Obsession in Death Blog Tour Review

Author: J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, #40
Published: February 12th 2015
Publisher: Piatkus
Length: 416 pages
Source: Publisher for review
Buy: The Book Depository

A crisp winter morning in New York. In a luxury apartment, the body of a woman lies stretched out on a huge bed. On the wall above, the killer has left a message in bold black ink: FOR LIEUTENANT EVE DALLAS, WITH GREAT ADMIRATION AND UNDERSTANDING. Eve Dallas is used to unwanted attention. Famous for her high-profile cases and her marriage to billionaire businessman Roarke, she has learned to deal with intense public scrutiny and media gossip. But now Eve has become the object of a singular and deadly obsession. She has an 'admirer', who just can't stop thinking about her. Who is convinced they have a special bond. Who is planning to kill for her - again and again...With time against her, Eve is forced to play a delicate - and dangerous - psychological dance. Because the killer is desperate for something Eve can never provide - approval. And once that becomes clear, Eve knows her own life will be at risk - along with those she cares about the most.

You don’t need me to tell you that a crime series blurbed by Stephen King, Kathy Reichs, David Baldacci and Dennis Lehane is kind of a big deal. A simple glimpse at the cover can reveal all you need to know. But even that simple glimpse isn’t needed in this case – if you’ve somehow managed to miss the hype surrounding J.D. Robb’s (Nora Roberts’) In Death series, it’s safe to conclude that you’ve been living under a pretty big rock.


Obsession in Death is the fortieth book in this series (that’s right, 40th), and it’s quite easy to see why Nora Roberts is so successful. The book is pure perfection, tightly plotted and so smoothly written that you barely even notice the words and the sentences. It’s a story that develops right in front of us, outside of language or any confines of its genre.

By now, Eve Dallas is one of the most popular characters in detective fiction – or fiction in general, really. We know the woman inside and out, we know that she’s tough as nails, but also kind-hearted and fair. We know that she doesn’t trust easily and has a god reason for it, and above all, we know that she loves Rourke more than life itself. Eve is nothing short of brilliant and Rourke is her perfect match. The balance Roberts creates between gruesome murders and their comforting love is practically flawless. Consequently, our emotional investment in these two is sky high.

In this installment, Eve faces a formidable enemy, a murderous secret admirer. A psychotic individual is killing people who have wronged Eve, seeing it as a favor of sorts, and it’s only a matter of time before the murderer turns on the object of his or her obsession. The game is tense and the stakes are high, but we know by now that Eve and Dallas are more than up to the task.

It needs to be said that the mystery was perfectly plotted and executed. I was surprised at every turn and solving the puzzle was completely beyond me. Roberts allowed me no time to breathe, which is exactly how I love my crime novels.

Don’t be intimidated by the number of books in this series. You can jump right in anytime and anywhere you want. Each book can easily function as a standalone, and although there’s mention of old cases, not knowing the details won’t take away from your reading enjoyment.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nora Roberts is the number one New York Times bestseller of more than 200 novels. She published her first novel using the pseudonym J.D. Robb in 1995, with the In Death series, Robb has become one of the biggest thriller writers on earth, with each new novel reaching number one on bestseller charts over the world. With over 450 million copies of her books in print, she is indisputably one of the most celebrated and popular writers in the world.

Thank you to the wonderful people at Little, Brown UK for organizing the tour. Please check out the other tour stops. You'll find the link on the poster below. 

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