Publisher: Wheeler Publishing
Format Read: Large Print Harcover
Source: my local library
Release Date: September 4, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble | Wheeler Publishing
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Blurb from goodreads:
In the latest suspense thriller in the #1 "New York Times" bestselling series, the year 2060 is drawing to a close in New York City and loved ones are coming together for Thanksgiving. But sometimes the deepest hatreds seethe within the closest relationships, and blood flows faster than water...
Lieutenant Eve Dallas has plenty to be grateful for this season. Hosting Roarke's big Irish family for the holiday may be challenging, but it's a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.
Other couples aren't as lucky as Eve and Roarke. The Reinholds, for example, are lying in their home stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition. Those who knew them are stunned--and heartbroken by the evidence that they were murdered by their own son. Twenty-six-year-old Jerry hadn't made a great impression on the bosses who fired him or the girlfriend who dumped him--but they didn't think he was capable of this.
Turns out Jerry is not only capable of brutality but taking a liking to it. With the money he's stolen from his parents and a long list of grievances, he intends to finally make his mark on the world. Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of this murder. What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry's going to strike next.
Bea's Thoughts:
I admit, I prefer the stories where we don't know who the killer is and we're along for the ride as Eve figures it out. Since we know from the start who the killer is, the mystery is finding him and stopping him, preferably before he kills again. Jerry feels slighted and snaps one day. Everyone who ever slighted him or failed to show him the respect he considered his due is now on his kill list. Sometimes he was predictable and sometimes he wasn't which of course frustrated Eve.
Jerry as a killer didn't interest me that much, I found him boring. One of his victims, a former teacher, I liked very much. She was gutsy, smart, and determined. She was also probably a demanding teacher but a fair one. Still, when the victims are more interesting than the killer and we're spending time in his head, as we do here, that's a problem. Plus his motivation was bland, not what I've come to expect from Robb, though he does show a bit of creativity which was nice.
Both the mystery and the holiday story lines are centered around family but I found Eve and Roarke's story more interesting. My favorite parts of the story were Eve's interactions with Roarke's family and dealing with the holiday. She's such a basic, pragmatic woman with little use for frills and fun with awkward social skills. Those skills have improved with time though she's not particularly graceful and for me that's part of her charm. She has a good heart, is loyal and caring, but has a hard time expressing herself. She may not always understand her family, friends, and co-workers but she respects them and always tries to do right by them. Here, she's trying to balance time with Roarke's family and the holiday meal with solving her case. She's much more comfortable chasing murderers than hanging out with family but she tries.
There's a fair amount of repetition from earlier books - Eve's disdain for details about Peabody and McNab's relationship, the sex scenes between Eve and Roarke, the feud between Eve and Summerset; even the fights between Eve and Roarke are the same old, same old.
"It must be difficult," he said in a voice deceptively, dangerously calm, "to be the only one in the city, possibly, on the planet who can catch this particular son of a bitch. Or, in fact, so many murdering sons of bitches. Harder yet when so many around you are inconsiderate enough to expect you to eat and sleep and have the occasional conversation. What a burden we are in your world."
"That's not what I mean. You know damn well -"
"I know I don't have to stand here taking slaps because I have friends and family coming to our home.Or because you're overstressed and jittery. So do as you please."
He picked the comp up again, walked out.
"Thankless in Death" is old, comfortable territory, nothing new. It's comfort food which is perfectly fine.
oh I have been wanting to try this series out for so long. I do love interactions with family.
ReplyDeleteThe interactions in this series are well done and one of my favorite parts.
DeleteSame as Renee, I badly want to read this series... one day ! And what you say about Eve makes me more eager, I kinda relate to her ;)
ReplyDelete:) You would probably like Eve a lot. :D
Deletewow there is a lot of books in this series, I have not yet tried it but I love a good mystery and been wanting to. The fact that we know who the killer is at the beginning is....strange i guess?
ReplyDeleteRobb does that with some of her stories and sometimes it works. For me, it didn't work. I didn't he was strong enough to carry part of the story.
DeleteOver the years I have been collecting this series and I probably have the majority of it, but I have yet to read the 1st book. lol I'll get to it. I swear!! :)
ReplyDeleteKnowing who the killer is at the beginning is like watching Columbo. Not my favorite way to read a murder mystery(?) but if it can be pulled off then I'm all for it.
The first book is probably the weakest but the series as a whole is wonderful. READ IT!
DeleteAs for knowing the killer's identify early on, I agree. It's not my favorite story trick but when done well, it adds a lot to the story. One good thing about this villain was that he was more realistic and believable; you hear about people like him in news stories.
It really is part of her charm. She's such a great heroine :)
ReplyDeleteIt really is. :)
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