I’m not sure how I got to my age while being a mystery fan and never read a J.D. Robb novel. I didn’t realize I was starting with the 58th book in a fascinating police procedural series. NYC Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas in the lead. She lives with Roarke who is wealthy and very caring and attentive of her. Another surprise to me is that it is all set in the future 2060s.

The case begins with the death of Jenna, a sixteen year old, who is attending a concert of her favorite band. She had hoped they would listen to a demo song she wrote. Sadly, minutes after being injected she dies in the arms of the lead band member. Dallas is quickly on the case. This is good police work mixed with intuitive speculation. Being a little in the future allows for some extra technology but it starts with basics of autopsies and questioning witnesses. I found the pace fast and the tension increases when a second attack is made.

I like Nora Roberts writing and am not surprised how much I enjoyed this book while reading as a stand alone. The detective team is top notch. There are obvious friendships and respect for partners. Roarke gives Eve some work-life balance although she is very driven to solve the case. I’m not sure when I’ll find the time but I will read other books in the series and am happy to see many are available at my local library. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
It was difficult for me to keep up with the book because it constantly used futuristic language and slang, and there was way too much language for my taste, but I read it to the end to see what happened. Tough topic.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook and reader copy of Random in Death by J. D. Robb in exchange for an honest review. It's been awhile since I read this series and have missed a bunch, but it was still good. There were some new characters and old ones and young girls dying of a fatal cocktail.

Random In Death by J.D. Robb (Eve Dallas #58) 5 stars

A club concert for the under 21 crowd featuring Jake Kincade and Avenue A. A young girl exciting about seeing her idol and hoping to give him a demo. A sharp pain, a feeling of sickness and a dead teenager… this starts “Random In Death” the 58th book in the Eve Dallas series. What starts as an investigation into the life of the victim turns into a race against time to stop the perpetrator of a series of random attacks. Can Eve Dallas tug the right threads to find that person in time to save the next victim?

After 58 books you might think that every scenario has been written, but J.D. Robb manages to take familiar circumstances and give it just enough twist to make it new. Every Eve Dallas book is an enjoyable journey, but some are better than others. In “Random In Death” I found myself close to crying at least once. I thought this book was better than the previous book – Payback In Death. I found the pacing fast and it kept me from sleeping just so that I could finish reading the book. I look forward to the next book in the series – Passions In Death coming out in September 2024.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Summer 2061, and a killer is on the loose in NYC, targeting random teenage victims with an easy-to-hide weapon, a syringe full of deadly substances. Eve Dallas and her team must find the killer with little to go on, knowing they will strike again soon and at random.

This is the 58th Eve Dallas book from prolific author J.D. Robb, also known as Nora Roberts, and the series shows no signs of slowing down. This was fantastic! Suspenseful, tense, and high-stakes. I confess I haven't read all 58 but this is a new fave among the ones I have read. And even though this is a long-running series, the books can easily be read as stand-alone.

The premise is frightening. Robb writes this with a sense of urgency and danger and then frustrates her detective with the randomness of the crimes, few clues, and a race to stop a killer before they strike again. These stories have sci-fi elements and excellent world-building, immersing you in a futuristic setting that feels plausible and features imaginative high-tech gadgets. However, I appreciate that Eve still does all the footwork on her investigations.

I adore Eve as a character. She is intelligent, intuitive, gutsy, and an all-around badass. Eve's relationships are fun, and humorous moments are sprinkled throughout her interactions with her colleagues. Her relationship with her husband, Roarke, is steamy and supportive, and I love the two of them together. Robb is a very talented storyteller, and she kept me on the edge of my seat with this one! I loved it! Mystery/thriller lovers and fans of the series will want to add to their TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the gifted ARC.

And J D Robb just keeps writing this really great series..Please do not stop. Eve and the gang are the best

This book has a good whodunnit catch but it was a do not finish for me. It was poorly written with no establishment or emotional connection to the characters. Just couldn’t get into it

Unfortunately, this futuristic murder mystery just missed the mark for me. I didn’t particularly like the storyline, and I found myself just wanting the story to end.

I’ve been reading this series since the fourth book came out, and reading a new one, like this one, is like putting on your favorite pair of pajamas with a nice hot cup of cocoa: you know exactly what you’re going to get. This latest in the series is a doozy with Dallas on the hunt for a teen-aged killer, a new type of killer in the series, trying to keep another death from happening because everyone agrees that he is escalating. I admit I cried a little with some scenes since they were so darn touching. But that’s what, again, I love about this series because you know what to expect: great writing, wonderful characters, a thrilling chase at the end. And speaking of thrilling chases, just like in all the books, I frantically “turned” the pages to find out how it was going to end. This is a great installment to the series, and it’s not to be missed by those who love this series. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Another great mystery solved by Lt. Eve Dallas and her trusty sidekick Sgt. Peabody. This is the 58th in the “In Death” Series – Robb pulls you right into the story when Jenna Harbough a 16-year-old girl is jabbed with something and dies at a concert full of teenagers. The characters are well-developed and pull you into their story, such as Peabody and McNabb and Nadine and Jake. Nadine calls Eve to let her know that a young girl died in Jake's arms and that she should investigate. Then another teenager dies in the same method and Eve knows that she has a serial killer on the loose. Eve and her team of detectives are in a race against time to try to find this young killer before he strikes again. I highly recommend this book and once you start you won’t be able to put it down. Plenty of action, and a great plotline with tons of twists. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Eve and Roake are having a nice evening when murder calls. This starts a case that involves hardly any sleep as the deaths and near deaths pile up. All of the normal people are in this book also which of course adds interest to the book. They solve the case in an interesting manner. Another solid book from an amazing author!

I absolutely love this series and this book is no exception. Eve does it again. Great characters and it was hard for me to put down. I highly recommend this book. Love love it.

4.5 for the pure horror of this plotline! Another half-star because we didn't have to hear so much squealing about Peabody's new house. Then a subtraction of half a star for a lot of the incomprehensible (to me at least) modern cant.

58 books with another coming up Passions in Death #59 on September 33 -you have to expect some bumps in the road, but I sure felt this one was smooth sailing all the way!

The idea behind this novel and the author's execution of it was so horrifying that I can see this happening, although not in quite this manner, in this day and age. And that makes me very glad I don't have any kids, although now I'm going to worry about my nieces and nephew!

The stomach-churning tension and horror make the ending to this particular story so much more satisfying!

*ARC was supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author Nora Roberts, and NetGalley.

Eve was hoping for a quiet weekend off to spend with her husband Roarke when a call comes in taking her to Club Rock It where Avenue A is performing as they do each year to remember where they all started. The club is open that night to teens who pack the place.

One of the teens is Jenna Harbough who is a 16-year-old aspiring songwriter and performer who is hoping to get a chance to slip lead singer Jake Kincaid a copy of her demo. She isn't expecting to feel a poke in her arm and to die just minutes later in Jake's arms.

It looks like Jenna died of a drug overdose and it soon becomes apparent that the drugs were injected in her without her knowledge or consent. Investigations into her life don't reveal anyone known to her who might want her dead. The only clues on scene are some threads of fiber on a window in the mens' room and some scuff marks on the wall below the window.

The next night 17-year-old Arlie Dillon is at an open-air battle of the bands when she feels what she things is a bee sting on her arm. She dies just a few minutes later despite attempts from her friends and the MTs to save her. It is the same poison mix as killed Jenna. And Eve has a serial killer who is picking his victims randomly to find and stop before he can kill again.

Kiki Hernandez is almost the third victim when she feels an injection while she's at the premier of the latest blockbuster. But layers on her arms and a massive bruise where the killer tries to inject his poison causes her to make a commotion and send the killer running.

This case is a definite police procedural. Eve and her team have to gather the tiny clues left behind and many eyewitness accounts from people who didn't really look at the killer before she can find him and stop him.

This was another excellent episode in the long-running Eve Dallas series. I like the way she works with her team including especially Peabody and Jenkinson in this episode. I also like how characters from earlier series - Charles and Louise, Nadine Furst and Jake Kincaid, and Jamie and Quilla make important appearances in this episode.

I love her relationship with Roarke. This time their conflict centers around him giving her some pocket money when she forgets to visit an ATM. It hurts her pride to accept and his pride when she tries to pay him back.

Fans of the series won't want to miss this episode. I loved it so much I read it twice with just a few hours in between readings.

Have you read a J. D Robb book? Did you know that J.D. Robb is a pen name for Nora Roberts?

I love a good book that has a well written plot that pulls me in from the beginning, is filled with intrigue for my mind to try to solve, and characters that are appealing and relatable. Set in the year 2061, Lieutenant Eve Dallas, partner Peabody, life partner Rourke, officer McNab, and various other officers work together to find a serial killer before he can take out his aggressions on more young women. The perp injects his victims with a cocktail of drugs for numerous effects ensuring death within a very short period of time.

Just like the murder cocktail, this is a fast moving crime thriller/police procedural that will capture your attention from the page one. Throw in a sprinkling of futuristic terms and technology (easy to follow), characters that you can’t help but become invested in and root for, and a fast paced narrative and you’ve got the perfect blend for a thriller that you’ll have trouble stepping away from. The novel unfolds through multiple narratives - primarily Lieutenant Eve Dallas as well as the victims’, and some of the thought patterns of the killer who is coldly calculated and somewhat rational. You’ll also get a breakdown of police procedures and psychological analysis as Dallas tries to get inside the mind of the killer in order to catch him, working methodically and meticulously to leave no stone unturned; slowly tightening the noose.

The last half of the book I read in basically one sitting - I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want to step away until I knew the outcome - and it didn’t disappoint! While this is book 58 in the “In Death” series, it absolutely can be read as a stand-alone. That said, I would really love all the back story on the characters so will be going back and reading this series from the beginning. I definitely #recommend this book; JD Robb/Nora Roberts is one of the best fiction writers out there!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advance digital review copy (#drc) of this fantastic book by @jdrobbauthor . Released January 22, 2024, preorder your copy today!

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This series just keeps getting better and better. I love how Eve and her team compile the evidence against the perpetrator that leave no doubt in their guilt. I love seeing how all of Eve’s relationships change and grow. I, also, love Eve and Roark’s relationship and how they know what each other needs. This book was more emotional for me than some of the others and I could hardly put it down. It’s always so hard to wait for the next book!

Random in Death is another page-turner in which Eve Dallas and her team are pushed to extremes to catch a killer whose target is teenage girls with very few things in common. The newest In Death will not disappoint and makes one question how J.D. Robb keeps going year after year!

Random in Death by J. D. Robb is number 58 in this long-running series. Lt. Eve Dallas leads a highly unique ensemble of characters that includes her husband Roarke, Peabody, McNab, Somerset, Nadine, Jake, and, of course, Galahad. A fast paced and gripping mystery that comes to a surprising conclusion. Looking forward to future cases with Dallas and her team.
Thank you to JD Robb/Nora Roberts, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

4.5 STARS

Jenna finally got permission from her parents to attend a special concert by her favorite band on the planet: Avenue A. She carried a demo of her own music with the dream of meeting the lead singer, Jake Kincade, hoping to somehow give it to him in person. Jenna thinks this is her night after catching the charming Jake’s eye while he is on stage; but then, it all goes terribly wrong.

Jenna notices a sharp pain in her arm thinking someone bumped into her on the crowded dance floor. She begins to feel strange and sick so makes it out to the alley where Jake is taking a break. Recognizing the girl, Jake comes to her aid in what turns out to be the last minutes of her young life. She had been injected with a massive cocktail of drugs and disease that took her out in minutes. Jake’s girlfriend, top crime report Nadine Furst, calls her friend Lieutenant Eve Dallas knowing the best homicide cop in the city must take the case.

With a club full of teenagers, most of whom had no clue what happened, Eve Dallas weaves her way through the case's details trying to determine why Jenna was targeted. Lab results latter reveal the drugs used along with virulent additives demonstrate that the perpetrator has quite an evil agenda. While Dallas and her term search for clues, another young girl succumbs to the same fate. Eve Dallas knows that if she cannot find connections between the victims, then the chances of catching their murderer are low because figuring out where this miscreant will strike is extremely difficult.

At book number 58 in this long running series, some folks might wonder how Ms. Robb keeps her audience entertained and excited for the next installment. The answer is she has created a world where her fans are all invested not only in Eve Dallas but her billionaire Irish husband, Roarke, and her partner, Delia Peabody, along with their bullpen of detectives who fight crime in a futuristic mid-21st century New York City. Eve has also collected stable of friends, often much to her dismay, who come along to work the homicides she is famous for solving. While all the stories have some sad and heart wrenching details, this one does particularly so because it involves young people. Eve’s irascible character along with her determination to find the justice for those victims she considers hers continue to please readers and leave us looking in happy anticipation for more.

When I was pregnant, I read the entire In Death series, so I was pleased to read another new one this year. Also, they should absolutely make an Eve Dallas TV show. They have to, right?! ❤️ 📺

Random in Death was a fast-paced thrilling mystery. It had twists and turns and made even slow moments riveting. I loved the return of a few favourite reoccurring characters. No spoilers.

It was also emotionally resonating. There was a moment that had me in tears. Also, any return of RockstarJake is a good time. What I love best about the series is the growth of all the characters. The development feels earned, especially after 58 books. 10/10 would recommend.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, for this advanced reader copy.