J.D. Robb discussion

Visions in Death is up next in our In Death Buddy Read. This is another favorite among many. Please feel free to join our discussion!

Plot Summary:
On one of the city's hottest nights, New York Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas is sent to Central Park - and into a hellish new investigation. The victim is found on the rocks, just above the still, dark water of The Lake in Central Park. Around her neck is a single red ribbon. Her hands are posed, as if in prayer. But it is the eyes - removed with such precision, as if done by the careful hand of a surgeon - that have Dallas most alarmed.

As more bodies turn up, each with the same defining scars, Eve is frantic for answers. Against her instincts, she accepts help from a psychic who offers one vision after another - each with shockingly accurate details of the murders. And when partner and friend Peabody is badly injured after escaping an attack, the stakes are raised. Are the eyes a symbol? A twisted religious ritual? A souvenir? With help from her husband, Roarke, Dallas must uncover the killer's motivation before another vision becomes another nightmare...

Timeline: September 2059

Character List:
Eve Dallas
Roarke
David Baxter
Ryan Feeney
Mavis Freestone
Nadine Furst
Leonardo
Ian McNab
Charlotte Mira
Delia Peabody
Lawrence Summerset
Jack Whitney
Dickie Berenski
Crack
Louise Dimatto
Galahad
Ursa Harvo
Charles Monroe
Morris
Harrison Tibble
Anna Whitney
Detective Yancy

Minor & Peripheral Characters:
(view spoiler)[Randall Beam
John Blue
Royce Cabel
Essie Fort
ME Foster
Lucas Grande
Mike Jacobs
Detective Jones
Detective Lansing
Vonnie Maplewood
Officer Queeks
Celina Sanchez
Kurt Richards
Andy Steeple
Carleen Steeple
Ute
Deann Vanderlea
Luther Vanderlea
Zanna Vanderlea
John Bird
Ineza Blue
Briscoll
Rose Donnelly
Lena Greenspan
Brent Hoyt
Jibson
Marjorie Kates
Kevin Lannigan
Maggie Lannigan
Loelle
Peter Maguire
Jasper McKinney
Abel Maplewood
Elisa Maplewood
McIntyre
Breen Merriweather
Lily Napier
Sarie Parker
Katelee Poder
Detective Polinski
Detective Silk
Annalisa Sommers (hide spoiler)]

Who's ready for more?? Visions is another good one! :)

Open discussions start Oct. 8!

Count me in !! This is going to be a re-read for me.. But can't wait..

I'm in. This one has a gruesome crime.

I'll request it from the library right away.

Me too, reread but love it

Got it from the library!

Can't wait:)

Buddy Reread no. 2 for me. Loved this one as well so can't wait.

Finished a moment ago and can I just say that I was not expecting that twist!

Yeah, it’s a good one!

Another good one!

I have Amazon TV and now I can listen to my audio books while working on other things and I don't need headphones. They come right through the TV.

Is that free if you have Amazon Prime?

Jonetta wrote: "Is that free if you have Amazon Prime?"

No but it is on sale for prime members and you can pay it with 6 payments.

Lauren wrote: "Finished a moment ago and can I just say that I was not expecting that twist!"

Good one! :)

Only 4 more days until Open Discussion! I'm in the middle of my reread now.

Just finished. Had a couple of good laughs, and it filled in what I remember from the series, but forgot which book I had read it in.

I am in the middle too. It's a very good read:)

Sharon wrote: "Another good one!

I have Amazon TV and now I can listen to my audio books while working on other things and I don't need headphones. They come right through the TV."

Huh. That's interesting. I use my Kindle or my smartphone.

Kirsten wrote: "Sharon wrote: "Another good one!

I have Amazon TV and now I can listen to my audio books while working on other things and I don't need headphones. They come right through the TV."

Huh. That's ..."

I do that too but when I'm cleaning or working around the house it is nice to listen through the TV.

Sharon wrote: " do that too but when I'm cleaning or working around the house it is nice to listen through the TV. "

Hmmm... I never thought of that!
I've got an Apple TV so I could stream it from my iPod. Going to try it out next time I'm cleaning or folding laundry.

Open Discussion starts tomorrow! :)

Oh, boy. I guess I know which book I need to read next! Trying to catch up after being with two different parts of the extended families-- only about a thousand miles apart, truly.

Late start so I'll be lurking till I'm caught up. Don't know where the days this month have disappeared to.

Feel free to openly discuss Visions In Death!

Ready to sound off? What did you think of this one?

Loved it! Favourite scene was when Mavis asked Eve and Roarke to be at the birth. For once even Roarke lost his cool:)
The part where Peabody gets beaten up and ends up in hospital is very emotional.
And that was a tricky ending! Just when it seemed to all be over Robb brought in one last twist.

My favorite scenes are: where Mavis tell Eve that came she came over to give a smoochy to Somerset, where Peabody and McNabb talk about their relationship, Peabody is the hospital, and the best scenes is Eve's dreams and the aftermath. Love the end when you thought you know everything you find out something else. Great going JD

Phrynne wrote: "Loved it! Favourite scene was when Mavis asked Eve and Roarke to be at the birth. For once even Roarke lost his cool:)
The part where Peabody gets beaten up and ends up in hospital is very emotiona..."

The beginning of that whole scene where Peabody is assaulted was surreal. Robb did a brilliant job of writing it from multiple perspectives. I felt Peabody’s physical pain just from her telling and then McNab’s emotional horror when he found her. Eve’s vigil revealed so much about their relationship, I think even to her. The sunglasses were priceless.

Loved McNabb in this one. He wants to be in on the takedown but can't leave Peabody. He is in so much pain and questions what he should have done differently to protect Peabody.

Eve when she cries in the bathroom. We rarely see her emotional except in her nightmares. I love how Robb takes that emotional scene then lightens the mood with Roarke's comment on Eve wearing Mavis's glasses.

Does the case/police procedural or the character/relationship development stand out most for you in this one? Why?

Before moving on to serious matters, I wanted to comment on Feeney's new wardrobe, at the beginning of Chapter 6. It's where Eve finds him wearing a raspberry-colored shirt. "And he had on a tie. A tie. The closest she could come to describing the color was what you might get if you electrocuted grass."

What colorful imagery!

Sandra ~ ♥ Cross My Heart ♥ wrote: "Feel free to openly discuss Visions In Death!

Ready to sound off? What did you think of this one?"

I also enjoyed this one. I prefer the one's with serial killers to the conspiracy/technocrime ones. I wonder what that says about me ....

I really enjoyed the twist at the end as I didn't see it coming.

Charlene wrote: "Before moving on to serious matters, I wanted to comment on Feeney's new wardrobe, at the beginning of Chapter 6. It's where Eve finds him wearing a raspberry-colored shirt. "And he had on a tie. A..."

LOL, Charlene! I agree. Imagery is another thing that Robb excels at...some of her character descriptions are just plain hilarious and yet so vivid! And I have to say that I sigh a little every time she first describes Roarke in every book...love it!

Also always love hearing her describe characters like McNab!

Is there one big moment or quote that stands out for you in VID?

Before listening to VID, I read the book some years ago and I know I laughed for about 10 minutes when Mavis asked Roarke and Eve to be birthing partners.

This the book I wanted to crawl into it and beat up the and beat up the guy who beat up our girl Peabody. My heart hurt for everyone.

Though I know on the surface Eve and Summerset snipe at each other just snippings sake, but deep down inside they have have each other’s back. Summerset was really concerned about Eve after her really bad nightmare.

It’s amazing about what I remember about each book. I knew Eve had one with a psychic, but I forgot that the psychic used Eve to stay close to the case. The psychic would have gotten away with it if she hadn’t used the droid kitten.

It was great to see how well Eve was learning to have PEOPLE moments such as the at Louise’s dinner party. I always love the way Charles calls Eve LT. SUGAR.

Love the scene where Roarke talks to McNab about how hard it is when a loved one is hurt:

"I know what it is to have the one you love, the only one, hurt. There's a war within your belly, and your heart’s so heavy it doesn’t seem as if your body can hold it. This kind of fear doesn’t have a name. You can only wait with it. And let us help.”

Roarke understood what McNab was going through & reached out to help. Love the scene & the man!

Mara wrote: "Before listening to VID, I read the book some years ago and I know I laughed for about 10 minutes when Mavis asked Roarke and Eve to be birthing partners.

This the book I wanted to crawl into it ..."

Mara I don't think she would have gotten away with it. My take is Eve never trusted Celina even though she likes her. I agree with Celina that Eve has some sensitive traits. She drilled Peabody on Celina's story about staying close to Lucas. Eve didn't buy her story. Again, when the eyes didn't match the bodies, Eve would have continued to dig.

thought from the beginning that Celina was up to something. She never brought anything to the table. She always relayed things that Eve and Peabody already knew. She did not help the case at all. My favorite scene is after the nightmare Eve had how Roarke reaches her and then they make love. Even loved how Summerset came in to help Roarke asking if she broke her arm? You know Summerset feels something kind to Eve.

Sandra ~ ♥ Cross My Heart ♥ wrote: "Does the case/police procedural or the character/relationship development stand out most for you in this one? Why?"

I think they are equal in this book. The procedural with Eve and Peabody tracking down clues at craft shops, the "men only" gyms, using Crack and Celina along with her old standbys of Roarke, Feeney, Mira, and the Nadine and the media.

As far as the character development: Summerset's concern after the nightmare, talking to Peabody about her past, (that is a major development), Eve taking a break on the case to have dinner with friends, Roarke helping dig up the killing field gives him another view of his wife's job. Peabody's attack gives us another view of Eve and McNabb.

So many great scenes between Eve & Peabody in this one. One of my favorites is this one:

Eve: "My life used to be so simple."

Peabody: "Mmm."

Eve: "It did. Because it didn't have all of these people in it."

Peabody: "If you need to shove somebody out, you know, to simplify? Could you give Roarke the push? See, McNab and I have this understanding. If Roarke is clear, I get to take my shot at him. McNab gets one at you."

When Eve choked on the last swallow from the tube, Peabody gave her a helpful thump on the back.

Peabody: "Joking. Just sort of joking."

Eve: "You and McNab have a sick, sick relationship."

Peabody: "We do." Peabody beamed. "It makes us very happy."

And of course the scene in the park when Eve finally tells Peabody about her past abuse. Heart-breaking, but a huge step in the friendship & relationship between these two women. It was written perfectly!

Love that scene too one of the saddest

After listening to the book, I have a whole new appreciation for Eve & Company. We can see how things are starting to gel for Eve and finding out how important she is to all, even though she doesn't feel it all yet.

You all have brought several good ones to the table.

I could hardly believe that Eve could get it all out to Peabody, and Delia's response showed dimensions of loving acceptance that were really deep.

I hope someone finds those $%#&^()s who allowed Eve's father to abuse her under their very eyes.

I think in the next novella tells the story of the man who does get revenge on the people who did that to Eve

Charlene, My money’s on Roarke getting even with those SOB’S who let Eve’s father do what he did to her.

As tempting as it is, let's avoid discussing anything that happens beyond Visions In Death to avoid spoilers for our new readers. :)

Visions in Death was another good story, if a little on the gruesome side. The killer was truly messed up and he really hated women. All of them. I think what Dallas said about the killer was so true:
“When we get him,” Eve continued, “it’s going to come out that she—this symbol—knocked him around or boo-hoo broke his heart or made him feel weak and helpless. So his defense lawyers will come along saying: Oh, he was damaged, poor sick son of a bitch. He’s not responsible. And that’s a pile of shit, that’s a big, smelly pile of bullshit. Because nobody’s responsible for choking the life out of Elisa Maplewood but him. Nobody.”

And I'm getting used to Eve and Summerset hurling insults towards each other:

“I’m late,” she snapped before Summerset could speak. “But here’s the thing, I’m not always late, but you’re always ugly. Who’s got the real problem?”

Twist towards the end was unexpected. I thought that everything is wrapped up with this case, so I didn't quite see it coming.

Sandra ~ ♥ Cross My Heart ♥ wrote: "Does the case/police procedural or the character/relationship development stand out most for you in this one? Why?"

For me personally ? I couldn't say one over the other. The case was so ... I want to say interesting but that's because of Celina. And that really was a twist I didn't see coming. The crime itself was horrendous. Eve's quote above says it all.

And the character/relationship development is everywhere. I think all the highlights from it has been mentioned already. I will add that I loved that Summerset started helping with the case. That was a unexpected touch I Never saw coming. Him on the unregistered? And taking orders as it were , from Eve? And Summerset coming to the aid of Eve after that nightmare? It always surprises me because my inner vision of Roarke's mansion is enormous so how does Summerset hear her. I suppose it could be argued that the scream are so pitched as to make anyone come running. I also love his relationship with Mavis. She always get a smile out of him. Makes me wonder if he's so taken with Mavis because he sees a little of his Marlena in her.

This book is one of my top 5 in the series because it shows how far everyone has come. Everyone is settling into their own niche:being a couple, personal growth ,friendship and I think worth mentioning is work partners.