Strangers in Death (In Death, Book 26) by JD Robb

 

One of the things I respect about this author is that when she borrows from another author, she gives credit where credit is due. We've seen an Agatha Christie paralel already, and in Strangers in Death we see an Alfred Hitchcock parallel.

Eve is not pushed for time on this one, and that's a nice change of pace from the previous book in this series. She gets to sleep and eat, and there is more humor this time around as well.

We haven't see Eve doing Lieutenant duties much in this series,  but we get to see a little of that here. She's in charge of her bullpen, and that hasn't really been dealt with in previous books. It was nice to see it being brought in, I have to wonder if we might begin seeing more of that as the series eventually heads towards putting her into Captain's bars.

Here's the blurb:

In 2060 New York, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is about to discover how the ties that bind strangers can kill.

As for the writing elements:

• The plot was excellent.
• Pacing was nice this time around.
• Prose and dialogue were excellent.
• Character development was tweaked a bit here and there. I'm glad that Eve's nightmares don't dominate her life as they once did.
• World-building was consistent with previous books.

Strangers in Death taxes Eve's patience  in more ways than one. It's one of those perfect murders, where the killer would have gotten away with it if not for an investigator who just won't quit.

• Book Rating: Strangers 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
7.5  Midnight in Death
8. Conspiracy in Death
9. Loyalty in Death
10.Witness in Death
11. Judgment in Death
12. Betrayal in Death
12.5 Interlude In Death
13. Seduction in Death
14. Reunion in Death
15. Purity in Death
16. Portrait in Death
17. Imitation In Death
17.5 Remember When
18. Divided in Death
19. Visions in Death
20. Survivor In Death
21. Origin In Death
21.5 Haunted in Death
22. Memory in Death
23. Born in Death
24. Innocent In Death
24.5 Eternity in Death
25. Creation in Death
26. Strangers in Death
26.5 Ritual in Death
27. Salvation in Death
28. Promises in Death
29. Kindred in Death
29.5 Missing in Death

30. Fantasy in Death
31. Indulgence in Death
31.5  Possession in Death
32. Treachery in Death
33. New York to Dallas