Kindred in Death By : J D Robb

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Kindred in Death (In Death, Bk 29

Author: J. D. Robb

Rating:* * * * 1/2

Hardcover: 384 pages 

Publisher: Putnam Adult; (November 3, 2009) 

ISBN-13: 978-0399155956

"When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they were looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter who had stayed behind.
Not even their worst nightmares could have prepared them for the crime scene that awaited them instead. Brutally murdered in her bedroom, Deena's body showed signs of trauma that horrified even the toughest of cops; including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who was specifically requested by the captain to investigate.
When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know yet that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities. Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to bring justice."
As Mavis & Peabody would say, "It's mag, simply frosty." As always Robb, has come through for us and offered what no other writer can offer, a throughly Eve Dallas novel. The excitement, the action, and the total horror that comes through will keep you reading nonstop, totally unable to lay the book down. The twists and turns of the murders leaves you marveling that anyone could figure out who the murder was. I have had this book in my hands for two months and resisted starting it. Why? Because the "Fantasy in Death" book won't be out for two more weeks. I actually had all but the last 50 pages read two days ago and worked on my income tax just so I wouldn't pick up this book and finish it. I just couldn't bear to see it end. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I missed the humor that is there when Eve interacts with characters other than those at NYPSD. I missed the interaction with Peabody and McNab, they are always good for a couple of chuckles. Part of the draw to this series for me has always been the subtle humor and snarky remarks that Eve tosses out to those around her. There were only a few Summerset encounters and none with Mavis and Trina until the last couple of pages. But I only have to wait 12 more days and I'll have another gem to hold on to and try to make it last more a day.

In Death Series 
1. Naked in Death (1995) 
2. Glory in Death (1995)
3. Immortal in Death (1996)
4. Rapture in Death (1996)
5. Ceremony In Death (1997)
6. Vengeance in Death (1997)
7. Holiday in Death (1998)
8. Midnight in Death (1998) (in Silent Night)
9. Conspiracy in Death (1999)
10. Loyalty in Death (1999)
11. Witness in Death (2000)
12. Judgment in Death (2000)
13. Betrayal in Death (2001)
14. Interlude in Death (2001) (in Out of This World)
15. Seduction in Death (2001)
16. Reunion In Death (2002)
17. Purity in Death (2002)
18. Portrait in Death (2003)
19. Imitation in Death (2003)
20. Remember When (2003) 
21. Divided in Death (2004)
22. Visions in Death (2004)
23. Survivor in Death (2005)
24. Origin in Death (2005)
25. Memory in Death (2006)
26. Haunted in Death (2006) (in Bump in the Night)
27. Born in Death (2006)
28. Innocent in Death (2007)
29. Eternity in Death (2007) (in Dead of Night)
30. Creation in Death (2007)
31. Strangers in Death (2008)
32. Ritual in Death (2008) (in Suite 606)
33. Salvation In Death (2008)
34. Promises in Death (2009)
35. Kindred in Death (2009)
36. Missing in Death (2009) (in The Lost)
37. Fantasy in Death (2010)
38. Indulgence in Death (2010)
Big Jack (2010)

Dark Need By: Lynn Viehl

Dark Need (Darkyn, Bk 3)
Author: Lynn Viehl
Rating:* * * 1/2
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Signet (June 6, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0451218667

"Homicide detective Samantha Brown is a tough, highly decorated cop. But twelve lonely years after she nearly died of a gunshot wound, she aches with a deep inner longing. In pursuit of a deranged killer, her only clue is a medieval cross inscribed "Lucan"-the name of the owner of a new nightclub near the murder scene. Drawn into a seamy underworld, Samantha falls for Lucan-who believes he's a vampire and Samantha is his reincarnated first love. Now, she must save this mysterious, seductive man who seems beyond redemption if he is to fulfill her deepest, darkest desires."

This is another great story in the "Darkyn Series". I love the twists and turns that the story takes and how Viehl has added layers upon layers to the storyline. This is a series that needs to be read in order. Viehl does an excellent job of giving you enough back story so that you aren't lost but you will miss out on so much of the meat of this series if you don't read it in order.

Darkyn

1. If Angels Burn (2005)

2. Private Demon (2005)

3. Dark Need (2006)

4. Night Lost (2007)

5. Evermore (2008)

6. Twilight Fall (2008)

7. Stay the Night (2009)

Kyndred

1. Shadowlight (2009)

2. Dreamveil (2010)

3. Frostfire (2011)

The Lost By: JD Robb, Gaffney,Blayney, Langan

The Lost
Author: J. D. Robb, Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan
Rating: * * * *
Reviewed 2/5/2010
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Jove; Original edition (November 24, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0515147186

"J. D. Robb "Missing in Death" investigates a female tourist's disappearance during a ferry ride. Detective Eve Dallas wonders - if she didn't jump, and she's not on board, then where in the world is she?

Patricia Gaffney "The Dog Days of Laurie Summer", a woman awakens to a familiar yet unsettling world.

Mary Blayney  "Lost in Paradise", a man locked in an island fortress finds hope for freedom in an enigmatic nurse.

Ruth Ryan Langan  "Legacy" belongs to a young woman who unearths a family secret buried on the grounds of a magnificent but imposing Irish castle."

The only reason I bought this book was for the JD Robb, Eve Dallas story. It was excellent as always and really got me in the mood to start Robb's "Kindred in Death". I seldom read anthologies, because as soon as you get involved in the story, it's finished. I always feel like I've been cheated. This is a good way to check out an author and occasionally I discover one that I might have missed otherwise. I quite liked  Gaffney's story, where the character has been hurt in an accident and is in a coma. She comes back as a dog, that takes up with the family that is trying so hard to cope with the possibility that the mother and wife may not return to them. I found it humorous even while I fought tears for the pain of the 5 year old little boy. The other two stories were just so-so but as I only expected to like the Dallas story and bought the book solely for it, I'm still giving it 4 stars.

In Death

1. Naked in Death (1995)

2. Glory in Death (1995)

3. Immortal in Death (1996)

4. Rapture in Death (1996)

5. Ceremony In Death (1997)

6. Vengeance in Death (1997)

7. Holiday in Death (1998)

8. Midnight in Death (1998) (in Silent Night)

9. Conspiracy in Death (1999)

10. Loyalty in Death (1999)

11. Witness in Death (2000)

12. Judgment in Death (2000)

13. Betrayal in Death (2001)

14. Interlude in Death (2001) (in Out of This World)

15. Seduction in Death (2001)

16. Reunion In Death (2002)

17. Purity in Death (2002)

18. Portrait in Death (2003)

19. Imitation in Death (2003)

20. Remember When (2003) (with Nora Roberts)

21. Divided in Death (2004)

22. Visions in Death (2004)

23. Survivor in Death (2005)

24. Origin in Death (2005)

25. Memory in Death (2006)

26. Haunted in Death (2006) (in Bump in the Night)

27. Born in Death (2006)

28. Innocent in Death (2007)

29. Eternity in Death (2007) (in Dead of Night)

30. Creation in Death (2007)

31. Strangers in Death (2008)

32. Ritual in Death (2008) (in Suite 606)

33. Salvation In Death (2008)

34. Promises in Death (2009)

35. Kindred in Death (2009)

36. Missing in Death (2009) (in The Lost)

37. Fantasy in Death (2010)

38. Indulgence in Death (2010)

Big Jack (2010)

Double Identity By: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Double Identity

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Rating:* * * *

Reviewed: 2/5/2010

Hardcover: 218 pages

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.; First edition (January 1, 2006)

ISBN-13: 978-0439827874

• "As Bethany approaches her thirteenth birthday, her parents begin acting more oddly than usual: her mother cries constantly, and her father barely lets Bethany out of his sight. Then one morning he hustles the entire family into the car, drives across serveral state lines-and leaves Bethany with an aunt she never knew existed. Bethany has no idea what's going on. She's worried that her mom and dad are running from some kind of trouble, but she can't find out because they won't tell her where they are going. Bethany's only clue is a few words she overheard her father tell her aunt Myrlie, "She doesn't know anything about Elizabeth." But Aunt Myrlie won't tell Bethany who Elizabeth is, and won't explain why people in her small town react to Bethany as if they've seen a ghost. The mystery intensifies when Bethany gets a package from her father containing four different birth certificates from four states with four different last name-and thousands of dollars in cash. And when a strange man shows up asking questions, Bethany realizes she is not the only one who's desperate to unravel the secrets of her past."

This YA thriller kept me up reading one night till 3 AM. Haddix kept me flipping pages for hours totally unable to go to bed and forget the story. I couldn't decide for a long time if I was more horrified that Bethany's parents would basically dump her at an unknown relative's home with no explanation or if the why of the whole story was more terrifying. For that reason, I waited a few days to write a review. While this story may be a bit intense for younger teens, Haddix completely nailed the reaction of the nearly 13 year old  protagonist. She alternates from being a scared little girl to being totally determined to find out what has changed her life as she knows it. In a matter of days, she discovers that  what she knew  about her parents or for that matter about herself may not be quite as black and white as the horrifying truth is reveled.

The Other Daughter By: Lisa Gardner

The Other Daughter
Author: Lisa Gardner
Rating * * * 1/2
Review Date 2/3/2010
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Bantam (July 27, 2004)
ISBN-13: 978-0553587685

"Professional event planner Melanie Stokes does not suspect that the death of a serial killer in a Texas electric chair 20 years before could have any relevance to her neatly ordered existence. But as it becomes clear that the life she's known (as the adopted daughter of Boston cardiologist Harper Stokes and his trophy wife, Patricia) is based on ugly secrets and bloody lies, her world unravels. With the help of FBI Agent David Riggs, who makes up for his lack of physical agilityAthe result of ankylosing spondylitis (bad back problems)Awith finely honed reflexes, street smarts and pure sex appeal, Melanie unearths what an intricately planned 25-year-old cover-up can't hide: the gruesome truth about her parentage."

I've not read a true suspense story in a while and I was so glad I took a break from my usual diet of vampires,  witches, and demons. I had forgotten how edge of the seat scary a true suspense can be. I had forgotten that the suspense building in  a real thriller can raise the hairs on your arms as effectively as the horror of a vampire suddenly appearing or a werewolf attacking. While there were a few  points that I didn't feel that Gardener explained to my satisfaction, this book kept your attention and kept you guessing right up to the end. A half a dozen times, I was sure that I had it figured out but Gardener managed to plant the clues and kept me turning pages and peeling layers of this mystery, long after I should have gone to bed. I throughly enjoyed the trip and will drag out another of her books as the thrill ride was refreshing and mind clearing.