Glory In Death
Grade : A

Naked In Death introduced us to Eve Dallas and Roarke, a 21st Century couple who each carry around major baggage from their respective childhoods. Eve's a New York City homicide detective, the best; Roarke's a self-made Irish multi-billionaire with a shadowy past who was Eve's prime suspect in Naked. Glory In Death is the second in this series, and is just a tad bit better than the first. Why am I not surprised?

In Naked, Eve and Roarke fell in love as gently and easily as two lightning bolts crashing together. Though passionate about Roarke, Eve is having some real trouble admitting her feelings for this incredible man, who, incredibly, seems to love her. When he asks her to move into his mansion with him, she balks. What, and leave her overpriced, dingy, cramped, drab, New York high-rise apartment to go live in a palace with quiet, solitude, a pool, glass-enclosed views of Manhattan, a bed the size of Delaware, and Roarke's hot and healthy body next to hers (or thereabouts) each and every night? Decisions, decisions.

When powerful Prosecuting Attorney Cicely Towers is found in an alley with her throat slashed, and popular up-and-coming actress Yvonne Metcalf shows up dead the same way a couple of days later, Eve starts looking for the connecting threads between these two violent murders. Pressure from her commanding officer, who is a very close family friend of the first victim's, has Eve stressed out and grasping at straws to pull the case together. It doesn't help that one C.J. Morse (think over-the-top Geraldo - is that possible?) accusingly attacks Eve's apparent failure to solve these crimes before another powerful woman loses her life to the stalker.

Nadine Furst, media-journalist extraordinaire, should have been the third victim, but a case of mistaken identity puts the wrong woman in the morgue, and Eve begins to beat herself up over the loss of an innocent life, for Eve had set herself up as an appealing target - hoping the killer would take the bait.

Through all this, Roarke remains steadfast, supportive, and crazy in love with Eve. But when Roarke gives Eve an opening to share her feelings, she freezes, he bolts, and Eve has to do some heavy-duty thinking about their relationship - if they still have one, that is.

If you're a mystery fan, as I am, this killer's identity is no surprise - indeed, the title gives it away immediately. But the trail that leads Eve to the final confrontation, and the nick-of-time, pulse-pounding arrival of one very hunky Irish knight in shining armor, is filled with suspense, false leads, fulfilled passions, wry humor, and the return of familiar characters. Eve's kooky friend Mavis is back, as is Summerset, Roarke's butler-with-an-attitude, computer-whiz detective Feeney, square-jawed and honest cop Commander Whitney; kind and caring shrink Dr. MIRA, and a new character, Officer Peabody, a woman I hope to see in future stories.

Again, not for the squeamish, Glory In Death is an action-packed, sensuously-charged, violent, and top-notch suspense yarn. Another great read from Nora Roberts. Oh, and if you're a fan of out-of-the-ordinary proposals of marriage, you're gonna close this book with a smile.

Reviewed by Marianne Stillings
Grade : A

Sensuality: Hot

Review Date : June 14, 1998

Publication Date: 12/1995

Review Tags: In Death series

Recent Comments …

Marianne Stillings

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
What's your opinion?x
()
x