RANDOM IN DEATH is novel fifty-eight in the series by superstar JD Robb. Robb is the pen name of the romantic suspense genre author Nora Roberts, a romance phenom. This long-running series is set shortly, in 2061. The best part, to me, of the series is the marvelous characters whom I have grown to know so well and adore over the years since this series started in 1995. With such a long-lasting series, it is natural to have an ebb and flow in how captivating each book is. While still a solid entry, RANDOM IN DEATH lacks the pizzazz that some of Robb's previous novels have wowed me with. That being said, an "average" book by Robb, aka Roberts, is still much more enjoyable than the best offerings of many other writers! My favorite character hands down in this series is Eve Dallas, the protagonist. She's highly competent in her job as a lieutenant in the homicide division of the New York Police and Security Department. She's mouthy and cranky but has a (not-so-hidden-anymore) tender heart. Over the series, the formerly lone wolf character has developed many abiding friendships and a captivating romance with her amazing husband Roarke. The found family and friends all working together, even as they sometimes butt heads, is what keeps this series a delight to me. Eve and her stalwart partner Peabody are great foils for each other- the cynical cop and the cheerful-souled New Ager. Dallas' billionaire husband Roarke and Dallas are also marvelous partners, working together both to solve New York City murders and also working together as romantic partners. Rourke is a reformed master criminal, and he's such a charming and caring man. The ever-evolving relationship between these two is so heartwarming. The focus of the series is on suspense, but there's a heavy element of romance to each mystery. RANDOM IN DEATH is about an incel who is killing teenage girls at high-profile venues around the city. The murderer appears a little blurry to me here, with much more of a focus on the victims and the many relationships of Dallas and her posse. Fans of modern mysteries or futuristic mysteries who enjoy their tales told with a large helping of strong secondary characters will enjoy Robb's RANDOM IN DEATH.
In the new crime thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling J.D. Robb, a small and easily concealed weapon wreaks havoc, and the killer is just a face in the crowd.
Jenna’s parents had finally given in, and there she was, at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A, carrying her demo in hopes of slipping it to the guitarist, Jake Kincade. Then, from the stage, Jake catches her eye, and smiles. It’s the best night of her life.
It’s the last night of her life.
Minutes later, Jake’s in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it’s no use. He doesn’t know that someone in the crowd has jabbed her with a needle—and when his girlfriend Nadine arrives, she knows the only thing left to do for the girl is call her friend, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.
After everyone on the scene is interviewed, lab results show a toxic mix of substances in the victim’s body—and for an extra touch of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious agents. Dallas searches for a pattern: Had any boys been harassing Jenna? Was she engaging in risky behavior or caught up in something shady? But there are no obvious clues why this levelheaded sixteen-year-old, passionate about her music, would be targeted.
And that worries Dallas. Because if Jenna wasn’t targeted, if she was just the random, unlucky victim of a madman consumed by hatred, there are likely more deaths to come.
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