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
Random in Death
by
JD Robb
detective mystery, police procedural in a Kindle edition that was published by St. Martin's Press on January 23, 2024 and has 368 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Connections in Death, Encore in Death, Faithless in Death, Payback in Death, Passions in Death, Fantasy in Death
Fifty-eighth in the In Death police procedural detective mystery series and revolving around Lieutenant Eve Dallas. The focus is on a serial killer injecting poisons into girls in the summer of 2061.
My Take
Robb is using third person global subjective point-of-view with us getting the perspectives from Jenna, Jake, Dallas, Roarke, and others.
There’s a sweet look back at how Avenue A began and introductions to the band members.
I do love Dallas’ and Roarke’s relationship. They love and support each other, okay, Roarke is more supportive of Eve, lol. He’s terrified of the chances she takes, and yet he does everything he can to ensure her safety. Their interactions with Galahad always makes me laugh. Then there are Eve’s encounters with Summerset, both of them so pleased with their nasty comments to each other.
I gotta love Roarke’s utter disregard for Eve’s feelings when it comes to her closet. She hates shopping and he loves it, especially when she gets all pissy about it. Another major appreciation is the general social acceptance of gay people; yeah, there are always jerkwads who condemn it. And again, Roarke’s thoughtfulness for so many. That private viewing he arranges to help ease the trauma? So like him.
More of the fun is Roarke’s previous life as a very successful criminal who now works with Dallas and EDD — and is he ever having fun with it!
The utter disregard for life will get you down, and the care and support from so many others will, thankfully, perk you right back up.
It’s an odd set of characters, in a good way. The stubborn determined Eve Dallas, the gorgeous billionaire who does so much for himself and gives his time to help Dallas, the famous Nadine and Jake and Mavis and Leonardo who all lead normal lives, enjoy their friends, and take joy in cooking, gardening, crafting.
Even better are the friends they’ve made from so many walks of life. Ya can’t help but love Crack!
There’ve been so many series arcs, the progression of which I’ve enjoyed and look forward to more of them, including Dallas and Summerset’s interactions mellowing out; Eve and Roarke making progress with those marriage rules; Jake and Nadine’s relationship; and, the Great House Project!
The Icove Agenda (Origin in Death, 21), Nadine’s book, is on everyone’s lips, which means everyone is in awe of Dallas. Which she absolutely hates, lol.
In a creepy way, it’s fascinating to watch Dallas build up a profile, figure out the whys. She usually coincides with Dr Mira’s profiling.
Part of me feels sorry for the bad guy. He’s so out of it fashion-wise and the kids crack down on that. Yet, it is so NOT an excuse for what he does.
I do like Quilla — she’s sneaky.
Random in Death is a terrifying story w Pickering ith mostly amazing and different characters with plenty of police procedures, and action.
The Story
Jenna Harbough wanted to be a songwriter, a performer, and this opportunity to see Avenue A . . . it was the ult.
Sadly, there are others with dreams . . .
The Characters
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is in charge of Homicide at Cop Central. Roarke is her gorgeous billionaire husband. Summerset is their majordomo. Galahad “Tubbo” is their bi-colored pudge of a cat. Roarke is poking at Eve about her new club. They may name it the Off Duty.
Their friends include . . .
Nadine “Lois” Furst, Channel 75’s ace on-air reporter with her own show, Now, a bestselling writer, and an Oscar winner, is currently dating the guitar-playing Jake Kincaid, who is part of Avenue A, an incredibly popular rock and roll band; Mac is the drummer; Renn plays keyboard; Leon; and, Art (he’s married and they’re expecting their second child). Pete is Avenue A’s PR guy.
Charles Monroe is a sex therapist with an amazing wife, Dr Louise Dimatto who runs a free clinic. The pregnant-again Mavis Freestone, who’s a famous international singer, and Leonardo, a famous designer, are married with a child, the gorgeous Bella, and they’re working on the Great House Project that they’ll share with Peabody and McNab. Crack, the owner of the Down and Dirty sex club, and Dr Rochelle Pickering (Connections in Death, 48) are an interesting couple.
New York Police and Security Department (NYPSD)
Detective (Det) Delia Peabody is Dallas’ partner, and she’s dating the colorful, geeky Det Ian McNab of the Electronic Detectives Division (EDD) where Captain Ryan Feeney, Eve’s old mentor, is in charge of EDD. Dallas’ team includes Det Carmichael and Officer Santiago; Det Baxter and Officer Trueheart; Detective Sergeant Jenkinson of the wild ties is partnered with Det Reineke of the crazy socks; and, Officers Carmichael and Shelby.
Dr Charlotte Mira is the NYPSD’s top profiler and a psychiatrist. Dr Li Morris is the chief medical examiner. Harvo is the Queen of Hair and Fiber. Dick Berenski is the chief lab tech. Det Strong is still in Illegals (Treachery in Death, 32). Dr Garnet DeWinter is the bone expert. Dawber was a forensic chemist (Abandoned in Death, 54). Cher Reo is the assistant prosecuting attorney. Marshall Derwood is a good defense lawyer.
Officers Grady and Loren are on-scene at Club Rock It; Officers Danby and Casey (with the 153) are on-scene at the Battle of the Bands. Det Willowby could pass for a teen. Officer Hurley is at the theater; Officers Hernadez and Blicker were first on-scene. Special Agent Teasdale is with the FBI and has appeared in previous stories.
Jenna Harbough will never reach seventeen. Shane and Dr Julia Harbough are Jenna’s parents. Reed is Jenna’s younger brother. Jenna’s friends include Leelee Spencer and Chelsea Fine. (Their moms are Maddie and Audrey.) Club Rock It is a nightclub in New York owned by Harvard “Harve” Greenbaum and Glo Reiser. Jule. Darlie, Tanner, Gabby, and Apple were part of that night’s audience. Hank Kajinski and Devin Spruce work at the Corner Deli owned by Bubbe, Hank’s grandmother. They went to the concert with Chaz, Orlo, and Jonah.
The Battle of the Bands is an annual event for garage and basement bands. The fashion hopeful Arlie Dillon’s boyfriend, Moses Rowe, plays bass guitar and does vocals in Arrow. Her friend Nikki Lieberman and her girlfriend, Dawn, are part of her group. Sisters is a rival band. Tisha Dillon, a tailor, is Arlie’s mom. Also part of the audience are Jamie Lingstrom, college boy e-genius and Roarke’s hopeful, and Quilla Magnum, Nadine’s teen intern who lives at Roarke’s An Didean. Dorian (Desperation in Death, 55) and Mouser are friends of Quilla’s. Dr James Marcell took over CPR. Wes Burke had been Arlie’s previous boyfriend and Aaron Kowosky before that while Zeke had been one in freshman year, who’s now nutso for Sharleen.
Shalla is a young girl who really wants Air Cats. Garret is Shalla’s brother. Carleen works activewear at L&W, a store where only Aunt Janes and Grannys buy stuff.
Kiki Rosenburg wanted to see the movie at Roth’s Midtown Theater along with her brother, Presley, and friends David Olmstead and Lola Nelson. Connie Rosenburg, a head chef, and her wife, Andrea Harris, a hardscape designer, are Kiki’s moms. Meem is Kiki’s great-grandmother. Dr Myler and Nurse Cabot will treat Kiki. Jerry is a jerk. Annabelle “AJ” Joan Pierce was part of a group. Sharlie Weaver had been working the concession stand. The bad guy reminds Kiki of Barry Finklestein.
Shoes have been bought for or by Arnold Post Jr (his dad is the senior and CFO of Livingston Wine and Spirits); Kevin J Fromer is an estate attorney married to Arlene with a son, Lance, daughter, Marnie, and nephew, Mickey whose mother is Kate; and, Alissandro Charro, who is a shopper with dreams. Paul is one of Tasha Grimley’s sons. Dr Nolan Bryce, head of Grant and Frisker Pharmaceuticals, has a son, Francis; Mariella Reeder had been his mother. Francis is a Bryce droid. Delaney “Del” Brooke is a student who had rejected him.
The too skillful but fashion-declined “Dooser” seems to crave publicity. Lloyd Mesner is a pickpocket. Kyle is a doorman who appreciates Dallas’ moves.
Big Bitch Brenda had been a bully to Eve back in state care. It did inspire Eve to learn now to fight, lol.
The Cover and Title
The cover background is a narrow path between ever lightening purples with a figure in silhouette. Near the top is a giant orange maple leaf that acts as a background for the author’s name that gradates from a lilac to blue to yellow to pale orange to blue and lilac again. Below the figure is the title with the same gradation. At the very, very top is an info blurb in white.
The title is too accurate, for the choices are so Random in Death.
