Book Review:
Greetings to all, This month we are on our way in "Reunion in Death." By Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb 2002.
Here we have an interesting twist to our usual murder mystery. We start off by living in the year of 2059. Quite a bit into the future, but it lends a hand to the advanced state of technology that we find throughout this story. Everything from being able to travel off planet, to having the neat little gadgets both in office and home that would give us more advantages than we have at present. Aside from this technology, there really is no need for the advanced time frame and sometimes it seems to be just a detail that leads on a tangent unnecessary to the whole of the storyline. The one thing that it does allow is for the ease of the characters job; police work is in need of whatever means of evidence finding and suspect narrowing as possible.
Here we find our regulars, Eve Dallas and Roarke. It is a nice change to see the woman portrayed whereas the usual head cop is a male character. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the usual male character, it is just that it is a nice change from the norm. Everywhere from Eve Dallas, to her assistant, Peabody, there is nothing usual about this story. It seems to lend a hand to the twist of the ending all the way throughout the story.
We have everything here from sensitivity to down right stubborn minded preciseness and a determination that is undaunted by anyone or anything. After having come back from a much needed two week vacation Dallas finds herself looking for a case. Peabody, her assistant, had a week to catch up on all the paperwork and backlogs so that when Dallas returned, she could start fresh. Little did she know that "fresh" would mean a case that had been cold for well over 6 years. There would also be the little side case that would come up in the middle of a social dinner at home, the murder of a well-loved and very prosperous man, Walter C. Pettibone.
We find ourselves into everything from "free ager" terms and also some of the kinkiest clubs around. It seems we have to weave our way through just about everything in order to get to the bottom line. We also find that once again confronting our inner most horrors and secrets that are kept so deep as to hope they never surface, allows us to grow stronger and think clearer than we have before. Dallas is no exception. It brings to mind once again that there is a little animal in us all, and depending on what we have worked through, or had to tolerate in our lives, that it comes out when it is needed the most. It allows those who need to think in the way of the most vile animals, people like our murderer, an easier way to follow why it is these creatures have done what they have done, and how to find them in the end.
All in all, we have quite the interesting makings of a two murders, and a life that seems to come full circle from times past, hideous as they may be, until now, where they are much more satisfying both personally and professionally. For those of you who like to delve into the minds of the not so conventional, and look into the more deadly side of things, this one will give you some unique points of view to consider. I do hope you enjoy it if you get the chance.
Moonslight 12.20.02
Berkley, March, 2002.
Paperback, 384 pages.
ISBN: 0425183971