Festive in Death (vuoden 2014 painos)

In Death 39

Listened to audio narrated by Susan Ericksen. I know I sound like an old record because I've said this before, but I absolutely don't understand why she makes Trina, a beautician, sound like 50 pack a day, I've lived a hard life, old lady. I hate it. Otherwise, I do enjoy the narration.

Eve and the gang must solve the murder of a physical trainer after she get's a call from Trina. During her investigation Eve uncovers he's got a lot of reasons for being dead. Her dead guy is a rapist and has a lot of victims.

While the investigation is interesting the true charm of the story is Eve trying to deal with the holidays. Shopping, and every day interactions that are so foreign to her and all of her friends helping her through it. I never tire of seeing the love that burns between her and Rourke.

The In Death series books are formulaic and this book did seem to drag out a bit but I still enjoyed this book.

More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
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Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn’t count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who were loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler’s enemies, she’s also dealing with her Christmas shopping list—plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband’s upcoming holiday bash.

Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year’s 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer.

Up until the last book and now this one I have loved every JD Robb book out there. Even the ones that other fans did not care for I still defended this series. However, with the last book in the series, Concealed in Death I was starting to see that maybe a lot of the naysayers were right since that book had so much wrong with it I didn't know where to begin. With the newest Festive in Death, though JD Robb did rebound in this book it was just an average and very boring read.

We have Eve investigating who could have killed a trainer named Trey Zeigler. Eve is brought into the investigation after being called in by her hair and makeup tormenter Trina. Though it was good to see that Trina with a bit more depth it was still not enough to get over the overall lackluster story-line.

I really am trying to not complain since I was one of the readers who kept begging JD Robb to stop with the constant serial killer story-lines that only Eve manages to crack or having her becoming the focus of the killer. Having just an average murder for her to investigate during the holidays did not have the same thrill since in this one Eve is not up against a clock to find the perpetrator. Instead we have Eve investigating the victim and finding a lot of things that made you happy that the guy was dead. We have Eve paying lip service to every victim deserves to have someone stand for them in death but it just rang hollow to me.

Additionally, all of the old favorites are barely seen and when they do pop up just have a line or two (Baxter and Trueheart).

That said things that I am truly sick of reading about in this series:

Eve talking about Roarke's blue eyes.
Eve talking about how much she loves Roarke.
Eve getting metaphors wrong.
Eve getting crazy because Peabody and McNabb kiss or touch in front of her.
The boring sex scenes between Eve and Roarke (this is the problem with having a long standing series the two leads just become boring).
Eve and Summerset constantly trying to one-up each other. Just admit you like and respect each other and be done with it.
Eve's dreams giving her clues to the murder. I don't know if JD Robb is trying to show that somehow Eve has psychic powers or what since it has been alluded to in other books and in some of the novellas but I am over it. No freaking magick (JD Robb and Nora Roberts preferred spelling) in this series.

I think that JD Robb did read or at least got an inkling at how many people were turned off by Eve's behavior towards a new character so at least that was changed in this book and we had Eve behaving like a normal human being. I am disappointed that Eve had not reached out to Mavis more based on the revelations that were revealed about her (Mavis) in the last book. That would have been nice and actually shown some character development by Eve. Instead we still have Mavis dressing funky and having the world's more precocious two year old.

I really do think though this saddens me that this series needs to end already. JD Robb needs to either end it or do something that truly shakes up the series. I feel like all of the characters have become untouchable so even when Eve or they are in danger I don't have a wisp or fear that anything will happen to any of them. ( )

It is Christmas time again and Eve and Roarke are gearing up for their Christmas party. Eve has to solve a murder of a personal trainer that was a huge narcissist jerk. And the possible people list of people that might have had a reason to kill him is fairly long due to his practice of drugging, raping and then blackmailing his clients when they think that under the drugs they were consenting to the sex. The supporting cast at this point is what makes the books so enjoyable to read. ( )