central Park—and into a hellish new investigation. The victim was found on the rocks, just above the still, dark water of Central Park Lake. She wore nothing but a red ribbon tied around her neck. Her hands were posed as if in prayer. But it is her eyes—removed with such precision, as if by the careful hand of a surgeon—that have Dallas most alarmed.

As more bodies turn up, each with the same defining scars, Eve is frantic for answers. Against her instincts, she accepts help from a psychic, who offers one vision after another—each with shockingly accurate details of the murders. And when Eve's partner and friend Peabody is badly injured after escaping an attack, the stakes are raised. Are the eyes a symbol? A twisted religious ritual? A souvenir? With the help of her husband, Roarke, Dallas must uncover the killer's motivation before another vision becomes another nightmare...

Review: I don't know how, but I completely changed my mind about this book since the last time I listened to it. I did not care for it at all. Knowing who the killer was and the "surprise" ending really made it a lot less exicting. Previously reviewed here.

Overall: 2/5

Divided in Death

  • Nov. 23rd, 2009 at 9:12 AM

JD Robb - Divided in Death JD Robb - Divided in Death
Reva Ewing was a former member of the Secret Service, and then a security specialist for Roarke Enterprises—until she was found standing over the dead bodies of her husband, renowned artist Blair Bissel, and her best friend. But Lieu-tenant Eve Dallas believes there was more to the killings than jealous rage—all of Bissel's computer files were deliberately corrupted. To Roarke, it's the computer attack that poses the real threat. He and Reva have been under a Code Red government contract to develop a program that would shield against techno-terrorists. But this deadly new breed of hackers isn't afraid to kill to protect their secret—and it's up to Lieutenant Eve Dallas to shut them down before the nightmare can spread to the whole country.

Review: Previously reviewed here - and I couldn't agree more with my initial review.

Overall: 5/5

Sea Swept

  • Nov. 19th, 2009 at 9:08 PM

Nora Roberts - Sea Swept Nora Roberts - Sea Swept
Cameron, Ethan and Philip were all troubled young boys who were rescued and adopted at difficult periods in their lives by Raymond and Stella Quinn. Sea Swept is Cameron's story. Cameron has lived the reckless life of a daredevil since leaving the quiet community of Chesapeake Bay. But when his dying father calls him home to care for Seth, a troubled young boy not unlike Cameron once was, his life changes overnight. Cameron has to learn to live with his brothers once again, and rivalries and resentments flare between them whilst they try to care for Seth. Only Seth's fate is in the hands of a tough but beautiful social worker. She alone has the power to bring the Quinns together - or tear them apart...

Review: I loved this book so much. It was such a nice read and I couldn't help but be charmed by Cam. One thing I thought was weird was that Cameron's wild life never actually came back at him. I thought for sure that Anna would find out about the pissy model chick, but she never did.

Overall: 5/5

Remember When

  • Nov. 18th, 2009 at 10:38 PM

Nora Roberts & JD Robb - Remember When Nora Roberts & JD Robb - Remember When
Laine Tavish is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life in the small town of Angel's Gap, Maryland, as the proprietor of Remember When, an antique treasures and gift shop. At least, that's what everyone in Angel's Gap thinks. They have no idea that she used to be Elaine O'Hara, daughter of the notorious con man Big Jack O'Hara. Or that she grew up moving from place to place, one step ahead of the law... Laine's past has just caught up with her, though - in a very dramatic way. Her long-lost uncle suddenly turned up in her shop, leaving only a cryptic warning before dying in the street, run down by a car. Soon afterward, her home is ransacked. Now it's up to Laine, and a sexy stranger named Max Gannon, to find out who's chasing her, and why. The answer lies in a hidden fortune - a fortune that will change not only Laine's life but also the lives of future generations. And danger and death will surround that fortune for years to come. Until New York City Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas gets on the case...

Review: Somehow I hated the first part even more. I just could not stand the fact that the two characters were basically engaged in less than a week. Rawr. Previously Reviewed here

Overall: 2/5

Dream Makers

  • Nov. 15th, 2009 at 8:17 AM

Nora Roberts - Dream Makers Nora Roberts - Dream Makers
Untamed -- Jo Wilder had the heart of a lion and the temper of a wildcat. And when Keane Prescott crossed her path, she bated her claws. Jo was certain her charming new boss imperiled everything she cared for, but she couldn't deny the attraction between them. Though Keane's kisses left her breathless, it was his tenderness that threatened to tame her heart.

Less of a Stranger -- Confident and colossally arrogant, David Katcherton swept into Megan Miller's life and awakened feelings that had long been lying dormant. But she wasn't about to fall for this irresistible stranger who was after her grandfather's business. As Katch challenged her to fulfill her dreams, he also aroused passions she'd never known before . . .

Review: I feel really bad for saying this, but I wanted to stab both heros with a fork. They were pushy and domineering and thought they knew what was best for the woman. It just drove me crazy how controlling they were and insistant that the lady would bend to their ways just because they were supposedly sexy. I do have to say it was a good thing for Megan's character because she was very lame and needed someone to force her to get her life together. The only reason I read this was because a friend told me that the first story starts out in the town where I live.

Overall: 2/5

Imitation in Death

  • Nov. 13th, 2009 at 10:19 PM

JD Robb - Imitation in Death JD Robb - Imitation in Death
Summer has come to the city, but it's anything but a vacation for Eve as a serial killer with a flair for the dramatic begins a deadly game. The first victim is a prostitute, found slashed to death in an alley. What makes the case unusual is the message found beside the body -- a taunting note on expensive paper, addressed to Eve and signed with the name Jack. Initial clues point to a wannabe Jack the Ripper. But, as the body count rises, the elusive killer's M.O. shifts in baffling new directions, turning up the heat on the investigation. Eve is the first to realize that her quarry is not limiting himself to copying one classic criminal but is taking inspiration from a rogue's gallery of the most notorious villains in the history of homicide. The killer thinks Eve is the perfect audience for this lethal performance...and also a perfect victim. But Eve has a very different role in mind -- Nemesis -- and has put together just the supporting "cast" she needs to orchestrate a surprise ending for the killer

Review: Previously reviewed here

Overall: 3/5

Portrait in Death

  • Nov. 8th, 2009 at 6:24 PM

JD Robb - Portrait in Death JD Robb - Portrait in Death
After a tip from a reporter, Eve Dallas finds the body of a young woman in a Delancey street dumpster. Just hours before, the news station had mysteriously received a portfolio of professional portraits of the woman. The photos seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary for any pretty young woman starting a modeling career. Except that she wasn't a model. And that these photos were taken after she had been murdered.

Now Dallas is on the trail of a killer who's a perfectionist and an artist. He carefully observes and records his victim's every move. And he has a mission: to own every beautiful young woman's innocence, to capture her youth and vitality—in one fateful shot...

Review: Previously reviewed here

Overall: 5/5

Purity in Death

  • Nov. 5th, 2009 at 9:26 PM

JD Robb - Purity in Death JD Robb - Purity in Death
Louie Cogburn had spent three days holed up in his apartment, staring at his computer screen. His pounding headache was unbearable-like spikes drilling into his brain. And it was getting worse. Finally, when someone knocked at his door, Louie picked up a baseball bat, opened the door, and started swinging...

The first cop on the scene fired his stunner twice and Louie died instantly. Detective Eve Dallas has taken over the investigation, but there's nothing to explain the man's sudden rage or death. The only clue is a bizarre message left on his computer screen: Absolute Purity Achieved.

And when a second man dies under nearly identical circumstances, Dallas starts racking her brain for answers and for courage to face the impossible...that this might be a computer virus able to spread from machine to man...

Review: Previously reviewed here

Overall: 3/5

Reunion in Death

  • Oct. 30th, 2009 at 7:20 PM

JD Robb - Reunion in Death JD Robb - Reunion in Death
At exactly 7:30 p.m., Walter Pettibone arrived home to over a hundred friends and family shouting, “surprise!” It was his birthday. Although he had known about the planned event for weeks, the real surprise was yet to come. At 8:45 p.m., a woman with emerald eyes and red hair handed him a glass of champagne. One sip of birthday bubbly, and he was dead.

The woman’s name is Julie Dockport. No one at the party knew who she was. But Detective Eve Dallas remembers her all too well. Eve was personally responsible for her incarceration nearly ten years ago. And now, let out on good behavior, she still has nothing but bad intentions. It appears she wants to meet Dallas again—in a reunion neither will forget…

Review: Previously reviewed here

Overall: 4/5

Honest Illusions

  • Oct. 30th, 2009 at 10:07 AM

Nora Roberts - Honest Illusions Nora Roberts - Honest Illusions
They first met as children - one the daughter of a traveling magician, the other a homeless delinquent. Roxy Nouvelle and her father took Luke Callahan in and taught him the skills of their trade - magic and jewel thievery.

As the years past, Roxy and Luke grew from friends to lovers. Until Luke disappeared without a trace, leaving Roxy with a thousand questions, a broken heart, and a son Luke didn't know about.

Years later, Luke returns, much to Roxy's dismay. He can no longer hide from the trouble that haunts him, and he's ready to reclaim his life - and Roxy, if she'll let him.

Review: It took me a really long time to get into this book, but once I did, I loved it. I do admit that I cried at the end (while at work, which really adds the icing to the cake). It was really sweet, and the ending was very satisfying.

Overall: 4/5

Northern Lights

  • Oct. 27th, 2009 at 12:20 PM

Nora Roberts - Northern Lights Nora Roberts - Northern Lights
Lunacy, Alaska - population 506 - is Nate Burke's last chance. As a Baltimore cop, he had watched his partner die - and the guilt still haunts him. Maybe serving as Chief of Police in this tiny, remote town, where darkness falls by mid-afternoon and temperatures fall to below zero, will bring some kind of solace. It isn't as if he has anywhere else to go. Aside from sorting out a run-in between a couple of motor vehicles and a moose - and pulling apart two brothers fighting over John Wayne's best movie - Nate's first weeks on the job are relatively quiet. But as he wonders whether this was all a big mistake, an unexpected kiss from feisty bush pilot Meg Galloway under the brilliant Northern Lights of the Alaska sky lifts his spirit - and convinces him to stay just a little longer... Born and raised in Lunacy, Meg has learned to be independent. But there's something about Nate's sad eyes that gets under her skin, and warms her frozen heart. However, when two climbers find a corpse on the mountain, Nate discovers that Lunacy isn't quite the sleeply little backwater he imagined...

Review: I did not care for this book at all. The guy they had read the audiobook was so boring and made all of the characters seem smarmy and annoying. I couldn't make myself like it no matter how hard I tried.

Overall: 2/5

Seduction in Death

  • Oct. 23rd, 2009 at 3:03 PM

JD Robb - Seduction in Death JD Robb - Seduction in Death
Eve is on the trail of a serial killer--or maybe killers--who stalks young women looking for love in online poetry chat rooms. Once a romantic date has been arranged, the murderer sets the scene with roses, champagne, and candlelight, then serves his unsuspecting victims a lethal combination of date-rape drugs that takes them to the height of pleasure and too far beyond. But this killer is really clever, altering his look to become each victim's dream date.

Review: Loved this one. Previously reviewed here

Overall: 5/5

Betrayal in Death

  • Oct. 14th, 2009 at 7:50 PM

JD Robb - Betrayal in Death JD Robb - Betrayal in Death
Detective Eve Dallas investigates a homicide on familiar grounds - her husbands hotel - and finds herself up against a murderer with a passion for the finer things in life...and death...

At the luxurious Roarke Palace Hotel, a maid walks into suite 4602 for the nightly turndown— and steps into her worst nightmare. A killer leaves her dead, strangled by a thin silver wire. He’s Sly Yost, a virtuoso of music and murder. A hit man for the elite. Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows him well. But in this twisted case, knowing the killer doesn’t help solve the crime. Because there’s someone else involved. Someone with a more personal motive. And Eve must face a terrifying possibility—that the real target may, in fact, be her husband Roarke…

Review: Didn't care for this one all that much - previously reviewed here.

Overall: 2/5

The MacKade Brothers: Devin and Shane

  • Oct. 13th, 2009 at 2:49 PM

Nora Roberts - The MacKade Brothers: Devin and Shane Nora Roberts - The MacKade Brothers: Devin and Shane
The Heart of Devin MacKade (1996) Sheriff Devin MacKade watched -- patiently, painfully -- as the woman he secretly cherished suffered through a less-than-perfect marriage. Now pretty Cassie Connor was free . . .but vulnerable. Devin knew he'd have to tread slowly, all the while wondering if The Heart of Devin MacKade could ever claim the woman he loved.

The Fall of Shane MacKade (1996) The youngest MacKade, Shane, was a man of the land, so the last woman he expected to catch his eye was a Ph.D.-toting academic. But Rebecca Knight had caught much more than that. One beautiful lady didn't mean The Fall of Shane MacKade from bachelorhood was a sure thing. But it was definitely a possibility . . .

Review: Devin's book was really good, but I couldn't care less about Shane. I thought both he and Rebecca were boring characters.

Overall: 3/5

Judgment in Death

  • Oct. 12th, 2009 at 6:06 PM

JD Robb - Judgment in Death JD Robb - Judgment in Death
In an uptown strip joint, a cop is found bludgeoned to death. The weapon's a baseball bat. The motive's a mystery. It's a case of serious overkill that pushes Eve Dallas straight into overdrive. Her investigation uncovers a private club that's more than a hot spot. Purgatory's a last chance for atonement where everyone is judged. Where your ultimate fate depends on your most intimate sins. And where one cop's hidden secrets are about to plunge innocent souls into vice-ridden damnation...

Review: Previously reviewed here - my opinion didn't change at all in the second listening of this book. Once I started listening to it I considered skipping it, but stuck through just because.

Overall: 3/5

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