Ceremony in Death (In Death, Book 5) by JD Robb

 

Ceremony in Death came very close to being an urban fantasy a few times.  I generally like Urban Fantasy, but not when it's handled in this manner.

I complained a bit that I knew who the killer was very early on in Rapture in Death. Things were handled much differently with Ceremony in Death. We knew who the killer was, but then doubts were cast and... in the end, knowing the killer or not wasn't the issue, it was watching the events unfold, watching Eve figure everything out.

Eve's history once again causes some problems with her objectivity. Watching her deal with it was interesting.

I enjoy watching Roarke take care of Eve, too. He's so intuitive with her, so in tune. It also doesn't hurt that he's got the money to pamper her in style. But that's the food, coffee, baths, and trips. What he does for her is so much more than that.

Here's the blurb:

With her husband, Roarke, watching her every move, Eve is drawn into the most dangerous case of her career. Every step she takes makes her question her own beliefs of right and wrong—and brings her closer to a confrontation with humanity’s most seductive form of evil.

I keep wondering if Roarke is ever going to try to protect her in a way that will change her, but I think he knows her too well to do that. He would love to put her in a glass box, but that would destroy her. She remade herself into a cop, he knows he can't change that.

As for the writing elements:

• The plot was intricate and complicated and twisted and I enjoyed the journey from beginning to end.
• Pacing was fine.
• Prose and dialogue were, as always with this author, nicely done.
• Character development continues to be interesting and three dimensional.
• World-building seems to have been pretty solidified at this point in the series, but it was consistent and that's what is needed now.

I'm giving Ceremony in Death a 10 of 10, and keeping the series at a 9 of 10.

• Book Rating: Ceremony in Death: 10 of 10
• Series Rating: 9 of 10

1. Naked in Death
2. Glory in Death
3. Immortal in Death
4. Rapture in Death
5. Ceremony in Death
6. Vengeance in Death
   
7. Holiday in Death
8. Conspiracy in Death
9. Loyalty in Death
10. Witness in Death
11. Judgment in Death
12. Betrayal in Death
13. Seduction in Death
14. Reunion in Death
15. Purity in Death
16. Portrait in Death
17. Imitation in Death
18. Divided in Death
19. Visions in Death
20. Survivor in Death
21. Origin in Death
22. Memory in Death
23. Born in Death
24. Innocent in Death
25. Creation in Death
26. Strangers in Death
27. Salvation in Death
28. Promises in Death
29. Kindred in Death
30. Fantasy in Death
31. Indulgence in Death
32. Treachery in Death
33. New York to Dallas