Ritual in Death
In Death, Book #27.5
By J.D. Robb
ISBN# 9781101389379
Author’s Website: http://www.jdrobb.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
*Beware of possible Spoilers*
Ritual in Death is a short novella that originally appeared in the anthology, Suite 606. And, likewise this review will also be short and sweet.
Roarke has dragged Eve to another party, where we get some of the best Eve lines I’ve seen in awhile!
“I have to say you don’t look anything like a policewoman.” Maxia’s perfect eyebrows arched as she gave Eve’s dress a quick scan. “Leonardo dresses you, doesn’t he?”
“No, I usually do it myself.”
Eve and Roarke are trying to wrap up their mingling to make their hasty retreat home when a naked man runs into the room covered in someone else’s blood and wielding a large knife. Eve quickly goes into cop mode to secure the scene and discovers the man is hopped up on a drug cocktail and can’t remember anything, not even his own name!
Eve eventually follows the bloody trail to room 666, which seems appropriate for what happened within. OK technically its room 606, but the blood on the 0 makes it look like 666. Inside they find the remnants of a wild party and a pentagram drawn on the floor with a dead girl spread out on top of it, her throat slashed.
I thought this story started out pretty strong. I loved Eve’s wisecracks at the party, especially when talking to Linen, I mean Silk. But this murder took place at one of Roarke’s hotels and involved his employees which of course made him crabbier than an old bear and I hate how whenever his people are involved, he always seems to take it out on Eve when she’s just trying to do her job.
The murder case gets wrapped up pretty quickly in this sixty some page novella, which of course makes it hard to truly get invested in the case. This is one that I would have liked to have lasted a little longer so I could really enjoy it.
