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In Death #44

Echoes in Death

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This chilling new suspense novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author J.D. Robb is the perfect entry point into the compelling In Death police procedural series featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

As NY Lt. Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband Roarke are driving home, a young woman—dazed, naked, and bloody—suddenly stumbles out in front of their car. Roarke slams on the brakes and Eve springs into action.

Daphne Strazza is rushed to the ER, but it’s too late for her husband Dr. Anthony Strazza. A brilliant orthopedic surgeon, he now lies dead amid the wreckage of his obsessively organized town house, his three safes opened and emptied. Daphne would be a valuable witness, but in her terror and shock the only description of the perp she can offer is repeatedly calling him “the devil”...

While it emerges that Dr. Strazza was cold, controlling, and widely disliked, this is one case where the evidence doesn’t point to the spouse. So Eve and her team must get started on the legwork, interviewing everyone from dinner-party guests to professional colleagues to caterers, in a desperate race to answer some crucial questions:

What does the devil look like? And where will he show up next?

371 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2017

2519 people are currently reading
9574 people want to read

About the author

J.D. Robb

177 books35.2k followers
J.D. Robb is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series and the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. The futuristic suspense series stars Eve Dallas, a New York City police lieutenant with a dark past. Initially conceived as a trilogy, readers clamored for more of Eve and the mysterious Roarke. Stolen in Death (St. Martin's Press, February 2026) will be the 62nd entry in the series.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,002 reviews
Profile Image for Phrynne.
4,032 reviews2,727 followers
July 6, 2020
Another few wonderful hours spent in my happy place with Eve and Rourke and the rest of the gang. So good!
J.D. Robb took a slightly different angle this time and served up more of a procedural than usual. The whole book concentrated on one crime and we witnessed lots of police work as they tried to identify the killer. I liked that Eve appeared to have a very correct personal view of who was guilty but did not share it with the others, and therefore did not influence the investigation. At the end ,when she is sure, she produces a very accurate synopsis of exactly what went down.
There are the usual wonderful Eve moments that we all wait for - her feelings about cows, her mixing up of names (Edison, Oedipus, platypus, what's the difference!), her delightful banter with Peabody and of course with Roarke.
All good:)
(How long until the next one????)

REREAD 3rd July 2020
And it is still just as good and still worth five stars. I remembered the naked woman in the blizzard and I recognised the murderer was as soon as he appeared (must have been my subconscious working there though). None of this spoiled the book for me at all because the real pleasure of all the In Death novels is the characters.

This case was extra disturbing for Eve as it had aspects which reminded her of her own early life but Roarke was always there to support her. Peabody, Summerset and Galahad provided the humour, and I loved the descriptions of Roarke's mini palace sparkling in the snow. I actually hate snow just like Eve does but it is nice to look at outside when you are warm inside.

This was a very rewarding return to an excellent book.
Profile Image for Celeste.
1,221 reviews2,547 followers
February 16, 2017
Full review now posted!

Or, why I love pretty much everything Nora Roberts writes under any name.

As some of you know, Nora Roberts is my comfort read. I would almost label her a guilty pleasure read because her books are so outside my norm, but I can’t feel any guilt for loving her books. Here’s why.

Anything Nora writes, whether under her own name or under the pseudonym of J.D. Robb, is a romance at its core. Is it a contemporary standalone? Definitely a romance. Is it a fantasy trilogy, where are group of friends become family and have to save the world from destruction? It might be, but it’s a love story, first and foremost. Is it a futuristic saga, detailing the life and career of a Homicide cop in the last half of the 21st century? Be that as it may, trust me when I tell you that romance is still the backbone of the story, even 44 books later. But while Nora writes romance, what makes that romance so successful is her emphasis on all relationships. The romance isn’t what draws me back to her books again and again, though I like a good romance as much as the next girl. What brings me back to Nora on such a frequent basis is her take on family. Family doesn’t end in blood, as one of my fandoms put it. Friends are just the family you choose. The relationships in her books, whether romantic or platonic, whether between mother and child or man and dog or childhood best friends or business partners turned buddies, are so well fleshed-out and realistic to me.

Now we come to the book I’m supposed to be reviewing. Nora, as J.D. Robb, did a wonderful job with this 44th book following the life of New York murder cop Even Dallas in the year 2061. As always, the content was a bit hard to stomach because, you know, murder. But this book was especially hard for me to read, as it was an attack on happily married couples, and I happen to be half of one of those. Also, rape and sexual abuse in any form are just really hard for me to read about, as I know they are for most people. But it’s handled very well here by our protagonist. Without giving much away, Eve has a history of such abuse in her past that she still struggles with. But, throughout the almost four dozen books chronicling her life, she has grown tremendously. Where she once suppressed her memories and refused to let anyone in, now she has a tremendous support system of friends and adopted family and, of course, Roarke. She no longer bottles everything up, but has learned to share her pain and grow past it. It’s this growth that shown brightly in the midst of the dark subject matter. Nora makes the victims so real, but she also does a fantastic job showing that life is about light, and that good wins out in the end. That good might be battered and bruised by that end, but it still wins.

I can’t rate any book in this series, or even most by Nora outside of this series, very objectively. I’m attached to the characters, to Eve and Roarke, Peabody and McNab, Mira and Mr. Mira, Mavis and Leonardo and Bella, and so many more. After 44 books, they feel like family. And I’m also attached to Nora’s writing style and her ability to craft stories where relationships are always the focus. Because relationships should be the focus of life, right?

For more of reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings
Profile Image for Brenda.
5,074 reviews3,012 followers
February 6, 2017
It's 2 am in New York city and Lieutenant Eve Dallas and husband Roarke were on their way home from a “do”. The February roads were icy, it was bitterly cold and Eve was more than ready to get out of her “finery” which included the dreaded heels. Suddenly Roarke slammed on the brakes – the naked young woman who staggered onto the road in front of them was covered in blood. The traumatised woman’s name was Daphne Strazza and her attacker was the devil…

As Eve dug deeply she discovered an unsettling trend. And Daphne’s attack wasn’t the first. With Peabody and the rest of her team by their side, Eve and Roarke knew the clock was ticking and if they didn’t discover who the evil perpetrator was quickly, he would most definitely strike again.

Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb was delicious! Loved it, tried not to devour it so I could savour it but now it’s finished and I have to wait for the next :( Dotted with laugh out loud humour, I love Eve’s dry wit and snarky comments! I really enjoy the interaction between the characters; each and every one of them is perfect! Brilliant and highly recommended!

With thanks to Hachette Australia for my copy to read and review.
Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,684 followers
September 29, 2017
I love this series. I want an Autochef to cook my meals, my car to fly, a robot maid, and - especially - a Roarke.



Yes, I knew who the killer was the moment we met him. I even knew the little "twist" at the end thingy from the start, but that's not the point of this series. It's the journey. It's the relationships. It's the characters we have known and loved forever.

Plus, you always know there will be at least one more murder somewhere along the line.



The only drawback, to me, was that the murders included rape in this one. I'm not a fan. Yes, I doubt there are many fans, but I just wanted to make my stance on this issue clear. I would much rather have bloodier and more murders than any rape. There are so many ways to kill a person that an author should never run out of ideas.



Another thing I would like to see more of is some development in the side characters - especially Peabody and McNab. Their relationship came together during this series, but now we hardly see any interaction between them. At least have them talk to each other a few times!

But, please, no more Mavis! She is a simple a one-dimensional characterization at this point. Absolutely nothing but the exact same thing every time.

Unless she gets killed off. I could handle that. It would certainly add a little pizzazz to the series!



Roarke and Eve do have a relationship that develops and grows. I love their interaction and finally feel like Eve might deserve him. Sometimes. But, then she says something stupid, like calling an Oedipus Complex an "Edison" Complex, or asking where Sierra Leone is, and I get annoyed. Maybe it's me. All of my internet friends are readers and all of my IRL friends are involved in education in some way. Whenever Eve spouts off something ignorant, I feel like it diminishes her badassery in other areas.


And, that would be an interesting murder! Two birds, one stone.

Then there was the incident where she was on her way out, in a snowstorm, and Roarke hands her a few bucks so she doesn't have to stop at the ATM and she freaks out about taking money from him. Bitch, please! He's being thoughtful, PLUS, you've been married for years now. Get the hell over it!

Aaannnd now I'm back to thinking she isn't good enough for him.

He deserves me. I would totally take his money. That's the perfect kind of wife that I am. Ask my current husband.


True story.
Profile Image for Obsidian.
3,230 reviews1,146 followers
September 6, 2018
Well I don't know what to really say except that I found this whole book except for a couple places to be extremely disappointing. I really do think that it would be better if this series either ends soon or does a jump forward in time or we follow another person to take up the "In Death" mantle like Nikki Swisher from the "Survivor in Death" book which was# 24.

That gets me on another topic can you believe it's been a year since the timeline from that book to this book which is #44 in the "In Death series". I sometimes just want to grab my hair and despair because besides the continuity issues long time readers have noted, it's unreal to have Eve investigating this many serial murders and rapists in a year.

I don't know what else can be done at this point to make the series at least for me more gripping. I still read these (I try to always borrow from the library now these are no longer auto buys for me) and I know that you're probably all wondering why do I still read these books and my answer is because I have such affection and love of the first couple of books (I was really happy with the series until around Thankless in Death) and I keep hoping for a return to what made these books an always buy for me.

One of my really good friends loves to read the series still and she's another reason that I still keep reading cause she loves having somebody to discuss it with. However, even she's now starting to see problems with things based on the last few books and she really disliked this book as well.

"Echoes in Death" deals with a serial rapist one of many that appears to live in New York City. Eve and Roarke are back from a couple days away to one of the private islands that Roarke owns and she's feeling rejuvenated after the last couple of cases that occurred over Christmas and New Years (see other reviews). As they're driving home a naked woman who is bloody and beaten wanders into their path and just like that Eve now has another case to investigate.

I really wish that this book had just stayed away from Eve and the need to check up on her every 5 seconds looking at you Dr. Mira and Rourke. At this point I don't know why anybody let's Eve out of the house since she only seems to drink a lot of coffee, get headaches, feel stressed and forgets to eat or is too sick to eat unless Roarke is there to force food on her. At this point I loathe reading any cases dealing with rape because it's a paint by numbers for Robb at this point. The only time that I saw the older version of Eve I would have to say is when she's interviewing. Robb can still when she wants to develop characters we are never going to see again but I found myself more interested in the victims in this one than any of our main and recurring characters.

Roarke barely has anything to do in this one, not that I mind because it still irks me to this day that he's even involved with many of these cases. I don't really get the whole he's an expert consultant thing. I'm still wondering why no defendant has ever in trial accused her husband of planting evidence due to his money and wealth. That would be if an interesting "In Death" book if Roarke's ties end up compromising a case. That be an interesting dynamic to bring to the relationship. But we don't get that here. We have Roarke helping run lists, pick out Eve's clothes, feed her, and they have I recall three romantic scenes. Other than that, not much here.

Peabody irked the life out of me in this book. I found the whole trajectory of her character in the last couple of books to become seriously ridiculous and more unprofessional by the day. Due to Eve being really dressed up for a night out with Rourke where they decide to go to the victim's home instead of Eve calling it in and going home to change, she instead has Peabody bring her a change of clothes. Peabody then keep talking forever about sexy and hot Eve looks dressed up and loses it over her shoes. Don't even get me started on her talking about trying to protect Eve's shoes with maybe stealing a shoe bag from the victim's home. And by the way Peabody's talking about this while a dead body is sitting right next to them and has the nerve to say well it's not like he's going to care. And at this point she realizes that the victim's wife, the same one who Eve and Roarke almost ran into earlier is beaten and raped in the hospital. I'm starting to think Peabody is a sociopath or just clueless, I'll go with either one of those guesses. And then it even hurts me more when they go to interview people later on and Peabody sits down and gets her face made up. I just I don't even know why Eve puts up with her at this point because I don't see Peabody bring anything to their partnership. She goes between acting like an even more useless Watson, to just being a comic foil at times and she's not even funny. She's merely there to heap praise upon Eve and soak up the fact that Eve gets special treatment every place that they go because she's Roarke's wife. Old Eve would have slapped the taste out of Peabody's mouth for even going around being happy about them having VIP access. This Eve ignores it.

I'm also very disappointed with the fact that unless Dr. Mira is taking front and center in the story she's pretty much become useless. She is now Eve's Greek chorus merely telling Eve things that she already figured out for herself. At this point I don't even know why she goes and talks to Dr. Mira except for Dr Mira to sit there and cluck and coo over Eve and wonder how the case is affecting her emotions.

Everybody else puts in a minor cameo appearance (McNabb, Feeney, True heart, and Baxter) we either hear about them (such as Mavis and Nadine) or they're not mentioned at all (Louise and Charles). And some other readers even pointed out the fact that Robb made a huge boo boo in this one and she does and I won't spoil it too much for you but when you read about the serial killer and how he was able to pick his victims there's no way that Louise and Charles would not have been on this great list that Eva's talking about. Eve once again is frantic and scared that something could happen to Dr. Mira or Mavis and I rolled my eyes.

The writing in this one was very repetitive. I think that you can just take pieces or prior books and you're going to get the same interaction and dialogue among Eve and other characters that we're used to. You know you're going to get Eve saying something that's a cliché or phrase wrong and somebody's going to correct her. You know that Galahad's going to come and probably pass out or rub up against her as she falls asleep bonelessly into bed. You know that she's going to say something like got it in one to someone or someone will say it to her. You know Eve is going to talk about baseball and give some amazing stat to Roarke. You know that Eve and Roarke will have a fight (they almost had a fight in this one thank God we were spared having to read about it). You know Roarke is going to talk about the button that he got off of Eve's jacket. You know that Peabody is going to go on and on about how heavy and fat she is. One new thing and I hope to God we don't read about it anymore is that Eve and Roarke's bedroom has been redecorated as well as Eve's office. So I hope you have fun reading about that because I was seriously annoyed. You know that somehow Eve going to compare herself to a really hot woman and talk about how Roarke made a bad choice. At this point it's like you know what's going to happen so it's just better to borrow these books from the library if you really feel the need to continue just to see if anything interesting happens.

The flow was really bad on this one and I do think it's because honestly I even figured out the fact that there seem to be two cases happening here at once. With the initial statement from the victim and the crime there are a lot of holes there. And I have to also say I totally figured out who the killer was because you literally only meet one person this whole book that could actually fit who did this. And it doesn't even make sense because the guy seems to be pretty well-known and or has a recognizable face and when you find out about his attempts to harass the women that he's potentially going to rape later I don't understand how nobody recognized him. Don't even get me started on this whole back story dealing with why this guy became a serial rapist and murderer. There were too many flags for me and I just found myself getting more and more annoyed. To see how he is in public and in all of a sudden he's in an interrogation room and turns into a woman hating man and women are just whores just totally threw me for a loop. I think at this point Robb just wanted to end the book and get to the next scene where she I think thought she was going for a little twist, but once again like I said I saw that one coming and I called crap on it because I don't think Eve has the authority to do what she did it all.

The setting in this one of course is in New York City but it's in New York City during a blizzard. Robb has a really good opportunity to showcase how technology fits into this new world and they even have you talking about having hologram interviews and then of course that gets thrown out the window with Eve deciding to go into work and driving an all-terrain vehicle. I felt really disappointed with that and other dropped threads in this book, like with Eve not talking to one of the victim's first wife, with Eve not talking to the victim's parents, with Eve not even checking in to make sure that after she asked Roarke to look into the Mira's at home security to see if and what he would recommend that they have upgraded to fix. Also can I say that I got really bored with the fact that we were just reading for pages and pages about how Roarke, Peabody, and Eve just going through list of potential victims and how apparently this was so draining to have to do this and move them to potential victims. I still don't understand what they were doing and I was at a loss. It feels like it's just filler at this point.

And of course "Echoes in Death" is pretty much linking Eve's rape by her father as a child and her subsequent killing of him to these cases was a huge reach. This case is not at all what happened to Eve and I just hate as I said earlier anything that deals with rape it ends up being traumatic for Eve and she thinks about everything that happened to her. That's not to say that you shouldn't think about it or not have any emotions about it or still need to talk about it but either she needs to get into one-on-one therapy with Dr. Mira and not investigate anymore.
Profile Image for Mo.
1,404 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2018
I started 2017 reading Book TWELVE in the In Death series. I finished/started 2017/2018 reading Book FORTY FOUR!! How is that even possible? LOL. Were they all good? Yes. Did I love them all? YES! Do I still love Eve and Roarke? YES, YES AND FUCKING YES!

What is that - 32 books of the same series in one year. Sad, but true.

I honestly don't know how she keeps churning out good books year after year. They are not stale. The characters are still interesting and intriguing. Roarke, a good guy (you know me, I usually prefer a total asshole) is fabulous. Eve is my heroine. I want to be her. And all the secondary characters are fantastic.


She caught a scent, yes, yes, the rich and funereal scent of lilies. Blood. Lilies and blood, surely that meant death.



Quite gruesome at times. The bad guy was a total fuckhead.

Put the past behind you - that's what people always said. But those people didn't get that the past was always behind you. Like a hound on the scent.



Snow makes some people crazier than they already are ...


That one is for you, Sharon. Hope you are surviving the snow.


"That's another echo for me. The first time I saw you - that was in a crowd too, the funeral of one of my dead. - it hit, and hard. I didn't like it one bit. It pissed me off, but it hit."

"On both sides. One look."

Without thinking, he slid a hand into his pocket, rubbed his fingers over the button he'd carried ever sine, one that had fallen off her truly ugly suit the day they'd met.


That fucking button!!!

Profile Image for Jonetta.
2,593 reviews1,325 followers
March 6, 2017
Eve and Roarke are on their way home from a fancy gala when they almost run into a young woman wandering dazed, naked and bloodied in the street. Sound familiar? It echoes of 8-year old Eve, nameless at the time in Dallas. As Eve begins her investigation, she uncovers a series of like assaults that are vicious and cruel, especially this last one that continues to remind her of what was done to her prior to liberation.

What I really liked about this story is seeing how much Eve is evolving, even in how she responds to crimes that evoke memories of her awful origins. She confronts the issues differently and more responsibly. The case is chilling and gnarly but it was fairly clear to me who the perpetrator might be even if the motive was unclear. As I'm a big fan of the procedural aspects of this series, I enjoyed sifting through and assembling the clues and profiles to arrive at deductions.

This was another solid addition to the series and I enjoyed the story. The continued focus on the dynamics of Eve's squad is another source of reading pleasure as we begin to know more of her team beyond Baxter, Trueheart and Peabody. I'm really liking how the series is evolving.
Profile Image for Shawna.
3,803 reviews4,732 followers
January 17, 2019
5 stars – Futuristic/Crime/Romantic Thriller/Mystery

44 books and still WOW! I love this amazing, phenomenal, prolific series!

Roarke is seriously the most swoonalicious hero, ever!

The gods, she decided, had opted to mix together all the best elements of warrior, poet, angel—the fallen variety to add some spice—and then deemed he’d love an unsociable, badass murder cop.

He could make her want simply by existing. There’d been no one else who could ever hold her heart with no more than a look, a word. He’d given her a life beyond survival, beyond even the badge that had been her world, and the symbol of that survival. He’d given her love when she hadn’t truly believed in it, had never felt worthy of it. And he’d made her believe, absolutely, she’d given him the same.

I cried when Roarke gave Eve the music box.

“It’ll remind me there’s room for the sweet. No matter what, there’s room, and you need to take it.” Gently she closed the lid. “And when I need the sweet, when you’re not right here for me to grab on to, I just have to open it.” “He didn’t break you,” Roarke said. “No, they didn’t break us. That’s why it fits in here. It’s why we fit in here. And the way we do, Roarke, the way we fit? Nothing’s ever going to break us.” Touched by her reaction, steadier in his own heart seeing the little box on her shelf, he smiled at her. “We are what we are, and what we’ve become together.”

And oh but I love how Roarke treasures that ugly gray button!

Without thinking, he slid a hand into his pocket, rubbed his fingers over the button he’d carried ever since, one that had fallen off her truly ugly suit the day they’d met.
Profile Image for Monnie.
1,624 reviews790 followers
February 13, 2017
It's almost impossible to believe that this is the 44th book in the series featuring Lt. Eve Dallas. And given that way too many authors of other series start falling off their game after the first half-dozen or so, it's great to know this one continues to be steady as she goes. I suppose an argument could be made that they've become a bit formulaic, but honestly, that works just fine for me. Eve, her gorgeous hunk of a filthy rich Irish rogue husband and her co-workers at the New York Police Department are like old friends to me by now, and my only real concern is that one of them may at some point become expendable.

But thankfully, not here. This one begins in March 2061 with a near collision of the car Roarke is driving (with Eve a passenger) and a bloody, quite naked young woman who runs into the street. Turns out she and her husband - he a well-known orthopedic surgeon - were brutally attacked during the night; the husband is dead and his wife nearly so.

Other than learning that the attacker was dressed like a devil and the dead husband was a control freak who at the very least browbeat his wife, virtually no clues turn up. Eve and her team begin to question guests and caterers at the dinner party the couple hosted earlier that evening, but those interviews aren't all that productive. Then, another couple is subjected to a similar fate - and suddenly, it appears a serial killer may be on a rampage. Can Eve, with the capable assistance of Roarke and her team, identify the culprit before he (or she) strikes again - perhaps closer to home? And throughout, the scenarios are reminiscent of horrors inflicted on Eve as a child, making it difficult for her to separate past and present and maintain her perspective as a police officer.

I'm also glad to see that Roarke, who seemed headed toward crossing the line from supportive to smothering in a few of the more recent books, has done a 360 in this (and the previous) installment. I know I'm not the only reviewer to point out the danger of heading in that direction, so my hope is that the author has listened. I do caution about swinging too far in the other direction, though; here, he seems almost apologetic when he gives Eve a gift or makes suggestions about what she might wear or eat. That's not his style at all, so there needs to be a happy medium.
Profile Image for Aure #SlavaUkrain  .
468 reviews99 followers
August 14, 2021


5 strong golden stars!

This is the 44th book in the series, not including the shorter stories. The 44th!! How about that! And still I cannot get enough of Eve and the people she work with. This character is one of my favorites. She is like a bad-ass female version of Bruce Willis in his movies lol.

Seriously, I love her and just can’t get enough of her. I am sad now that I haven’t reviewed all of these books as I read them, but I was seriously binge reading and couldn’t be bothered at that time to stop and write a review.

As with all longer series, some book are better than others and yet I feel like this series doesn’t have bad books. I loved all and every one of them. Of course some were closer to my heart than others, but every book is unique and just proves again and again what a wonderful writer Nora Roberts is <3

So this book got me guessing from the start. I’m a huge fan of detectives and for example in movies I pretty much can say from the start who did what and who’s responsible. And since I read all the previous books in this series, I was sure I could guess who the ‘bad guy’ here is. Lol... Yes I was sure I could tell. I know, funny. But once again dear Nora surprised me and I’m glad. This power she has keeps me coming back again and again, to read her books.

Absolutely loved this book and am very sad it ended and cannot wait for the next one to come!
If you haven’t started this series, maybe you’re intimidated by the number of books in it (I was), don’t be! The fact that it's is still going only shows that one, the story isn’t over, two the author still has something to add to the characters and three – demand for these books is high!
I highly recommend!

Peace,
A.

More reviews here:


Profile Image for Cyndi.
2,450 reviews124 followers
October 18, 2019
If you think these books would become predictable and boring because its the 44th in the series, you would be wrong. This book was thrilling and continued to move the characters along. Friendships are even tighter and love gets even deeper.
In this book Eve and Roarke are coming home from one of his soirees. She's dressed in a beautiful dress with killer heels, so of course its time for dead bodies. I still say Leonardo needs to design some more durable clothes and shoes. She could start a fashion trend; chic 'I walked through blood and guts' garb. Repels brain matter.
Anyway, they almost run over a beautiful naked woman covered in blood and in shock. As the story progresses this young woman's life begins to bring up echoes of Eve's life before she was 8, and crosses with her struggle to fit into Roarke's world of glamour.
Excellent book!! Robb/Nora at her best! 😁💕📖

P. S. My favorite book house has gone through some remodeling. Love the changes in their bedroom and her office!


Reread (probably will again) I’m catching up on the latest books in the series to prepare for Book #50, The Golden Book! Can’t wait!!!
Profile Image for Hulya Kara Yuksel.
1,095 reviews1,305 followers
March 10, 2019
I just love this series sooooo much! 😍😍😍

J.D.Robb, you're truly...
Profile Image for Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader.
2,785 reviews31.9k followers
January 20, 2020
Thank you for the gifted copy, St. Martin’s Press.

Echoes in Death was my first In Death read, and wow, was it ever a way to jump in. Exciting, entertaining, twisty, tense, almost like indulging in your favorite dessert, but in book form. I loved it.

Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Profile Image for Somia.
2,066 reviews169 followers
May 4, 2019
3.5 Stars

Another enjoyable read in the series, found myself happily reading, although I don’t think I’ll be re-reading this anytime soon. It was pretty clear who the villain was, once introduced to him, but still found myself liking the story as it unfolded. Roarke and Eve remain an ace duo both personally and professionally.

The monster/killer in this one enjoys dressing up in various guises such as the devil, as he enters the homes of a married couple, ties them up, beats them, and then rapes the wife as he stares at the bound husband, who is unable to do anything but plea for the monster to hurt him instead of his wife, pleas that fall on deaf ears. As this villain escalates and kills, the case lands in Eve and Peabody’s lap, and they won’t stop until they catch him and lock him up. The killer/rapist was an epic douche, arrogant and cocky, thinking his money would mean he wouldn’t see the inside of a jail cell. The good thing about this series is that the bad guys always get what they deserve one way or another.

I’m hoping for more development when it comes to secondary characters and their relationships, especially when it comes to Peabody and McNab.

Triggers:
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,397 reviews495 followers
March 22, 2024
Echoes in Death by J D Robb
In Death series #44. Futuristic police procedural. Best read as part of the series.
As NY Lt. Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are driving home one night, a young woman stumbles out in front of of their car. She’s dazed, naked, and bloody and Eve begins the police investigation. The victim’s husband is dead and there are clear signs beatings, rape and burglary. When a second couple is found in the same condition, Eve and her team must tie all the pieces together to find the perpetrator before he strikes again.

Fast moving and intense, Eve and her team plus Roarke as specialist, search buildings, financial statements and electronics to find a killer.
These last few books have been especially grim and bloody. It’s all described in third person, past tense, so the reader is not actually active in the scene, but Eve visualizes how the evidence shows what happened, and it can be ugly.
Secondary characters are recurring and add depth to the story continuity as well as a bit of levity with clothing or vocabulary choices.

I’m instantly drawn into this world over and over again. It never disappoints.
Profile Image for Mei.
1,897 reviews471 followers
September 7, 2017

That said, I enjoyed this one as much as all the others!
It’s still fresh after 44 book and that’s incredible!

On the sunnier side, let me share with you some fun moments, just to take my mind from seeking answer to what kind of punishment is the best for Kyle!!! :)

”Is Mira’s right, we’re looking for a schmuck with an Edison thing” (Eve)
“Edison? Like Thomas?” (Peabody)
“Who’s Edison Thomas?” (Eve)
“ I mean Thomas Edison. The inventor?” Peabody explained. “The lightbulb?”
“No, for Christ’s sake, this isn’t about lightbulbs. Like the sicko guy who married his own mother, then whined about it.”
After a moment’s confusion, Pebody’s own lightbulb went off. “That’s Oedipus. I’m pretty sure that’s Oedipus.”
“Edison, Oedipus, platypus. Whatever.”



”I want him in cage,” Pebody began as they walked to the car. “For the rest of his life. Then I want him reincarnated as a slug and put in a tiny box for the rest of that life. Then he can come back as a cockroach.”



A thing that doesn’t matter with the review, but I’ve always been curious about… Why people have a sitting area in their bedroom??? Bedroom is for sleeping, so it just needs a bed, bedside tables and a wardrobe or closed… Why there should be also armchairs, couch and table???

...but if somebody could explain it to me I’d be grateful!
Profile Image for GONZA.
7,428 reviews124 followers
February 7, 2017
After 44 books, this is one of the few series I'm pretty sure I will love forever. Eve and Roarke knows no limits and their stories are as cool as ever. J.D.Robb (aka Nora Roberts) please tell me your secret!!!!

Dopo 44 libri questa resta una delle serie di cui ancora aspetto con ansia il prossimo volume e sono quasi certa che non smetterá mai di piacermi. Eve e Roarke sono sempre i migliori e le loro storie le piú belle di sempre. J.D.Robb (ovvero Nora Roberts) per favore svelami il tuo segreto!!!

THANKS TO PIATKUS PRESS FOR THE PREVIEW!
Profile Image for Billie.
930 reviews97 followers
December 12, 2016
"This guy went to clown school. Why is there a school for clowns? Why are there clowns?"

"Someone has to make 'em laugh."

She slid her gaze to his face. "Seriously?"

He shrugged. "While some fear the clown, many more are vastly entertained."

"This guy supplements his income in food services by dressing up in weird getups for parties and benefits. Or his income in food services supplements his clown gigs. Hard to tell. But there you have makeup and costumes and a propensity to scare the shit out of people."

"Some people."

Sincerely shocked, she gaped at him. "You like clowns?"

"'Like' is a strong word in this context." He helped himself to her coffee. "I assume the clown goes on the suspect list."

"You bet your ass."
Profile Image for Julia.
317 reviews44 followers
August 28, 2024
NYSPD LT Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke are driving home from a social event when a naked and beaten women runs in front of her car.
Daphne Strazza is taken to the hospital, but her husband is killed in a home invasion attack. Daphne is in shock and can only describe the assailant as the devil.
It's up to Dallas, her team, and citizen consultant Roarke to solve this brutal crime .....

JD Robb has done it again. This particular crime brings back childhood memories for Eve and as someone who has been with the series from the beginning, we see how much Eve has grown since she's met Roarke.

I was able to figure out the perpetrator early on, but the epilogue blew me away - I did not see that one coming!
Profile Image for Shahram.
93 reviews10 followers
September 12, 2019
یک کارآگاه زن از پلیس نیویورک پرونده یک قاتل رو که به زنها پس از ضرب و شتم در حضور همسرشون تعرض میکنه رو پیگیری میکنه و...
کشش داستان خوبه ولی متن سخت و پر از اصطلاح های امروزیه، عکس توقع شما از یک داستان جنایی هیچ غافلگیری وجود نداره و از اواسط داستان به بعد همه چیز قابل پیش بینیه.
Profile Image for Allison Brennan.
Author 110 books5,279 followers
February 28, 2017
One of my favorite in the series. Definitely in the top 5.
Profile Image for Melissa.
428 reviews24 followers
March 5, 2017
1.5 stars, rounded up here on GR to 2 stars

Fast if frustrating read. I sense a coming end to the series by the end of this book, and I won't be sorry to see it end. This installment has the handiwork of ghostwriters written all over it - bad plotting, huge plot holes, and inconsistent characterization.

To begin - I don't want to read about the damn house renovations/redecorating for three books, yet there was so much written about how Eve and Roarke love the new rooms (his and her offices and the bedroom) and everyone who visit had to ooh and aah over paint color and new furniture. Boring.

The way Peabody was used in this book made it seem as if she never tested/made the rank of detective - she was Eve's office bitch more than partner. This has been happening a lot, and the detective we saw in Peabody in Treachery in Death is gone. She is now Eve's secretary....when not going on and on about her weight and appearances. She squealed in absolute delight seeing Eve in her fancy dress, make-up, and heels - AT THE FIRST CRIME SCENE. Also, all humor - the puns, the one-liners - Peabody was so good at was completely absent.

Peabody wasn't the only inconsistent character. Whoever is this softer, nicer, Eve needs to get the hell out of the In Death books so the hard ass, kick ass Eve can come back. Eve got sloppily mushy with Roarke several times in the book - it was gross and eye-rolling. And of course the crimes in this book has to somehow trigger Eve's feelings about her past, leading to scenes that are just repetitive 44 books into the series.

I am also tired of the crimes in the series - seems like the plot lines are ripped from Law & Order: SVU, just raping and brutalizing women and children. Of course the killer is a serial rapist and murder with Mommy issues (well, technically, Auntie issues). I didn't like that one point was made over and over again of the last victim being pregnant, as if her pain/injuries were more ugly and violent because she had a bun in the oven. One of the other victims was also a victim of domestic violence, at the hands of her now dead husband. Just constant cruelty directed at the female victims more so than the male victims.

There was a lot of grunt work to be done in the investigation of these crimes, without any leads or red herrings, which was boring to read. This went on for a little over 75% of the story, then WHAM!! - Eve has a brain fart and instantly knows in her gut who the killer is, writes a report that persuades APA Reo to get a warrant, and by the end of the chapter she has the entire case wrapped up. No bread crumbs to lead the reader, nothing that sticks out (I however, figured that guy had at least something to do with the murders as soon as he was introduced into the story). At one point, Eve comes to understand there will be another pair of victims before she can catch the bad guy; she has Roarke upgrade the Miras' security system even though they don't fit the victim profile. She contacts Mavis and finds the family in New LA, out of harm's way - yet Mavis/Leonardo/Bella also don't fit the victim profile. You know who does? Dr. Louise and Charles - yet Eve doesn't give them a moment's thought. BIG PLOT HOLE RIGHT THERE GHOSTWRITERS!

Also, this book comes just about a week or two after the last book in the timeline. So many murders in such a small period of time would burn out the most dedicated murder cop, and Eve is showing signs of burn out. Either give her captain bars and make her sit at a desk full time, or start spacing out these murders. The fact we readers are still about winter after several books is ridiculous.

Not as bad as Thankful in Death, but a damn close second place for worst in the series.
Profile Image for Diane.
677 reviews30 followers
November 17, 2017
Excellent read. J.D. Robb didn't disappoint.

Lots of Eve and Roarke alone time, some good bantering, and great detective work. I had an inkling in the back of my mind who the "devil" was, but there were some red herrings crossing my line of vision too. All in all, loved this book - thanks J.D. Robb

5 stars and 2 thumbs up!
Profile Image for Ann Lou.
571 reviews87 followers
October 9, 2017
I hope this series never ends. Seriously. Never is a long time but I really hope. I look forward to every new addition because I am sure this won't let me down. These characters are like family, the bullpen detectives as friends and the loyal Galahad as my pet. I freaking love (1 million times) this series.

So... to the story, we have a delusional, sociopathic, psychopatic killer who targets married couple who live in family homes. (no children). He beats and humiliates the men by raping their wives. But these attacks escalated to murders. It's a difficult read but the last victims (the female) made me cry. Arrogant bastard killer!

Never had a dull moment with this series. Yeah, it gets formulaic like the routine with Eve's job and all but who cares? I've been binge reading this which is not a good idea because I might find flaws and get burn out but the opposite happened. I am loving it more and more. I only have one more book to go (huhuhu) and have to wait for the next one next year *sigh*
Profile Image for Elvan.
696 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2017
Good solid addition to the In Death series. I may have guessed the perp early on but that is credit to JD herself for training us all on what clues to look for when hunting a killer. The ending was a pleasant surprise so that was a bonus. It is always nice reconnecting with the full ensemble of cops and friends. I liked how the title of this well paced novel fit in with Eve's past and that Roarke while protective of his wife was not smothering.
Profile Image for Jean.
1,815 reviews801 followers
February 18, 2017
This is book 44 in the Death Series. This story opens dramatically with Dallas and Roarke on the way home from a party when a bloody, naked, incoherent woman wanders into the street in front of their car. They rush her to the hospital and upon checking out her home find her husband murder in the bedroom and the home has been robbed. He turns out to be Anthony Strazza, M.D. a brilliant surgeon. As Dallas and Peabody investigate, they discover he was an abusive husband and a not so nice guy. They discover similar home invasion cases. Dallas and crew are on the trail. Dallas is enjoying her newly remodeled home office. In this story, we have less of the usual interesting characters. It is mainly the detective team and Charlotte Mira, M.D. I sort of missed the other characters. I do enjoy the antics of the cat Galahad.

The book is well written and the pace is fast. I have not grown tired or bored with the series yet. Maybe it is because Robb’s characters are so real and interesting. Reading the book is like a visit with old friends. I am looking forward to the next edition.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book was about fourteen hours long. Susan Ericksen does an excellent job narrating the series. Ericksen is an actress and a multi-award winning audiobook narrator.
Profile Image for Mara.
1,948 reviews4,322 followers
October 25, 2019
4.5 stars -- One of my favorites in the series based on the strength of the mystery, which was excellently paced and focused, with a very satisfying little zing at the end. I also absolutely loved a specific scene with Eve, Roarke, and a little music box. Overall, a hit for me
Profile Image for Carol Jones-Campbell.
2,025 reviews
May 26, 2020
5 strong golden stars!

Second Read: Wanted to read the book again and see what I may have missed. I feel like I missed something. Eve Dallas is one of my favorite characters. Even after 44 novels, I am still hooked. These characters feel like old friends and the investigations are always intriguing and sometimes even disturbing. I can’t wait to read more. But as much as the stories are captivating, it is the main characters themselves and the evolution of the relationships which keep me coming back time and time again.

We have seen over the last 44 books the emotional growth of Eve Dallas and the growing relationship between Eve and Roarke. This is somewhat reflected in the fact that recently they have redesigned their bedroom into a mutually reflective space as well as Eve’s home office into a more functional space that adds extra workstations for when Roarke assists or she and Peabody are working from the house. Eve’s home office used to be an exact copy of her old apartment and this change reflected the changes in Eve from the loner she was to the team player she is, whether with a task force put together for her cases or just herself and Roarke.

Echoes in Death was suppose to indicate an echo of Eve’s violent past and the pain suffered at the hands of her father, but I didn’t feel that imagery here as much as I have in prior books. I didn’t feel this case and the violence against the wife’s was anymore reflective of Eve’s past than we have seen before.

Eve and Roarke are dragged into a series of home robberies because one of the victims literally collapses in the street in front of their car. They get her to the hospital and after IDing her, they go back to her house and find her husband’s body. A search of like crimes eventually brings up a few other home invasions with similar circumstances which gives Eve a start on her investigation. They do indicate that three is the magic number for a pattern to be found in the crimes which is why most of her investigations will have at least three victims or attacks.

Maybe I have just read enough J.D. Robb books or thrillers in general, but I thought that in this book, Eve wasn’t focusing where she should and while elimination of all possible suspects is necessary, her illimination of the bad guys was excellently done. The final surprise ending that indeed that
I was absolutely shocked with the ending. Well written and excellently twisted.

First Read: This is the 44th book in the series, not including the shorter stories. The 44th!! How about that! I really love this series, and realize that not everyone would enjoy it as much as I do.

As with all longer series, some books are better than others and yet I feel like th 5 strong golden stars!

Second Read: Wanted to read the book again and see what I may have missed. I feel like I missed something. Eve Dallas is one of my favorite characters. Even after 44 novels, I am still hooked. These characters feel like old friends and the investigations are always intriguing and sometimes even disturbing. I can’t wait to read more. But as much as the stories are captivating, it is the main characters themselves and the evolution of the relationships which keep me coming back time and time again.

We have seen over the last 44 books the emotional growth of Eve Dallas and the growing relationship between Eve and Roarke. This is somewhat reflected in the fact that recently they have redesigned their bedroom into a mutually reflective space as well as Eve’s home office into a more functional space that adds extra workstations for when Roarke assists or she and Peabody are working from the house. Eve’s home office used to be an exact copy of her old apartment and this change reflected the changes in Eve from the loner she was to the team player she is, whether with a task force put together for her cases or just herself and Roarke.

Echoes in Death was suppose to indicate an echo of Eve’s violent past and the pain suffered at the hands of her father, but I didn’t feel that imagery here as much as I have in prior books. I didn’t feel this case and the violence against the wife’s was anymore reflective of Eve’s past than we have seen before.

Eve and Roarke are dragged into a series of home robberies because one of the victims literally collapses in the street in front of their car. They get her to the hospital and after IDing her, they go back to her house and find her husband’s body. A search of like crimes eventually brings up a few other home invasions with similar circumstances which gives Eve a start on her investigation. They do indicate that three is the magic number for a pattern to be found in the crimes which is why most of her investigations will have at least three victims or attacks.

Maybe I have just read enough J.D. Robb books or thrillers in general, but I thought that in this book, Eve wasn’t focusing where she should and while elimination of all possible suspects is necessary, her illimination of the bad guys was excellently done. The final surprise ending that indeed that
I was absolutely shocked with the ending. Well written and excellently twisted.

First Read: This is the 44th book in the series, not including the shorter stories. The 44th!! How about that! I really love this series, and realize that not everyone would enjoy it as much as I do.

As with all longer series, some books are better than others and yet I feel like this series doesn’t have bad books. I've loved all and every one of them. Of course some were closer to my heart than others, but every book is unique and just proves again and again what a wonderful writer J.D. Robb is. I really enjoyed this book. Well written, and kept me in touch during the whole book.

Absolutely loved this book and am very sad it ended and cannot wait for the next one to come!is series doesn’t have bad books. I've loved all and every one of them. Of course some were closer to my heart than others, but every book is unique and just proves again and again what a wonderful writer J.D. Robb is. I really enjoyed this book. Well written, and kept me in touch during the whole book.
It was implied that since Eve had lost her memory, she had forgotten her name as well, but it is eventually revealed in Reunion in Death that the reason Eve cannot remember her name is because her parents never gave her one. The fact that no one in Dallas could track down her ID indicates one of two things: that either Homeland Security interfered and deleted her data,[1] or that her parents had never registered her in the first place. For all intents and purposes, Eve did not exist in any records before she was eight years old.

After her relationship with and subsequent marriage to Roarke, Eve is a much happier and, to some extent, calmer person; she is more willing to work with and depend on other people. They celebrate their one-year anniversary in Reunion in Death, in July 2059. Eve's relationship with Roarke is central to the series and her character. Eve's official residence is 222 Central Park West, New York, NY, with Roarke.

Absolutely loved this book and am very sad it en
It was implied that since Eve had lost her memory, she had forgotten her name as well, but it is eventually revealed in Reunion in Death that the reason Eve cannot remember her name is because her parents never gave her one. The fact that no one in Dallas could track down her ID indicates one of two things: that either Homeland Security interfered and deleted her data,[1] or that her parents had never registered her in the first place. For all intents and purposes, Eve did not exist in any records before she was eight years old.

After her relationship with and subsequent marriage to Roarke, Eve is a much happier and, to some extent, calmer person; she is more willing to work with and depend on other people. They celebrate their one-year anniversary in Reunion in Death, in July 2059. Eve's relationship with Roarke is central to the series and her character. Eve's official residence is 222 Central Park West, New York, NY, with Roarke.ded and cannot wait for the next one to come!
It was implied that since Eve had lost her memory, she had forgotten her name as well, but it is eventually revealed in Reunion in Death that the reason Eve cannot remember her name is because her parents never gave her one. The fact that no one in Dallas could track down her ID indicates one of two things: that either Homeland Security interfered and deleted her data,[1] or that her parents had never registered her in the first place. For all intents and purposes, Eve did not exist in any records before she was eight years old.

After her relationship with and subsequent marriage to Roarke, Eve is a much happier and, to some extent, calmer person; she is more willing to work with and depend on other people. They celebrate their one-year anniversary in Reunion in Death, in July 2059. Eve's relationship with Roarke is central to the series and her character. Eve's official residence is 222 Central Park West, New York, NY, with Roarke. on– demand for these books is high! I highly recommend!
Profile Image for Jenny.
2,306 reviews73 followers
June 6, 2017
"Echoes In Death" is the next instalment of the proper In Death series by J. D. Robb. One cold night Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke was coming home from an event when they nearly hit a daze Daphne Strazza who stumbles on the road in front of them. The Readers of "Echoes In Death" will follow the twist and turns in the investigation into what happened to Daphne Strazza and her husband. Also, the ending of "Echoes In Death" will be surprised to the readers of this book.

I have read all the books in this series, and I still have not lost the love and enjoyment of reading the In Death series. I like the way J. D. Robb portrays her characters in her books. Some of the highlights are the interaction between Summerset and Eve who pretend they do not like each other, but deep down they have affection for each other. Also, the way Lieutenant Eve Dallas intertwine with her her law enforcement colleagues. At times while reading "Echoes In Death," I laughed with Lieutenant interpretation of the English language.

Readers of "Echoes In Death" will learn about law enforcements procedures in New York. "Echoes In Death" is another book that will help readers understand the consequences of domestic violence on everyone who is involved.

I recommend this book.
Profile Image for Katyana.
1,800 reviews290 followers
September 5, 2024
I'm not sure why, but I figured out what happened in this one insanely early on. Maybe it's because I've been binging all 385674756 books in this series and so my brain is trained to the author's process, but yeah, I saw it straight away.

It didn't matter, though, because it was great. Compelling case, heartbreaking situation for the victims, and a real struggle for Eve given the parallels with her own life.

I have to say

This one is a favorite in the series, and definitely is one I'll revisit.
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