Saturday, April 16, 2016

Review: Festive in Death by J.D. Robb

Festive in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 39
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense
ISBN: 9780515154153
Source: Publisher
Blue Ribbon Rating: 5 out of 5 — Recommended Read
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link
J.D. Robb Reading Order

How do you catch a killer when all of your suspects had the means, motive and opportunity to do him in? That's the question for NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas when she investigates the death of Trey Ziegler. Ziegler was a personal trainer, but it wasn't a fight over burpees that did him in. The more Eve learns about her victim, the more it's clear that he belonged behind bars himself. Loathing the victim doesn't stop Eve from working the case, but Eve will have to balance blackmail, drugs and kitchen knives with mistletoe and mayhem as she prepares for something even more frightening than a stone-cold killer: her husband's annual Christmas party.

The IN DEATH books are often dark and intense, but every so often there's a story with some incredible fun mayhem mixed in with murder. FESTIVE IN DEATH is a holiday treat, blending Eve unraveling a murder mystery with her facing down holiday shopping, a Christmas party and her greatest fear: Trina the hair stylist.

What makes FESTIVE IN DEATH so memorable for me are all the personal moments woven into the tale. Eve's life has grown so much from when we first met her in NAKED IN DEATH. She has a lot of people she cares about now in her life, and she doesn't truly realize how much that number has grown until she is faced with the daunting task of buying Christmas gifts for everyone. She also has to balance her work with the social life she's acquired as Roarke's wife, something she is actually getting far better at than she realizes. She's still the same Eve at her core, but it's so much fun to see how she's grown and watch her interactions with others. The number of small moments between Eve, Roarke and their loved ones makes FESTIVE IN DEATH a book that's particularly enjoyable for longtime fans of the series.

Holiday fun aside, Eve has to investigate a murder case with a truly horrible victim. To say that Ziegler is a rat is an insult to rodents, but that doesn't mean Eve slacks off. The case is an incredibly interesting one, and even after reading this story multiple times I still enjoy watching Eve put the pieces of the puzzle together.

FESTIVE IN DEATH is wonderfully entertaining and the look author J.D. Robb gives us into Eve and Roarke's life makes this story shine. Ms. Robb knows how to write gut-wrenching cases, but this relatively lighter book is a welcome break from the darkness. It may sound odd to say a murder mystery is fun, but that's exactly what this book is. I loved everything about FESTIVE IN DEATH and I'm sure other fans of the series will too!


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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