J.D. Robb discussion

Ritual in Death is another novella. It first appeared in Suite 606, along with novellas by 3 other authors. It now can be purchased separately on audio. It can be found combined with another novella as a used paperback on Amazon - Ritual in Death / Missing in Death. We'd love to have you join us as we continue our journey back through the series.

When a high-society party is crashed by a naked, knife-wielding, blood-covered man who "thinks" he might have killed someone, Eve Dallas must track down the crime, and the criminals. Everything points to Satanic ritual, but Eve doesn't believe in devil worship.…

This is one of my favorite novellas. It starts off with a bang and just gets weird.

I'll be starting it in a week or so.

I like this one also. Rereading it now.

This novella is available new on audio Ritual in Death. It first appeared in paperback in Suite 606 and later combined with Missing in Death in Ritual in Death / Missing in Death which can be found used on Amazon. While I've seen other formats listed, I can't find it in other forms.

Holy cow. I never read this one. I don't know how I missed it.

I'll start this one as soon as I finish Chesapeake Blue. I have the Suite 606 edition in paperback, so it is a bathtime book for me.

It's pretty short...won't take long to read. I thought we'd read this one and move straight on into Promises to close out March.

Peabody watching Roarke walk away:

"Boy, sometimes you just want to slurp him up without a straw." She wheeled her eyes to Eve. "Did I say that outloud?"

LOL! Love, love Peabody!

I'm finished with my reread. I really enjoyed this one but I will say it's also a particularly brutal crime. It's short, of course, but still manages to relay the complete & utterly useless loss of innocent lives and the arrogance of the killer/s. As always, Eve takes it personally and so does Roarke. They have some good moments in this one. And Roarke calls in the witch! :) Eve was absolutely at her finest in that interrogation room...I was screaming, "H*ll Yeah!" Really intense but with a few of those funny moments to break up the tension.

Can't wait to get to it.

Did you read or listen Sandra?

And always love Peabody. Eve is obviously fond of her or she'd be dead by now with those comments lol.

I read it, Penni. Just couldn't bring myself to spend 1 of my Audible credits on such a short book. Plus, I have owned Suite 606 which contains this story for a long time. Just pulled it off my shelf...and I will say, it's the first time I've read from an actual book in a long time! lol

Sometimes that is nice.

I'm soooo lucky to have all the in death at the library (including the novellas) on ereader and on audio. I just download them from home to my ipod and my kindle. I own a lot of the kindle versions because of my daughter starting them one Christmas and pretty much not coming up for air until I cut her off after about #10. (my credit card on the account lol).

I think most libraries have the complete set. I own all the books plus the ebooks & am collecting the audios this time through. Dang...I really should get this on audio for my collection. :( Maybe later.

Sandra said: "It's pretty short...and move straight on into Promises to close out March."

I can fit it into my March list...I am pretty sure that Promises is the last of my re-reads and then all new from there exciting times ahead...

I have all the novels on kindle and audio. I have all the novellas (now that I have this one) as an ebook. I'm going home to Maryland to visit my family this summer. My cousin and I are going to spend 2 or 3 nights at Inn Boonsboro in Eve & Roarke's room and then going to Turn The Page. I hope we can be there when Nora is signing. (My cousin is trying to coordinate everything.) Can't wait.

That has become one of my bucket list items. Have a great time. Pictures!

One of mine too!

I'll be starting next week. Missed the notice of when we starting.

Working on my wife on the same idea. Enjoy.

Your all making me jealous that in don't live on USA and can make a plan :-(. But enjoy those who do make it. I'll win the lottery one day.

Sharon wrote: "I have all the novels on kindle and audio. I have all the novellas (now that I have this one) as an ebook. I'm going home to Maryland to visit my family this summer. My cousin and I are going to..."

Oh, please share the deets when you return! I think most here would love to know about your experience.

Michelle wrote: "I'll be starting next week. Missed the notice of when we starting."

Sorry Michelle...I just went straight into this one after finishing Salvation. This is a short, fast read but a good one, I think. I really enjoyed it.

Oohh. Right after all that religious elements from SiD we have this potential satanic murder. Just started but thought yes this is the way to really go opposite. And a short story too.

Yes! I thought the same. Very short one but wrapped up nicely.

Ja. I'll be down by tonight baring any call always.

Roarke & Eve do briefly butt heads in this one...love it!

Should have known but really nice that Isis has made an appearance.

Short and ... Well not sweet but good. How much did she not get done in one day. And I love how she thinks about pizza. To throw the doc off. The best of the novella's for me.

And all done at her office at Central. That's got to be a first in a long while.

Yep, I liked Roarke bringing in Isis - and taking her to "Eve's crime scene"...haha. And the 3 of them opening the circle with what followed. Peabody's reaction learning that Eve actually did that. Peabody has a healthy dose of wariness of the dark magic - Eve, not so much. But she couldn't deny what she saw Isis experience. Eve in that interview room was a sight to behold...she went for the jugular & got the truth. This was a horrifying crime when you think of the innocence of the victim & the way they defiled her. What was supposed to be a wonderful night/first date turned into a nightmare, destroying a young woman - a young couple just starting their lives.

So true Sandra. They were all there witnessing this lovely blossoming and then to defile it in such a way. I was really thinking don't do it Eve, don't make any deals. You can get there without it. That's how much I think of the fury of Eve.

Yes. And it was such a betrayal. These were all colleagues - people she trusted...people trusted in the community. Robb really has a way of using that aspect - wolves in sheep clothing.

And not did they do that to a colleague but the misused the trust of patients.

I re-read it last night in two settings. For me this is the best of the novellas so far. Often when I read a novella, I am left wanting more and wish that storyline had been worthy of a novel in the author's eyes. This is the first time I have thought this about an In Death Novella.

I agree, Loriidae. It's one of the few I couldn't put down.

Sandra ~ ♥ Cross My Heart ♥ wrote: "Yes. And it was such a betrayal. These were all colleagues - people she trusted...people trusted in the community. Robb really has a way of using that aspect - wolves in sheep clothing."

It was an awful betrayal and predatory in nature. She was unknowingly groomed for this.

Yes, she was. It was a cruel, premeditated act made worse in my eyes because there were several of them...not just one psycho, although the leader is certainly a psycho. Even her good friend betrayed her & all under the disguise of helping her prep for her date. Just sad.

Loriidae wrote: "I re-read it last night in two settings. For me this is the best of the novellas so far. Often when I read a novella, I am left wanting more and wish that storyline had been worthy of a novel in t..."

I agree. A close runner up being the first novella. IMO novellas are so often trying to garner more readers to join the Eve and Roarke club. This was felt written for us junkies, who just needed a case with a side of Roarke and Peabody. Something to tie us over to the next installment.


@ Jonetta and Sandra. I agree. They not only groom her but was going to leave him as the scapegoat. And then to say you are the discipline of the One, not a satanist. Interesting what people tell themselves , and believe, in order to continue

Hi all,

I agree with you this is one of, if not the best novella in this series. It has a good mix of the regular characters and an interesting mystery to hold the readers attention.

Roarke always surprises me when we see how superstitious he is.

Me too Sharon! He really is...very interesting. And he always manages to "protect" Eve.

This was a nice Novella. Twisted Satanists always make for an interesting read. I wanted to see Eve interrogate...i mean interview.....Kiki. Her smug attitude just rubbed me the wrong way. What I don't understand was the dream/vision Eve had? I've noticed that despite her skepticism there's something a little supernatural about Eve herself and wonder if this vision will come into play at a later time in another book or it was just a throwaway to fit the tone of this book.