Glory in Death by J D Robb

This mystery is the second book in the Lieutenant Eve Dallas, and her partner, the richest man in the world, Rourke who live in NYC in 2058. Both of them had horrible experiences as children that they used to get ahead in their fields. In the last book, Roarke let Eve know that he loves her, but she is having difficulty letting him through her defenses. They get into a huge fight and take a break from each other.

Eve becomes tangled up in a high profile case of the DA being murdered in a bad part of town. Eve thinks she was there on a personal matter and considering the fact that she had a nice portfolio worth a great deal of money. Some of this portfolio directs back to her ex-husband and the rest to her two children. Her son is very deep in debt due to gambling. He tried to get his mother to dig him out of debt but she refused. The daughter is getting married to a man who gambles with her brother and has a dark secret from his past.

When a rising star in the acting world is found murdered in public with her throat cut, just like the DA, Eve connects her murder to that of the DA. Eve tries to use herself as bait but it goes wrong and an innocent young woman is killed instead. The killer isn’t done and Eve is finding evidence that links the DAs son to all thee murders and sees him as a strong suspect.

This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and wondering who did it. It’s obvious that the killer is picking powerful women in order to get the glory he thinks he deserves that these women are preventing him from getting. I highly recommend this book and the series.

Link to Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Glory-Death-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0013380Z0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=D266NML518BM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hv1ve2wXzNwNz1f-mFjqnVbo6fFyDsqW3yBmPye0L8vsDf2UFBKPowzGHFGGY0B6hrg7eS8Ss_GIQnCVp5ITqb2LfeQJgsNYpb5jxPEskdE7UHiKkrMj6VQ34mTNhnbMaSqCUUGId6l2UGgb26KYDW89XB0TrV8OuvzmIDhyvttqGLJt2RbQvCikQB59LoHIxD9dcrrufkvCbUrlcf2lrg.FQFtIyxEUgIhEBa_6XTrsQXr5WZlnlV7ax0tHKgI_5Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=glory+in+death+by+jd+robb&qid=1769463171&sprefix=glory%2Caps%2C303&sr=8-1#immersive-view_1769463184157

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb

 

I first read this cop mystery about twenty-five years ago, and, interestingly, there were things I didn't notice at the time, but do now.  Written by well-known author Nora Roberts under the pen name J.D. Robb, this book is the first in a series that currently has 63 books.  It was published in 1994 and takes place in 2058.  

It's amazing the things she got right and the number of things she was off about.  For instance, smartphones are called links, and can have a visual screen and internet access.  They still have phone booths, which disappeared from New York City, where this book takes place, around 2014.  Roarke, one of the main characters, is said to be the richest man in the world, with 8 billion, 600 million. This year, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, will soon hit the trillion mark.  

We've still got a little over thirty years to get cars that fly and create an Auto Chef that instantly produces food and drink.  This world is nearly smoke-free, has new and more dangerous drugs, a ban on guns, legal prostitution, and the job of homemaker is a paid one.  There are satellite stations in space that are constantly developing new things in entertainment.   

Lieutenant Eve Dallas, the main character and a homicide detective, is investigating the murder of a Licensed Companion who is the granddaughter of a prominent Senator who is trying to get a morals law passed. Eve is named as primary for the case, the only help she has since it’s a level five case, meaning very few people will have access to the information from the case, is Feeney, her former boss and the head of the electronics division. The LC was found spread eagle and naked shot in the forehead, chest, and into her vagina with the antique gun laying between her legs. She was a high classed LC who had been doing this awhile and had a long client list and kept diaries on them.

Roarke is close friends with the young woman’s parents, who were devastated by the loss of their daughter who they couldn’t save. They had asked Roarke to see their daughter and try to convince her to come home.

According to Dallas, this makes him a possible suspect. But when Eve meets him, she finds herself attracted to him and he to her. Meanwhile, there is a serial killer out there murdering female LCs in this warped manner and Eve needs to stop him.

I loved this book the first time I read it and it was just as good time the second time around. There’s a reason there are so many books in the series. It’s an excellent book.

Quotes

Sex doesn't have to be a power trip. It sure as hell doesn't have to be a punishment. It's supposed to be fun. And now and again, if you're lucky, it gets to be special.

J.D. Robb (Naked in Death p 219)

“Hell of a lot to spend on clothes.”

“Darling, I'm going to have to corrupt you. It's only too much if they're inferior clothes.

J. D. Robb (Naked in Death p285)

Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Naked-Death-Book-1-ebook/dp/B000P2A47M/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.25N-LT7duUJawU8gqB_Nd3JFeRzE00od23Iu77HavNGjDrYYXIMImbweNhPFPuYkoEgyw_wqGFtS2W-6l3ZInyDV488wJ0gRhkqor-a1_dP3Z9RXYah4zUiIkeMFiLiQ726q_a5jXDeinDgDntin5SuYPJ3L0juw8waXvl1SiAT1Y51H36ZSRfyvO3fhcX-hTN8SWcG04wMj1rEEMCLVVn4162OqIz2KM_MnzTOmn64.T4fZuII-U23mwX5E0J64Qw-xpeYOjQJLDs9KQhWin64&qid=1769189884&sr=8-1

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader

 

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? includes the last issues of Batman #686, Detective Comics #853, three previous Batman-related comics from Secret Origins vol 2 #36 "Pavane", Secret Origins Special #1 "When Is a Door Not a Door?", and Batman Black and White #2.  This graphic novel came out in 2009 and won the SFX "Best Comic" award in 2010, as well as the 2009 British Fantasy Award and Goodreads pick for best comic.  

The first two comics in this collection are drawn in the style of the golden and silver-era Batman comics.  It opens with Batman's wake.  Everyone has shown up, including villains Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Joker, and Clayface, as well as Jim and Barbara Gordon, Alfred, and Superman.  Each tells a different tale of how he died and how they were involved in his death.  Selina Kyle, Catwoman, steps up to tell the crowd about her and Batman's storied history together, where she tried being a thief, then she tried being a vigilante like Batman, and finally settled into a normal life as a cat shop owner.  One night, Batman shows up at her store, hoping she will help him after he was shot by a punk kid in a nearby alley.  Instead, Selina lets him bleed to death.  

In "Pavane", Poison Ivey is in prison and gets a visit from a prison official with whom she had a great time playing.  In "When Is a Door Not a Door?", a news station is searching for villains of Batman to interview for a special.  They don't have much luck finding the "big" names and settle for the Riddler.  Batman Black and White is fun as Batman and the Joker are going over lines before their performance as actors on a TV show.  This is an excellent graphic novel, not just because Neil Gaiman wrote it, but also because of the artwork that takes you back to the comics of years ago in various different styles.  I really enjoyed reading it and recommend this to all the Batman fans out there.

Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Batman-Whatever-Happened-Crusader-1940-2011-ebook/dp/B08PL5D4YB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5RA4M74DCS8D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KgJjWPnuLdSa2uPuuq3OM1i8g5gNS3bjxNzMjd_SC7bs8A012HKxwK7zvcOA6WzbzCXZVq3LGP6hJptGDJsXfjm9JSfu6l8nX3Ws9itlpXw.kJ7f3FOPBLuoXoctceZI3tWh2AaUISWm5yQclTDbsAk&dib_tag=se&keywords=whatever+happened+to+the+caped+crusader&qid=1768244234&sprefix=what+ever+happened+to+the+caped+%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-1