Reread Challenge for November

Well - it's that time again - Reread Challenge Time hosted by Nath. It's a bit of deja view from last month!


Rapture in Death by JD Robb

Why this one: I'm still making my way through a reread of the In Death books. There are a couple of coworkers reading them and as they are much further behind than I am, it's kind of fun going back to the earlier ones

Blurb: They died with smiles on their faces. Three apparent suicides: a brilliant engineer, an infamous lawyer, and a controversial politician. Three strangers with nothing in common - and no obvious reasons for killing themselves. Police lieutenant Eve Dallas found the deaths suspicious. And her instincts paid off when autopsies revealed small burns on the brains of the victims. Was it a genetic abnormality or a high-tech method of murder? Eve's investigation turned to the provocative world of virtual reality games - where the same techniques used to create joy and desire could also prompt the mind to become the weapon of its own destruction . . .

My thoughts: It's been a while since I've read this one - number 4 is anyone doesn't know the order. It takes place almost right where Immortal in Death ends. Eve and Roarke are just finishing off their honeymoon off planet, when Eve is called to check out an apparent suicide of one of the staff. Everything appears as it ought to be but when Eve goes back to work, she is made aware of a number of suicides and puts two and two together and comes up with murder. What I enjoy so much about this one is the passion between Eve and Roarke. The last book so far in the series I only gave a warm rating too, but this one is hot, hot, hot as they are both still newlyweds. Add to that a musicologist who is working to help Mavis with her singing career and who likes to 'manipulate' things between Roarke and Eve and this is another good read. I did notice though that this one is a bit unusual in that Eve, who is usually so right on about the murderer is a bit off on who she thinks it is in this book and pushes things further then she usually does and ends up wrong - for a short time.

This is another one that is heavier than some on the relationship aspect and I wish more of them were like this. I originally gave this one a 5 out of 5 - but I was new to the series and I was giving 5's out like candy I love the whole series that much. This time 'round though I'm changing it to a 4.5 out of 5. Still a very good grade, but I downgraded it just a tad due to Eve's stubbornness.




Portrait in Death by J.D. Robb

Why this one: Ever since I first read it, it's always been my favourite

Blurb: A serial killer takes his dead victims' portraits and sends them to the media. Lieutenant Eve Dallas counts on her husband's help to crack the case, but he's just learned a devastating truth about his past.

My thoughts: I've always liked this one best as it's quite a role reversal compared to most of the other In Death books and it's one I taunt my coworkers with. Usually it's Eve who remembers the horrible things in her childhood, but in Portrait, Roarke learns something about his past that rocks his world. I won't say what so as to avoid spoilers for any readers who are just starting this series or who haven't made it this far. But Roarke is shaken - very shaken - and as those who know this series so well, other than worrying about Eve, Roarke is pretty much cool as a cucumber. And because his world is so rocked, and he doesn't know how to handle this new development, he does something else very un-Roarke like - he shuts Eve out. And thus Eve is shaken.

Later on in the story, once Roarke kind of comes to terms with the situation, we have another role reversal. It's Eve who helps Roarke. As we all know, Eve isn't exactly the 'nurturing' kind. She is faced with a dilemma - whether to continue working on the case or help Roarke when he needs her the most. After a head smack from Feeney, she does make the right choice.

This one is more of a relationship entry than many of the In Death books and I liked it. The first time I gave this one a 5 out of 5 and it still gets a 5 out of 5 and still remains one of my favourites!