Innocent In Death
Grade : B+

The In Death series has fascinated me, mesmerized me, captivated me, and grossed me out occasionally, but Innocent in Death has shaken me up and spit me out - and I'm still not sure I've survived the experience intact. Part of my discomfort comes from Robb's complete immersion into the story, the lives of the characters, and the very intimate details of their lives. Just as Eve Dallas lives and breathes her investigations, it's impossible for the reader to separate yourself easily from what's occurring on the written page. Not only did the story shake me up with its resolution, it wasn't a picnic for Eve and Roarke either.

Eve has just begun investigating a teacher's death at a private school when she frantically remembers a dinner engagement with Roarke. Knowing Eve as we do, she attends the dinner in her working clothes, but all goes well until the woman in the red dress arrives. When Eve sees a flash of a look in his eyes that up until that very moment Roarke shared only with her, she knows trouble is coming. Magdelana Percell - blonde, beautiful, tall and manipulative - makes her re-entrance into Roarke's life.

Maggie is quite possibly the only woman that ever dumped Roarke, and in her own words, "That makes all the difference." Roarke has blinders on where Maggie's motives are concerned, which brings marital tension between him and Eve. The more they try to work on the situation, the worse it becomes. Couple this with Eve's frustration with her increasingly puzzling murder case and frustration ratchets up several notches.

Eve's emotional development moves forward here and it's nice to see how she eventually handles the situation with Maggie by using her friendship resources. Support also arrives from a completely unexpected source, which I enjoyed immensely.

The murder case initially isn't one of the violent ones seen in the past, but the resolution got me. I'm creeped out, I stayed awake mulling it over, and it still bothers me. Which makes it completely unforgettable, of course, and I see tons of conversation in the future about the villain. I can't wait to discuss it myself.

However, because Innocent in Death disturbed me so deeply, it is a book I don't want to read again - ever - so I'm not taking it to the Desert Isle with me. Of course, I'm highly recommending it for everyone else! Have fun.

Buy it on Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/Kobo

Reviewed by Liz Zink
Grade : B+

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : February 28, 2007

Publication Date: 2007

Review Tags: In Death series

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Liz Zink

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