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In Death #52

Faithless in Death

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In the new Eve Dallas police thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb, what looked like a lover's quarrel turned fatal has larger--and more terrifying--motives behind it...

The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wine glasses by the bed, music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don't add up. Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant, comforted by her handsome fiancé as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the body--but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things?

As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within--and soon they're getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2021

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About the author

J.D. Robb

207 books34.2k followers
J.D. Robb is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series and the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. The futuristic suspense series stars Eve Dallas, a New York City police lieutenant with a dark past. Initially conceived as a trilogy, readers clamored for more of Eve and the mysterious Roarke. Forgotten in Death (St. Martin's Press, September 2021) is the 53rd entry in the series.

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14,975 (61%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,037 reviews
Profile Image for Carolyn.
2,503 reviews700 followers
February 8, 2021
Reading a novel by J.D. Robb is like visiting with your closest friends. You can wear your comfiest clothes, settle down with your chosen drink and know you’re in for a really enjoyable time. Not only do you get to catch up with the lives of your favourite characters, but also become absorbed in a great mystery, and at the end, come away with a warm sense of satisfaction. This 52nd book in Robb’s futuristic ‘In Death’ series is just such a book.

When Eve is called in to a homicide in the West Village, she finds up and coming young artist Ariel Byrd with her head caved in. Rumpled sheets and two wine glasses by the bed suggest she didn’t spend the night alone, but was her death the result of a lover’s tiff or something else?

Gwen Huffman, the woman who found Ariel’s body the next morning, waited an hour before calling the police. She claimed to have been in shock, but her story doesn’t ring true to Eve and so she starts to pick apart the lies she knows Gwen is telling. Gwen is a member of an important family who are members of a powerful and wealthy religious group. She’s about to get married to a wealthy lawyer so perhaps she has secrets she needs to keep hidden from her family and the group, and even her fiancé.

After the excitement of the previous novel where Eve and Roarke’s lives were both in danger, this feels like a return to classic Eve Dallas. She’s back doing what she does best aided by Peabody, Roarke and the NYPSD team. What started out as a homicide case quickly turns into something much bigger and has Eve running on full power to keep up with developments. I love the way she’s grown in confidence and self-assuredness since the start of the series. With most of the focus on the unfolding investigation, there’s less time than usual to catch up with Eve’s friends. However, we do get a glimpse of Mavis and Leonardo, who have some important news that will impact on Peabody and McNab as well.

Somehow Robb continues to come up with original and interesting story lines to keep this series fresh. In this one Eve is up against many of the things she hates most: power, racism, misogyny, bullying, kidnapping and subjugation of children and women. It’s a very intense addition to this terrific series that just keeps on getting stronger.

With many thanks to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for a copy of the book to read. Original review published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,498 followers
February 12, 2021
A book with a creepy cult leader who is filled with more misogyny, racism, and fanaticism than our last president? Impossible, you say! But, no, this guy is actually worse. And, like all good cult leaders, he rules with an iron fist on his giant gold throne before swimming through his pool of money like Scrooge McDuck.


What are you gonna do? God said so. He's arranging hook-ups now.

The author does a good job of writing stories that coincide with the issues of the day. She did bombings, school shootings, and now a racist cult. It's always relevant. She also did a better job in this book with sounding young instead of old. I hate when authors get older and start to sound like it when they write a younger character. Like twenty-somethings yelling "hot dog!" when they are excited. Suddenly you are torn out of the story and looking up how old the author is on google.



This all starts with a murder, of course, and leads down a rabbit hole that is filled with crazy people who are all ready to wear their red capes with a white placemat on their head. Oh, only the women, of course. The men can dress however they want.


Wow, those chicks are so tall. Is Mrs. Trump really short or something?

I loved seeing these assholes get justice, although I felt like they deserved a little more than a jail cell. Still, it's a police procedural book, not a revenge snuff film. The story was really interesting.

As for Roarke? I still feel like he's a bit neutered from the old days. It was irritating how he scraped and bowed for Eve, but at least she now seems to appreciate him more. Before she would go out of her way to be bitchy to him. I'm glad she's not doing that anymore. In spite of that, accepting Roarke as more of her assistant, they do work well together.

There were also some fun developments in the side-characters' lives. I love Peabody and McNab almost as much as Eve and Roarke.
Profile Image for Phrynne.
3,687 reviews2,495 followers
February 13, 2021
Another few hours spent in my happy place with Eve and Roarke and the rest of the crew. I firmly believe that pure escapism is good for the soul:) For mine anyway.

After the drama of Shadows in Death this book is very much more a solid police procedural. Faithless in Death opens with Eve doing her paperwork for the Irish episode of the previous book, but she is quickly called to a murder scene. This in turn opens up a whole mountain of crime involving a very unpleasant cult.

Of course Robb being Robb there is also plenty about the characters and their relationships. I honestly do not believe that I am especially sentimental, nor do I enjoy cheesy romances, but J.D. Robb can still make me reach for the tissues when she turns up the emotions. A case in point is a scene at Mavis's new house - for some reason the print went all blurry. Maybe I should listen to the audios!

Altogether an excellent read. There is a long wait until the next one now though.



Profile Image for PamG.
1,097 reviews753 followers
June 28, 2021
Faithless in Death by J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) brings murder, romance and suspense to a well-written futuristic police procedural and romantic suspense set in New York City and Connecticut during the spring of 2061. This is the fifty-second book in the In Death Eve Dallas series and I have read all of them up to this point.

This story starts with our protagonist, Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYC police department, being called to a crime scene. Joined by her partner, Detective Delia Peabody, they find the body of sculptor Ariel Byrd in her studio. While it appears to be a crime of passion, the 911 caller’s story doesn’t track and seems full of lies. As the police investigate, the lies include more than just the tale about finding the dead body. Before long, they get the FBI involved in a case that also involves a fanatical group.

It’s always entertaining to spend time with Eve, Roarke, and Eve’s colleagues. She is definitely a compelling and three-dimensional character. Her need to serve and protect comes through in every book, but the underlying impetus for this is best understood by reading this series in order. Due to the way Eve was raised, she often doesn’t understand commonly used phrases and this comes into play a few times in this book making her seem more real and less perfect. As always, the interactions between Eve and Roarke are enjoyable and bring a different facet of Eve’s personality to light. Many of the reoccurring police characters play significant roles in this book. However, readers also get to see a bit of their private lives as Mavis, Leonardo, and Bella have big news.

The prose is well-written, entertaining, and engaging. This time Eve’s passion for justice and those that need help pushes the story beyond finding a single murderer to taking down a disturbing group of people preying on others. The plot is thought-provoking and tragic. While this book has some action, it is mostly a police procedural until the ending. It is appalling in places and uplifting in others.

Robb is an author that manages to embed humor in her novels, providing some much needed levity to offset some of the more serious and grim aspects of the story. There is a steamy scene in the novel as well. Themes include murder, justice, family dynamics, cults, child abuse, domestic violence, greed, racism, infidelity, intolerance of others, and much more.

If you enjoy engaging near-future police procedurals with some romance and humor, then I recommend this series. Overall, it is entertaining, and over time, it is like spending time with old friends. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

I purchased a digital copy of this novel. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 9, 2021.
Profile Image for Brenda.
4,642 reviews2,889 followers
January 29, 2021
Faithless in Death is #52 in the ever brilliant In Death series by prolific author JD Robb, and this one is one of her best yet! Murder, jealous lovers, revenge, greed – and that’s just the beginning. Eve Dallas along with her partner Delia Peabody have no idea what they’ve struck this time round but the depravity that is flowing behind the scenes has Eve’s adrenalin pumping and nothing or no one will stop her bringing them to justice.

Roarke is once again at his absolute best – he was late on the scene though. Page 86 – enter Roarke! Phew! I thought he must have been away; off planet or somewhere uncontactable! Eve had a whole plethora of people on her side – she’s one tough cop. Faithless in Death – highly recommended. Bring on #53!

With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jonetta.
2,383 reviews1,195 followers
February 22, 2021
Homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her partner Detective Delia Peabody are called to the murder scene of sculptor Ariel Byrd where there is a shortage of clues as to who might have killed her. But when they follow up with the woman who called 9-1-1, Gwen Huffman, the investigation leads to the unraveling of a host of secrets and lies with a direct link to a troubling cult-like group called Natural Order.

Everything about this story reminded me of the earlier books in the series where the police procedurals were paramount and involved most of the homicide team. The case led the team in so many directions until things ultimately started to make more sense and connect. My initial speculations veered off into several theories, all with so many holes I was forced to just let the team do their job and enjoy the journey. The Natural Order aspect was chilling with some loose connections to present circumstances, a reminder of what our society could unleash.

But, the real joy of the story is always the inclusion of the secondary characters in very real and substantive ways. There’s a surprise involving Mavis and Leonardo that just made me smile. And, the smart girls are reunited (Eve, Reo & Nadine) and that’s just poetry to watch. This one is meaty with a strong mystery and heavy with secondary character inclusion, a perfect mix for this long term fan. Loved it.

Posted on Blue Mood Café
Profile Image for Jean.
1,773 reviews773 followers
February 22, 2021
This is book number five of the Death series. I’m always amazed at Robb’s ability to come up with different ideas for her stories. This book is not outstanding but average. In this book a murder of a young women artist has Dallas and crew investigating a cult; and for the first time calls in the FBI.

The book is well written and fast moving. I am always fascinated by Robb’s unusual group of characters. Looking forward to book number 53.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours and forty-two minutes. Susan Ericksen does her usual great job narrating the book. Ericksen has narrated all of the series and is an award-winning audiobook narrator and actress.
June 3, 2021
3.5 stars

I did it. After a year and a half, I've caught up with this 52-books-and-10-novellas series.

I feel like I deserved an award right now 😂 for making it this far, though to be honest, it was not the hardest thing I've ever done book-related.

Anyway, I love the case in this one. It's a secret cult community-esque. Which now after I've finished the book, the title makes sense since initially I thought it was about the cheating fiancee.

However, I had a hard time getting into it in the first half. The paces really dragged on and on. That made me very frustrated and I put it on hold for a couple of weeks. Thank God, it finally picked up after that and man, it was so creepily good.
Profile Image for Mo.
1,392 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2022
A roller coaster of a ride, especially towards the end - we had all the gang, Eve Roarke, Peabody, McNab ... all of Cop Central (it seemed), Mira, the FBI, Interpol - all we needed were Mavis and Leonardo and Bella but they were busy. Robb doesn't shy away from the issues of the day ... she is not afraid to confront racism, sexism, homophobia as she portrays, what I would call a "cult". I think she might have lost some fans here who thought she was being a bit 'preachy' but, hey, "bollocks to that" as Roarke might say ... if people cannot see the evil in the world, let them keep living in their own little utopian universe with their rose coloured glasses on ...

"You've given this a hell of a lot of time."

"I'm invested."

With his hands in his pockets, his fingers found the button, Eve's button and rubbed it."


There probably wasn't enough 'one on one' time with Eve and Roarke but as long as the button is mentioned, all is forgiven ...



Book 54 releases tomorrow. I thought I would be up to date and ready to dive into it but, no, work's a bitch and real life is really getting in the way of my reading these days.


Love, she thought, doomed some - she saw it nearly every day ... but ... some, love saved.


Yes, I got my grubby little hands on a hardcover ... only about 45 more to find and a husband to dump and a Roarke to find so that I can afford to buy them!!




We need more Bella time ...


The kid squealed, then threw back her head ... and laughed like a lunatic.
Profile Image for Corina.
793 reviews2,490 followers
February 20, 2021
Loved it!! The case was fascinating, it's a memorable one.
Profile Image for Ira.
1,112 reviews120 followers
February 21, 2021
Well, still don’t know what to write about this one.

But you see, all In Death series are four and five stars read for me, then after a while, boom! Ten stars if I can give that many. This one? One of those ten stars reading, if you like this type of story, of course.

This story is about a systematic bigotry cult in the US.
It feels real because we’ve got a full four years lives freak bigotry cult show from the White House, with all those freaking weird ‘priests’ acting like morons too! 😳😂🤣

Seriously, as an outsider watching from a distance, that’s how I feel watching Trump with his bigots followers on the news, a freak comedy which made my eyes rolling faster than speed of sounds.

However, those funny shows ended when I saw how he let his bigots followers took children from their parents and put them in cages, did Hysterectomy operation to those poor women and then the latest disgusting rules of these bigots made? Force the rape victims to give a right to the rapist to have a contact with the kids. Oh don’t forget the triggers happy Cops toward black peoples!
IMAGINE that! And F*** them all!!! 🤬🤬🤬

If you think what’s happening in this book just Ms. Robert’s fantasy, think again.
The story here is decades in the future, but the path to it, is certainly already in the making, especially after what were happening in Capitol Hill and no one really to take accountability and punished for those actions. Even the Senate still supporting the scumbag! What a joke! 🙄

You know what the worst things about these rotten bigots?
No cure for them, worst than covid_19.
Scientists can’t create vaccines to stop bigotry 🥴🥴.

Oh well, that’s this story all about, really. An awful rotten bigotry cult which started small 😐.

—————————————————-


I will write appropriate review later on, still mad with the villains in this book!

❤️❤️❤️
February 15, 2021
I’ll keep this relatively short, as I have an ambitious reading challenge and ain’t really up to my usual rambling reviews.

Faithless in Death marks somewhat of a return to the heart-pounding police procedurals the Dallas books used to be.

On the whole, I liked this one much more than I’ve liked the last five or so installments but, as you’ll se from the numerous status updates below, the usual annoyances abound.

Roarke is still more of a tool than a character; his main function is as a check on his woman’s workaholic tendencies, sartorial choices, eating habits and rigidity.

Robb also seems to be working overtime to blunt Eve’s assertiveness; much like last time, Eve is outvoted and outranked on her own operations and forced to let others take the wheel.

Rob revisits the theme of control relinquishment multiple times throughout the more intense portions of the novel, something I never, ever see in police procedurals featuring male protagonists.

I don’t really get the point of reemphasizing the notion that Eve needs taking care of and to learn that she can’t or shouldn’t always be in control, but an examination of Robb’s treatment of romance and female leadership yields some major clues.

I think Robb’s concepts of masculinity, balance, compromise and male attractiveness are informed by two of the three Ps of Manhood.

See the following for what I mean:

https://www.artofmanliness.com/articl...

Undoubtedly, those who want a warmer, more “feminine” Eve, like bossy, overprotective romance hero’s and are reading more for Roarke than Eve will appreciate his behavior, though the sex and gooey stuff is kept to a refreshing minimum.

As for the murderers and subsequent mystery, the antagonists of the novel hit waaaaaaaay too close to reality for my taste (topical and reflective of American society much?), and the reveal didn’t really shock the way previous ones did, even when you take into account the ones wherein we’ve known the identity of the killer fairly early in the novel.

Ultimately, if you enjoyed Purity, Origins, Loyalty, Born and Delusions in Death, the lead up to the arrests and the unraveling of the organization at the center of the murder will thrill you just as much as those books did.

The “in the box” portions of the book are satisfying, but only in a familiar kind of way.

Long-time fans will recognize the posturing, interrogation strategies and breaking points that typify a Dallas and Peabody grilling.

All in all, this was a good read. Four stars.



Profile Image for Sandra Hoover.
1,351 reviews225 followers
March 31, 2021
Loved it! This one pushes its way onto my favorites of the In Death series list! Fantastic characters, relationship development and case. Will try to return with full review.
Profile Image for Mei.
1,897 reviews459 followers
February 16, 2021
WOW!!! I'm exhausted!!!

Reading this book was like running a marathon!
It's really a whirlwind of action!

Eve & Co., and by Co. I don't mean only Roarke, Peabody, McNab but ALL cops from the Central and FBI, Interpol....work on a case! WOW!

And the case starts like a simple murder of a single woman (Ariel), but soon escalates to multiple murders, kidnappings, rapes, slavery, torture.... All done in the name of a cult/religion "Natural Order". But there's nothing "natural" about it!

Even & Co. must run like crazy to dismantle this cult before more people get murdered, raped, etc. and they are collecting evidence at breakneck pace!

Great addition to the series even if it is more crime-solving oriented and there was less moments of interaction between everybody that I love so much. They were not absolutely absent, but there was less of them! :)

I'll be looking forward to the next!
Profile Image for Mara.
1,831 reviews4,201 followers
February 27, 2021
Yessss, really enjoyed the mystery in this one! We've got a creepy AF white nationalist cult in the mix, and Dallas uncovering a bigger conspiracy kicked off by the murder she's investigating. I wish we'd had a couple more grounding character moments, but overall, this is one of those "landmark" cases she gets every ~15 books, and I found that very satisfying.

CW: cults, racism, homophobia, sexual assault, domestic violence
Profile Image for Anne OK.
3,838 reviews535 followers
February 27, 2021
Finally! Robb is back up to par and Number 52 return readers to an intriguing case with Eve and Roarke, along with many of our favorite characters making appearances which makes it a winner. I find it takes the whole village to pull a five-star read. The mixture of the personalities and diversity of characters always draws me in quickly and I stay enthralled from start to finish.

This series has been a favorite and I'm always eager for a new installment -- even when some are much better than others. I'm looking forward to #53 later in 2021.
Profile Image for Barbara Rogers.
1,692 reviews193 followers
January 26, 2021
Series: In Death #52
Publication Date: 2/9/21
Number of Pages: 416

This book is yet another edge-of-your-seat, suspenseful, engrossing, can’t-put-it-down offering by the inimitable J.D. Robb. I can never get enough of this series and if she produced one a week, I’d read it. The first book of the series was set in 2058 and after 52 books, we are only up to the spring of 2061. I’m definitely NOT complaining about the amount of time passing – New York Homicide cops get lots of cases. What amazes me is the imagination the author has and her thorough descriptions of life in that time and the gadgets – OMGoodness, the gadgets are wonderful! I sometimes have to wonder if Robb doesn’t have a bit of the ‘fey’ within her because – well – in the books she talks about the Urban Wars of the 20’s – and just look where we are today in the real-world 20’s. Since the series began in 1995, she couldn’t have known what the real 2020’s would be like. I hope she wasn’t right about all of it – but I do hope she was right about the gadgets – I’d love to have an AutoChef and a car that can go vertical.

This case comes just on the heels of the last case, Shadows In Death. Eve has gone in early to finish up all of the paperwork for that case when she gets the call from dispatch. A body has been found in the West Village. It is a lovely young woman, Ariel Byrd, who is an up-and-coming sculptor. Her head has been bashed in with one of her own tools. The body was only discovered because a 9-1-1 caller reported the dead body. That caller, Gwen Huffman, didn’t report it right away because she panicked and ran away from the scene. Or, did she panic?

Eve and Peabody are off on an investigation that is going to lead to some totally unexpected places and people. Such a ‘normal’, almost insignificant, crime leads to a vile cult named the Natural Order, missing FBI agents, and involvement by the FBI, Interpol, and Homeland Security. OMGoodness – you are in for a roller-coaster of an investigation in this one.

It takes Eve’s entire team, along with Roarke (we can never get enough of him), Feeney and McNab with the rest of the EDD team, not to mention Nadine Furst and ADA Reo to find the real villains and see that they are brought down and punished. I also loved that Police Artist Yancy was more involved in this case. He��s always been a favorite character but doesn’t usually get much page time.

I absolutely loved this read and can highly recommend it. I was left with a bit of a puzzler though. All of those Eve was focusing on finding we definitively solved – whether dead, injured, etc. except one. There was a mention that they thought he was probably dead, but since they wrapped up everyone else, I would have liked to learn, for sure, the fate of Keene Grimsley.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for ♥Sharon♥.
984 reviews140 followers
March 5, 2022
Absolutely LOVED this one! Probably my favorite of her last 5 or so books in this series.

Eve was badass as ever and my heart went out to her as this one struck a personal cord with her. Of course Roarke was her rock. He loves her dearly. ❤️

My girl Peabody shined! Her attitude with the bad guys was epic. 💕

Just about everyone from the station was present and it was great to hear from Mavis and Bella. What a cutie.

The investigative part was rather unsettling. Robb definitely tackles some strong subjects. She handled things well.

On to the next one!
Profile Image for Donna.
544 reviews228 followers
March 3, 2021
3.5 stars

This book was too long for the story it told and there wasn’t anything in it that I hadn’t read before in the other books in this series. My hope is for the author to take her time with the next book to come up with something fresh, and for her to advance the personal lives of Eve and Roarke. As much as I enjoy reading about their settled life together, a little drama in it now and then couldn’t hurt. The audiobook was enjoyable, as always, due to the talented narrator, Susan Ericksen, and her five star performance.
Profile Image for Obsidian.
3,025 reviews1,078 followers
March 8, 2021
Well anything would have been better than the last book. My friend totally trolled me though since when we finished the book she said, "You know that the next book is going to be all about renovation and redecoration again right?" And nope, I hadn't even thought of that and my God the books that delved into that were awful.

The main reason why I gave this 4 stars though is that some of the book doesn't hit right. I think that we had too much Nadine in this one and honest to God, I need JD Robb to skip over her writing a book/movie and somehow Eve becoming even more famous. It's just getting a bit absurd at this point. I want to get back to the cases they work, the relationships they build, and the romance. Not everything has to be an international thing that Eve somehow brings down. Also at this point, it's beyond dumb she's not a Captain. I get why Robb has done this, the same reason why I get that Eve and Roarke haven't had children. But I think that Robb should consider ending this series eventually and take a page out of Ilona Andrews's book and jump forward a few years and follow someone else. Heck, let us follow Trueheart as he finally makes Detective, but he still works alongside Baxter and we have cameos from the other "In Death" peeps. Or heck, let us get an entirely new character, a black woman that we can follow along as she deals with the racism that sits within the police force, as she does what she can to change things. Shoot, give us something new here.

That said, I thought "Faithless in Death" was really good. We started off with one murder, and it led to a wider issue/organization than realized. I also think this was Robb's way of taking a swipe at the Church of Scientology though too since there were some parallels there with some key plot points.

We get the same old same old with characters. I did laugh though because at this point, I have given up guessing Bella's age. I thought she was like 4 or something, but I guess she's like 1 and 1/2? I have zero idea at this point. Mavis delivered her like 22 books ago or something, so it's more evidence that the timeline for this series is hella weird.

I did get annoyed since we do get a little of we must baby Eve. Roarke makes her drink a protein drink, and Dr. Mira comments on how she looks tired before a big op that is about to go down. I just rolled my eyes.

I though the writing was typical Robb, nothing new there, but it was a comfort since I have been hit or miss with books lately. The flow works in this one. You get the sense of urgency that is going on and you are just holding your breath at times.

The ending though was great, though we don't get to see Eve and company celebrate and part of the celebration was Roarke bribing, excuse me thanking the cops for having his back during the whole Cobbe thing. I will say that I loathed every reference of the Cobbe case cause of the whole police sit around as Roarke beats a dude up and they all covered it up crap. It really needs to not referenced again cause once again, it was illegal AF and this is after we had the whole George Floyd murdered by police in the U.S. The whole storyline was tone deaf and I see is still turning off a lot of readers.
Profile Image for Katyana.
1,653 reviews260 followers
September 11, 2024
I loved this one - horrifying cult of monsters, using their bullshit "religion" to control and abuse women.

It was great to see the team take them down. It was also really great to see the support systems Roark has been building - Dochas, An Didean - fly into action to help with this. It's just lovely that we get to see the pay off of all that.

It is so rare for a series to run this long and keep me captivated. I honestly can't think of a single other example. Part of that - part of why I've blitzed through the whole thing so far in like 6 months - is because there's no firm ending to any book. Don't get me wrong, they wrap up the murder arc of that book, but there's no solid epilogue, no feeling of pause. It makes it very hard to stop reading ... it feels like a show I'm loving on Netflix that I just binge through in a long weekend.

This one, though, will be one I come back to for re-reads.
Profile Image for Belles.
442 reviews27 followers
January 29, 2024
Yet another home run from Robb. I don't know how she keeps pumping out 5 star book after 5 star book, but God bless her!
870 reviews
February 11, 2021
The books are starting to become less of whodunnits and more of how Eve's tactical battle plans save the day. Initial few books were really thrilling as there was still a bit of twists about who the real killer is. Also, some of the pages are just fillers with fan service in mind but are failing to thrill us audience such as the NY pickpocket chasing, reference to Candy Thief etc., Every character should have some flaw to make them relatable but Roarke and Eve are way too unbelievable. Roarke is a beautiful poet who is pretty and beautiful and spends a ton of his time filling Eve's wardrobe and fixes her breakfast and dinner, supports her on almost all cases, is brilliant at hacking and in between it he has mastered a lot of languages, art collections and keeps buying up a lot of real estate and rentals, manufacturing a lot of security related hardware and software products and his portfolio also is diversified to include media, spas, record labels, clothing designers, etc., He is on top of it all and doesn't need more than an hour or two of sleep and has the sex drive of a teenager and reads Keats, watches movies, opera, theatre and has an active social like with a lot of galas, soirees, makes a lot of friends and networks Just a little too too unbelievable.
Profile Image for Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile.
1,979 reviews440 followers
February 14, 2021
Spoilers ahead, 3.5*

What seems to be a simple case of one lover killing another takes a chilling turn as Eve and Peabody unearth ties to a cult. Further digging shows signs of human trafficking and abuse, now Eve and her team work with other agencies to bring down a cult leader with a god complex.

*******
While I continue to enjoy this series I'd really like to see some emotions from Eve now, 52 books in and it's still rare for her shell to crack.
This is the one of the longest running series I still find myself invested in so I guess I'll be there to the finish line.
Profile Image for Lauren.
2,447 reviews159 followers
March 10, 2021
Faithless in Death
4.5 Stars

A seemingly straightforward investigation into the death of a young artist takes a life-altering turn when the victim's connection to a fanatical religious cult becomes apparent.

As with any long series (and Robb's is certainly one of the longest), it is not surprising that In Death has had its ups and downs. Nevertheless, the last few installments have returned to the original plot-focused storytelling that appealed so much to me at the outset.

In this book, the case is front and center as Eve and her team confront one of their most horrific investigations yet (and that is saying a lot considering the Icove and Red Horse storylines). The emphasis is on the police procedural elements and the truly evil villains whose crimes are amongst the most awful that one human can inflict on another.

Yes, there is less character development and little romance, but after 52 books, these can no longer be considered a priority for me.

Overall, an excellent addition to the series. My one caveat is that there are some secondary characters who deserve their own HEAs and it would be great if Nora wrote a romance for them.
Profile Image for Celeste.
1,054 reviews2,467 followers
February 19, 2021
Actual rating: 4.5 stars

I was beginning to think that Nora was fizzling out with this series. Which made me very sad. While I still loved getting to catch up with the characters, the last couple of In Death novels have been merely adequate in terms of story. So, while I was definitely going to read Faithless in Death, I can’t say my expectations were as high as they usually are when I’m given the chance to revisit Eve and Roarke and the gang. Thankfully, Nora stepped up her game with this book, recapturing the magic the series always held for me until the most recent installments. Faithless in Death was fast-paced and gripping and exactly what I was hoping for.

The story begins with the murder of a talented artist. But, while finding her killer is always central to the plot, and while she is always a priority, the story twists and expands from there. Instead of focusing on a single murder, Eve finds herself toe-to-toe an expansive, powerful, evil cult. I’m a sucker for a good cult story, so this plot line was an unexpected bonus for me. The cult is truly evil and believe themselves to be above the law. Can Eve and her team take them down? It’s a David versus Goliath tale, but my money is always on David.

Once again, I loved getting to revisit people I’ve come to love over the decades. They feel incredibly real to me, and every novel feels like a chance to catch up with old friends. I love seeing how these characters have grown and changed over the course of 52(!) novels. The relationships I can remember first forming have now deepened, and the family Eve and Roarke have built for themselves is bigger and closer than ever. While I really love Eve’s cases most of the time, what draws me back to this series again and again will always be the characters, and the little slices of their lives Nora works into the narrative.

I’m so relieved to have connected once again with the In Death series. And may we never be parted again.
Profile Image for ✰  BJ's Book Blog ✰Janeane ✰.
2,911 reviews12 followers
February 1, 2021
Copy received for an honest review

52 books into this series, and I am still loving it as much as book #1.

Then again, is there ever enough of Dallas and Roarke? I say no - especially to Roarke

Add in murder, mystery, cults and this was a true winner for me (I have been watching many documentaries on cults lately, so this fit right in with my interests)

We didn't get so much of my Roarkey this time, however we do get plenty of Eve, Peabody and the whole crew of NYPSD, and Eve's circle of friends

You will be kept on the edge of your lounge as events play out - but would we expect anything less from an In Death book.

And now I am impatiently awaiting book #53

Profile Image for Sofie Hern.
Author 3 books65 followers
February 1, 2021
Eve Dallas is back in this intense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat! Book #52 did not disappoint. JD Robb gets the gang together once again to find a killer, but what they uncover is beyond anything anyone could have imagined.

What starts out as a routine investigation for Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Detective Peabody soon turns into something far more complicated. Having the gang back for another installment is like visiting with family. After reading every book in the series I feel as if I know these characters so well. I know their styles, their voice and their movements. It’s amazing how real these characters feel with every book.
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