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Loyalty in Death
by
J.D. Robb
detective mystery, police procedural, romantic suspense in a Kindle edition that was published by Berkley on March 3, 2007 and has 372 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, Glory in Death, Immortal in Death, Rapture in Death, Ceremony in Death, Vengeance 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
Ninth in the In Death police procedural futuristic romantic suspense series and revolving around detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas, murder cop, and her gorgeous husband, Roarke.
In 2000, Loyalty in Death won the AAR Annual Reader Poll for Best Romantic Suspense, Favorite “Other” Romance, Best Couple, Best Hero, and Best Heroine awards. In 1999, it won the RRA award for Best Romantic Suspense/Mystery/Adventure.
My Take
It’s so cute that Roarke loves old black-and-white movies. He loves to read hard copy books, which unfortunately, are super expensive in this future. I do love the comment Roarke makes in response to Eve’s wondering why he’d watch/read something he’s already seen: “It’s the getting there that counts.” Yep, that’s my feeling!
E-geeks should know that Roarke is a well-rounded guy, as he’s also an expert computer hacker, who likes to “play with his friends” in EDD, lol.
Be warned, there’s lots of sex in here, since Eve and Roarke can’t keep their hands off each other. Robb deals with it very nicely, almost drawing a veil over the details.These two do have a great relationship. Sure, they fight and argue, and they also understand each other’s jobs, passions, and fears.
Another cutism (oy) is how worried Peabody is about Zeke wandering the city. It’s gotta be said that Zeke is naive and trusting with really good morals . . . that are being tested in this. It makes for some interesting thought processes. Of course, Zeke is also worried about how his big sister is surviving New York. I do love the Free-Ager philosophy that everyone has the right to go their own way. A concept to which most people only pay lip service.
Yep, Robb is using third person global subjective point-of-view from primarily Dallas’ perspective but does include perspectives from Roarke, Peabody, Zeke, and more, which is why we know so much about Delia’s and Zeke’s thoughts.
Robb’s New York City (and world) is much more accepting of people, which is amazingly wonderful. Yet it is disconcerting when you read about the contracts people have with each other spelling out the requirements of a relationship!
LOL, the toy company produces police toy action figures that are droids, and Eve wonders if they’ll produce victim-, LC-, psychopath-, and illegals dealer-droids too.
Action. There is so much action in Loyalty in Death — frame jobs, bombings, murders, and it’s all character-driven. The pace is fast, as the cops are scrambling to find the organization that’s threatening New York, and as a consequence, people Eve cares about. As usual, Robb includes plenty of side conflicts that helps keep Loyalty in Death, so fascinating.
The Story
Terrorists are targeting Roarke’s and other buildings, aiming higher and higher, increasing their kill count, increasing the city’s terror. Letters to Eve Dallas taunt her with their actions against the “corrupt masses”.
She’s Lieutenant Eve Dallas, and she’s fighting back. It’s her city…it’s her job…and it’s hitting too close to home. Now, in a race against a ticking clock, Eve must make the pieces fit — before the city falls.
The Characters
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is in charge of Homicide at Cop Central in New York City. Roarke is her gorgeous Irish gazillionaire husband who loves to help out — and he’s completely shocked that his being a former criminal translates so well into helping cops. Galahad is their pudge of a cat who adores bacon. Summerset is Roarke’s majordomo who oversees everything house.
Mavis Freestone, Eve’s best friend, is off on her first singing tour. Charles Monroe is a Licensed Companion (LC) who’s friends with Dallas and dating Peabody. Nadine Furst, a friend of Dallas’, is a reporter from Channel 75. Trina is a mega stylist who terrifies Eve.
NYPSD
Officer Delia Peabody is Dallas’ aide. David Baxter is one of Dallas’ detectives. Commander Jack Whitney is in charge of Cop Central and is Dallas’ boss.
Captain Ryan Feeney, Eve’s mentor, is in charge of the Electronics Detective Division (EDD). The very colorful Detective Ian McNab is with EDD. And falling for Peabody. Dr Charlotte Mira is the department’s profiler. Dr Li Morris is the chief medical examiner. Chambers is one of the morgue staff. Lieutenant Anne Malloy is with E and B; Driscol is one of Anne’s. Sheila from Records doesn’t have as nice a set of breasts as Peabody. Detective Sally is primary on the Branson murder.
Zeke Peabody is Dee’s baby brother, a very talented carpenter/artist, from Arizona. He prefers Steelbend tools. Paul Lamont works for Autotron, an arm of Roarke Industries.
Lisbeth Cooke is ticked that J. Clarence “J.C.” Branson was cheating on her. Chris Tipple is J.C.’s executive assistant. B. Donald Branson is J.C.’s brother and partner in the company, Branson T and T — they make toys and tools. Clarissa is B. Donald’s wife. Suzanna Day had been J.C.’s attorney. Lucas Mantz, Lisbeth’s attorney, is one of the top and priciest criminal defense attorneys.
Cassandra is . . .
. . . a terrorist organization headed by James Rowan, former CIA. Monica Rowan was his brainwashed wife, and they’d had a daughter. William Henson was Rowan’s right-hand man and his campaign manager during his political runs. He’d married Jessica Deals, and they’d had a daughter, Madia. Arlington is a reference to a spectacular bombing that destroyed the Pentagon.
The Fixer, a.k.a. Colonel Howard Bassi in Special Training Forces, repairs electronics. In his previous life, Nancy had been his wife, a civilian liaison between the army and media; they’d had two children.
“Political heroes” include Carl Minnu, who burnt down a café Millicent Jung, who blew up a church; Peter Johnson, who was an assassin; and, Susan B. Stopes, a former nurse who poisoned 15 patients.
The Blue Squirrel is a dive of a place where Mavis used to sing. Silvie was running the artists’ co-op in Arizona that day. Ratso knew the Fixer and is one of Dallas’ confidential informants. Pokey is a friend of Ratso’s who deals and works as a street LC. Sherry Combs is a delivery person for Zippy.
The Cover and Title
The cover is eye searing in its black background contrasting with the author’s name in yellow and the narrow yellow border below it that showcases the title in black. The bottom fourth is a collage of events in the story with yellow predominating. On the left is a pair of silhouettes in front of an explosion in deep oranges; a pair of timers in orange, yellow, and red; and, a close-up profile of the head of the Statue of Liberty. Spanning this block is the “hours” and “minutes” in white and a countdown in red. At the very top is an info blurb in white. The author’s real name is in a white border with white text spanning the “J.D.” with a “writing as” between the pseudonym’s initials and last name.
The title is all about Cassandra’s Loyalty in Death, or rather their loyalty to the past and their credo.
