Such a great addition to the In Death series! The thought of not being a target but still being a victim is chilling and I love the new layers to Jake and Nadine, even though it's through tragedy. And Eve & Rourke continue to reign as #couplegoals.

I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley,

One of the things I enjoy the most about J.D. Robb's In Death series is that the stories are all different. Yes, there are reappearing characters; characters that have changed and grown over the length of the series, but the plot is never the same. The novels are police procedurals in a near future world. There's been a lot of changes in technology and society. Some changes are for the better but much remains recognizable to today's readers--even those unfamiliar with science fictional settings.

There's still crime and those who must see that those who commit crimes are caught and punished. NYPSD/Homicide Lieutenant Detective Eve Dallas stands for the dead to see justice is done. In Random in Death, Dallas is called in when a young woman, Jenna, dies at a special appearance of rock band Avenue A for teens at the club where they got their start. Jenna died within minutes of being injected with a toxic cocktail of drugs.

When the next victim is attacked, it becomes clear the killer does not have a list of potential victims. Instead, the killer is picking someone at random—usually female. There are no connections between the victims and thus far this makes it far more difficult to find a link to the killer.

No murder is perfect although the clues are few and far between. To find this killer before he takes another life, they must make the best of few facts they have and connect the dots to get a picture of what sort of person would have the skills, opportunity, and desire to do what is being done.

Dallas, Roarke, and her team pull double shifts and pull in expert consultants. Even though in every one of the fifty-seven previous novels they've caught the killer there is always the possibility this time they may not be clever or quick enough to succeed. The writing pulls readers into the story and the tension builds, making it difficult to stop until you read the last page.

OMG! Eve Dallas and Peabody get on the murder of a young girl when Jake Kincaid, Nadine's rock star boyfriend happens on the girl during a performance of Avenue A's origins. This leads the team on an investigation that none of the targets interconnect and how to find who is targeting these young women.

I just adore the In Death series. I have read each one over and over again. I notice something new each time. And this one while there was a nice break from how heavy the last few on been for Roarke and Dallas with all the resurgences of cases relating to similar theme of each childhood traumas'.

Our favorite cast of characters all make memorable appearances. We have progress on the Great House Project, Bella appearances. And a great epic Dallas and Roarke style takedown of the bad guy.

Random in Death is #58 in J.D. Robb's In Death series and once again the author hit the nail on the head. I don't know how she makes each and every book; every case; fresh but she does, and long may she continue!

This time there are young teenagers being murdered by a monster. With nothing to tie them together, Lieutenant Eve Dallas concludes they must be random killings. But either way, she will find the murderer and put them away...

"Random in Death" represents the newest installment in the mesmerizing In Death series, an expansive collection encompassing more than 60 books and novellas that has captivated readers for years. At its core, the series follows the compelling investigations of Eve Dallas, a dedicated New York City police lieutenant who brings justice to murder victims. Working alongside her is her husband Roarke, an incredibly successful and technologically gifted businessman whose past mirrors her own - both having emerged stronger from challenging childhoods marked by trauma and survival. While their deep and evolving romance provides a touching thread throughout each installment, the intricate murder mysteries consistently drive the narrative forward. As the series has progressed, readers have developed deep emotional connections with an extensive ensemble of supporting characters, each bringing their own unique personality and contribution to the story.
J.D. Robb demonstrates remarkable skill in weaving essential background information throughout the narrative, making this latest book welcoming to first-time readers. However, to truly appreciate the intricate character development and rich relationship dynamics that have evolved over time, I strongly recommend beginning the series from the first book. This recommendation comes from personal experience - after discovering these books, I found myself so thoroughly engrossed.

What makes us return, again and again, to the futuristic thriller series In Death? Random in Death is #58 of 59 Eve Dallas novels—by any measuring stick, that’s quite a run. J.D. Robb cleverly balances deepening familiarity with Eve Dallas and her gazillionaire husband Roarke—and their friends, co-workers, and family—while introducing new people to the mix. The secret sauce is Robb’s ability to teleport the visceral fears of today decades into the future. In Eve Dallas’s universe, it’s the summer of 2061, hot nights in New York City, but some things stay constant over time. One of them is the eternal struggle for freedom between teens and their parents.

It’s the most exciting night of Jenna Harborough’s sixteen-year-old life. Her parents have finally relented and said she can go to a music club so that she can see and hear guitarist Jake Kincaid and his famous band Avenue A in person. Jenna’s a passionate musician: she brings a demo with her to the club in the hopes she can get it in Jake’s hands. When Jake winks at her from the stage, she thinks she’s died of happiness. Tragically, Jenna is stabbed by an unknown person in the crowd. She stumbles out to the alley, disoriented and ill. Jake’s in the alley too, catching a breath of air. He’s the last person to see Jenna alive: although he does everything in his power to save her, she dies in his arms. Jake’s girlfriend is uber-famous celebrity journalist Nadine Furst and a friend of Eve Dallas. Nadine knows what Jake must do, even though he’s paralyzed with grief and horror: get Lieutenant Eve Dallas on the scene yesterday. Jenna’s life has tragically ended but Nadine knows that Eve Dallas and her trusty sidekick Peabody will work without ceasing to get justice for the young girl. As always, Roarke has Eve’s back.

“It’s going to be a really ugly night for the victim’s parents. I’m going to go do the notification.”



“Without Peabody?”



“I can’t spare her for this when we have all those potential wits and suspects in that club. Look, I don’t know how long we’ll be at this so—”



“You’re about to go tell a mother and father their child’s dead.” He took her field kit to put it in the trunk. “I’m with you, Lieutenant.”

One of Dallas’s necessary but painful jobs is to interview Jenna’s friends Leelee and Chelsea—the girls who accompanied her to the music club. Given their ages, their parents sit in on the interview. The girls are angry, grieving, and hostile. Dallas understands, but she needs to cut through their hostility to get to the bare bones of what happened to Jenna, particularly since the rumor mill has it that Jenna overdosed. Chelsea is particularly incensed at the character assassination of her friend.

“It’s freaking me because they’re fuckwads saying she OD’d, and she was a junkie.”



“They’re fuckwads,” Eve agreed, ignoring the mother, giving the girl her attention. “And they’re liars looking to stir up ugliness about someone who can’t defend herself. We’ve also concluded, conclusively, through solid evidence, Jenna did not use illegals.”



“As if,” Leelee muttered. “Illegals are for losers and flakers. Jenna wasn’t, ever.”



“But someone did jab her, and she did overdose—through no fault of her own. I want you to think back to that last song before the break.”



“We’ve thought and thought.”



“And it’s hard,” Peabody put in, “hard to keep thinking. But that’s when and where he hurt her.”



“We were all there, all three of us. This close.” Chelsea held her hands up, a foot apart. “And she was so mega juiced because Jake looked at her, right at her, and smiled. I mean that was the ult!”

Eve’s job is two-fold: find who stabbed Jenna but also, perhaps even more importantly, have her medical team develop an antidote. Why? “After everyone on the scene is interviewed, lab results show a toxic mix of substances in the victim’s body—and for an extra touch of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious agents.” Uncovering clues will be like finding a needle in a haystack. Unfortunately, another girl is murdered using the same method: Dallas and Peabody don’t need publicity and pressure to rachet up their investigation…they’re on it, even though it’s seemingly hopeless. Dallas says to Peabody, “Sweepers aren’t likely to find much in this mess. Over two thousand people stomped around.”

Fans of the In Death series know that Dallas is smart, persistent, and that a stellar team of investigators have her back. It may seem that the two murders are “random in death,” but Dallas weaves together the most miniscule of clues to develop a case and find a killer. As always, the latest In Death is unputdownable.

I love J.D. Robb books and this is another that I need to add to my physical collection. The story grabs you from the start and keeps you turning the pages.

"Random in Death" by J.D. Robb is the latest thrilling installment in the popular In Death series. When a teenage girl is murdered at a crowded concert, Lieutenant Eve Dallas must race against time to find the killer before they strike again.

Robb skillfully crafts a complex mystery as Eve investigates the seemingly random attack. The story takes a chilling turn as it's revealed the killer is targeting teenage girls at public events, using a small, easily concealed weapon. Eve's search for a pattern leads her down a dark path as she realizes the perpetrator is a madman consumed by hatred.

The novel is a page-turner from start to finish, with Robb's signature blend of futuristic world-building, gritty crime drama, and subtle romance. Eve's personal life is woven throughout, providing a nice counterbalance to the horrific crimes.

While some longtime fans may find this entry a bit uneven compared to previous books, it still delivers the thrills and chills readers have come to expect. The killer is particularly chilling, and Robb does an excellent job conveying the terror and grief of the victims' families.

Overall, "Random in Death" is a solid addition to the series, with an intriguing premise and a shocking conclusion that will leave readers eager for the next installment. Fans of the In Death books will not be disappointed.

This is book number 53 in the series!! I'll be honest I read the first few years ago before I used my GR account faithfully so I couldn't even tell you how long ago it was that I read the books. However, I didn't need to read the books in the middle to be able to read this book. As always, there are some events or people I wasn't sure all the details but that was okay for me. I loved that it is set in the future and we're following a strong female detective solving murd3rs.
Her husband was supportive and I thought it was wonderful. He had knowledge of crime scenes but let Eve Dallas shine. The murd3r weapon, in my opinion, is something that could be used in the near future. No, I won't say it in the review and give anything away. I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
If you're in the mood for a murde3r mystery with a bad ass detective this is a book for you.


Will be posted to IG ASAP

Fast-paced and full of suspense, this series never gets old for me. I am so invested in the characters. This can be read as a standalone, but you will most likely be hooked and want to start reading the entire series. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't discovered this series yet.

St. Martin's Press very graciously sent me a widget for "Random in Death," and I appreciate that they did! I have been intrigued by the '...in Death" series for years, but am so far "behind" in the number of books published, that I thought I would never be able to catch up and would be unable to fully appreciate the world-building and character development created in this universe. After reading installment 58, "Random in Death" I could not have been more wrong!

J.D. Robb gives a thorough backstory for culture, language, and technology critical to the "...in Death" universe in a way that welcomes new readers and seasoned fans alike. There was no point where I felt I could not follow the plot or didn't have a chance to understand the dynamics between characters that have been curated over nearly 6o novels.

To quote the late Queen Elizabeth II, I found Eve to be a "trusty and beloved' character from the jump and easily understood why these books have been best sellers for nearly thirty years. Eve is dedicated to justice but also has a real sense of humanity often missing from novels centered around law enforcement. She is aware of her shortcomings, has no interest in playing politics, hates shopping, and has a huge weakness for Pepsi, a woman many of Robb's readers can relate to as they reflect on their lives and careers.

In this installment we see Eve on the trail of a killer who strikes down young women in crowded venues, injecting them with a lethal cocktail of street drugs and bacteria that kills them in minutes. Even with the novels set approximately 40 years into the future, Robb creates a sense of fear and tension that resonates with today's readers.

I will be sure to read the upcoming '... In Death' releases, and checking out Robb's back catalog. "Random in Death" was such a great read that I would like to go back to the beginning and crack cases along with Eve as I watch her grow into the strong, dedicated detective I met in book 58. Special thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for an Advanced Reader's Copy of "Random in Death" in exchange for an unbiased review. I see plenty of paperbacks filled with Eve's adventures in my summer reading list!

This is always an easy rating for me, I love this series, I appreciate each month how she can make a new story so different and interesting.

This is a great addition is a wonderful series. I feel like the series just gets better. The characters are enjoyable and the story is very entertaining.

Jenna goes to a New York club with her best friends to watch a legendary band with hopes of slipping her demo to the lead guitarist. Unfortunately, the best night of her life turns out to be the last night of her life when someone in the crowd jabs her with a needle filled with a toxic substance.

This murder will lead Lieutinent Eve Dallas and her team on a chase to find a serial killer.

Random in Death is a fantastic addition to the In Death series. This one definitely brought out some feels as the targets were random and young, which is absolutely heartbreaking. I don't want to give too much away about the crime and the investigation, but as always it's top notch. I also love that we continue to see all the relationships of Eve and her family change and grow.

Random In Death reminded me why I enjoy reading J.D. Robb's "In Death" series. The story itself is a surprisingly timely one that involves the death of two young girls through a prick of a stranger's needle. There's also the incomproable recurring heroine, Lt. Eve Dallas. Dallas as always is observant, sarcastic, and tough. She's been fleshed out more especially when it comes her own trauma and vulnerability. Too often, a long running series gets stale, but Robb manages to keep her "In Death" series as with "Random In Death" compelling and suspenseful.

Let us return to the world of Eve Dallas, detective extraordinaire. JD Robb has done it again with the unexpected. Who would think that teens would be targeted? Not me, but the twist and turns of an evil mind can never be common. Eve once again works through the mystery of people and their agenda and carries her story from what happened to an ending that we do not always see coming. This is one of those stories. Recommend this excellent story, especially to fans of JD Robb.

Once again, we return to one of my favorite worlds. As always, I love the romance between the happily married couple plus the mystery that has to be solved. As usual, I couldn’t figure out what was going on until the end, which is the best type of suspense, mystery to have. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

I am withholding my review until the publisher:

1) Addresses and denounces the Islamophobic and racist remarks from their employee.
2) Offers tangible steps for how they are going to mitigate the harm this employee caused.
3) Addresses how, moving forward, they will support and protect their Muslim, Arab and Palestinian influencers, authors and readers, in addition to supporting their BIPOC influencers, authors and readers.

Random in Death is the latest installment in the long running In Death series. It's summer 2061 in New York City when homicide lieutenant Eve Dallas is on the hunt for a killer who injects teen girls with a lethal drug combo. She, her billionaire husband Roarke and their friends and colleagues make a great cast of characters. Several reasons I keep reading this series are the complex characters, their interactions and the occasional banter to lighten the mood.

I really enjoyed this fast paced, suspenseful crime thriller which kept me turning pages to find out the identity of the killer and when he would be stopped. If you enjoy audiobooks the narrator for this series is excellent.

Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.