Vengeance in Death

The characters come to life in this series and you will feel like you are visiting with old friends every time you read the next book. Vivid descriptions so you actually feel like your watching a film rather than reading a book. I love love love it!!

This series continues to be easy to read even though predictable. Great for a day at the beach. What concerns me is the fact that there are so many typos and grammatical errors. I see this a great deal in electronic novels and wonder if "real people" are still employed as proofreaders. Never saw an error in Gone With The Wind, War and Peace or Crime and Punishment!!!

Sandra

the store had a special on this series - you could buy a whole bunch for not much money.

Well, I bought a bunch and read them in order.

I really enjoyed them during the Christmas Holidays and recommend that you (a) buy bunch and (b) read them in order.

Fun. Set in the future, but grounded in human dynamics which are timeless. Fun characters, plots, etc.

I am a "serial", Robb reader. I have read all of the "death" books starting with the first a few years ago and have just decided to read all of them again. They are fun and easy to read -- a bit of imagination -- they take place in 2050 and on, but as we are getting closer to that year, Roberts might want to expand the horizon -- even the newest one - brotherhood in death -- was entertaining. The books are entertaining and easy to read.

Every book I have read written by J.D. Robb has never been a disappointment. This book also rates five stars. The storyline along with the characters make you care enough to want to see the main characters come out safe at the end.

I enjoy all the JD Robb books. Action from page one, with interesting characters who develop as each book progresses.
I'd recommend the books to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a little romance thrown in.

I like all J.D. Robb and Nora Roberts books. This one was good as well, but it had to do with witchcraft and I'm not fond of reading about that. Although I have read others that she has written with the witchcraft theme, I would prefer a different subject.

Not a bad book but one of the worst of the "in death" books, killers are scott free with someone else taking the blame until they pull a completely illogical move. Many loose ends left dangling also, I love this series but this books the worst of the lot imo

I have to admit that human sacrifices and the whole cult kind of theme is just not my thing. I have totally loved the others books before this one. I found myself jumping pages to get through it.
It has not put me off though I will still read the others in the series.

I was surprised that I enjoyed this so much because of the futurist factor. They don't really make it a big deal, and I really enjoyed the subtle comments about what was different "now" as in the past.

I could not get into this book. I've enjoyed the series so far (I'm reading them in order) but this was a let down. Eve seems TOO tough at times, uses Roarke too much when it's convenient for her and I really didn't like the way Eve treated Peabody as well. I found myself reading this book just to get through it not like the other books where I was looking forward to what was to come next in the book.

Another great read by jd Robb. Eve Dallas investigates a fellow officers death (a death of a solid fellow officer) which turns out to be a homicide. In the course of the investigation. ( started by the dead granddaughter if the cop) she investigates a a Satanic group which pretends to be Wiccan in natucre. However, in the end its a con man making money off the group who developed a taste for murder along with a female partner who is a drug addict & delusional in the process. The con man with his lust for murder kills his female partner in the last scene. He is killed afterward by Jamie, the brother of the sister killed in the process. At the end Dallas covers for Jamie. Roarke rescues Eve who is getting loose after being drugged & tied up in the last chapter. The bad guy is about to rape & kill her when Jamie, Roadie, & Peabody come to her rescue. We see Peabody emerge as more of a partner than a trainee in this book. Good writing, story plot, as well as good characters like all the books in this series. .

A great read. As I am not a futuristic story fan, initially expected to not be engaged by the story; however, I was quickly captured by the characters, the struggle of evil within a "religious" sect intent on destruction of good and the use of perverse practices for pleasure, profile and the power of control of the followers. Futuristic it may be but yet so similar in concept to our own religious entities. Exciting and captivating to the surprising end of the saga. Highly recommend!

Excellent plots. Develops a strong female character then allows the strong willed husband to interject himself into police investigations whenever he wants to do so. Ridiculous! This tendency in all her "In Death" books reduces the main character to a wimpy woman who cannot function without her husband and is powerless to remove his unsolicited help. In book after book it becomes increasingly annoying!

I was pleasantly surprised because I thought there would be too much romamce and not enough detection. I was wrong. I liked this book enough to go back to read the previous books in this series. So far, I have enjoyed all of them.

I must have started reading Nora Roberts pretty close to the time she started publishing. I have most of her books on my Kindle Fire. There frequently comes a time when I start rereading the in death books. Sometimes I make it all the way through. Nora has some kind of fascination with witches and Goblins,and she celebrates it all in Ceremony in death. I don't like that Halloween stuff, much,but hey, I'm Irish, too. It fascinates us almost against our will. I adore Eve, and Peabody nd Roark,so keep them coming!

I've read approximately 20 of the JD Robb books. I've enjoyed them, which is why I felt my intelligence was insulted with each page turned. It was so obvious so early on, that the people Eve thought to be guilty and pursued, were set up. It was blatantly obvious from the first, who the guilty were, and they were conveniently set to the side until they popped up to end this book on a sour note. My advice? Save your money and just move on to the next one. This book cries, "Refund!!!!"
The author is prolific enough. It would have been more honorable of her to have said, "This story really sucks," and tossed it into the trash. Time to go back to Coben, Reacher, and Stevens wonderful series of the Rook, Pawn, Knight, Bishop and the upcoming Queen. Now those are books with fascinating twists and turns that keep you fully engaged!

Although I have bought the 6 books for my daughter and haven't read them yet, she toldf me the serie MORTAL is fantastic. She had read 4 of them and wants the whole collection!!! Poor of me that has to support buying the entire collection!!!!!

The book is wonderful but 3 of the CDs were scratched. The scratches are not deep enough to be a problem right now; hopefully, they won't be a problem in the future. The 3 scratches look like they were made by the same production problem...located in the same place on the CD and about the same size and shape.

Of course, JD Robb is one of my favorite authors and I'm trying to go back and read all that she has written with Eve Dallas and Rourke.

I have read numerous books of the "In Death" series and loved most of them. Nora Roberts is an awesome storyteller and I usually love her books. This book has a very dark side. It deals with satanic rituals and devil worshipping which I personally don't want to hear or read about. I only read part of this book then closed it and will never finish it because I just don't like the topic.

This paperback was shipped with four other books, was bent in half from slippage in shipment evidently, making the book hard to read as it's been impossible for me to 'unbend' the book to a reading position. The other books were in good conditon. I will still use this company as often as I can.

Ceremony in Death

In Death #5

J.D. Robb

Berkley Books, May 1997

315 pages, ebook, hardcover, paperback, audiobook

Sci-fi romance mystery

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I purchased this book as part of a 5 book set on BN.com for nook. This is my honest review for which I am not being compensated in any way.

Detective Sgt. Frank Wojinski was 62 years old when he died of an apparent heart attack at home alone. He was survived by his wife, Sally, their son and wife, grandsons Pete and Jamie, and his granddaughter, Alice. Alice Longstrom has a strange message for Dallas at the viewing for her grandfather. She says she’s in danger. She asks for a meet with Dallas and tells Dallas she’s in immediate danger. Alice can’t tell her anything about this danger, just that she is in danger. There are other contacts to be made, so Dallas has Peabody follow Alice to be sure she gets home, but Alice never gets home. Alice runs in front of a vehicle and is killed. The only witness other than Peabody is a black cat.

Dallas turns to the folks at Spirit Quest to get more information, since magic and witches isn’t exactly her field. She talks with Isis Paige who is a Wiccan priestess and herbalist and her partner Charles “Chas” Forte. They are an odd couple from most appearances, but they seem willing to help and full of information. But as with all her informants, Dallas investigates their backgrounds, and what she finds on Chas has her wondering if she’s found her culprit. Chas and Isis admit to his background without hesitation, but Dallas still pulls him into interview for a tough grilling. His father had been a horrible cultist leader and treated people brutally to the point of murder. Chas had not missed out on his father’s treatment as a child.

The other group that Dallas speaks with isn’t quite as cooperative or truthful as those at Spirit Quest. The group of Black Satanists under Selena and Alban are pretty weird as far as Dallas is concerned. Lobar is their young punk who seems to think only of sex, the more brutal the better. And then Roarke gets Dallas a listing of their membership, which they had not been willing to provide, and she starts working on some of them, all upstanding citizens that they are. Mr. Wineberg was going to talk, but he got nervous and ran, and then he was dead.

Mr. Trivane contacts Dallas. He had started remembering things after seeing the scene of crime photos during his client’s interview. It wasn’t all clear to him, but he remembered enough to know that things weren’t right and he wanted to talk with Dallas. Alban decides it’s time to take care of the problem and he snatches Dallas from her car. But Dallas has a guardian angel she is unaware of. Jamie Lingstrom, Frank Wojinski’s grandson, is into electronics and has bugged her car. He heard the entire abduction taking place and knows where she’s been taken. He contacts Roarke and she’s rescued. Of course, she’s almost rescued herself by the time he gets there.

There’s a run in with Feeney in this one that really makes you want to cry. Eve is handling this case alone. No one but she and Peabody are allowed to know what’s going on, per orders of the Chief. It’s got to be that way because there’s a pending internal investigation into this case he’s trying to get cancelled. So she can’t tell Feeney anything, even that she’s handling it, really. Feeney finds out and goes to pieces all over her. Basically, he guts her with every hurtful thing he could possibly say. He’s suffering from the grief of losing a very close friend in Frank Wojinski and his goddaughter in Alice Lingstrom. He hits Eve with it all. It takes a talk with the Chief and one with Roarke to get his butt back in line and make him aware of what he’s done to Eve.

Speaking of butts, Mavis’ styling friend Trina makes a visit to Eve. She needs a haircut and they do a total body treatment as well. One thing Eve is unaware of until Roarke notices it is the little rosebud tattoo on her butt. It’s a temp, but Roarke is quite taken with it and is having a great time teasing Eve about it! As do the cops who see it in the locker room! Another great addition to the series!

The story line was very good. The characters were done well, especially Chas with his detailed background. The pace was rapid, but not too hard to follow. The tension was sky-high the whole time with the creepiness of the black magic and murders! The covers are looking good on the ones I have. This series has had several sets of covers.

Highly Recommended

Eve takes any murder personally but when the deceased is a fellow New York cop that just makes her all the more ready to bring the killer to justice. When a second body is left outside Eve's home she finds herself drawn into investigating a satanic cult. As the case gets darker and Eve is forced to work without some of her usual backup personal relationships start to suffer and the killer is more than ready to take advantage of her distraction.

Ceremony in Death was another great instalment to the In Death series, in some ways I think it was darker than some of the other books and it was the first time that there seemed to be a bit of a paranormal twist to the story but I enjoyed the slight change in direction and it was fun to see Eve so out of her comfort zone. Eve is a realist who absolutely refuses to believe in the supernatural so she's determined to find a scientific answer to the mysterious events surrounding the case but Roarke is much more open to the idea of magic and wants to make sure she's protected no matter what she's facing. I love how their differences make them a stronger couple and it's great to see their relationship growing stronger in every book. Roarke is definitely becoming a favourite book boyfriend but I think Eve is brilliant too.

Some of Eve's other relationships are tested in this book though, there are certain things she's asked to keep secret from Feeney and that is really hard for her because he's one of the few people she can normally turn to for advice. When he finds out she's been hiding things he's understandably upset and it puts a wedge between them but luckily for them both Roarke is there to talk some sense into both of them. Eve also has a moment where she's a little hard on Peabody but I liked the way they managed to talk things through and were both able to admit the mistakes they made. It's great that the side characters in this series are so well developed, the stories aren't just about Eve and Roarke and we're getting to know lots of the others too which just adds to the world J.D. Robb has created.

This is such a huge series that it's going to take me a long time to catch up but I'm looking forward to spending more time with everyone and have a feeling that the best is yet to come.

Warning: All book snobs need not apply.

Recently, I was talking about this book series and a web acquaintance made a very disparaging remark about the quality of its artistic merits. If you're one of "those people", stop reading now. If, instead, you are a reader who loves a great read, full of action and adventure no matter the author or genre, welcome to my review.

I am a big fan of this series. No, it may not have a lot of high-falutin' artistic merits, but it is one heck of a read. It's imaginative and creative and the mysteries are really well done. Since it takes place in a futuristic world, the normal realistic rules are discarded. That makes it so much more fun! I like the gadgets and gimmicks Robb has invented; I like this alternate world and these alternate characters; I like the space travel--I like it all. The hot romance doesn't hurt either.

In this installment, Eve, newly married to Rourke, has been assigned to investigate a fellow cop, a veteran she knew who taught her much of what she knows. She isn't keen on the case since it might mean implicating one of her own, but she has a duty to do. And, Eve is nothing if not the dutiful cop. Mix in the mystery with some witchcraft and Satanism and you get a dark, twisted read that will leave you on the edge of your seat to the last page.

Sometimes, as a reader, you don't have to live on a diet of vegetable of tofu. This book is more like a piece of dark chocolate, unhealthy at best and sinful at worse. I don't mind admitting I'm addicted.

The viewing was traditional – the grief insurmountable. But it was when Lieutenant Eve Dallas was called in to her commander’s office and ordered to do an investigation completely off the radar that had Eve conflicted. Her loyalties were torn – she could only use Peabody and Roarke, while reporting directly to Commander Whitney.

When Eve was confronted with Wiccans and Satanists, her disbelief and cynicism stood out. But there was danger involved – and when the body she found was at the fence of her home it became far too personal. This was a strange case – but murder was still murder; dead still dead. Eve was determined to find the answers she needed to lay the case to rest…

Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb is a re-read for me, and brilliant as per usual. With Eve and Roarke, Peabody and Summerset, the scene is set for another intense ride. My enjoyment of the In Death series never wanes – a quick, entertaining read, Ceremony in Death is highly recommended.

A veteran police officer is set up as being a crooked officer. In reality, he is trying to protect his granddaughter from a person who claims to be a witch. Then the granddaughter is killed after she talks to Eve.

The mystery begins. The list of suspects grows. Who did it?

Eve arrests the wrong person and sees true love in action. The innocent man would rather confess to a crime that he did not commit to protect his lover. She is questioned by Isis what if it was Roark? Wouldn't you know what he is capable of. The twists in this story blinded Eve to the circumstantial evidence that was planted.

This is the third time I have read this book. My only criticism is that ended too soon. Eve did not apologize to Chas and Isis. That should have been the ending.

First, I've loved JD Robb's "In Death" series for many, many years. This is my third (or so) go 'round reading all of them, as I move my hardcopy collection to my e-reader. I actually didn't remember reading this particular book of hers, so I was excited to stumble on it when I was adding the rest of her collection to my Reader.
I'm halfway into the book -- and I realize why I don't remember it. I'm pretty sure I have it on hand in hardcopy, and I'm pretty sure I tossed it aside.

I really enjoy the basic storyline. But I swear it reads almost as though somebody else (other than Robb/Roberts) is writing it. In every other book in the series, the author briefly (but beautifully) weaves in character development. There is NO character development in this series. And the interactions between characters are just... dull and basic (compared to her other books in this series). Typically, I can visualize the characters during interactions with very little effort, but in this story the characters were just flat.

I'm disappointed, overall.

This book is part of the very very very long IN DEATH series.

SPOILER NOTATION: I worked hard at not including any spoilers in my long review. That said, I offer the following:

1) I name the killer in one book. However, the plot reveals the killer early on. In this book, the WHO is not important; HOW the killer is caught, is. As such, I do not feel that knowing the killer up front is a spoiler.
2) I mention some background info about Roarke, and other instances, like mentioning a grief-stricken character. But are such instances a spoiler? While I do not think so, I appreciate that others may disagree.
3) So, if you want NO plot info about this long series, please be advise to proceed no further!

WHAT I LIKE:

Above all, I like that there are SO many books in the series. I find the familiarity of one-after-another comforting, and enjoy how layers of the primary characters are revealed as the series continues, and how the characters deepen.

I think the books are well written, and often enjoy the wording and phrasing. There was only one book that I found tedious (so much so that I never finished it: SALVATION).

In PORTRAIT, we discover a lot more about Roarke and his Irish past. The scenes where his finds his long-lost family are deeply moving (and it is curious to the extreme that the author has no other scenes quite like this in the long long long series). I re-read over and over the pages with Roarke and his mother's sister. Just lovely. (Curious, too, this book is the only one not in unabridged audio format.)

The primary characters. I like `em all, and delight when they enter a scene. It is like a dear old friend stopping by suddenly. Yes, please come in! I even enjoy minor reoccurring characters such as Crack (another side of him is revealed in PORTRAIT, and is quite touching). With the audiobooks, I love the voices, too. The narrator does a great job.

The mysteries are, generally, of interest.

I enjoy the endless bickering between Eve and Summerset. CAVEAT: It makes all the difference that the two secretly admire each other (but will never admit this).

Some readers have stated that they cannot see why the Dazzling Roarke would have married Eve. But their attraction makes perfect sense to me. Each had a very similar - and spectacularly bad - childhood and this, from my viewpoint, creates a unique bond between them. Moreover, most women would, ah, defer to the Mighty Man but I can understand how Roarke would be highly attracted to a woman who was not easy, not deferential.

While Eve is normally prickly to an extreme, and often outright abusive (see below), the author occasionally reveals that Eve actually has a kinder side - a rare pleasure. In PROMISES, Eve is generous and tender towards a grief-stricken Morris. In INDULGENCE, Eve surprises Roarke, early in the book, with a thoughtful, wondrous anniversary present.

Above all, what engage me are not the mysteries but the characters. They feel real - a great testament to the author.

DO NOT LIKE:

GET THE GIRL SOME SLEEP. Geeez, Eve's compulsive workaholism is painful. Painful! Her constant lack of sleep, and aversion to sitting down and having a decent meal, or fun, becomes tiresome in the extreme. In the extreme (I almost gave up on the series because of this).

The sex scenes. I cringe. When reading the books one can just easily flip through the sex but this is not easy if listening to the audiobooks. Mind you, I am not a prude, hardly, but such scenes make me feel, I dunno, like a peeping Tom. I know Eve and Roarke so well; it is painfully uncomfortable being a voyeur to their intimate acts. (That said, I enjoy it when Peabody refers to sex, obliquely, with McNab, and Eve invariably cringes.)

I know that 90% of homicides are committed by men, so the fact that the vast majority of In Death killers are men is statistically normal. Still...I yearned for a bit more diversity

And speaking of diversity, Eve's world is awfully white. Hello? In NYC? I mean, her mostly white world might make sense if the series took place in some small Mid-West town, but NYC? Yes, yes, I know there is the occasional person of color (or of Asian descent, or gay), but these little bits of diversity are just that: little bits. This is SO not NYC. The city has always been incredibly diverse, and there is no reason to think it will not be fifty years in the fixture.

I cringe every time Pepsi is mentioned. How much did the author earn from this incessant plug?

The books take place in the future. While there are a few futuristic touches (I especially like the droids), the sensibilities seem very 1990s. If you look at the VAST differences in how women have been treated in just the last fifty years, it is impossible to imagine that in fifty years hence women will still be treated as they are today, and still fighting for equality.

Cars & Equipment. Eve's endless fighting with very bad computers and very bad cars simply makes so sense. Obviously, Roarke could have effortlessly resolved these issues (he does, at looooooong last, get her a good car). Yes, Eve would have pitched her usual fit, yes, they would have fought - yawn - but in the end she would have accepted these necessary gifts. Indeed, it makes no sense that Roarke would not have fully outfitted the whole NY police department with top-of-the-line computers (a great tax write-off, too).

I know Eve is supposed to be tough. But there is a HUGE difference between tough and abusive. And Eve often veers to outright abuse. In one book (INNOCENT) she hits Roark right in the face, drawing blood. And for no reason. When he asks why, she casually replies: "Because you are a man." Huh? Huh? Imagine the reader outrage if the roles were reversed. In VENGEANCE, Eve interrogates Summerset and is INCREDIBLY abusive. I cringed. There are, too, countless small scenes where Eve is not just being tough - which I can admire - but outright mean and abusive. Above all, I dislike how often Eve is abusive to Roarke, verbally, and am surprised how many readers overlook this.

Roarke becomes, I dunno, almost like an accessory to Eve. This reduces my appreciation of the man. I would have enjoyed learning more about his world, his friends, and his struggles. While he is endlessly helping Eve with HER work, comforting HER after she has nightmares, tending to HER wounds (both physical and mental), Eve rarely offers same. This also reduces my appreciation of her (and of the author).

Roarke becomes friends with Eve's friends. OK. Where though are Roarke's friends (see above, also)? He seems to have but one friend, Brian, who lives in another country.

Roarke and Eve are written as The Great Love Story. Really? Their relationship consists of three aspects 99% of the time: Sex. Fighting. Working together to solve a crime. Sorry, but this conveys little depth. To me, countless small, seemingly mundane things, done with consideration and real warmth, are what make for a great relationship. The Roarke and Eve relationship lacks this distinction. Even after the zillion sex scenes I cannot recall that the two ever just laid in bed for an hour after climaxing, and simply talked, laughed, and gently touched each other. No, they finish quickly (it never seems to take much time), and Eve usually jumps up and goes right back to work. In short, they seem to have sex; they do not seem to make love.

Early in the series, too many primary characters (Eve, Roarke, Peabody, and even Mira) were In Danger, and the potential victim of X killer. Oh no! But, I loathed this. Luckily, the author later decided to expand the hit list and our beloved friends were safe from imminent danger, although it seems like every third book Eve is in danger. Boooooring.

And, how many times do Eve and Roarke have the exact same fight when Eve puts herself in danger? These get really old really quick. In NEW YORK, the two have another huge fight and I yearned for Roarke to just say: "You know, I put up with a lot. But I have had enough of your abuse whenever I express concern for your safetly." I yearned for him to then just turn, and walk away. Of course, I do not blame Eve. I blame the author.

My biggest complaint? There is no pay-off. A great story needs a great payoff. We want the girl to get the guy, the poor person to win the lottery, and the honest politician to vanquish over evil. While Eve always gets her man, the stories then abruptly end:

* A particularly egregious example is in TREACHERY. After a long long long build-up to catch the bad guy (well, bad girl, one Renee Oberman), Eve confronts Oberman, the two engage in a (highly improbable and ludicrous) fistfight, and the books ends. That was it. I gasped. Where was my pay-off? Where was THE great scene, one I had waited for through the whole long long long build-up, for Eve to confront Oberman in an interrogation room as Oberman tried to weasel her way out of trouble, and as Eve, evidence by evidence, boxed Oberman into a tight box? Where was the scene with Oberman, shrieking, being handcuffed and carted off? Where was the sad scene where Oberman's esteemed father learned the terrible truth of his daughter? Where was the scene with Nadine putting the right spin on events?

* In MEMORY, Eve tells a moving story to Roarke about when she was a child, and in the care of a horrible foster mother. A boy across the street did a nice thing for Eve - the first nice thing anybody had ever done for her. Then the foster mother, secretly, did a terrible thing to the boy. Eve knew the truth, and, as a scared young girl, did nothing about it. OK. But...it would have been nice at the end of the book for Eve to have found the boy, now a man (which Roarke had offered to do), and reveal the truth.

* Also in TREACHERY, Peabody meets with the very angry mother of a police offer killed in the line of duty. We readers know differently: the officer was killed by other officers. This is later proved by Eve, who mentions getting a posthumous commendation for the officer. OK. But it would have been deeply moving to have included a scene at the end where Peabody meets again with the mother to present the award - and the truth regarding the courage of her daughter.

Anyway, these are but a few examples; all the books are like this. I yearn for more closure, to learn about the After of each case, and of situations introduced but not followed up. Sigh.

Vengeance in Death is my favorite of the series thus far! It’s also the longest, but it’s jam packed with tension and excitement! Eve has a very smart, very religious, and very disturbed killer on her hands. He mutilates his victims and leaves a token behind. He also gives Eve a riddle to solve right before the murder, giving her a chance to save the victim. Eve is more determined than ever to stop this person, because once again, Roarke is involved. But he’s not a suspect this time, but the end target.

Vengeance in Death was super intense! This murderer was extremely creepy. He honestly believes that he’s doing God’s work by killing these people. Of course, there’s more to it than that, once Roarke and Summerset recognize all of the victims and link them back to a horrible event from their past. There’s just so much going on here, and I was hooked!

I don’t want to give anything away, because Vengeance in Death really is super great. The mystery was engaging and interesting and disturbing. I loved learning more about Roarke even if it is very unpleasant. I also really enjoyed the interactions between Eve and Summerset. Obviously, those two never got along, and now she has to prove that he’s not a murder! There’s just so much animosity and tension!

I wasn’t sure how I was going to rate this one because for the first time Eve’s integrity wasn’t impeccable.  Roarke has affected her world so completely that she is choosing her husband over the law.  At the beginning of the series I didn’t think that would ever be possible.  But, all characters need to grow and develop and I like that Eve has developed this relationship with Roarke.  This series wouldn’t be what it is without it. 

Eve was put through her paces this go round trying to catch a killer at the same time protecting Roarke.  It was a bit hypocritical yet justice isn’t always served the way it should be. 

Vengeance is the first novel in the series that I did not know or guess who the bad guy was.  I had no clue and I loved that.  It is so much better when I don’t know.   So even though I didn’t like that Eve’s integrity was compromised I still loved every minute of the book.  Only 39 more to go….I think……….

This series just keeps getting better and better.  Robb started telling the story from different character's POV including the bad guys.  It makes things so juicy good!  But, the best thing is getting the insight into Roarke’s head.  He is so incredibly in love with Eve and it makes the heart melt to read their scenes together.  Eve is the kind of woman who is a Cop first but when she is with Roarke he can make her put away the cop and be a woman. 

This case stretches Eve to the breaking point.  She is forced to lie to close friends and allies, all for the sake of duty.  Friendships and loyalties are tested.  She is brought into a world of the occult to tackle her hardest case to date with many possible foes.  And of course Eve wouldn’t be Eve is she didn’t put her own life on the line. 

What can I say, I love this series and listening to the audiobooks are one of the best parts of my day....Sara 

I'm getting addicted to this series, I'm glad the library has almost all of the books. This book brings Roarke's past into the present and how Summerset is linked to it. It was nice seeing Roarke in his home country, and putting some demons from his past to rest. The murders in this book were pretty gruesome, quite a chilling villain. The new tech guy, McNab, had some good lines, I hope there's more of him in future books.

My favorite passage from the book: " 'Oh really. Is that so?' She stalked forward until they were toe to toe. 'Okay, you tell me. You keep looking me dead in the eye and you tell me you wouldn't have done the same if it was me in jeopardy.' 'That's entirely different.' 'Why?' Her chin came up and her finger jabbed hard into his chest. 'Because you have a penis?' He opened his mouth, a dozen vile and furious words searing his tongue. It was the cool, utterly confident flame in her eyes that stopped him. He turned away and braced both fists on the desk. 'I don't care for the fact that you have a point.' "

This was a very good story. I've enjoyed the majority of the Eve Dallas books I've read; granted I'm not reading them in order but for the most part, you don't have to do it that way in order to understand what's happening in the current book. I also enjoy a mystery that involves the occult and at least a decent representation of what they're talking about as being the real thing- by that I mean rules for Wicca and such so they're not portrayed as evil crones.

This particular book also shows the dark side of the occult which quite honestly, is just as true for any Christian-themed religion. Basically with the wrong people, any religion can be corrupted and people hurt, killed and worse and yes I meant what I said- there are things worse than dying, such as rape, sexual-exploitation, drugs, etc. Now Eve doesn't take the occult seriously and that's ok but at least she learns about it as much as she can to help her case along. One thing I'll say for Eve; she treats all religions equally for the most part. It's fascinating to see how everyone in the book feels about occult activities differently, even Eve's ultra-wealthy, sophisticated husband has some knowledge about the ancient beliefs. Unlike many of the other books, where you have no real idea who's the guilty party; in this book that's pretty much shown from the first few chapters and the ones responsible are truly heinous human beings but again, the author slips in several red herrings so that you have to even guess yourself if the guilty parties are actually guilty or if it's not someone else after all doing the dirty work. It's really a good story and kept me involved throughout.

Well if you have read the previous 4 books on this series you likely have already made the decision to read this one. If that is the case . . . I have nothing much to say. This is up to the authors usual standards. It is not significantly different than anything else in the series. If you have liked the series so far you will like this as well.

If for some reason you are thinking about starting with book 5 . . . I describe these novels as 1 part sci-fi, 2 parts thriller/detective story/murder-mystery, and 1 part romance. These do take place in the future but there is not a lot of techy sci-fi like you might find in a classic novel from say Heinlein or similar. It might be more accurate to think of these as futuristic rather than sci-fi if that helps get my point across.

J. D. Robb is a pseudonym of Nora Robberts I have not read any thing by her other than this series but as I understand it if you are a fan of hers you will likely enjoy these as well.

These are pretty quick reads perfect for reading poolside, beside the campfire, at the beech or similar. It takes me a little longer than usual to get through these (but only a little these might take 10 % longer than the quickest novels I read). They are fun, quick reads which faster readers can plow through in about 3 - 5 nights. Because they deal with murders they can be a little graphic in places but not so much that it takes away from being a light read. To help quantify that statement I should say that I do not like graphically violent novels.

In short these are just fun novels that most folks who like light sci-fi, romance, or detective stories will likely enjoy!

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Vengeance in Death is the sixth installment of Nora Roberts' In Death series that's written under the pen name J.D. Robb.

The year of 2058 is wrapping up, but not before Lieutenant Eve Dallas deals with another sociopath. As the dead bodies start piling up Eve quickly notices a connection--her husband, Roarke! He knows all the victims from back when he lived in Dublin running scams and picking pockets to survive. The people dying are the ones that helped Roarke find the men that raped, tortured, and killed Summerset's daughter, Marlena. And now Summerset is the prime suspect in these new murders.

As much as Eve dislikes Summerset, she knows that he is not her killer. Eve must act fast to find out who is though as it's obvious that the murderer's grand finale will be Roarke.

This book captured my interest from the very beginning. I loved the intrigue about the secret that Roarke and Summerset had from their past and found it entertaining watching it all unfold.

I was worried this was going to be another book where all the evidence pointed to Roarke, but that wasn't the case at all. Instead, the victims were all old acquaintances of Roarke who helped him find the people that he eventually killed to avenge Marlena's death.

This novel delved into Roarke's past which has never really been touched upon that much in the previous installments of the series. We start to understand the things he had to do to survive. We also get to see just how Roarke loves and stands up for those he cares about. And of course I loved seeing his protective side (again) when it came to Eve. How he was upset when she tried to get the killer to come after her instead of him and how he wouldn't leave New York without her because he was afraid of what would happen to her in his absence.

"You had no right. No right to stand in front of me." He turned back now, his eyes vividly blue with temper that had gone from frigid to blaze. "No ****ing right to risk yourself on my behalf"

"Oh really. Is that so?" She stalked forward until they were toe to toe. "Okay, you tell me. You keep looking me dead in the eye and you tell me you wouldn't have done the same if it was me in jeopardy."

"That's entirely different."

"Why?" Her chin came up and her finger jabbed hard into his chest. "Because you have a penis?"

Vengeance in Death does hit on a touchy subject to some though--religion. The killer thinks he's on a holy mission from God and even leaves a statue of Mary at all his murder scenes. I thought it was a bit strange that Eve didn't know who Mary was though. I guess that Roberts is speculating where our world is heading if things progress the way they currently are; we won't have religion at all.

There was a part of this book in the middle that did start to get a little dull, but overall the book was a decent read and now I'm on to the next!

This review and more at openbooksociety dot com

Wow. I just have to say wow. I was blown away by the last book, but this one was just as intense, thrilling, gripping, grotesque, and enchanting. Since the summary pretty much explains the whole plot, I'll just give a straight review.

I'm not sure if I should praise minds as clever as these for coming up with such gruesome plot lines and ways to kill people, but it's so interesting and just so hard to pull away from. This time it's a combination of a terrorizing murderer out for revenge, made even more dangerous with a religious drive and a knack for technology.

The development of the relationship between Eve and Roarke is growing so nicely. I love how they were two broken people and they are now coming to trust each other and depend on each other. They're really starting to become a unit. I really think Peabody is the most understated character in this series. She's smart, clever, and brings a nice comic relief for Dallas. I also loved learning more about the relationship between Roarke and Summerset and their Irish past. I've been looking forward to learning more about it and this book really digs into it.

I never put spoilers in my reviews.
Penguin still hasn't hired decent proofreaders but it's getting better.
J D Robb (Nora Roberts) is one of the few authors I reread. Everything about the "in Death" novels is quality writing and defies genre labeling.
From the relationship between Dallas and Rourke, the mystery/thriller storyline, an extremely strong female role model, the secondary characters, the setting, well, everything, you just can't wait for the next one. Robb shows that a woman can be strong and capable despite soul crippling events in her life. I have a mantra, "just step over it and move on." Eve Dallas personifies this. It doesn't mean you never think of it or that you forget but life goes on.
Dallas "stands for the dead," they are hers, no matter who or what they were in life and grieves for their lost futures. To her it's almost a sacred trust and she is uncompromising in her pursuit of justice for those in her care.
I think even most men would like these books, if for no reason than to see how women would like to be treated.
Read, enjoy, repeat.

The serial killer in this book is a brutal, twisted religious fanatic who sees himself as an instrument of God's righteous vengeance. He is taunting Eve with clues that have her racing to the crime scenes only to arrive moments after the death of the victims. It is soon clear that the killer is purposefully playing Eve and plans to include Roarke and Eve as ultimate victims in his plan of revenge.

I have always been a bit put off by the antagonism between Eve and Roarke's friend/man servant, Sommerset. I really think they should be getting/ trying to get along better since they both have such strong connection and love for Roarke. This story brings their animosity to a head as the killer twists the clues and events to point to Sommerset. And there is cause for Sommerset to become the primary suspect when the connection of the victims to Raorke's and Sommerset's past lives is revealed to Eve. Even though Eve is trying to do her job and trying to prove Sommerset's innocence, Sommerset is not particularly cooperative.

This book is full of the great dialogue I enjoy between the characters. There is great sensual heat and growing emotional attachment between Eve and Roarke. There is growing comraderie too between Eve and Peabody. More and more of Peabody's quirky character is being revealed.

I love how the emotions are "shown" by action. I can clearly visualize Eve's anger through this phrase: she..."closed her mouth, teeth first." The narrator, Susan Ericksen, does a suburb job with the accents, including Eve's crisp tough cop persona, Peabody's nasally New York, Sommerset's uptight, prissy butler tone, Roarke's cheerful and passionate Irish, Dr. Mira's fresh and professional female, and various other, particularly Irish, accents of the characters in this story. Even more impressive is Ms. Ericksen's fine performance of the emotional action. She nails the expressions of trembling fear, snarling disapproval, chuckling warmth, frustrated weariness and twisted psychotic venom - just to identify a few.

One apt quote I jotted down from this Audible was Eve's summary of the killer's twisted religious vengeful purpose:
"And the seeds of his faith were sown in blood, rooted in vengeance and bloomed in death."

I thought this was the best of the series so far. I look forward to listening to book 7, Holiday in Death.
This book was from my own Audible TBR list. Check the review before this one for a chance to win a used copy of Book 5, Ceremony in Death.

I really enjoyed the storyline about the witches and Eve and Roarke's interaction as a married couple. Eve can be over the top with her crime solving but she always gets the job done. At times her lowkey jealousy of her husband gets on my nerves but I guess that comes with being married to a millionaire (or billionaire). All in all I keep reading this series because I enjoy them.

This is one of my favorites in the series so far. The investigation parts reminded me a bit of Anne Frasier's Elise Sandburg series, although this book wasn't quite as "atmospheric" as Frasier's. Satanists and Wiccans, with a twist at the end I didn't see coming.

I love watching Eve and Roarke's relationship grow, and I also love the levity he provides. There were a couple of ugly/emotional scenes between Feeny and Eve, I like getting to know the secondary characters bit by bit with each successive book.

The only part of the book I didn't like was Jamie, the annoying teenager. I hope he doesn't pop up in future books.

In this fifth installment Eve is intent on investigating the death of a fellow officer. Eve doesn't believe the rumors of corruption and she will have to push to find the evidence of murder in the death that some would pass off as a suicide. Her superiors are only giving her limited time and resources to check out her hunches. There is more strain as she is looking into the death behind the back of her former partner and good friend, Captain Feeney.

The investigation reveals that the officer's granddaughter was involved with a group of Wiccan. The investigation becomes more intense when the young girl turns up dead and the body of an associated boy is dumped at Eve and Roarke's gate. The further trail of death leads to a Satanic cult.

Officer Peabody continues to build in character as Eve's sharp and eager to learn assistant. She is able to share some knowledge of the Wiccan practices. But it is the dark rituals and ceremonies that are dragging Eve into danger, with Roarke butting in of course.

The narrator does a good job with pacing, helping to keep the suspense building. I wasn't enthralled with the witchcraft issues but they made for a an interesting, sinister plotline. As usual the dialogue is sharp and an enjoyable aspect of the book. I am really enjoying the series. Check out the next review of Vengeance in Death which has more detail on my feelings about the emotions and narration.

In this book, a brilliant and sadistic serial killer is targeting Irish immigrants in New York. His methods are sickeningly brutal, and each death is different. With the very first death the killer draws Eve into the mix, calling her to boast about the murder and to give her a riddle to lead her to it.

Evidence points straight to Summerset, Roarke's devoted 'servant' and friend and the bane of Eve's domestic existence. While it quickly becomes obvious he's being set up, proving that in an official capacity is another matter.

While there's a familiar theme here of Eve's cases bringing her into conflict with and causing her to investigate the very people she cares about, it's carried off far better in this volume than in some of the others. Summerset's reasons for distrusting police are extremely well-founded and far too deep-set for him to shake off. The reasons why Eve can figure out that he's innocent but can't easily keep him out of jail are clever and believable.

A new and highly entertaining series character puts in an appearance (McNab, a flamboyant electronics expert with the police force). Eve and Summerset are forced to stretch (and break) their veneer of civility. And Eve and Roarke have to face, and embrace, more of his past than she's even been aware of up until now. There are no easy answers, and their only chance lies in being able to manipulate and outwit a killer who believes he's the instrument of God's vengeance.

The character development is beautiful, the pacing and tension are gripping, and the mystery is fascinating. I highly recommend this volume of Robb/Roberts's in death series.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas may be facing one of the toughest investigations of her career. As Ceremony in Death opens, Eve is attending the funeral of colleague Frank Wojinski. Friends and family are distraught over the kind natured cop's death. Frank's mysterious granddaughter, Alice, slips a note into Eve's pocket indicating she is in danger, and Eve realizes she is being watched.

Alice reveals to Eve she is partly responsible for her grandfather's death. During her involvement with a local Satanic cult, she was witness to the ritual sacrifice of a child. Abused, raped, and tormented by what she had seen, Alice fled to the safety of a Wiccan coven and cut ties with Selena and her followers. Selena was not so eager to let Alice go, however. Believing that Selena was trying to silence her, Alice confided to her grandfather, who launched his own private investigation into Selena's sinister cult. Shortly after, Frank was dead.

All of this hocus pocus stuff is a little more than the logical, grounded Eve wants to entertain. But the more involved in the case she becomes, she discovers those close to her may have their own magical tendencies. And if Alice really did witness the murder of a child, she has every reason to fear Selena Cross, superstitions aside.

Robb keeps the reader in suspense, never quite knowing what is magic and what is trickery. The book closes with the reader still in doubt as to the spell casters' authenticity. Though it delves into some controversial theologies, it isn't a philosophical journey--it's a crime drama. Robb clearly delineates the line between good and evil.

Ceremony in Death is the fifth "In Death" book in a series of over thirty, with several to be released in 2008. The characters frequently reminisce about events that occurred in previous novels, and these mini flashbacks serve as excellent teasers. There is just enough information to build the reader's interest without confusion. It is the type of series that can be taken up at any point, but after the first book, Lieutenant Eve Dallas will become a regular in the reading queue.

The novel flows at a good pace, tying up all loose ends. The true killer isn't evident until the last scene, which keeps the suspense high. There are many points where the author could have fallen into proselytizing for one side or the other, which she avoided, making the story appeal to a wider audience. This is an impressive novel for such a "mass produced" author.

Ceremony in Death gives us a far deeper look into Peabody, Eve's aide. She starts to loosen up more around Eve, showing us some of her wisecracking self. We get to see some of the ways in which her 'Free-Ager' family has affected her, and we see some of the occult scene through her eyes and experience. We also delve into something that hasn't really been explored in the series yet: the question of psychic abilities, which, although not universally accepted, have apparently been studied and, to some extent, measured in this future time.

The question of identity as a tug-of-war between genetics, family influence, and self-determination is continued in this book (it's a powerful motif in the series). Peabody might seem the opposite of her Free-Ager family on the surface, but she isn't entirely. Roarke seems the epitome of the smooth businessman, but he still possesses the dark strength of his street upbringing. Eve still wonders if her father's brutality might express itself through her, and she finds this fear reflected in one of her suspects, a man she thinks may have taken up his father's love of ritualistic murder.

The 'white witches' are an interesting bunch, with some fascinating characters among them. They almost make up for the Satanists, who are a one-dimensional band of lunatics and hedonists. Those flat characters are pretty much the book's one flaw. On the other hand, sometimes you need a good old-fashioned lunatic when enjoying a deliberately melodramatic detective series, so this isn't a large flaw.

Adult material warning: we have our usual Eve/Roarke sizzling sex, but there's also some darker sexual matter in this plot that some might be uncomfortable with.

Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb is the fifth book in this "In Death" series by this author who is the alter ego of Nora Roberts. This pseudonym is only used for her futuristic series (don't let that genre fool you - these books are fantastic, even if you don't usually like science fiction type stories!)

It seems that each of the books in this series so far has the murders involving Eve Dallas' lover/husband, Roarke, in some form or another and this one is no different. If you've read these from the first book, Naked in Death, then you've followed the relationship evolution between the two strong main characters and you've been given a glimpse of each of their pasts. Vengeance in Death explores, in greater detail, Roarke's past and that of his butler, Summerset.

A killer is loose and he's killing men with Irish links; unfortunately, that Irish link is Roarke and his past crimes. Summerset's daughter, Marlena, had been brutally murdered in Dublin, Ireland many years before and Roarke avenged her death by killing the six men responsible. Now it seems that someone is killing Roarke's informants from the past. It's Eve Dallas' job as primary homicide detective in the cases to find out who this mad man is and stop him before another victim is found.

Sounds like a typical "who dun it?" type book right? Well with J.D. Robb, you can always expect to find a bit more intrigue, romance and humor thrown into the plot. The added character of Ian McNibb (Electronic Detective Division Wonder-boy) is a pure stroke of genius. And the undertones of a romantic entanglement between McNibb and Officer Delia Peabody (Dallas' able assistant) leaves the reader wanting more and not being able to wait to read the next book to find out if these two actually do get together.

One of my favorite support characters, Mavis, is missing from this book - actually, she makes a very brief appearance, and that leaves a bit of fun out of the story line. But don't worry - the other colorful characters are all there - Commander Whitney, Police Chief Tibble, Summerset, Peabody, Dr. Mira, and of course Eve and Roarke.

The identity of the killer wasn't predictable this time, and actually had me guessing up to the end of the book. The clues as to his identity were few and far between, but the outcome made sense once everything was in the open.

Vengeance in Death is more sound writing from J.D. Robb and her versions of the future are impressive. I want a turbo car that can go from New York City to New Los Angeles in three hours just as they have in this book! (With gas prices the way they are now, I'm wondering what kind of gas and gas mileage they're getting in the future!) It will be interesting to see if the world is any closer to these creations in the year 2058 - only 57 more years to go and we'll see! But I'm first in line for one of those AutoChef inventions that cooks your meal upon voice command - no cooking, no cleaning - ah, paradise!

Vengeance in Death isn't the best book in the series that I've read, but it is still excellent.

The futuristic series by J.D Robb featuring Eve Dallas as the main character has been one of the series I have enjoyed most lately. Another series I love is the one written by Laurell K. Hamilton and presenting Anita Blake, vampire executioner and animator, as its heroine. The two have a few common traits, the clearest one being tough and sexy main female characters. Also, both series are now being published by the same house (Berkley Publishing Group). Nevertheless, I was extremely surprised when J.D. Robb introduced in this novel some of the elements I am used to finding in the Hamilton series, like shapeshifters and black magic. I enjoy the futuristic world in which Eve lives and hope that in the future Robb sticks with that world without trying to incorporate elements that are successful in another author's work.
As usual J.D. Robb jumps into the action right away, with the death of Frank Wojinski, a cop that served as Feeney's trainer when Eve's friend and mentor joined the force. The death was ruled as a heart attack, but there are some unanswered questions, especially since the cop was young: sixty-two years old! One of the granddaughters of the deceased, Alice, surreptitiously asks Eve for a meeting claiming that Eve's life is in danger. Alice tells Eve that she believes a black witch called Selina is involved in her granddad's death.

Selina was seen shortly before Frank's death selling drugs to him, so now Eve is asked to investigate Frank's death and to determine whether he was a dirty cop or was just working undercover by his own volition. To make matters worse, traces of the drug Zeus were found in the body and Eve is asked to leave Feeney out of the investigation and in the dark. When Alice is run over by a car and then the body of one of the members of Selina's sect is left outside Eve's and Roarke's house, the action develops too close to home and Eve must do everything in her power to solve the case before it affects her life.

The story is fast-paced as we are used to, and Robb is efficient in presenting the characteristics of the world in which the characters live in 2058 without boring the regular readers. Those who have not ventured in the series before will have enough information to understand what is going on and what the relationships between the different characters are. The storylines connected to the main characters' lives keep moving forward. The relationship between Eve and Roarke is of course central to the story, but in some cases the amorous scenes between these two become a little repetitive. Certain elements of Eve's childhood keep showing up, and all the supporting characters, Mavis, Peabody, etc, are present and contribute to the overall quality and depth of the story. I hope J.D. Robb returns to her path by moving away from magic and staying with the futuristic series that I enjoy so much.

"Vengeance in Death" continues J.D. Robb's "In Death" series, and this book might just be the best yet. The world in 2058 is a fascinating place, but the real intrigue in this story lies in the characters.
Robb has an amazing ability to paint vivid and realistic characters, and then explore those characters so that we, as readers, come to feel like we really know them. This is exactly what has happened for me with Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke. Each book delves a little deeper into these two, as individuals and as a unit, and I am completely addicted to reading about them. In fact, I would say that Eve, the independent and emotionally troubled cop, and Roarke, the dangerously handsome and charming billionaire, are my favourite couple of all time! Their relationship continues to grow and flourish as they adjust to their overpowering feelings for each other, and the passionate scenes they share all but send sparks from the pages!
In this particular instalment, Eve is working a new case involving a twisted killer who commits unspeakable acts of torture on his victims (two so far) and then, after hours of torment, murders them. In each case, the killer sends the police a taunting riddle, which Eve solves just too late to prevent the murder. As Eve delves into the investigation, it becomes apparent that the link between the two victims is her husband, Roarke, and a dark secret from his past involving Summerset's murdered daughter. Now Eve must walk the thin line between protecting her husband and finding justice for the dead, before another life is lost!
This book will draw you in right from the start and keep you captivated until the end. The plot is suspenseful, thrilling, and completely absorbing. I highly recommend each and every book in this series, and this one will leave you craving many more visits with Eve and Roarke. I guarantee it!

On the story: At first I thought this one would have a similar premise to the previous but it quickly took a different track. A murderer is on the loose enacting revenge for a long-ago crime. Unfortunately this time, the ultimate target is Roarke himself.
My Reaction: Forget the mystery. There is so much Roarke and Eve loveliness, this one won't easily be forgotten. I was mush for most of the book. Don't get me wrong, there is an incredible mystery at the center of this one but it plays on the relationship between Roarke, Eve, and Summerset, so brilliantly. This time there is little separation between the mystery and the romance.
Roarke check-in: Roarke is front and center in this one and I loved every minute of it. There is a very specific part where Roarke emotions are high and we get to be in his head. It was so powerful and sweet that I read it multiple times. I could feel the raw emotion and I loved it.

Vengeance in Death is the sixth and, so far, best book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb. The In Death series stars Detective Lt. Eve Dallas of the NYPSD and her roguishly handsome and ridiculously rich billionaire husband and soul mate Roarke.

The events of the previous book in the series, Ceremony in Death, is still fresh on the minds of Eve and Roarke and those around them. Eve has insisted that her mentor, Capt. Feeney take his family to one of Roarke's many island paradise estates and unwind. Though things are quiet at first, they don't stay that way for long as killings once again fall into Eve's lap. These killings seem to have a ritualistic, or at least a purpose to them and soon she finds out why they're being committed. Once again her husband, Roarke, becomes involved in this new case whether she likes it or not.

The killings are people from Roarke's past and who meant something to him in one way or another. I thought this installment was the best so far due to the handling of how to bring up info about Roarke's mysterious past without it being said through long-winded dialogue. Robb just took said past history added a healthy dose of Summerset's own recollections and then mixed it all into the current murder case Eve was investigating and you got yourself one great story. The fact that Roarke's childhood was as screwed up as Eve's though without the incestuous rape and pimping shows that he and Eve have alot more in common.

Vengeance in Death just continues to make J.D. Robb's In Death series a must read for fance of fun escapism with a balanced diet of romance, mystery, and humor. It was also great to know abit more of Roarke's and Summerset's past. I'm looking forward to the next book.

Awesome series! Eve Dallas is a detective in New York in the future in about 30 years. I jumped into the series with this book and there are quite a few books for me to catch up on. I loved this book, so I'm looking forward to going back in and seeing how she made it from her extremely horrible childhood to a life of luxury, love and respect. In this story, Eve is asked to work on an internal matter where her ex-partner and best friend, Feeney's long-time cop partner, Frank, was found in suspicious circumstances. Eve has to keep the investigation from Feeney. Exploring the world of witches, dark and white, leads Eve down a path of memories of dark acts against her and the to good memories of her friends, the love of her life and her struggle to see herself as a good person in a world filled with evil and cruelty. Really great story. Well-written and lots of great characters.

Okay, this book was just a little too over the top. Eve gets caught up in occult murders, disappearances, and is directed to not tell Feeny about any of it but to investigate on her own. Then, as the story goes along she gets meaner and meaner and it sounds like she actually enjoys being so over the top with her anger and attitude. Of course, by the end of the story she is nearly killed and determines that her suspect isn't guilty. Before she even washes off the blood, she and Roark go home in a blanket to face another murder. I like these books and have read everyone one of the 43 books BUT this one just hit me wrong with the way Eve lost it. That means that the author wrote a perfectly awful murder and that is what these in death books are all about. Hooray for more Eve and Roark stories.

This is a series that I NEVER get tired of reading...over...and over again. There is nothing like a full novel written by Nora Roberts to make for an entertainingly scrumptious story that pulls you in and makes you feel homesick in between installments. And, when that installment comes out and you finally have a chance to read it, your back at home with life, death, intrigue and love.

You gotta love Roberts. She makes the best characters and stories.

Also, let me say that Susan Erickson's right on, talented and engrossing professional narration of Roberts' books is like icing on the cake. If you love the book, try it again with the audio enhancements...truly entertaining!

This is a series that I NEVER get tired of reading...over...and over again. There is nothing like a full novel written by Nora Roberts to make for an entertainingly scrumptious story that pulls you in and makes you feel homesick in between installments. And, when that installment comes out and you finally have a chance to read it, your back at home with life, death, intrigue and love.

You gotta love Roberts. She makes the best characters and stories.

Also, let me say that Susan Erickson's right on, talented and engrossing professional narration of Roberts' books is like icing on the cake. If you love the book, try it again with the audio enhancements...truly entertaining!

Ceremony in Death was a weird one for me. On one hand, I loved this look into religion in this future. But on the other hand, the actual mystery didn't intrigue me that much. This time Eve starts out investigating one of her fellow cops who turned up dead. Then his granddaughter is hit by a car after telling Eve her fears about a Satanist group she recently parted from. It's too much of a coincidence, so Eve takes up the case and delves into the world of the occult.

One of my favorite things about Ceremony in Death was seeing Eve deal with her dilemma of being a good cop or a good friend. We've seen her friendship with Feeney over the previous four books, but for this case she has to keep him out of the loop because the deceased are as close as family. By now we know which path Eve will take, but it was still hard on her. This also let us see a bit more from Roarke, because she unloads her feelings on him, and he takes it upon himself to set things to right.

As for the actual mystery portion of Ceremony in Death, it was good, but not all that exciting. I really enjoying learning about this Satanist group as well as the Wiccans in the area. But there were no surprises in regards to the murders. You've got a group of people who do ritual killings and show no remorse, so who else would be doing the killings?

I still liked Ceremony in Death but more for Eve's personal life rather than the case. I loved getting more of Roarke outside of his providing Eve with less than legal resources. He's not just this cocky billionaire, he's got a lot of heart.

J. D. Robb is the pseudonym Nora Roberts uses for her futuristic "In death" series, set in the year 2058. Many things have changed, but other stay the same. There are criminals, and those who fight against them. Eve Dallas is one of those who try to uphold justice. "Vengeance in death", the 6th book in the series, starts by stating that "The business of murder took time, patience, skill, and a tolerance for the monotonous. Lieutenant Eve Dallas had them all".

In this book, we will see Eve applying those skills to the solution of some crimes that strike close to her. Victims previously connected to her husband Roarke start to appear gruesomely murdered, and there are clues that tie their deaths to a vengeance carried out long ago by Roarke, in Ireland. When someone tries to frame Roarke's butler Somerset as the murderer, Eve knows for certain that something is afoot. The question is what, and why?.

In my opinion, "Vengeance in death" is a book well-worth reading, even though it isn't the best in the series. You will enjoy trying to discover the mystery behind the murders, and learning more about Roarke and Somerset's past. The interaction between Ian McNabb (from the Electronic Detective Division) with Eve's faithful sideckick, Officer Delia Peabody, will draw sparks and make the reader smile and wonder about them. All in all, I think that you will like this book, specially if you have already read the previous books in the series. Happy reading :)

Belen Alcat

I never put spoilers in my reviews.
As is usual, Penguin has editing issues; to be fair, most in this book had to do with French expressions such as tete-a-tete.
J D Robb (Nora Roberts) is one of the few authors I reread. Everything about the "in Death" novels is quality writing and defies genre labeling.
From the relationship between Dallas and Rourke, the mystery/thriller storyline, an extremely strong female role model, the secondary characters, the setting, well, everything, you just can't wait for the next one. Robb shows that a woman can be strong and capable despite soul crippling events in her life. I have a mantra, "just step over it and move on." Eve Dallas personifies this. It doesn't mean you never think of it or that you forget but life goes on.
Dallas "stands for the dead," they are hers, no matter who or what they were in life and grieves for their lost futures. To her it's almost a sacred trust and she is uncompromising in her pursuit of justice for those in her care.
I think even most men would like these books, if for no reason than to see how women would like to be treated.
Read, enjoy, repeat.

I do not know what to say about this series that I have not already said. These are thoroughly enjoyable novels. They are roughly 1 part sci-fi, 1 part romance, and 2 parts detective story. They take place in the future (hence the sci-fi) and the main character is a female homicide detective in New York City. She is married to a guy who is one of the wealthiest people in the world who brought himself up from the ghettos of Dublin. The interactions between the law abiding cop and the one time pick-pocket create a very interesting dynamic that is at time funny, frustrating, aggravating, and always filled with passion. In a nutshell they are very enjoyable, very readable novels.

About 10 years ago, while on vacation, I got sick and was bored because I couldn't partake anymore outdoor activities. I went to the book store and found this book. The description intrigued me so I bought it. I might have not been able to enjoy the rest of my vacation but I was more than satisfied staying in and reading. That did it for me and I was hooked! Eve Dallas is a very strong female lead. Her strength and determination to solve her cases is very valuable. Torn between the love of her job and the love of her husband, Irish billionaire Roarke, when she wants to hold on to some of her independence. This book takes you into his mysterious past that he thought he left behind but some things you can't run away from including a past lover that his wife must now find out who murdered her.

I have mixed feelings about Nora Roberts (aka J.D. Robb) books, mainly because of the rough language in them. But she writes so well and her stories are so engrossing that I find it hard not to pick one up and read once in a while.

In this book Eve Dallas is still coming to terms with her marriage, when a series of murders are committed...all of which involved Irishmen that her husband knew at one time or another. She needs to find out why he knew these men and what connection he had to them in order to find out why this serial murderer is killing and why he is using the MO that he is. Eve comes to understand that her husband is at risk because of his bringing to justice several men who had horrendously hurt the young daughter of Summerset, Roarke's 'valet' and man-of-all-trades.

These books go fast and furious much like the movie of that name. Makes me wonder why no one has ever tried to bring these books to the screen, except too often they botch the book up in screenwriting.

Dallas solves the crimes at great risk to herself and to the others around her. She has to tred a fine line between the law and her husband's old world, so as to not involve him.

Karen Sadler

As this book started I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. Its a very dark book, and focuses on a few "reglions" I know nothing about. Satanism and Wiccan. Though I personally don't believe in either, the book wouldn't have been as good as it was with out Ms. Robb's serious study over the two religions and adding her own sense of STYLE!

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Roarke's and Eve's relationship get deeper. Its so wonderful to see a woman like Eve, who can turn to complete mush when it comes to the man she loves. I also enjoyed seeing in this book how much Peabody has grown into her own woman and officer. Though she's still under Eve, she's got so much potential to be another great ongoing character in these books! As always I love Mavis for her sense of style and flair that she brings to the books! I even in this case ejoyed the villians Alban (who I had a hard time picturing in my head) and Selina (who I pictured very vividly in my mind as an obvious crazy person). The book was great, I definately recommend to all J. D. Robb's fans and its also a book I thoroughly enjoyed reading! Another spectacular job Ms. Robb!

Yes. Yes, I am fickle. For years, I've complained and complained about this installment in the In Death series. But this time through, I decided to try to pretend I didn't know that I was going to hate it. And it worked.

There's a lot more intensity to this book than I'd remembered. Eve and Roarke are coasting along just fine, and there aren't any dramatic revelations from Eve's past. This time the emotional push comes with the development of Eve's relationship with her aide, Peabody, and with Eve's identification with one of the suspects, making her doubt her own judgment.

The mystery was quite easily solved--the problem was proving whodunit. My main complaint has always been that this book changes the rules of the world established in the previous four books in the series, by making magic real. On closer (or less cynical) inspection, only one minor point violates the world-building: a faith healer treats scratches on Eve's neck, and poof! they're gone without a trace. I'd buy a faith healer making it heal faster, but not making it disappear. The rest makes sense. To me, at least.

I am a fan of the series so far and I think this one holds its own weight. This involves witch craft and cults which I am not really a fan of, but it's decent.

However, I have one huge complaint about this book. I have loved the relationship between Eve and Roarke so far, but in this book it bugged me. He was a little to possesive for my taste. When she would have to go somewhere for her investigation, she would say to him that she will see him later or at home, but he would invite himself and walk with her. He waited for her at cop central for an hour in his car in the parking lot instead of letting her get herself home. He would say, very sternly, "I am staying", when she asked him to leave, or "I am coming with you", with a sense of there will be no discussion. I was really peeved reading the scene at the bar where she interviewed Lowbar and Roarke forced himself into the situation. I understand that he wants to protect her, but she is supposed to be one of the best detectives at cop central and he is starting to treat her like she cannot handle herself. It did not come off as romantic to me at all. This is the first book where I got a this feeling and I didn't like it. I hope it doesn't continue.

Ceremony in Death is the fifth installment in J.D. Robb's very popular mystery-romance series, In Death. Though still full of the sex, romance, and police procedural mystery of the previous four books, Ceremony in Death lacks some of the humor present in those books. In this fifth book things for Eve, Roarke and their friends take on a darker note as Eve's latest case seem to involve the occult and the supernatural. Level-headed as she always has been about her work, the story for Ceremony came off slightly off as the theme of the occult behind the killings in her latest case doesn't come off as well as the previous books.

The story overall still manages to be very entertaining as Eve and, her aide, Peabody must traverse the more preternatural side of NYC. Red herrings abound in this story and even though the reader already has an idea of who the killer or killers are it still nice to see that Eve is not the all-knowing and all-powerful detective with superhuman gut instincts. She's run around and led by the nose to looking at the wrong suspects even though part of her has lingering doubts of their culpability. In the end, she saves the day and even gets a wonderful saving-the-damsel-in-distress moment from Roarke.

The previous book in the series was good but left me with a somewhat bitter taste. The reason was the J.D. Robb plunged into the unnatural events genre alla Laurell K. Hamilton. Since I enjoy the work by both authors, I would rather see each one of them write about that which they "know" best. This is why I was pleasantly surprised when in this book I found no references to events outside the boundaries of the futuristic world of 2058.

Finally, the year 2058 is coming to an end, and it is unbelievable how much has happened in just a few months: Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke meeting and getting married, Eve remembering crucial events from her childhood, Mavis seeing her career surging forward, and many others. The current case involves a serial killer that punishes people that have strayed from the path of the Lord. The first victim Eve finds was not only killed, but also tortured savagely. To complicate matters further, the victim is an old friend of Roarke, from his time in Ireland, when Eve's husband was involved in certain activities that would not be appreciated by Eve.

In the case of the second victim, the killer's intentions become a little clearer, since he calls Eve and gives her a clue useful for finding the victim before the time of death. So now it is personal, since the killer wants Eve as an opponent and the second victim is also a friend of Roarke. The relationship between Eve and Roarke is put to the test, since Roarke's secrets from his past may aid Eve in the investigation, but these secrets make him criminally liable. Is Eve more concerned about justice than about keeping her husband? Things really heat up when Sommerset, Roarke's faithful servant, becomes a suspect in the investigation.

The quality picks up considerably compared to "Ceremony in Death", with Robb focusing on what she does best and also limiting the passionate scenes to more reasonable levels. These had gotten a little bit out of hand in previous works in terms of their frequency and lack of variation in their development. Now the author creates a much better balance, presenting the scenes for those that crave them, but not repeating them so much so as to make the book a little boring. Hopefully, the quality of the series will remain at this level until the end.

Do you believe in the saying, "An eye for an eye?" Well, some one in Manhattan does, and they are killing for that belief in vengeance. Eve and Peabody investigate a series of brutal homicides and discover that they are all linked to Roarke's past. Eve is torn between duty and family, because Summerset (Roarke's butler, and oldest friend) is the primary suspect.
Feeny is away on vacation and Eve is forced to bring in a young and some what annoying e-detective named McNab. The chemistry between McNab and Peabody is quite amusing. They fight like cats and dogs, but underneath is a brewing sexual tension. The addition of McNab to Eve's team is refreshing. It is fun to have a new face that shakes everyone up.
As the team investigates these slayings, Roarke is brought face to face with a past that he has tried to bury. This book really expands on the characters of Roarke and Summerset. Those of you reading the series know that Eve and Summerset are like oil and water, and now they have to put their trust in each other so they can work together to find the real killer. The suspense is back and better than ever. This book really heats up, so open it up and hang on!

Jenny Bogue
Paper-and-Lace
Specializing in paranormal romance and fiction.

Robb outdoes herself in "Vengeance in Death." Some previous installments in the series had become weak in plot and entertainment. This novel is just great.
With each of the novels in the series, Robb delves into a different supporting character - fleshing out Mavis and Peapody in past novels, for example. Summerset gets his turn in this one.
In a truly entertaining plot, Summerset is framed and Dallas is forced to take her investigation underground or risk making Roarke himself the prime suspect. The villain is targeting Roarke, and is taking out everyone who helped Roarke avenge the death of Summerset's daughter 15 years ago. And we get the added entertainment of Dallas defending Summerset - Robb adds to the previous background behind Summerset's disdain for Dallas. Unlike past novels in this series, Robb makes it very hard to figure out who the villain is and yet when we do, it's very logical.
The love affair between Dallas and Roarke is finely shaped, some good sparring and making up, excellent intensity. We continue to have witty exchanges between Peabody and Dallas, and meet McNab, who will be developed in a later novel.
A great read!

This is the 5th novel in the "Death" series and its the best one yet. Jd Robb has really hit her stride with this novel- the characters are well fleshed out and the story line is fascinating. For those not familiar with the series, Jd Robb chronicles the life and cases of police Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke. The novels take place in the future around 2058.

In Ceremony in death, Eve is forced to investigate the death of a fellow officer. Her investigation leads her to satanic cults, Wiccan religious groups, and more murders. It seems that everyone Eve questions ends up getting killed and soon Eve herself is the target. Eve is disturbed by the ritualistic killings, especially given her own abused background. And she has no shortage of suspects.
The attraction of the series is the mix of suspense and romance- all meshed into a great murder mystery. Its nice to continually follow the same main characters. Their complex and evolving relationship are what keep me reaching for the next book. Too often, storys concentrate on the courtship, but the Death series proves that marriage/committment are just as complelling, romantic and sexy. Eve and Roarke have a great partnership and chemistry that has been evident since their first meeting in book 1, Naked in Death.
While Ceremony in Death is the 5th book, those who haven't read the earlier novels won't get confused as each book is essentially self contained. But loyal readers are rewarded as familiar characters are brought back--like Mavis, Peabody, Fenney and the butler. But prior knowledge of the series isn't required- in fact, I read book 1 Naked in Death and then this one..and have read some of the others out of order.
Happy Reading!

J.D. Robb continues to impress me with her "In Death" series. "Ceremony in Death" continues the tradition of excellence, providing an exciting, unsettling, and entertaining read.
We receive new insight into the main characters, Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD and her charming billionaire husband Roarke, with each book in the series. These two are a wonderful couple, and their dynamics become more complex and fascinating in this novel. When Eve and Roarke are together the sparks fly, and they have some highly erotic, yet never distasteful scenes.
In this instalment of the series, Eve is investigating a case that involves satanic cults and lots of deep, dark secrets. The sinister atmosphere of this novel is expertly woven, causing Eve's encounters with evil to send chills up the reader's spine.
Although we know who the bad guys are pretty much from the beginning. We do not have the mystery properly solved until the very end, and there are many thrilling and suspenseful scenes to keep the reader turning pages. I truly enjoyed this book, and with its romance and suspense, its intrigue and futuristic police procedure, there is something in it for everyone!
I am in awe of J.D. Robb's incredible skill at writing continually superior books and I will continue to buy and recommend them as long as she keeps writing them!

I did enjoy this book as well as all the others so far in the series. It took me a little bit longer to read though, I have to say, there were a couple of really "slow" parts, but when the book picked up....I mean it picked up in a hurry. We find Eve once again on the case of a killer. Roarke right beside her as her partner, not just in the marital sense, but right next to her throughout this whole book. Peabody, well you know Delia, she's always inquizitive and always working hard for Dallas. We get introduced to McNab who at this time is taking the place of Feeney since he's on vacation. We see our characters all get caught up in the past, and with the past muder and mutilation of Summerset's Daughter Marlena. The past which Roarke had thought he "buried" has come back to haunt him, as each friend of Roarke's who was invloved in the muder of Marlenas killers, start becoming killed themselves. Its up to Dallas to stop the killing before Summerset and Roarke become the next victims on this killers list! Enjoy the read, it was a good book!

Ceremony started out really slowly. As a matter of fact, I almost put it down several times. For me this is terribly odd. The writing style of this book was a bit different than others in the series and actually there were quite a lot more players than usual.
The book begins with Eve at the funeral of another cop, Frank. Frank is a good cop and a very close friend of Feeney - and we know how much Eve love Feeney. At the funeral, Frank's granddaughter, Alice, slips a note into Eve's pocket asking for a meeting. Eve wonders about this but she begins to wonder even more the next day when Captain Whitney calls her into his office and orders her to perform an investigation of Frank - before Internal Affairs does. Eve doesn't like it but what can she do? Of course, she immediately requests the assistance of Feeney. Feeney is denied - she must also clear any potential involvement from him.

J D Robb always rates 5 stars in my book! She gives us a very interesting glimpse into the future--40 years from now. Not science fiction but just good common sense situations. Guns have been outlawed. The cops now use laser guns. No one can use a gun powder gun any more. Prostitution is licensed and legalized and regulated to name a few changes that could possible take place within the next 40 years. I enjoy her Dallas series very much and highly recommend these books to everyone who loves a good mystery book. .

I have to admit, the 5 stars for this one is a sentimental choice. In fact, I've read this book so many times that I'm not even sure I really know what I think about it anymore. Granted, that's true of the preceding 5 books, too, but Vengeance is the most intensely emotional, and I'm all about intensely emotional books these days (as long as they don't have depressing endings, that is!), so I can't look at it objectively.

Or rather, I can, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I can, for example, question how Eve can so calmly accept Roarke's past that's so vividly shoved in her face here. Or I can question how the killer latched on to those particular victims. And I can certainly read the part where Roarke gets all pissy about Eve locking a door on him and remember a later book in the series where he does the same thing and want to smack him upside the head. And yes, I can see the headhopping--Nora does it all the time.

But in the end, it doesn't matter. It's a 5-star read.

It's official. I'm addicted to the "...in Death" series. I was hooked after the first book, "Naked in Death", but convinced myself that I could stop anytime I wanted. Yeah, right. I've even got my husband reading the series and he's hooked too. This is the sixth book in the series and, in my opinion, the best so far.
Once again, Roarke is linked to a series of heinous murders Lt. Eve Dallas is investigating. This time, however, he's a target. In the process of keeping her man safe and tracking the killer, Eve learns more about Roarke and Summerset's past. This one kept me guessing until the end. Eve's relationship with Roarke is further developed. As always there's just the right amount of great love scenes but the fights are even better!
This series offers a perfect blend of suspense, romance and even humor. Lt. Eve Dallas is such a wonderful character. She's got guts, brains, strength, wit and just a touch of insecurity. And what woman wouldn't want a Roarke in their life? This book won't disappoint.

This was a great story. The case focuses on people being killed in gruesome ways and then the killer calls Eve and gives her hints to try and find his newest victims in time to save them. All roads lead back to Roarke and his faithful butler Summerset. I enjoyed watching Eve go to bat for someone she doesn't particularly care for.

A new character is introduced: Ian McNabb. He works in the Electronics Division with our old pal Feeney.

This case will keep you guessing until the very last page. Warning: some of the death descriptions are a little gruesome - each one has their eyeball removed.

I like this book in the series because we delve a little deeper into what makes Roarke the man he is.

I haven't read this series in order (read #1 & #2 and then skipped around) and this book seems to fall somewhere midway through the series. Despite that I'm wasn't too terribly confused. Eve Dallas is a police officer somewhere in the future where things aren't all that different from today. She is beautiful but very haunted, still somewhat emotionally stunted and married to a hunky rich guy named Rourke. In this story she is investigating a case where a family man has been horribly dismembered and the killer seems to be playing a game and leaving Eve clues. After digging around a little Eve realizes the victim has ties to her husband (who has a shady past). More people, all tied to Rourke, are murdered, secrets are revealed, McNab makes his first appearance and we learn more about Rourke's past. A solid entry in this reliable series.

This was probably one of the more suspenseful stories I've ever read. A couple of times I ended up scaring myself and had to put the book down, which was a first for me. I love the characters the author has created, and it's been a privledge getting to know them.

In this book Eve has to (secretly) do an internal investigation on a fellow cop who passed away and ends up discovering that his death may have ties to the world of witchcraft. She sees the sides of black and white magic and, while she doesn't buy into and of it, it doesn't fail to scare those around her. You're aware of the bad guys from early on, but it's Eve's mission to get enough evidence to convict that has the reader on the edge of their seat.

I highly recommend this book, and recommend reading the series in order especially if you're more into the romantic aspect of the stories. Eve and Roarke are great together.

Eve does not believe in magic, but it seems that everyone around her does. Unfortunately, many of those that believe are ending up dead. While investigating the death of a fellow officer and his grand-daughter, Eve meets a "white" witch (Wiccan) and "black" witch (Satanist). As the bodies begin to pile up, Eve and Peabody must delve into the world of witch craft to stop the killing and bring the murderer to justice.
I gave this book three stars, because I just could not get into it. All the previous books I have read in a day or two, but it took me almost two weeks to finish this one. CEREMONY is much darker than the previous books. The suspense element is there, but it is not hard to figure out who the killer is. I like to be surprised by who the killer is, and I was not in this book.
Another thing that is starting to bother me, are the common threads throughout this series. Eve is ALWAYS cranky and banging on things. Roarke is somehow always pulled into the investigation. Eve's car and computer are always acting up on her. Maybe this is picky, but it is getting very repetitive.
I would recommend reading CEREMONY IN DEATH if you are a fan of the series, and plan to continue on with the next books. It is not as great as the rest, but all in all, not too bad. We get to learn alot more about Feeny (Eve's mentor and trainer that works as an e-detective). The relationship between Eve and Feeny is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. CEREMONY is worth the read, just for that.

Jenny Bogue
...

This series keeps getting better with each book! Ceremony in Death has new murders for Lieutenant Eve Dallas to solve and these take the reader on a journey into a different realm than we've seen in the previous books. With J.D. Robb at the helm, we should expect the unexpected!

A fellow officer is found dead in his living room and the coroner's preliminary report determines that his heart gave out. This doesn't sit well with Eve Dallas as she suspects foul play. This feeling of unease goes into high gear when she's asked to investigate whether he was a dirty cop, and she begins to smell a set up. This investigation also pits her against her mentor and good friend, Feeney.

As Dallas begins to wonder about her own beliefs when she's thrown into the midst of a satanic cult whose high priestess is just plain evil. Then to add to the mix, a Wiccan high priestess is introduced - a woman who enjoys torturing others and believing she's been personally chosen to do the work of Satan. There isn't a dull moment in this investigation and when it turns personal towards Eve Dallas, Roarke is just a bit peeved.

Some of the fun of this book (yes, with J.D. Robb writing, there is always a bit of fun in each book!), we learn more about Eve's sidekick, Officer Delia Peabody. The straight and narrow patrol officer wasn't always so regimented. We learn that her parents are Freeagers and that was the influence in her upbringing. Freeagers - hmm, well, I guess my best description would be hippie throwbacks without the drugs. Freeagers are vegans and believers of peace to all creatures. It's interesting to see the influence this has on Peabody and it often takes Dallas by surprise.

As for the villain behind the three murders, any mystery fanatic can figure it out two thirds of the way into the book. Even so, this still makes for a great thriller and the colorful descriptions and witty dialog keep the reader entertained until the last page is turned.

As with the previous books in the "In Death" series, this is a strong plot, has fantastic character development, and takes you on a wonderful journey. You won't be disappointed when you get to this book in the series. After reading Ceremony in Death, you'll make getting the next book a high priority!

I have just recently become a fan of J.D. Robb's " in Death" series. A friend gave me a copy of "Born" and I was immediately hooked by the story, though I found the references to the characters' back stories a bit confusing. My solution has been to go back to the beginning, and to read ALL the books in order. This is #6, and the best one I have read so far. It has everything. There is a really creepy villain, lots of twists and thrills, and some fascinating back story about both Roarke and Summerset. I'm even getting used to the obligatory sex scenes, although I could do with fewer of them. These books have become my "comfort food," when I need a break from real life, and I am happy that there are so many left to see me through.. This one was a really great read. Glad to see that J.D. is keeping them coming.

The book begins with Eve closing an open and shut case - just like she enjoys them. Unfortunately, on her way out she receives a call from an unidentified caller stating that he has just committed a first-degree murder. Then he proceeds to taunt Eve with a riddle. The name of his riddle is - Revenge.

It doesn't take long for Eve to determine that this comes from Roarke's past or that Summerset is being implemented in the murders. As much as she should enjoy questioning and taunting him - knowing this came from Marlena's torture makes it difficult for her.

I think my favorite part of the entire book is when Eve's driving though town, asks Peabody a question, and gets the response, "I'm sorry, sir, you're interrupting my praying".

Lt. Eve Dallas is personally contacted by a murderer. He gives her riddles on how to find the person he just killed, like he's playing a game. Eventually strikes again, leaving statues of the Virgin Mary at every death scene. The people who are dying are connected to Eve's Husband, Roarke, and the main suspect is Summerset, Roarke's long time friend and butler. While Eve doesn't get along with Summerset, she knows he's incapable of murder, and tries her best to prove his innocence while searching for the true murderer. In most books the reader is able to pinpoint the murderer around half-way through, but this one keeps it a secret for the majority of the book. In this book the reader learns more about Roarke and his past, as well as the loyalty of Eve's friends and colleagues. Another great installment!

This is the second book of the IN DEATH series I've read. GLORY IN DEATH was the first I'd read. Yes, GLORY is #2 in the series and CEREMONY is #5 -- I'm skipping because these are the volumes I was able to lay hands on.
Despite the gaps in my reading, each book reads very well. There's no confusion or disorientation because of the missing episodes.
As I said in my review of GLORY IN DEATH -- this is structured to become a television series using the long story-arc of the developing Relationship as the envelope and presenting a whole new mystery episode in each 1 hour drama.
If the futurology were worked into the mystery and relationship, IN DEATH would be as good as Babylon 5.
Up to CEREMONY IN DEATH, the futurology is almost entirely missing. Though this series appears to be set in the future, the story, the romance, the mystery and the solutions could just as easily happen today. There's no reason internal to the story for it to be set in the future.
For this 5th book in the series, this seems to me (a professional sf/f writer) to be a flaw, whereas for the 2nd book of the series the lack was a good teaser.
In CEREMONY IN DEATH, Robb/Roberts has taken the subject of ceremonial magic (another subject I know write about) and has treated it well and fairly, bringing out the massive and very important difference between Satanism and the Wiccan Religion.
Still, both Satanism and the Wiccan Religion are treated with the same short shrift given to the futurology. After you finish reading CEREMONY IN DEATH you have not learned anything useful about either Satanism or Witchcraft except that they're very different.
But here's the very fascinating thing about these novels -- even though I began reading them for my favorite things (futurology, galactic civilization, a touch of the occult), and it turned out these elements are barely there, I'm still looking forward to reading another one.
I think it's because I keep hoping we'll meet some real aliens -- a non-human detective that Eve Dallas would have a hard time making friends with, or an interstellar business situation Roarke would have to sprain his brain to understand and fight to get Eve to accept. But of course, that's what I write, not what J. D. Robb writes.
Jacqueline Lichtenberg
[email protected]

5th book in the series and I'm hooked. I know I know, many of "Nora Roberts" books just suck you right in, but it's the same with "J.D. Robb". She just sucks you right into the murders that are taking place and the lives that Dallas has to take to find the murderers responsible for the mess they leave behind, it's just fantastic!

This time it's Wiccans out for Blood time and Dallas must try to not get caught up in the wiccans ways of life while trying to hold her own at her household. Sex of course is great, but it's the feeling behind it that makes a difference.

I have enjoyed every book in this series. Since I've been reading them in order, I have one left to go (Holiday in Death), but so far, this was the absolute best! I used to read Sci Fi, then I switched to Romance, then I found this: tight, action-filled, police investigation starring a tougher-than-nails heroine and a gorgeous, loving, rich hero. In a futuristic setting!! Could I ask for anything more? In each book, I look forward to the fabulous "gadgets" of the year 2058: the Autochef, the voice-controlled shower, etc. I adore Eve. I adore Roarke. I adore them together. But this book seemed to show them in even more depth. Without giving too much away, my favourite scenes were THE FIGHT, where (for once) Roarke stands up for himself and doesn't let (Darling) Eve bully him. The scene was heartwrenching, funny ("neurotic snits") and sexy. The explosion scene was gripping, the raspberries on the bed scene was howlingly funny and the car speed chase took my breath away. Read every book in the series! In order! Get to know Eve and Roarke slowly. You won't regret it. They never fail to satisfy. I'm on to the next one - Holiday in Death.(P.S. They are quite gory, so be prepared. Skip over the really yucky parts.)

In Ceremony in Death, Dallas is investigating a fellow officer who has died, to determine whether he was corrupt and whether his death was a homocide. This investigation get her involved with a satanic cult and a wiccan group. The Celtic aspects are the vehicle for Roarke's involvement this time. (In every story there's something that brings Roarke into the picture. Robb does a good job varying whether Roarke is a suspect, is involved with the suspect, or is just lending his knowledge.) The wiccan element also lets Robb broaden Peabody's character and makes Peabody more than just a trainee in this story.
The plot of "Ceremony" was not as complex as some of the other "In Death" series. We knew the villain was one of three characters, and one of those characters was obviously thrown in as a false lead. And if you've read any of Robb's series, you'd know not to assume that the obvious villain was the guilty one. In fact, I was disappointed that Dallas was thrown by the false lead. It doesn't follow her talent; she lectures Peapody in another book to not let herself form an opinion lest it cloud her judgment. Perhaps she's showing that Dallas sometimes fails to follow her own advice, but it was flimsy.
What I did like about this story was, Robb allowed us to see more of Dallas's feelings. Dallas takes a couple of potshots from close coworkers, and we get to see how deeply the comments hurt her - and we see how hard she works at keeping her emotions out of her cases. It's a good foundation for subsequent novels that keeps us from thinking Dallas is cold.
What I'm beginning to tire of are a couple of consistent details Robb throws in each book. They're getting old. Dallas's computer is always glitchy. Her car is always insulted as being a piece of junk. She always tries to keep Roarke out of her cases and he always insuniates himself in anyway. Dallas is perpetually snarly. Snarling at traffic, banging her fist on things. I get a visual picture of festering, grumpy person. There are just a few token moments of romantic and sappy feelings between Dallas and Roarke. I can't remember a single happy feeling. She begrudges every moment of leisure or personal activity - although Robb does make some of this come out humorously as insecurities on Dallas's part. She is absolutely consumed by her work and her identity as a cop. This is something that bothers me about Robb's novels as Nora Roberts. Her characters are *too* intense. I would expect a writer of Robb/Roberts's caliber to be able to make her characters different. Some should be less intense, with self doubts, etc. The last thing that is annoying - about all of Robb/Roberts's books, is the dialogue. Every character in every one of her novels has the same intense, no holds barred, balsy way of talking. Another area where she should make some variety. People don't all talk the same way.
Bottom line, an entertaining read. A different slant on crime - not so futuristic. If the little details I mentioned above don't bother you, you will enjoy reading the book. Just don't expect to be held in suspense until the last moment.

On the story: When a retired cop dies unexpectedly and with a suspicious toxin screen, Eve is asked to put her job before her loyalties. There are lots of smoke and mirrors but Eve must recognize what is real and what is fake before it is too late.
My reaction: This one tugged at my heart. Some of the actions were so grotesque and vivid. I just couldn't put this one down. The mystery is this one is more intriguing because we know the bad guys early on but just don't know how they managed to do the deed.
Roarke check-in: I imagine that Roarke was Rhett Butler in an earlier life.

Homicide detective Eve Dallas knew when she married her powerful
billionaire husband Roarke, that there were events in his past she would
rather not know about, especially his criminal activities. These acts
conflict with Eve's code of ethics as an honest homicide detective. When a
series of vicious murders involving torture and mutilation, occur, Eve
realizes that all the victims assisted Roarke on his personal quest for
vengeance. Eve faces the biggest crisis of her career and her marriage as
she is confronted with choosing between love or honor.

VENGEANCE IN DEATH is the kind of novel that readers expect from the
very talented J.D. Robb. The pace is fast, the action is explosive, and
the relationship between the hero and heroine fresh, red hot, and poignant.
This book is a keeper to treasure during times of stress.

Harriet Klausner

Has anyone else reached a point in this series where your sick of Eve's single minded ness with her job, wants and needs? Yes, the books murder case is wicked and interesting but I've personally had it not only with her treatment of her husband but the pain and in some cases death she causes others. Frankly this is the last book I care to read in the series because I just don't line Eve Dallas anymore. To cold. Too self-centered. Nora should have made her a better wife than just a good lay for Roarke. He deserves better.

Another enjoyable installment of the "In Death" series. The mystery was suspenseful and the growth in the relationship between Eve and Roark was satisfying.

Since I am reading these books in order and since I am interested in the relationship development, I am not sure how the book reads as an independent volume.

Riddle me this....
Starting the day off for Dallas is hard. Especially when the killer is a techno genius and a madman. Each riddle tells her where the next body will be but can she make it time?
And will she be able to get in time to save her husband Roarke from the past.
Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord.
Sometimes you have to go all the way to Ireland for a little push!
When Roarke faces his past, Dallas is with him every step of the way trying not to step on her own toes!

One of my favorites so far, because it delves into Roarke's mysterious history. When two men and one woman are brutally murdered, all of the clues lead Eve to Roarke's stuffy butler, Summerset, as the killer. But the victims and the prime suspect all share a common past... and secret... with Roarke. He may be a seductive multi-billionaire now, but the former criminal/vigilante is also married to a cop. Now, he's forced to return to the land of his brutal childhood and deal with a deadly secret that could threaten his relationship with the woman he loves. Eve is forced to weigh her feelings for the man she loves and her own sense of justice when his illegal past is revealed.

I didn't like the way Eve dealt with Peabody OR the male suspect Charles OR the wiccans---I didn't think her amends to Peabody were adequate after she went so far over the line....and I thought she needed to have a conversation with Charles after all that intensity; instead the book ends abruptly. Also, Eve came off as arrogant and contemptuous of the wiccans....usually her relentless intensity is balanced by her frailties so she reads as a wounded warrior. but I didn't feel that dynamic in this one...thought this one was pretty interesting, but those aspects left a sour taste. my least fav because of that letdown...I am glad I continued, though. I am reading these out of order, visiting the characters at different points, and this is really kind of interesting, usually I am pretty rigid about reading series in order.I have read about 2/3 of these, I think my favorite is New York to Dallas.

What can I really say beyond that this fits into an "In Death" fan's expectations. It's enjoyable as it really expands on Summerset's character, and you learn a bit more of Roarke's past, but other than that it is pretty much a run of the mill In Death book. It's nothing truly special, but it's an enjoyable weekend read - the mystery itself isn't overly complicated, and you know the motive, if not the exact perpetrator, early on, so there isn't a huge amount of suspense. It's a good read though, I'd recommend to any fan of the series.

I know this series has been around for a while, but I've just discovered it so I'm only on book 6. I like the steady pace of the books, they're suspenseful & they get you to try to figure out "who did it". With each book, you learn a little bit more about the main characters past lives & I think that keeps them from getting "stale". Overall, a great read.

I have read each book of the In Death series in order and WOW! did I enjoy this one more than all of the others since the first book. It is by far my favorite!!! I love Nora Roberts' writing style and the characters in this book, and I enjoy them even more with Susan Erickson reading them using inflections for each different character and the Irish accent for Roark. I can't wait to get to the next one, and the next one, and the next one, and I'm so glad that there are so many more to read!! I can't get enough!!!
singingahe

The exciting in Death" series, continues with Ceremony in Death. Eve Dallas is investigating the death of a fellow officer to determine whether he was corrupt or whether he was murdered. The investigation involves a Satanist group and a group called the Wiccan. Roarke shows his Celtic / Irish roots more clearly as both he and Peabody know more about the Wiccan’s then eve. Peabody is really coming to be a real asset to Eve and a very interesting character in this series. Roarke gets involved in the investigation against Eve’s wish of course! This is really an excellent series. If you are a new reader start with Naked in Death at the beginning of the series you will be delighted! I recommend this book and the entire series!!

This is a general review of all the books in this series, not this particular book. I enjoy the series greatly, even though there are remnants of the days when the author was primarily a writer of romantic novels (the heroine's husband is impossibly rich and handsome, and the sexual encounters between them are always overwhelmingly passionate), and some of the dialogue between the heroine and her husband is too predictable. But generally the dialogue, especially with the supporting characters, is realistic and fun, and all the main and supporting characters have depth and very distinct personalities. I'd enjoy spending an evening or working with these people, not just the heroine and her husband, but also her friends and co-workers, and so I enjoy reading about them. The crimes are sometimes pretty gruesome, often with a sexual aspect, and the killers generally psychopaths - these are NOT cozy mysteries. The horrific childhood of the heroine is a major element in the books. Mostly, the plots have been pretty good, not too repetitive or predictable, though I read this series for the characters and not the plots. A good read, if you don't mind the gruesome parts.

This 6th. book of the series deals with Roarke's past, that we so far had only glimmers of. Including the why & how of Sommerset's importance to Roarke. Vengeance has come to call, Eve must protect this man she loves from an Evil seeded in his past. She struggles to protect the targets of this cryptic killer, as each one down is a step closer to Roarke's death. The love between Eve & Roarke is blooming & taking on a full quality, that us pitiful beings can envy. Fast, Furious action, witty, gritty dialogue. Loved every page turning minute of it.

This is a fantastic series with a great blend of suspense, romance and just a sprinkle of sci-fi. "Ceremony in Death" is a disappointment, however, when compared with the other books in the series. It's really heavy on the cult and lacking the page-turning who-done-it suspense so characteristic in Robb's other novels. You do learn more about Peobody, however, and the humorous banter between her an Eve (as well as Eve and Roarke) make it worth the read.
If you are disappointed with this book don't give up on the series. The next book, "Vengeance in Death", is the best one yet!

I have read and kept every Nora Roberts aka JD Robb. I am just finishing up her newest and am loving every minute. She can't write them fast enough for me. If you like romance, complicated characters, humor, fast pace action and don't mind some violence, buy and read. Her story lines are always amazing and having the same characters, Eve, Roake, Peabody, McNab, etc., just makes the reading more fun. Roberts does'nt just write about a new murder, but she works hard to have her characters grow with each book. You and they understand more about them. I hope she continues to write as Nora Roberts and JD Robb for a long time.

The thing I like about Eve Dallas is that she's always learning. In her youth, life taught her some very hard lessons. Now life is teaching her to chip away that hard exterior, rid herself of preconceptions and become not only a better cop but a better PERSON.

This story goes a long way toward the aim of character development. It's a great tale and very suspenseful. I have to say I didn't see the ending coming. I am good about predicting a story's end. I fell far short of being able to predict this one. A GREAT JOB!

A bit gruesome, but good detail on the family of the murdered policeman and good development of Peabody, Eve's assistant. Some readers might want more action on the personal relationship between Eve and Roarke, but I'm not ready to turn Eve from detective (the main thrust of the series, as I see it)to rich stay-at-home mom. If the relationship goes too fast, the series will have to end because there will be no place for the romance to go. I only wish that the homicides could be more mentally challenging and less outrageously bloody

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Heidi

Ceremony in Death is the fifth book in Nora Robert's popular In Death series that's written under her pseudo name, J.D. Robb. The series centers around police lieutenant Eve Dallas and all the people in her life, including her co-workers, best friend and rich husband.

Death is always all around Dallas and this book is no different. Ceremony in Death starts out with Eve at a funeral for a fellow police officer, Frank, who appears to have died from natural causes. Everything seems fine--or at least as fine as they can be for a funeral--until Frank's granddaughter, Alice, secretly passes Eve a note that asks her to meet her...oh yeah and that Eve's life is in danger now.

Eve does go to meet Alice at the specified place and time, where Alice confides in Eve that Frank was murdered. Alice tells her that she dabbled into Satanism in a local cult led by Selina Cross and decided to leave the cult after walking in on a ritual killing of a child. She lived in fear after that until she finally told her grandfather everything. He was checking into Selina when he mysteriously died.

Later that night, Alice runs out in the middle of the road and is hit by a taxi that couldn't swerve in time.

Every time Eve thinks she has the answers in this case and the proof she needs to put Cross away, the person that has given the answers or is about to come forward with information dies brutally. The victims are being carved up with an athame (ceremonial knife) that is left at the scene. One of the deceased was even left right outside the wall of Eve's home and even Roarke is on edge worrying for Eve's safety.

I thought this was a decent book, it wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. It kept you interested even if you did feel you knew who the killer was. In fact, I thought it was strange that it was made so obvious. But even being a bit predictable, it was still good.

And boy oh boy Roarke was a horny little guy in this installment!! It seemed like every scene with him in it he was trying and succeeding to initiate sex with Eve. Oh honey you look exhausted I think you need to have some sex to make you feel better. I normally don't mind, it just didn't feel that Roarke had much other purpose in this novel and I felt he could have brought so much more to the story then what he did.

This book touches a lot on Wicca and Satanism and the differences between the two and the ceremonies that each has. I'm not sure how the descriptions and rituals in this book stack up to the occult in real life as I have no experience with them although I think every place I've read or watched on Wicca has had them saying "blessed be" a lot as they do in this book as well.

This book was a bit different from the others and it wasn't as exciting as some, but it was still a solid read and worth the time. And I'm sure the subsequent books will build off of things that have happened in this installment of the series.

This review and more at openbooksociety dot com

Old stories written by dead authors, new stories written by authors still alive, can be just as good to read today as they were when written. Reading about Regency England is my favorite time period to enjoy. I picked this story because the author's style of storytelling matches my reading interest level. A complicated plot and storyline to challenge me as I read.

I think this is my third time through this series and it is more exciting each time I read it. I've wondered why Eve Dallas isn't on tv, but when you look at the show Bones and how they changed Temperance"s character, I wouldn't want Eve changed that drastically. Reading Eve`s adventures are a joy.

Even though I have read books 17.5-29, I am finding the books in the beginning of the series. Every time I read a book whether it is a new release or one from the beginning, I always feel like I am in New York right along side of Eve watching whats happening. I love this series.

J. D. Robb does it again! This is the sixth in the Eve Dallas and Roarke series and is even better than the previous books. You really get into Roarke's past and what makes him tick. The relationship between Eve and Roarke is stronger and their love scenes are hotter and fresher than ever. This puts to rest the long held theory in the romance genre that once the hero and heroin get together they are boring. Eve and Roarke are anything but!

Ree-Views

Another winner in the "...IN DEATH" series, CEREMONY IN DEATH finds Eve Dallas dealing with things that mere science can't explain. Although Dallas believes that evil comes in the form of men, you'll get a little surprise when you find out exactly how other characters from the series, including Roarke and Dr. Mira, feel about it.

Another great read, with high emotion, action, suspense, and romance.

This is an awesome series!

Picked up one of this series in a half priced book store and have been hooked ever since. This author knows her craft and is a master at drawing the reader into the story. I find myself having conversations with the characters as I read. Each book is great on on its own but when read in sequence the characters just come to life. Ready for the next one.

The story line is involved, developed beautifully, and is well written. Roarke and Eve's respective characters, along with Peabody and McNab's, shows and grows more and more as the series evolves. I wish that J.D.Robb wrote more books in this series and that the local library carried more of this series. Maybe she should publish them in hardback as well to make it easier to gain access to the book. I LOVE ALL OF THE BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is 2058 A.D. and New York police Lieutenant Eve Dallas has given
little or no thought to forces that defy basic twenty-first century physics.
Her spouse Roarke, a powerful multi-billionaire, has enough Irish blood in
him to take the old ways very seriously. A police officer dies from what
appears to be natural causes. However, an autopsy reveals that there are
illegal drugs in his system. Eve is assigned to investigate whether her peer
turned.
...... At the dead officer's funeral, his granddaughter, Alice, arranges a
clandestine meeting with Eve to discuss her relative's death. Alice informs
Eve that she was part of a satanic cult until she witnessed a ritual killing
of a child. She told her grandfather what she saw and now believes that the
cult members killed him using magic. Later that evening, a hysterical Alice
is killed by a car. Eve blames the cult for her death and vows to destroy
them. However, evil is very strong and Eve, with Roarke's unflappable
assistance, finds herself locked in to the age old battle between the light
and the dark, with the outcome very much in doubt.
..... J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) latest offering, CEREMONY IN DEATH,is a very
good work of romantic suspense, but it seems as if the author went to the
well once too many times. There is little new ground, and though the novel
would be exceptional as a first entry or a stand alone, readers who have
faithfully followed the ongoing futuristic mystery series will be
disappointed that there is nothing fresh about the lives of the lead
protagonists. For those who have not tasted this series before, this is a
great tale.

......Harriet Klausner

Ah, this book brought out the Celtic in me, also Roarke showed His Celtic/Irish roots a little more fully. Officer Peabody has turned into a real asset & a down right interesting person. Much more of her background was reveled, she is a perfect foil for Eve's intense nature. I'm still so enjoying the play between Eve & Roarke,,, sexy, witty interesting couple. Wonderful fast paced, didn't see the end coming at all!

I really enjoy this series a great deal. Eve and Roarke are two of the most intriguing people I have read about in a long time. I have read several reviews on this book. One problem I've heard mentioned is one that involves Eve's superiors believing her take on the reason for the killer going after Roarke. I don't think they believed for a moment that Roarke wasn't involved in the murders years before. But, they are willing to accept Eve's explanation because of the circumstances of the girl's death, and their faith in her. I think this installment gives us a view of what formed Roarke...his loyalty and his need to comfort. Not to mention why he keeps Summerset around. The love between these two charactors is nice to read. They are devoted to each other. Roarke is slowly teaching Eve to allow herself to love, trust and believe in another person. Her prickly, stubborn veneer is a shield to protect herself. But, she is finding it harder and harder to hide behind it with him. Because of that, she is also allowing others into her circle...Peobody, Feeney, Mavis, Mira, Nadine..even McNab. I highly recommend this series. I've read them all, and can't wait for the next one.

Vengeance in Death, there is a series of brutal murders involving torment and mutilation. Eve discovers that all the victims had assisted Roarke in his quest for vengeance for the murder of Somerset's daughter back in Ireland years ago.. Somerset, Roarke's butler has been jointly for many years coming to America together from Ireland. Roarke feels he partly responsible for the death of Somerset's daughter even though Somerset doesn't feel this way. The murderer sends Eve riddles before each murder. And she persecutes over each riddle believing that if she can solve the riddle in time she might prevent the murder from happening. Somerset's is really developed in this book as he is framed and made to look like the murderer. This was the best in this series yet. This series offers a perfect blend of suspense, romance. It is fast paced and full of action. I recommend this series to everybody. You won't be disappointed but start with the first book!

Another superior story told by a master. Eve Dallas is a remarkable heroine, and this series never fails to entertain. Murder, sex, and suspense make this a very good book to sit down with over a cup of coffee - with a little bit of the Irish to maintain the mood!

Please read this series in order. Although it is possible to read any one of the titles in this series independently, the reader will miss out on both individual character develpment as well as the development of the relationships amongst the key players.

Eve's black and white view of right & wrong; justice & injustice are challenged by this case. Someone is trying to frame Eve's least favorite person, Sommerset for a series of murders of old Ireland connections. How Roarke and Sommerset are connected to these people and how Eve reacts to these relationships mark the first true challenge of the impact or Roarke's former life on his marriage.

The management of relationships are a key theme in this title. Robb deepens the relationship between Nadine and Eve as they both learn that " a softened heart can not hold anger". Eve and Sommerset reach a new level of understanding of each other and the lengths Eve will go to to protect Sommerset because of her duty and love for Roarke.

A must read for any JD Robb fan.

The past always comes back to haunt you.... those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Luckily, both Roarke and Eve have learned from their checkered pasts.

When a mad man decides to punish Roarke for the sins of his youth, Eve becomes a pawn in a game of cat and mouse...but is Eve the pawn or is Roarke? To answer that question, Eve must hunt down a criminal as merciless as the devil himself.... Vengeance is the game. Death is the solution.

Excellent book, suspenseful, another great book with Roarke, Eve and her sidekicks. The humor of Peabody is great in such a heavy plot. Can't wait for each book to see where Ms. Robb will take the cast next.

I just discovered this series a couple of months ago. Enjoyed the first book so much that I have since read five more and have three more ready to go on my kindle. Really like the characters and it is well written, I'm hooked.

Like all of the novels of J.D.Robb, this one is quick moving and filled with fascinating characters, hot sex and suspense. The reoccurring characters are like old friends and the mystery and intrigue never fail to please.

Ceremony in Death is a wonderful addition to the "Death" series. It was an interesting concept to still have "Cults" in the 21st century. I have 2 more books to go in the series, I hope JD Robb will continue to write more. It would be nice to see Eve and Roarke with a child. They would give it all the love that they lacked in their childhood.

As with all the 'In death' series an enjoyable read. But there is one matter, which makes J D Robb's picture of the future rather confusing. It is a petty point but one which nags. What are the units used? Sometimes they are metres and centimetres, sometimes feet and inches. Only in temperature is there consistency, all in Fahrenheit, though surely by the middle of the next century, when there is some form of world government in place the move to metric measurements would have been complete. Then what is the currency? Sometimes dollars, sometimes that classic SF standby credits. Minor points but they jar when reading. Otherwise a great read, and a believable continuing love affair between Eve and Rorke

Its a well written book, and the case keeps you guessing, because it's JD Robb, and I don't think she's ever written a bad book. However, I wasn't a fan of the actual subject matter. It deals with Satanism/ Wicca. Also (SPOILER/TRIGGER WARNING) Eve almost ends up being raped in the book, which is difficult to read. All in all, I skip this book when I reread the series, as it doesn't further the Roarke/Eve storyline, and there are no new people introduced.