Prolific author J.D. Robb (Connections in Death) returns readers to the futuristic world of New York City and homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas. A body has been dumped in Eve's best friend's neighborhood, the victim carefully prepared before being deposited. A killer with a very twisted mind is hunting hostages, and Eve vows to stop them before another woman is kidnapped. Finding the murderer, however, will require the assistance of her brilliant husband, Roarke, the full abilities of the metro police department and an investigation of events more than half a century old. Dark family secrets will be exposed while a deeply disturbed killer may be concealed much too close to Eve and her investigators. No stone goes unturned as the lieutenant and her team conduct a meticulous unraveling of what sometimes seems to be an impossibly complicated chain of dead ends. When a shocking clue leads them to identify the murderer, they can only hope they will find the latest victim still alive.
The world of 2061 New York City is a vivid backdrop to this excellent police procedural. Robb places the always fascinating Eve Dallas firmly center stage, yet the secondary cast is also compelling and features both favorite earlier characters plus a few intriguing newer faces. The well-conceived plot, both complex and surprising, will delight mystery fans. While this is the 54th entry in the long-running series, the novel can be thoroughly enjoyed by first time readers as well as longtime fans. --Lois Faye Dyer, writer and reviewer