Giovanni Rossi has just arrived in New York City after being called by a friend. But it wasn't just any friend - this friend was part of a group he was involved with during the Urban Wars, essentially a secret organization of spies. Unfortunately for Rossi, he doesn't make it out of the hired car that picks him up at the airport.

Eve Dallas is called in to Rossi's case when her card is found between his fingers. But it's not really her card, it's a clever forgery with a message. Eventually, Eve puts together the pieces and brings in the remainder of the Twelve, including Roarke's Summerset. Hunkered down at the mansion, the group shares intel and attempts to capture the killer before he can kill another of them.

I cannot believe this is the 60th Eve Dallas book! I haven't read them all, but I'm close. I guess you can say I'm a fan! I liked the big role that Summerset had in this story. We really learn a lot of his back story here, which was quite interesting. The players were all present and accounted for, and I enjoyed the plotline that brought in some of the Urban Wars info. Overall, another great addition to the Eve Dallas mythos.

Highly charged and adventurous. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is on the case as she finds herself in the middle of another interestingly frustrating case. They are called The Twelve, a very secret organization. Unfortunately it seems they are dying one by one.

It's up to Lieutenant Dallas to figure out why and how and who they are! That leads her to Summerset. He just happens to be one of the twelve.

This was an amazing book as I was listening to the audio version, it was difficult to follow at the beginning, but I got there. This is a up and down thriller with lots of action. You will not be bored. I highly recommend this series, but I recommend you start at the beginning!

Happy reading!!

Loved reading and listening to the entertaining and engaging story. When Rossi is murdered, Eve is on the case which surprisingly involves twelve spies from the urban wars, one of which is none other than Roarke's butler, Somerset. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a riveting audio version full of mystery, suspense, and captivating characters. Can't wait to read the next story in the series by the phenomenal author, J.D. Robb!

This was such a good book. I really enjoyed how the storyline and the characters were all throwbacks to the Urban Wars that have been frequently mentioned in the previous books of the series, but has never been gone into detail before. Now we get the backstory and meet the major players, when one of their own becomes Eve’s newest case, and she offers up her home as a safe sanctuary for the remaining members of the primary team from those turbulent times in the past. This is the Robb we are happy to welcome back to what made us become hooked on her books to begin with. Complex, fast paced storyline with a plethora of twists and turns to keep it fresh from beginning to end.
Susan Ericksen once again does a marvelous job portraying all of the characters, modulating her voice to appropriately let each character’s personality shine through and differentiate one from another. I hope that she continues to narrate these books as long as they keep being written.

I am a huge fan of this author’s other pen name’s work. I decided to give this series a try. I probably shouldn’t have picked one this far into the series for my first. I have purchased several of the early books to back up and listen. She’s such a gifted writer that I still enjoyed it. I was definitely wanting to know more of the story. All the different side characters and their backstories were fascinating. I absolutely will be backing up to read. I wasn’t completely sold on the narrator at first, but eventually I got used to her tone.

Bonded in Death by J D Robb
In Death series #60. Futuristic police procedural. Thriller. Best read if at least familiar with the characters and series.
During the Urban Wars, back in the 2020’s, there was a group of spies, or undercover agents fighting for good, called The Twelve. The puzzling death of a Giovanni Rossi, who just traveled to New York has been killed and there is a note. The remaining members of the 12 that are still alive are being threatened and Eve and her team must put all the clues together and discover the killer before someone dies.

🎧 I listened to this book via audiobook, performed by Susan Erickson, who does almost the entire series. It did take me a few books to become accustomed to the accents that the narrator has as opposed to what was in my own imagination, but I now couldn’t imagine reading one of these In Death books without these performances and accents.
I do speed up the playback to 1.5 to more closely match a casual Midwest conversation.

Number 60 and as fresh and thrilling as ever.
In this story we learn more about the Urban Wars fifty years prior and a few of the spies and secret agents of the times. More background on Summerset and his wife and co-conspirators.
Eve, Peobody, Roarke, and the usual cast step up to work the case with all the intensity you expect.
Utterly entertaining, with gripping suspense. It’s fascinating to listen to Eve walk through the crimes and think in the killers mind.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio. This series is an autobuy for me.

It's been a few years since I've read one of JD Robb's In Death series and here we are at book 60! I know I've missed a lot in the past 40 books that I haven't read, but I couldn't resist getting this since I was in the mood to see what Eve and her husband Roarke were up to. While I honestly didn't have a hard time picking up with their latest adventure and mystery to solve, I think there will come a time when I go back and read through the series.

It was great fun watching rough-around-the-edges Eve interact with Peabody and Summerset again, especially since Summerset is involved in this mystery from his past. Anyone who is hooked on this series will definitely want to read it!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audio book. Susan Ericksen did a wonderful job narrating and doing so many voices! All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 4 February 2025

WOW!! I decided to just jump in on book 60!! First off, what an major accomplishment to a series of 60 books!! Second, this was an amazing book!

I love Lieutenant Eve Dallas! She takes no crap from anyone, not even her husband. The action is spot on and non stop. There is never a dull moment. Even when the characters are sitting at dinner the secrets that are discovered is shocking. I was left totally shocked at a couple of the secrets that were revealed.

I know that I missed out on the some the characters connections and background since I have not read any of the previous books. I did not fell that plot lost momentum or power. I was easily able to follow along.

Susan Erickson has an amazing grasp on the wide array of voices. Each character was easily distinguishable and enjoyable. Susan was able to express the emotions of all the characters to easily.

4.5 stars

I have pretty much read every book in this series so when the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of this latest became available, I jumped at the chance. It was as fantastic as I expected it to be and it being the 60th book I have to say it was still going strong. I’m finding I especially love the ones that dive deeper into the lives of the main characters or those close to them. In Bonded in Death we learn more about Summerset during the Urban Wars as well as the team he was a part of, The Twelve. Now there may be a killer amongst them and it is up to Eve and her team to find him.

It was so great to get a more indepth look into Summerset’s history and getting to know his former teammates as well. Eve and Summerset has always had a “special” relationship, a bit of love and hate, throwing gibes at each other but when one hurts or attempts to hurt the other you know they do care for each other and they show it in this story in only the way they can. Overall, a wonderful listening experience. The narrator, Susan Ericksen, did a great job bringing to life all of the characters.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

The only thing I don’t like about the In Death series is waiting for the next book.
This installment, number 60!, is one of my favorites. We get the usual humor, ugly ties, camaraderie, badass attitude and exceptional detective work from the team. And a touch of romance. This one included Summerset and some of his old compatriots. Can you imagine Eve and Summerset working together? Apparently, it can happen.
I read this as an audiobook, and the narrator was excellent. I’ve read a few of this series as audiobooks and all were good.
This is my favorite series by far, and getting this book as a free ARC was like Christmas. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I don’t know how she does it, but Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb, keeps coming up with unique and satisfying plots in this futuristic series. This one, #60, has Eve Dallas and her cohort facing off with a war criminal.

As always, Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her gazillionaire husband, Roarke, do what it takes to track and capture a man whose obsession is to destroy a group of men and women who were active in the long ago Urban Wars. The Twelve, as they are called, are old and retired now, but the traitor (he was once one of them) wants retribution.

I really enjoy this series and always look forward to a new book. The characters are almost like old friends and I love reading about each of them and their personal lives as they all do their thing helping Eve with whatever case she’s on. Sometimes Eve is just a little too much, rude and snarky, socially inept at times, and yet she still is a good leader of her cop team. Oh yeah, where can we all find a guy like Roarke? Doesn’t exist, but it’s nice to imagine such a man.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book - both ARCs provided by the publishers. I enjoy the voice of the narrator, Susan Ericksen, who has narrated most of these in the series. She’s got great accents and shifts between characters with different tone and voice making them sound distinctly separate. I find that a good audio production often enhances my enjoyment of a book and that was definitely true in this case. I’m looking forward to the next installment.

I’ll never understand how this series has not been made into some sort of television adaptation as its popularity continues.

Nora Roberts was a constant presence in my home growing up, with many of my earliest memories of my mom reading involving one of her paperbacks in hand. Despite being well aware of her work, I had never actually read one of her books myself. Under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, Roberts has been writing the In Death series for decades, and as a fan of murder mysteries, I figured this long-running series would be the perfect place to start. When her publisher offered me a copy of Bonded in Death, the 60th installment, I was excited to finally take the plunge.

Decades ago, Giovanni Rossi belonged to a secretive organization known as The Twelve. The Urban Wars were a time of chaos, but Rossi had long since left that life behind, settling into a peaceful existence in Rome with his wife. Yet, his ties to The Twelve were never truly severed. When an urgent call from an old comrade came, he had no choice but to answer. Rossi landed in New York, stepped into a waiting car—and was dead within minutes.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is baffled by the case. There’s no clear evidence, no witnesses, and even the most advanced technology turns up nothing. She’s at a dead end until a link to the Urban Wars of the 2020s surfaces, leading her to an unexpected connection—Summerset, a longtime confidant and former wartime medic.

Summerset’s reaction to the crime is immediate and deeply personal. He confesses that he, too, was once part of The Twelve, a past he has spent decades trying to forget. But now, with a killer methodically hunting down its former members, he has no choice but to confront old ghosts. A chilling message makes one thing clear: others have already fallen, and the mission isn’t over yet.

As I began reading Bonded in Death, it quickly became clear that I had some catching up to do if I wanted to fully appreciate J.D. Robb’s long-running In Death series. Set in a futuristic world brimming with advanced technology and urban innovation, the novel offers a setting that modern-day investigators could only dream of. While Robb provides enough surface-level context for new readers to follow along, I couldn’t shake the feeling that having prior knowledge of the characters and their relationships would have deepened my connection to the story. That said, I was immediately drawn into the mystery at the novel’s core. The blend of espionage, suspense, and a seemingly impossible case made for a compelling read that kept the plot moving at a steady pace.

What surprised me most was the humor woven throughout the narrative, bringing moments of levity even amid high-stakes tension. The novel ultimately builds to a satisfying conclusion, even if the resolution isn’t entirely shocking. While jumping in at book 60 may not have been the ideal way to experience this series for the first time, I can see why these characters and this world have captivated readers for decades.

This is the 60th book in this series and I haven’t been disappointed yet. I always feel like I’m in an episode of CSI or FBI. Lieutenant Eve Dallas will always put her all into everything case but this case was very personal. A killer comes to New York and has a plan to eliminate the remaining members of a group that was formed during the Urban War called The Twelve. Lieutenant Dallas makes it her mission to save the remaining members and get the killer off streets of NYC.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Bonded in Death was a great big I Love You to Eve Dallas.

Lt Eve Dallas and her partner Det. Delia Peabody are called to the scene of a murder where a man appears to have been poisoned in a back of a limousine and the victim died clutching Eve's card with a notation that Wasp was now dead so soon will be the remaining member of The Twelve. Lab results show that there wasn't poison in the fine wine he had been drinking but it seemed that someone went to all the trouble to trap him in the back of the limo and kill him by poison gas--a gas which was made illegal after the Urban Wars.

This sends Eve and Peabody's investigation back to a bloody period in the world's history -- the Urban Wars. Eve knows that Somerset was a medic during the Wars and hopes that he can give her some insight into this period of time.  But Eve is shocked to learn that Somerset was one of The Twelve, so she has him bring the remaining members to New York in order to keep them safe and contained, and with the help of these Urban War spies, Eve has a head start getting into the mind of the killer while he believes the police are still clueless.  He wastes his time plotting the elaborate deaths of his former comrades, never knowing that Eve and Peabody are getting closer and closer to catching him.

THOUGHTS:
This is one of my top favorite series. I have read all 60 books and all the short stories which have popped up here and there. I love Eve Dallas. She is one of my favorite characters. If she was a real person, I would do everything, except murder, to meet her and gush nervously about how awesome she is. But I have to say that even I was getting annoyed when literally every character Eve meets gushes about her awesome dedication or smarts or Sherlock Holmes level detecting. Every one of the twelve, even Somerset, at some point told Eve that she was amazing or dedicated or frosty. People she interviewed talked about Nadine's books or the vid and how Ult Eve is.  Mira talked about her dedication. Whitney and Tibalt mentioned she is their best cop. On, and on, and on. So I am not exaggerating that this was a I Love You to Eve Dallas. Since you can find the listing for Book 61, this wasn't a final bow for the series but everyone stopped by to tell Eve how amazing she is.

The other things to note about this story is that we get a little more information about the Urban Wars, which has been noted many times over the course of this series. Now we learn more about this worldwide war between the rich and the poor and took place sometime around 2024 to 2026. These books which Nora began writing in 1995 and which take place about 2060 (2061 at this point) have foretold many futuristic things like PPCs or personal palm computers (now ipads) and link calls (now facetime), etc., I am getting a little concerned that we might just be facing our own Urban War era.  I'm not saying I'm going to build a bunker or anything or maybe I am and I'm gonna fill it with important staples like books.

The story failed to really use these Urban War spies to their full extent. Yes, they came together and gave Eve insights into the person hunting them down but she had these guys in lockdown in her house why didn't we use them. Yes, she has Feeney, McNab and Roarke, but why not let the tech spies show them how things used to be done or simply let them help with running searches. Something. These guys are only ranging in age from 60 to 79. Maybe they can't run down the perp...or maybe they can since he's the same age range but they are all smart, including a scientist (who apparently was part of a prior investigation but I don't remember that story). I think the story lacked a bit because it failed to use these Urban War spies to any extent.  If you don't include them, why make them spies?  They could have been an old book club, a rival tennis club.   They were spies and no one's specialty skills or connections were utilized.  Such a waste!

I did like that we learn more about Somerset and his wife, who is rarely mentioned, and turns out she was an amazing person.

Best part of the story was Peabody who kept declaring that the dead guy was definitely a spy and then  she's doing a happy dance when Eve finally confirmed that things were pointing to him actually being a spy.  She was so happy she called it.

Will I be reading the next story? Absolutely. Actually I will be listening to the next story because I love Susan Eriksen's presentation of Eve, Roarke and all the other characters and I was happy to get the choice of a review audiobook this time.

Sixty books!!! I fell in love with this series with the first book – was that about 30 years ago (OMGoodness)? Each book since has been filled with exciting, breath-holding action, outstanding plots (this writer has an exceptional imagination), wonderful and formidable characters, wit and humor, and yes – a romance for the ages. No, this isn’t a romance book, but the relationship between Eve and Roarke outshines any romance book I have ever read.

Listening to the audiobooks is always a MUST for me because the narrator, Susan Ericksen, nails it every time. Her unique voice for each character brings them to life in a way no one else could – and she has narrated every book in the series. She IS Eve Dallas; She IS Roarke; She IS Peabody; She IS Feeney; She IS Mavis; Well, you get it – and the way she says “Darlin’ Eve” as Roarke will curl your toes and send shivers down your spine. I hope Susan Ericksen and J.D. Robb continue this series for at least another 60 books!

One of the things I love about the series is the character development – no cardboard, caricature characters to be found. We’ve always known there were many things hidden in Summerset’s past because we’ve seen glimpses of them. Bonded In Death gives us a closer look at Summerset during the Urban Wars when he was young. Those times have come back to haunt Summerset and the group of twelve patriots with whom he served – and it is up to Eve to find the enemy who is determined to pick them off one by one.

Robb quickly pulls us into the story with the murder of Giovanni Rossi who was a warm, loving, family man. Rossi was falsely lured to the US and was then murdered with a nasty, old-fashioned weapon from wars past. As the investigation continues, Eve realizes this particular murderer is determined to take out all of his targets – and he doesn’t care how much collateral damage he inflicts to do so. Eve is equally determined to protect the citizens of New York, Summerset and his group, and apprehend a very nasty villain.

This is one of my favorite books of the series – and I can easily say that because I have just re-listened to the first 59 books and they are all fresh in my mind. Overall, it is an exciting, breath-holding, tale filled with twists and action-filled turns that will keep you Flippin’ Pages as fast as you can read! This is a long series and to thoroughly enjoy the characters and their growth, you must read from the beginning. However! I fully believe you can jump in at any point in the series – but – you’ll quickly realize you WANT to go back and read all of those earlier books. So, if you haven’t tried the series (WHAT!!) jump in – and then you can use the time between this book and the 61st (coming in September) to read the first books in the series.

The publisher provided a complimentary digital copy of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I do not understand how she does it, but J.D. Robb just keeps getting better and better. Long-time readers will celebrate that this is Eve Dallas's 60th (!) book, but having most guiltily missed a few titles over the years, I can say with utmost confidence that even a first-time reader will be delighted with this intriguing mystery. An elderly Italian man flies to New York to help a friend, and he's murdered in the elegant limousine that picks him up at the airport. Layer by layer Lieutenant Dallas peels back the gentleman's past and learns of his involvement in a resistance movement decades earlier and his sworn ties to a group of comrades from that long ago conflict. Dallas has lived for a few years now in conjugal bliss with (the best book boyfriend ever!) Roarke, and they're cared for by the (in Eve's opinion, at least), surly, uncommunicative Summerset. Now, in this 60th installment, we finally learn more about Summerset's past and more about the deep ties that bind him and Roarke. As always, the book is replete with humor, deliciously aromatic coffee, a most demanding feline companion, and Eve's ponderings in the midst of mayhem about the oddities of the English language. (Just what is a petard, and why should one be hoisted by it?!) Bonded in Death is a terrific addition to this unparalleled series.

Another great novel from J. D. Robb. These books are one of a few series that I can enjoy hearing and not reading myself. You will miss much of the story if you haven’t read the previous books. The author usually writes books that may have a little back story but this one has a lot of links to previous books and you would need the previous book to solve the murder mystery.

The 60th "In Death" novel lets viewers see Eve work to save Summerset and his surviving comrades from the Urban Wars. We also get to see Eve strengthen her bond with her female friends. The actual villain is not as important as witnessing the growth of our main character, Eve Dallas.

I do think starting at the beginning of the series would be a benefit as it would allow you to know the characters, their history, and have more of a connection to the book. This book was well written but was just not really my taste. It is set is a futuristic type of setting and references past wars that are in our present time. It just made me feel a little funky reading it with how the world is today. I did appreciate the thriller and murder mystery aspects to this book and was not able to guess the ending.

A man hurriedly travels to New York City from Rome so he can honor a pact he made to some friends. Once he gets to New York City, he's murdered in his limousine. A business card mirroring Dallas' police issued card is left at the scene with a short message. This card brings in Dallas to solve the case. When Summerset finds himself in Dallas' office, he sees her murder board and has to tell her his story of "The Twelve".

As always, J.D Robb brings an action packed punch with the sixtieth installment of the In Death series. I got pulled in from the start and dropped everything to listen to this Advanced audiobook copy. I love the futuristic setting and bad @ss New York city Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Following Dallas, her husband Roarke and her partner Detective Peabody through their adventures is always a thrill. This book gave a deeper dive into Summerset's background, and you get a good look at what he's been through during the Urban Wars.

I find J.D. Robb's stories always engaging and thrilling and this story did not disappoint. Her writing is so descriptive and detailed that it feels like you're there in the story with them. Even though this is a book in a long series, it can easily be read as a standalone as Robb does a great job filling in gaps from previous novels. The narration by Susan Ericksen was on point as always. I like the consistency with the narrator throughout the books, it really helps to hold Dallas' voice. Ericksen does a great job defining the characters and bringing them to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.