Book Review: Devoted in Death

Devoted in Death – J.D. Robb
Published by Hachette NZ

Having not read one of the 40-odd previous In Death stories, I had no idea what to expect from Devoted in Death. It’s the kind of book my husband buys to read when we go on holiday; the kind of book that I usually end up finishing before he does. Indeed, I finished this one while on holiday, and if he hadn’t been reading something else, I would have suggested he read it too.

In the beginning, I thought Devoted in Death was going to follow the same route as most crime thrillers, with a formulaic rehashing of the character histories and past traumas. However. I was pleasantly surprised that Robb merely hinted at previous books, teasing me into thinking I’d better seek them out to discover who the characters were and what had shaped them.

I enjoyed Robb’s style of writing, and her ability to tell a gruesome story in a succinct and gripping way. Devoted in Death was clever and fast-paced, and as the number of remaining pages dwindled, I began to turn them faster than ever before.

The characters were interesting; I enjoyed the relationships between them, and the minor players. I’m not sure whether I liked Lieutenant Eve Dallas or not, but I felt a sort of respect for her ability to think outside the box and her determination to solve the crime.

Devoted in Death was a good read, and I’ll definitely be looking to read some of the previous storied soon.

Thank you to Hachette NZ for my review copy.

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