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Portrait in Death

Portrait in Death

List Price: $30.95
Your Price: $21.66
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good in development, paces nicely
Review: What attracted me most about this book, the 16th by the highly talented J.D Robb (Nora Roberts), was not the plot: a sadistic murderer kills innocent and young people in their twenties and takes photographs of them in posed shots after their deaths. In this area, Robb does a great job as usual in following Eve through the steps in her investigation. Her attention to details is still there, along with Eve's witty and amusing quips and twitchy eye. if you are a regular In Death reader, you will know, as I did, who the murderer is before Eve does. (Makes you feel all triumphant and gleeful inside.)
What attracted me was the character development and the relationship between our favourite couple, Eve and Roarke. In this book, Roarke's real history is uncovered and we learn that his real mother was not the abuser he thought her to be but a young, innocent girl murdered by Roarke's father.
Their roles are now reversed. Roarke is the vulnerable one, lashing out at Eve and feeling his world is turned upside down while Eve is the protector, the caring wife (or life-partner, as Eve would insist) becoming the rock in his life. There is a lovely scene where Roarke is in Ireland, wishing for Eve while rubbing the button from her suit that he carries around, knowing that she is the stable one in his life and that he needs her.
Their married life is still as spicy as ever and with the introduction of Roarke's new family, there is now another interesting angle to explore in upcoming books, along with the McNab/Peabody angle, Charles/Louise angle, Jamie angle and Mavis being pregnant/Leonardo angle. Do not forget Eve's past that has not been fully explored yet. Guaranteed to fill up pages effortlessly.
Here's to Imitation in Death coming soon!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Portrait of a death
Review: I think that Potrait in Death by Nora Robberts, is a very good book. It has a very relateable plot to some daily life. The book never leaves any detail out of the day out. The murders are very relistic to how some people really are these days. It shows are seseptible to other people we as humans are. The fact that the time is 2059 will give some people in insite to a possibility of the future. I think that this book by Nora Robberts always left you wanting to know what was going to happen next. I beleive Potrait in Death was a very good book.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Portraight of a death
Review: I would say that this book was very good. It had real suspense, that kept you wanting to read. The killer was a very detailed sick minded man. The descriptions of people and places in this book were very good. I liked how this setting was placed in the year 2059. It showed the advancement of technololgy, which may or may not happen. I thought this book was a very good, book that kept you on the edge of your seat all of the way through.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best So Far!!
Review: Once again another great addition to the In Death Series. I have to disagree with a reviewer, I found this book truly outstanding. I really did, I think it is the best in the series thus far. The entire book was very surprising, excellent scenario!
Normally you figure it out toward the end the "who dune it" but this time round I didn't have a clue.

More of Roarke and Dallas's personal stories were revealed, but this time the shoe was on the other foot. There is a secret Roarke discovered. You learned a new side to him as he also learned this side. You also saw a side to Eve as she put her work case second and her husband first. I can't tell you what it is this would spoil it but to do all this learning the end up in Ireland.

Then a bright young college student is murdered and thrown in a recycler like so much trash, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is, determined to stand for the dead and find the killer. But perhaps most disturbing about this particular case, is that prior to the discovery of the body, a package of photos of the murdered girl were sent to Eve's friend, Nadine Furst, a well-known TV reporter. It's clear that the killer photographed the victim for some time before the death, without her knowledge, and it's also clear that in the picture, the girl is already dead. The killer wants Nadine's help in showing his work. Then the second victim in found and once again it revolves around their picture the killer had taken. Portrait in Death blasted off with a bold and imaginative concept on an obsession of immortality, and light, but its depth grew when Robb emphasized on the action and characters. The storyline was so compelling, it really made this a page turning thriller.

All the characters who are loved were also back in this entry. There is still humor between Eve and Peabody's dialog. Still humor in Eve and Sumorset, even more in this story as he had a fall and delayed his holiday. One talent Robb has is the building of characters.

This is a must read for all the In Death readers out there. If you are new to the series, start at the beginning with Naked in death and just go down the line. It will not take long either and they get addicting. I know I can't wait for the new one to come out in fall. I really do enjoy this series and I really do feel this was the best of them so far.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very good, but not excellent ...
Review: Did I like this book? Yes. Do I think I did the right thing purchasing it? Yes, because it's entertaining and certainly a keeper. The plot was good, and Eve and Roarke are, as always, a wonderful couple.

But was this book outstanding? No, because some of the other books in the "In death Series" are much better. Anyway, for those who are fans of J.D.Robb(like me), this book (number 16 in the series) will be a welcome addition to your library. It brings quite a strange role reversal: in this opportunity is Eve who takes care of Roarke while he tries to come to terms with some revelations regarding his past (more specifically his mother). There is also a good crime story, about a killer who chooses his victims due to their beauty, follows them and murders them, never forgetting to photograph them just after he slays them, believing that by doing that he'll own their beauty and innocence forever (isn't that sick?).

So, if you have already read some of J.D. Robb's books I recommend you to buy "Portrait in death", because you'll like it. However, if you are new to the series and want to read your first book, I'd recommend you to "do 1st things 1st", and start by the beginning: "Naked in death" (1st in the series). By doing so, you'll be able to get to know better the main characters and will be able to concentrate on the story (instead of getting confused with how many of them you are already supposed to know by now in this book, the 16th).

I hope I helped you :) Good reading !!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Entry in This Series!
Review: Every time I think I'm finally maxed out on the "In Death" series, J.D. Robb, aka Nora Roberts, comes through with another blockbuster that renews my interest all over again.

"Portrait in Death" comes along at exactly the right time--for almost the first time, the mystery/murder takes a back seat to Roarke and Dallas' personal life, with a twist the reader has simply not expected. Don't think you're going to have yet another trip into Eve's nightmares, or another scary walk down the underside of Dublin's seamy alleyways. I won't be a spoiler and say what it is, but I'll give you a hint--luscious Roarke shows yet another side to his already impossibly sexy and desirable personality.

Enough said on THAT...moving on to the mystery, it's a spooky look at a very sick mind. Somebody has been murdering young, beautiful students in order to pose them in artistic photographs--and simultaneously absorb their "light." Eve and her faithful sidekick Peabody (just perfect in this outing, as is MacNab) have to stop him before he strikes--or in this case, snaps--again.

Get the book and find out what happens next. A genuine five-star effort for Nora!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Awesome! Can't wait for the next book!
Review: This next installment in the 'In Death' series was great. Nora Roberts is constantly surprising me with inovative ways of not only writing a great murder mystery, but the complicated relationships that exist between all the characters. I for one cannot wait for the next installment. Maybe Eve will even think about starting a family? Who knows, it could happen.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Intriguing mystery
Review: "Portrait In Death" is the first J.D. Robb novel I have read. It wasn't until I finished the book that I found there is a long series of "...In Death" books. There doesn't seem to be any significance, however, to my having started out at the end of the list.

There is a decent amount of suspense in this book and it kept my interest to the end. This story takes place over 50 years from now. The year is 2059 and Robb appropriately incorporates innovations we will probably have in our lives 50 years hence.

There are many appliances in this story that respond to voice command, computers that talk in pleasant conversational voices, droids to act as servants, and other futuristic concepts. If you have already read some of this series this won't be news to you but it was new to me and I liked it.

As you can imagine, many futuristic computerized devices are used in helping to solve this murder mystery. Seeing advanced versions of equipment we already have, and that works, is interesting. Not once did anyone have to re-boot a computer.

Robb takes a "side trip" from the mystery and while it does serve to fill in some history related to the characters, I didn't especially like being taken away from the main story. The side trip was like a story within a story. Roarke, for example, had a personal event to deal with which was really its own story.

Like many mysteries, this one was good to read while exercising on the treadmill.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Read
Review: I bought this book not realizing that it was part of a series. It is a good book for reading independently from the other books. Yes, there are some details that are from the previous books but the reader can get some ideas of the happenings. It is a very suspenseful read. For me, it started out slow but I stuck with it. It became such a fast and exciting read that I could not put it down. I have not finished the book yet, I cannot wait to find out who is the killer. It is a book that keeps me guessing. I will have to read quickly to find out who is the killer. I love the fact that this is a book written in the future. This causes you to imagine the futuristic plot and scenery. Eve Dallas is a very serious and good police officer. She takes her work home with her. Her dear husband, Roarke, found out the truth about his real mother and this has him trying to find out all about his real past. Eve Dallas is very demanding and gets the people and resources that she needs quickly. Now if we could only get that in real life! I cannot wait to read the rest of the series. I love her other books under her name, Nora Roberts. No matter what book you read; she is one of the best writers with a lot of descriptive writing. She sets the stage so well that she makes her readers crave for more. The book flows without any confusing details. The writing is clear and concise. The book is never boring. If you are looking for a thrill ride, this book is for you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Thrilling and Poignant! A Riveting Read!
Review: Well, what is there to say about the incomparable Nora Roberts, writing here as J.D. Robb, except for WOW! This woman continues to amaze me, creating one utterly enchanting novel after another, so I think, "surely she can't top this one". After reading and loving every book in the "In Death" series, I picked up "Portrait in Death" with very high expectations, and fell in love with Eve, Roarke and everyone else all over again! What a fantastic novel! "Portrait in Death" contains a thrilling and compelling mystery along with some of the most absorbing and well-written character development that we have seen to date in this series. And, of course, it's really our fascination with the characters that keeps us coming back to this series over and over again, and does "Portrait in Death" ever deliver!

The story takes place during the sweltering hot summer of 2059, and Robb skillfully creates a sense of time and place so that readers feel as if they themselves are there, more than 55 years in the future. And when a bright young college student is murdered and thrown in a recycler like so much trash, the tenacious Lieutenant Eve Dallas is, once again, determined to stand for the dead and find the killer. But perhaps most disturbing about this particular case, is that prior to the discovery of the body, a package of photos of the murdered girl were sent to Eve's friend, Nadine Furst, a well-known TV reporter. It's clear that the killer photographed the victim for some time before her death, without her knowledge, and it's also clear that in the final, perfect picture, the girl is already dead.

The killer wants Nadine's help in showing his glorious work and the miraculous final outcome of that work to the world, but the killer will have to deal with Lieutenant Dallas if that work is to be finished. Fueled by the surety that her killer won't wait long to strike again, Eve launches into another fascinating investigation, ably assisted by her faithful aide Peabody and her usual team including EDD's Captain Feeny and Detective McNab. All of these recurring secondary characters continue to amuse and intrigue me with their ever-evolving relationship dynamics, though in "Portrait in Death" the spotlight falls undeniably on Eve and her super-sexy, ultra-rich husband Roarke.

As is clear from my description of him, Roarke is every woman's fantasy man, a role that has always made him seem a bit larger than life and a bit too perfect to be human. But in "Portrait in Death", we discover a whole new, much more human side of Roarke, which was absolutely wonderful to explore. Indeed, the most compelling thread in this expertly woven tale begins when Roarke discovers a shocking and long-kept secret about his parentage, which knocks his feet right out from under him. Confused, guilty, and in great emotional turmoil, Roarke deals with the whole situation unbelievably badly. So Eve finds herself in unfamiliar territory. In previous books, it has always been Roarke taking care of Eve, but now it is up to Eve to make things better for Roarke and help him get his feet back on solid ground. And I was completely captivated watching Eve, for perhaps the first time ever, put her work aside for the sake of her husband. Eve really comes through as a wife in "Portrait in Death" and it was a beautiful thing to see. We all know that Eve is a fantastic Lieutenant, and it's always a pleasure to watch her work her way through a case and see justice served, but in this book, we discover that Eve is also a fantastic wife. Eve's sensitivity and tact in dealing with Roarke's situation amazed me, and this insightful and touching storyline made "Portrait in Death" an enormously rewarding read.

Robb seamlessly mixes the emotional tale of Roarke's newly discovered background with Eve's suspenseful pursuit of a killer to create one magnificent novel. I loved every moment of "Portrait in Death" and I just can't praise it enough. "Portrait in Death" gets my whole-hearted recommendation, though I hasten to add that readers will get far more out of this novel if they have already read the rest of the series. And it's not that newcomers won't be able to follow the story, it's just that the events of previous books make Eve's development as a person and Roarke's newfound humanity incredibly gratifying to those who've been with them from the start, an element that just won't be appreciated by first time readers. Nonetheless, "Portrait in Death" is a superb novel, sure to be enjoyed by each and every reader. So don't hesitate, buy this captivating book today!


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