I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
New York to Dallas
by
J.D. Robb
It is part of the In Death #33 series and is a romantic suspense in eBook edition that was published by Berkley on September 13, 2011 and has 402 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Indulgence in Death, Treachery in Death, Kindred in Death, The Other Side, Unquiet, Celebrity in Death, Delusion in Death, Calculated in Death, Thankless in Death, Mirror, Mirror, Festive in Death, Obsession in Death, Betrayal in Death, "Wonderment in Death", "Possession in Death", Down the Rabbit Hole, "Midnight in Death", Devoted in Death, Brotherhood in Death, Apprentice in Death, Echoes in Death, Secrets in Death, Dark in Death, Leverage in Death, "Interlude in Death", Vendetta in Death, Golden in Death, Faithless in Death, Naked in Death, Glory in Death, Immortal in Death, Rapture in Death, Ceremony in Death, Vengeance in Death, , Loyalty in Death, Witness in Death, Judgment in Death, Seduction in Death, Reunion in Death, Holiday in Death, Purity in Death, Portrait in Death, Imitation in Death, Divided in Death, Visions in Death, Desperation in Death, Abandoned in Death, Creation in Death, Survivor in Death, Concealed in Death, Origin in Death
Thirty-third in the In Death futuristic suspense series revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her mega-billionaire, hunky husband, Roarke.
In 2012, New York to Dallas won the RITA Award by Romance Writers of America for Best Romantic Suspense and the Audie Award for Romance.
My Take
Kind of weird as Dallas spends almost the entire story in Dallas, Texas, pursuing the bad guy. And Roarke sure isn’t experiencing a picnic with all the dirty looks and nasty comments he’s getting from the Dallas PD. At least until he proves his lightning skills with a computer! Then there’s the psychological trauma Eve is experiencing with McQueen’s partner and her real identity. The discovery [on our part] that Eve first started to remember her childhood trauma when she forced open that door on McQueen’s apartment all those years ago. Thank god for Dr. Mira! She really helps Roarke and Dallas come to an understanding. I did love Commander Whitney’s slam on the prison officials…go, dude!
I think the reason I didn’t give New York to Dallas a 5 is because it’s just too easy for Eve to take over the investigation in Dallas. Yeah, I love that everyone saw that she is the best person to be in charge, but it just seems such an unlikely realization. Cops have always seemed very territorial in all the books and TV shows…yeah, yeah, I know…fiction is not real-life, but still. I am surprised that Roarke doesn’t feed everyone…
With all the talk of how both their pasts affects how people see them, I have to wonder if Robb is setting us up for Eve leaving the NYPSD. I did enjoy Eve’s comment about Roarke and his Empire of Everything!
The Story
It starts with Peabody, Dallas, and Detective Strong receiving medals for their part in taking down the corrupt cops from Treachery in Death on the same day they learn that Isaac McQueen, pedophile and serial killer, has escaped prison. He’s murdered a doctor and taken Tray Schuster’s girlfriend prisoner. The girlfriend’s lucky. She was only raped and carved into.
Unfortunately, McQueen has done his homework and he wants to torture Eve and where better than Dallas, Texas where Eve’s real life began. McQueen starts with an old victim, Melinda Jones. She had had the brass to show up at his prison cell and tell him off. Now he’s getting the last laugh when he re-carves his signature in her chest. Both the Jones girls turned their experiences around: Melinda became a social worker specializing in rape and abuse cases while Bree became a cop. Together they’ve moved forward. Until Sister Suzan and McQueen take their world apart.
The Characters
Lt. Eve Dallas is a New York Homicide cop who is determined to stand for the dead and find justice for them. Eve has put a lot of perps away over the years including a nasty serial killer shortly after she graduated from the police academy. Roarke is her very sexy, empathic husband strong enough to stand beside her and her decisions and strong enough to hold her when the abuse she endured from her pedophile father gets in the way. Galahad, their cat, also plays an important role in this one.
Eve’s crew makes a brief appearance: Baxter, Trueheart, Carmichael, Feeney, Ian, and Peabody along with Commander Whitney while Peabody’s parents, Roarke, Charles and Louise, Summerset, Crack, Mavis, baby Bella, and Leonardo, Trina, and Nadine Furst all showed up for the award ceremony.
Dallas, Texas, PD
Lt. Ricchio is the head Dallas cop and amazingly cool with Eve taking over…he can see what an incredible cop she is. The FBI agents, Nikos and Laurence, are a mixed bag. Nikos has a huge chip on her shoulder and appears to be in charge while Laurence is the real power behind the badge with a realistic appreciation for Dallas and Roarke.
Isaac McQueen is a serial killer and pedophile whom Eve caught in her first months out of the Academy. He’s escaped from prison and is determined to take Eve down. Sister Suzan Devon, a.k.a., Sylvia, a.k.a., Stella is McQueen’s partner in Texas and, hoo boy, what a mess this woman is. Melinda Jones and Detective Bree Jones were both the last victims taken by McQueen before Eve followed her instincts and freed them. Thirteen-year-old Darlie Morganstern is McQueen’s latest victim.
The Cover and Title
Very cool electric blue cover of a nightlit Dallas skyline with the title poppin’ as an airline announcement in black rectangles and yellow LEDs.
A title that sends Eve from New York to Dallas in so many ways. I do love the vignette of the plane filled with the Dallas skyline!
