Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Review - - Brotherhood in Death


Review -- Brotherhood in Death
Brotherhood in Death
By J.D. Robb
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: February 2, 2016




As the In Death series progresses, Eve Dallas’s circle of friends widens, a development that often baffles her.  It’s great for the series, however, because it gives the author more characters to explore.  Brotherhood in Death begins with one of Eve Dallas’s favorite characters in trouble.  Dennis Mira, husband of NYPSD profiler Dr. Charlotte Mira, went to meet his cousin at their grandparents’ house.  He walked into a room, and saw his cousin Edward seated in the desk chair, which was in the center of the room, and bleeding in the instant before someone hit Dennis in the head. When he came to, his cousin was gone, and the chair was back where it belonged.

Eve learns about the case when Charlotte Mira asks her for help.  Eve soon deduces that Edward Mira has been kidnapped. As she digs into his life, she comes to believe that his disappearance is a result of old wrongs back at him.  Other longtime friends of his also become victims, and Eve realizes that the youthful crimes she believed Edward Mira committed were much worse and spread much farther than she first suspected.

One of the pleasures of reading a long-running series is seeing the various characters evolve.  Eve and Roarke have mostly made peace with their pasts and their different views of what’s acceptable in an investigation.  Peabody and McNab found each other.  Brotherhood in Death follows up with Nadine Furst’s reaction to the events of Obsession in Death and marks an important step for Officer Troy Trueheart.

Although Eve has mostly laid the ghosts of her past to rest, aspects of this investigation revive them.  Robb deserves credit for handling that part of the story in a way that shows Eve’s growth and layers texture into her relationships with other characters.

The suspense plot proceeds at a good pace and is lightened by touches of humor.  This is a satisfying installment in this best-selling series.

~Nancy Northcott

What do you enjoy about reading a series?






18 comments:

  1. Looking f/d to the same type of writing that the previous books have presented and visiting characters from previous books.
    ladbookfan

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    1. I haven't read any of the In Death books but, like you, one of my favorite parts of reading a series is visiting characters from previous books.

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    2. Anonymous, that's what brings me back to series, too!

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  2. One of my favorite series! I like that we're getting an opportunity to learn more about the Miras. Great review! I can't wait for my turn at the library. I think I'm 6th now on the list.

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    1. Aren't libraries great? I love my local library. :)

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    2. Nikki, if you live the Miras, you'll enjoy this story. I love libraries, too. :-)

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  3. I've collected some of these books but have not started them. I have assumed they needed to be read in order - is this true? I love series for their known characters but some books make you feel like you are missing too much if read out of order.

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    1. I haven't read them either, catslady but friends who have read the entire series tell me they are best if read in order.

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    2. You definitely want to read them in order Catslady. It's the only way to meet all the. Characters and watch them grow throughout the series. It's an amazing series. At least read the first 6 in order.
      Carol L

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    3. You definitely want to read them in order Catslady. It's the only way to meet all the. Characters and watch them grow throughout the series. It's an amazing series. At least read the first 6 in order.
      Carol L

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    4. Catslady, I agree that the series is best read in order, especially the first three books, the initial arc of Eve and Roarke's romance. If you skip around, you won't be lost, but you likely won't catch all of the arcs the various characters go through, especially the secondary ones.

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  4. Love this series! It's like visiting with old friends with each new installment.

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  5. I do love this series! There were a few books I cringed a lot when the description of the crime got too graphic - this one wasn't too bad in that area (at least compared to some of the others). I did miss that we didn't get visits from more of Eve's friends, but did appreciate the extra time with Dennis Mira.

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    1. Di, the crimes are sometimes a bit intense for me, too. Speaking of other characters, I'm wondering when Webster and Chief Darcia from Olympus will pop up again.

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  6. I enjoy the continuity of a series. It is also enjoyable to see the growth and characters and relationships. It is a bit like going home and visiting with friends and family.

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    1. Pat, I like that continuity, too. For me, it's a big reason to read in order.

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