Abandoned in Death (In Death #54)

J.D. Robb

Mystery Thriller

Homicide detective Eve Dallas must untangle a twisted family history while a hostage’s life hangs in the balance—in the new In Death novel by #1 New York Times bestselling J. D. Robb.

The woman’s body was found on a bench in a New York City playground. She was clean, her hair neatly arranged, her makeup carefully applied. But other things were very wrong—like the tattoo and piercings, clearly new. The clothes, decades out of date. The fatal wound hidden beneath a ribbon around her neck. And the note: Bad Mommy, written in crayon as if by a child.

It seems clear the killer’s childhood was traumatic—a situation Eve is all too familiar with herself. Yet the clues point to a perpetrator who’d be around sixty, and there are no records of old crimes with a similar MO. What was the trigger that apparently reopened such an old wound and sent someone over the edge? When Eve learns that other young women have recently vanished, the case grows even more urgent—and to solve it she’ll need to find her way into a hidden place of dim light and concrete, into the distant past, and into the depths of a shattered mind.

-Excerpt taken from Goodreads.

Check Goodreads to see the book’s ratings.

My Opinion

4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5) Don’t let #54 in the series scare you off, this book is great as a stand-alone! I have not read the other books and did not feel like I was missing out. The relationships were obviously previously solidified, but with enough explanation, I never felt lost.

When a body is found at a park, Eve the lieutenant, is called to investigate. She finds it placed very lovingly but also dressed prim and proper with nails freshly painted and more.

The plot was gripping from the start with a great main character that investigated thoroughly. The investigation was my favorite part because it was more in-depth than I’m used to. The many questions they ask. the dead ends and more were all documented. It felt more real that way and kept me intrigued.

The killer was an interesting character and one you wouldn’t normally expect. His reasons and history were captivating but also in depth. It went back into his childhood but I appreciated the side story of his mother also. Eve has to embrace thinking like a killer as the timeframe for another killing gets closer and closer. It was different enough from most thrillers that my attention never waned. How this author does that is beyond me!

General content summary: F words: 20+, suicidal thoughts, trading sexual favors, drugs, contemplating killing child, child abandonment, child abuse, minor intimate details, women held captive and the details of neglect and abuse, details of killings and the bodies.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the finished copy!

**As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

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