Concealed In Death by J.D. Robb
Pros: the series continues to intrigue
Cons: but this was not my favorite
Wow – the 38th book in the series! Concealed In Death is a middle-of-the road book in what is typically a very intriguing series. Granted, I’m reading them all out of order, so I may not get the typical reader experience. Still, for the most part, I enjoy J.D. Robb’s In Death series. But Concealed is not my favorite.
The series revolves around Lieutenant Eve Dallas, head of the homicide division of the New York Police Department. The books take place in the future – in the late 2050’s, early 2060’s. Life is similar to what we know today, except there are some cool techno gadgets to which I really look forward. And the language has evolved a bit – but you quickly get used to the changes and, frankly, forget the timeline.
In all cases, Eve stumbles into some homicide or other. In this case, a total of 12 bodies are found, concealed in a condemned building’s walls. Missing for 15 years, these girls fell off the radar. Now it’s up to Eve to seek their justice.
It’s nice to read a series where the characters develop and grow. But it’s not so nice when the characters seem just a bit “off”. When they just behave in ways that don’t ring true for who you know them to be. And that’s what happens here. Eve isn’t nearly as snarky as she’s “supposed” to be. And her partner, Peabody, doesn’t bring the humor, like she normally does. Even husband Roarke isn’t his usual self in this book. Although, frankly, that’s not a terrible thing, given that I sometimes can’t stand him.
All of the characters come off as a little flat, a little dull, in this book. Let’s just say, it’s a good thing, that this is approximately the 20th book I’ve read in the series, not the first. Because if it were the first, I might not be so quick to pick up another.
As far as the actual story goes, it was pretty good. I definitely felt invested, and wanted to know what really happened to those girls 15 years ago. And even though the middle of the book was a bit dull, I have to say that Robb really brought it, when it came to wrapping it up. I found the story, in the end, to be quite a bit more interesting and engaging than I was expecting.
On the other hand, Eve figured out the commonalities among these 12 girls in about three seconds. And she had her prime suspects lined up in about three minutes. In other words, how can it be that the authorities didn’t also put together the obvious, when the girls were reported missing all those years ago. Despite the effort made to show us why these girls slipped through the cracks, I just didn’t buy it. The obvious connections should have been obvious when they were first missing, not just now, 15 years later.
But of course, then there wouldn’t have been a story.
So, all in all, Concealed In Death is an “ok” story. Not the best of the series, not the worst. Read it, but don’t start the series with it.
Other books in the In Death series
Betrayal In Death
Born In Death
Celebrity In Death
Ceremony In Death
Devoted In Death
Divided In Death
Festive In Death
Glory In Death
Haunted In Death
Immortal In Death
Indulgence In Death
Innocent In Death
Interlude In Death
Judgment In Death
Midnight In Death
Missing In Death
Naked In Death
Obsession In Death
Origin In Death
Rapture In Death
Reunion In Death >
Salvation In Death
Strangers In Death
Survivor In Death
Treachery In Death
Vengeance In Death
Visions In Death