Visions in Death

Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER GREAT "IN DEATH" BOOK
Review: I have been a fan of the IN DEATH series since NAKED IN DEATH. I'm always on pins and needles when a new IN DEATH books come out and gets to my county library so I can my hands on it.

I loved VISION IN DEATH. It just about broke me when Peabody (our girl)was attacked by John Blue. I was ready to jump into the book and do bodily harm to him.

With each IN DEATH book, I noticed how Eve has grown and softened a bit around her edges. Roarke is wonderful for her. . .and he's her soulmate. Peabody has grown and developed into a wonderful young woman, and she's learning to take Eve with a grain of salt at times. Knows give it to Eve, when Eve gets to sassy or cheeky at times. She know how to push Eve's buttons. She also knows she has Eve's love and respect as a detective.

What I saw in this book, after all of what Eve went through as a child, she is learning to trust people such as Roarke, Peabody, Feeney, and McNab (even though he irritates her). She's learning to trust Dr. Mira more and more, and she's learning about life from everyone of her extended family.

I give her KUDOS for trusting Peabody enough to tell her her background. Other than Mavis, Eve doesn't have a real girlfriend, and I think with Roarke's and Mira's help she's learning to let go of things she has no control over. I rolled over in laughter when Mavis asked Roarke and Eve to in the delivery room when she has her baby. I could understand bother of their horrors when they realized Mavis was being for real.

I really saw a lot of growth in her in DIVIDED IN DEATH. Roarke was willing to go and chop all those HIGHER UP MUCKY MUCKS, when he found out that the Home Security (FBI in 2059)knew about Eve being abused. I gave her a really big thumbs up when she realized she couldn't do anything about it. The past was done and over with. You can't help Roarke for wanting to be her KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR. Besides it wasn't his place to chop up the HIGHER UP MUCKY MUCKS, it was Eve's and she chose to let go and move on.

My feeling in VISIONS IN DEATH she also realized she was loved by a lot of people. . .Roarke, Mavis, Peabody, Feeney, Dr. Mira, McNab (in his own way). I know that she and Summerset are at odds, but I get the feeling there is a mutual respect, especially when in PORTRAIT IN DEATH Eve realized that Summerset was the one who killed Roarke's father.

I hope J. D. Robb soon moves on to a new year. . .It seems in these IN DEATH books Eve & Comapny have taken care of a lot of crimes in 2059. No wonder she and they are close to burn out.





Rating:
Summary: Can't help but love Eve, Rourke, and all the gang.
Review: Contrary to some of the other reviews, I couldn't help but love this installment almost as much as "Vengeance in death." {my personal favorite} Having read all of the series, in order, and seeing all of Robb's characters evolve, this one was special to me because of the incredable raport between our dynamic duo, Dallas and Peabody. I have never laughed so much in one of the other books in the series as I have in this one. Their banter and wisecracking was as hilarious as were the poignant scenes with Eve's revelations and Peabody's truamatic attack. True, we saw less connection between Rourke and Eve, but what the heck: read the other 18 if you want racy sex scences between them. I thought this one focused more on police procedure in tracking a killer and daily interactions of two police partners and how important they were to each other.
It was also fun to see all of our other favorite characters in the mix and God help Rourke and Eve if and when they ever learn they are about to become parents. Talk about baby phobia! And Eve may not have believed it of herself, the part about being gifted with a sixth sense? Well she proved it once again with her intuition about who was really a bad person here. Bring on the next one, Nora!

Rating:
Summary: Another stellar installment of the In Death series...
Review: Even though I read a lot, there are a few authors and series that I still get excited about. At the top of the list is the In Death series by Nora Roberts writing as J. D. Robb. Her latest, Visions In Death, once again delivers the goods...

Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her partner Detective Peabody pick up a murder where the victim's eyes are cut out and she's posed naked on some rocks in the water. As with all killings, Dallas takes it personally and seeks to find the person responsible. But then another murder occurs with the same M.O., and she's got a serial killer on her hands. She's contacted by a "sensitive" who is seeing the killings in visions, but Eve has to overcome her bias about trusting anything that can't be touched or investigated. The killings become more violent with less time between episodes, and everything comes to a crescendo when Peabody is attacked by the killer and narrowly escapes death. As a subplot, Eve is having to learn to share her own abused past with her partner, and to take that next level of trust with Peabody.

This is the 19th book in the In Death series, and who knows how many other books Nora Roberts has written on top of those. She cranks out stuff at an incredible rate. As I've watched authors and series like Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta character crash and burn, I keep fearing that each new In Death novel will be the beginning of the end. But to my joy and amazement, Robb/Roberts continues to shine here. She's taken Peabody from a straight-laced assistant to a full character who can hold her own against Dallas. Eve's mega-rich husband Roarke complements her hard-edged tendencies and forces her to experience life outside of being a cop. And each episode chips away a little bit more at Eve's defenses against her past and makes her more human.

I realize at some point the series will have run its course, but I certainly don't look forward to that day. But until then, I'll continue to enjoy Robb's work to the fullest and place it near the top of my "must read now" list.

Rating:
Summary: Still okay, but only average for this otherwise great series
Review: Homicide detective Eve Dallas is hesitant to deal with a registered psychic, even one that comes with her credentials verified from a trusted friend. Celina Sanchez is a private consultant to the wealthy with personal problems and isn't at all used to having visions of a serial killer in action. Eve isn't convinced that hiring Sanchez as a consultant will be worth the money, but she will take all and any offers of help.

The public would be mightily freaked out if they knew all the details of the latest killing in the park. The removal of the eyes, for instance. Is the killer seeking recognition or are the victims more personal targets? There's a man out there with serious problems with the fairer sex, and Eve is convinced that the way to flush him out is to present him publicly with the faces of his hunters - all women.

This great future police series starring New York police lieutenant Eve Dallas has been right up there in the best seller's list for the 18 books prior to "Visions in Death". There had to be a flat one eventually, and this is it. The series may at last be running out of puff as there isn't anything new to offer in this latest installment in the life and times of the snarly but brilliant Eve and her too perfect husband, Roarke.

All the usual suspects feature with all their familiar and lovable quirks, but this novel is really only a time passer. Still a good book, but compared its predecessors, "Visions in Death" is only average. Good twist there at the end but it seems more of an afterthought in a rather pedestrian plot, saved by its characters and the updates for what's going on in their relationships. Is there an end in sight for this series? This book would seem to indicate we are due for the big wind up.





Rating:
Summary: Visions in Death
Review: I agree with some of the others that this book isn't as great as some of the others. However, I do think this book is really important because it is setting up for the next few books. (Hence, the 5 stars) Lovers of the series will have to invest in this book for that information alone.
I wasn't really interested in the storyline with the killer. To me it was secondary. Who knows, maybe it was supposed to be with all of the developments with Eve that occured?

Rating:
Summary: Best in the series to date
Review: I definitely like Nora Roberts writing in this latest installment of J.D. Robb's futuristic crime series. Eve and Roarke have settled into the deeper, sweeter aspects of their marital life and there is the loveliness of that stability and sense of security that now blossoms in Eve's attitudes, behavior and emotional life. Eve is now able to reach out emotionally to Peabody and others rather than wallow in her own misery and constantly use it as the template for all her reactions. This is a fresh and welcome new start for Eve and the readers.

The mystery is gripping and the "bad guy" a surprise. I liked very much that the author has allowed Eve to get past the nightmares of her childhood so that we are spared the total recounting of it this book. I love Peabody even though this time she narrowly escaped death at the killer's hands and is pretty badly injured. Nadine Fuerst is there and she is less abrasive this time in her news journalist role.

Also modified is the saccharine treatment by Dr. Mira toward Eve that has been too phony for palatability to this reader. After 4 books where Dr. Mira's personal life has been introduced I regret to say that I still don't care for Dr. Mira and her husband and the gooey dialogs between them. I want to see Mira as the cool, efficient scientist. I would enjoy more technical stuff about the forensics in the case. This is a by product of the CSI series on TV, no doubt. The humor is snarkier and I love the sly zingers that whiz around the room when the characters get together for a case briefing! Great Job! A definite keeper for my Nora Roberts archive.

Rating:
Summary: Boring --- she's written this story before
Review: I love Nora Roberts' ...In Death Series. I bought the first one the minute it was published and have religiously read them since. But I have to admit this book did not hook me. If this were the first In Death book, I'd think it completely rocked. But it is like, what, the 19th and we've read this story before.

A serial killer with Mommy issues - check.
A member of Eve's inner circle gets seriously hurt and Eve blames herself - check.
Eve gives Nadine an exclusive interview and taunts the killer - check
Eve puts herself out as possible bait - check
Eve is confronted with a person who is raped and has nightmares after - check
Even consults with Dr. Mira and gets a spot on profile - check


I do admit that the little twist with the psychic in the end was good, but overall I was, dare I say it...bored. And I don't even want to get into the fact that yet again the perp was a serial killer. How many serial killers does one woman have to confront in a 3-year period? I wish Eve would get just plain old NYPD Blue type cases once in awhile.

I hate giving this series a bad review because I do like the characters, and I can go back and reread the previous books with joy, but I think she completely phoned this one in and that is a shame because now that the books are being published in hard cover they should be getting better.

So disappointed.


Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: I thought this was the best of the series so far. Tighter, cleaner, more focused, not as much sex. Don't get me wrong. Roarke is without a doubt the hottest man on or off planet, and the two of them sizzle between the sheets. But I can only read so many love scenes before it becomes the same old same old. This book didn't give me that feeling. I like the way their relationship is developing. Roarke is becoming more and more involved in Eve's work, and she's becoming more comfortable with his involvement. Also, great overall character development. Eve is starting to take tentative steps toward trusting and opening up to the people she cares about. It's always interesting to watch her inner struggles and her subsequent growth. And Peabody has come a long way. She's stronger, more sure of herself, on more of an equal footing with Eve. She's long been one of my favorite characters in the series, and in this book, she shines. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Series' Best So Far
Review: In a fresh burst of creativity, J.D. Robb, aka Nora Roberts, has infused this latest In Death book with new life and a whole new sense of energy.

In this outing, futuristic cop Eve Dallas is hunting a particularly horrendous serial killer, who kidnaps, beats and rapes his female victims--and then removes their eyes. The motive is unknown, but he is obviously "punishing" a previous female in his life, as all the victims--but one--match a particular physical pattern.

As Eve fights dangerous physical and mental exhaustion to stop the killing, which is escalating quickly, she also comes to some real truths about herself and her own relationships with people close to her. And it is these revelations, done with thought and delicacy, which make this book so interesting, different and fascinating.

All our beloved regulars are in this book, but they have changed as well: Peabody (now a detective) and McNab are about to move in together; Mavis and Leonardo are happily awaiting the arrival of their first child in a way only these over-the-top people can do; Doctor Mira is still hovering over Eve and trying to get her to rest; and Eve's verbal bantering with the hated major domo Summerset reaches some new highs (or lows, depending on how you look at it) in some hilarious repartee.

Look for a quick, can't-stop read and a true surprise at the end, not the usualy J.D. Robb ending at all!



Rating:
Summary: best yet!
Review: Nora Roberts almost forgot about being a ROMANCE author and actually wrote a great mystery. Now I have read all the JD Robb books and I like them all. But I was so glad the sex, sex, sex and did I say sex-oh yeah-it got toned way down. Finally. A good mystery need not have so many sex scenes as her previous books. It was well written, a great bad guy and a really great twist. Things are getting a bit redundant it's time to mix things up a bit. I personally think this series would make a great TV show. I am totally involved with all the major characters and would love to see them all in 3d, especially Mcnab! And of course Roarke. I may have to buy the next book in hardcover!