I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Glory in Death
by
J.D. Robb
detective mystery in a Kindle edition that was published by Berkley on December 1, 1995 and has 320 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon, Audibles.
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Indulgence in Death, Treachery in Death, Kindred in Death, The Other Side, New York to Dallas, 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, 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
Second in the In Death futuristic romantic suspense series revolving around Homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas in the New York City of 2058.
My Take
Roarke likes to jump into Dallas’ investigations, whether she likes it or not. Usually not. He has an interesting way of deflecting her ire, lol. It’s a fine line they both walk. Roarke wants to protect and support her while Dallas is finding his presence a welcome, yet unwelcome, necessity. And Robb employs a snarky humor throughout that kept me laughing in between the horror.
Robb uses third person global subjective point-of-view from primarily Dallas’ perspective, but also from Roarke’s, Whitney’s, Peabody’s, the Angelinis’, and more.
It’s fascinating to listen to Dallas read a crime. It’s also a crack-up to hear Dallas freak out about Roarke, his wealth, his interest(s), and what he wants from her, lol.
“When you love someone, you have to be with them, don’t you? To be part of their life, to have them be part of yours.”
Loss is always hard, and Robb hammers this home with George’s and Mirina’s loss, the future she’ll never have with her mother.
That Dallas is something else. Compassionate, tough, empathic, and in major denial about her past and any possible future with Roarke. It’s Dallas’ past that sparks Mira’s interest and that nasty reveal about the doctor’s own childhood. Yuck. I just don’t understand parents like this.
There’s another conflict that crops up when a friend of Nadine’s is killed and Nadine is in front of that camera, dispassionately reporting it. Ooo-wee, Dallas. Is. Ticked. And Nadine points out how similar she and Dallas are.
The sex. Oh, yeah, there’s plenty of it and so very subtle. Robb describes it well and with passion without sinking into the nitty-gritty.
Naturally, there’s action, but it’s action all down to the characters, including the Dallas and Roarke characters who drive Glory in Death with the story-specific characters who add additional color.
There’s a good pace to the story, enough to keep me very interested and flipping them pages! Especially Roarke’s reactions to Dallas’ easily erupted anger. Of course Summerset’s attitude toward Dallas is also an eruption, a major disorder to Summerset’s organized soul, so it’s a huge deal when Summerset meets the uninhibited and wild Mavis, ROF.
I do have two niggles, both about word confusions. Someone needs to look up the definitions for passed and puss.
It’s parental love that really drives this story (and the series!). Both the good and the bad.
The Story
The first victim was found lying on a sidewalk in the rain. The second was murdered outside her own apartment building.
Lieutenant Eve Dallas had no problem finding connections between the two crimes. Both victims were beautiful and highly successful women. Their glamorous lives and loves were the talk of the city. And their intimate relations with men of great power and wealth provided Eve with a long list of suspects — including her own lover, Roarke.
Then a third murder . . .
As a woman, Eve was compelled to trust the man who shared her bed. But as a cop, it was her job to follow every lead…to explore every secret passion, no matter how dark. Or how dangerous.
The Characters
The conflicted Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a respected head of Homicide at Cop Central. Roarke is her current love, sort of live-in, sort of not. He’s gorgeous, a billionaire who owns a quarter of the world, and madly in love with Eve. Summerset is Roarke’s butler who runs his house. Galahad is the cat Dallas “inherited” in Naked in Death, 1. The Giant’s Tear is a diamond. The Olympus Resort on FreeStar One is Roarke’s biggest project right now. The outrageous Mavis Freestone, a former grifter, became Dallas’ best friend.
The NYPSD
Commander Jack Whitney is Dallas’ supervisor and considers her his best. Captain Ryan Feeney is the head of the Electronics Detective Division (EDD) and Dallas’ friend and mentor. Dr Charlotte Mira is the department profiler and very good at her job. She also has an interest in Dallas’ well-being. Officer Peabody makes her first appearance at Louise’s crime scene. Deblinsky is a good cop. Beaver is a crime scene tech, a sweeper. Harrison Tibble is the new chief of police replacing the previous corrupt one.
Cicely Towers is a respected prosecuting attorney and good friends with Whitney’s family. Cicely had two children with her ex-husband, Marco Angelini. Their son, spoiled rich-boy David, has issues and his childhood did not help. Mirina is their about-to-be-married daughter and runs a boutique in Rome. Randall Slade, a fashion designer, is Mirina’s fiancé who has similar issues to David. Angelini Exports is Angelini’s primary company while Mercury is a company Towers and Angelini share with Roarke as a partner. George Hammett is Cicely’s frustrated boyfriend.
Anna Whitney is Jack’s intimidating wife as well as godmother to David Angelini. Linda is the Whitneys’ daughter, a lawyer.
Channel 75 is . . .
. . . a highly rated TV station. The smarmy CJ Morse is an ambitious on-air reporter. Nadine Furst is better and has integrity. She’s also a friend of Dallas’. Louise Kirski is an editorial tech who has worked with Nadine for the past three years. Bongo is Louise’s boyfriend, and they’re looking to move in together. Carlson Young is the head of the entertainment division. Rigley is a little fish. Larinda Mars is in Social Information.
Yvonne Metcalf is an actress — she’s won an Emmy.
Crack is a colorful bouncer at the Down and Dirty, a dive. The Five Moons is another dive. The Blue Squirrel is the dive where Mavis sings. Fluentes is the criminal Towers was prosecuting. Suzanna Kimball is the widow of a good cop. Barry is a neighbor boy with some smooth moves on his board. The “bright” funky junkie has a few good tips.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a purple cast over all but mostly white text. The graphic is a public building in the lower half with huge orange pillars mustered on its front, an oversized set of handcuffs overlaying the building. At the top is the author’s name with the title at the bottom. Immediately above the building is an info blurb in a pale lilac and a pale peach testimonial across the pillars.
The title is where the murderer wants to be, wallowing in the Glory in Death.
