Witness in Death (In Death, Book 10) by JD Robb

 

Witness in Death gives us an Agatha Christie-esque type murder mystery, and it was one I thoroughly enjoyed.

I have complained of the series starting to reach the edges of being same-old same-old, but Witness in Death manages to be just different enough to escape that feeling.

Here's the blurb:

When a celebrity is killed right before her eyes, New York Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas takes a new place in crime—as both officer and witness to murder.

One of the things that I think adds interest to this story is that, while it is a futuristic world, it's not so far in the future that we can't easily see. When someone was born very close to the year one of my daughter's were born, my mind begins wondering what life will be like when they are sixty. Nice touch.


As for the writing elements:

• The plot was masterfully woven and beautifully complex.
• Pacing was mostly okay.
• Prose and dialogue were perfect.
• Character development was consistent with previous books.
• World-building was consistent with previous books.

I worry that as Eve becomes more and more reliant on Roarke, that we'll begin seeing trouble in paradise. Because he owns so much of New York, he manages to be in some way involved in just about every case. I'd like to see Eve have a few cases that don't involve Roarke in any way, and I'd like to see her handle the case without his help. Using the "secret" computers may be okay occasionally, but using them for every case, I worry what other lines she's going to step over.  She's gone from black and white to shades of grey, but at what point does she move too far into shades of grey?

Eve is a good cop, and works hard to do the right thing. I don't want to see that change. We haven't, yet, but I'd really like to see her keep Roarke out of her investigations. Having him involved every once in a while would be fine, but he's been deeply involved (and active) on pretty much every case for a while now.

Still, Witness in Death, easily gets a 10 of 10 from me.

• Book Rating: Witness 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
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