Week 5 - Kirkus-style Review
Random In Death
by J. D. Robb Release Date: January 23, 2024
No matter your race, creed, sexual orientation, or political affiliation, we protect and serve. Because you could get dead.
Lieutenant Dallas won't stop until justice is served!
Kick-ass Lieutenant Eve Dallas, her faithful and
sturdy partner Detective Peabody, and their motley crime-fighting team return
to take down another killer, this one determined to prey upon 2060s New York’s
fresh-faced, exuberant teenage women, seemingly at random. Can Dallas & Co.
piece together the evidence and connect the random in time to save the next
target?
The classic, yet still wildly popular, band Avenue A,
is playing at the club where their career took off, and since it’s a rare night
where the under-21 crowd is allowed in, 16-year-old aspiring musician Jenna is
having the time of her life. While she and her friends dance and soak up the
atmosphere, Jenna feels a sharp sting after someone rudely bumps into her -
minutes later, feeling sick and weak, she stumbles into the alley behind the club,
practically into the arms of Avenue A’s lead singer, Jake Kincade, and dies. Jake
tries reviving her, but when ace reporter, and Jake’s girlfriend, Nadine First
finds them, she realizes the truth and tells Jake they have to call Eve. Dallas
arrives promptly and delves into the case, determining that Jenna was injected,
not only with an over-the-top mix of lethal chemicals, but with the
now-outdated use of a gauged needle. In the blink of an eye, another teenager
meets an eerily similar fate as Jenna, but evidence indicates there is no
connection between the two victims. How is the killer choosing his victims? Why
is he using this very specific combination of drugs? Will Dallas and her team
be able to decipher this killer’s mind before he selects his next target…?
Hi Maryanne,
ReplyDeleteYou call the book, “Random in Death”, fast-paced, intriguing, and suspenseful, but I still wondered when I read the review if this was a book that you loved or hated. I would lean towards love, but I was not completely sure. I think you got the Kirkus review formula of a two-sentence summary, a paragraph about what happened, and two sentences at the end talking about whether it is worth reading or not down pretty well.
I struggled a bit with the length of my review, because I wanted to write so much more. I see that there are Kirkus reviews that are a bit longer, and I hope I got it right.
Hi Jackie,
DeleteI did love the book (its one of my fav series), but I can see where someone who doesn't know that could be a little unsure given my review... Honestly, I have practically zero experience with reviews; I've never been one to really pay them any attention as part of selecting what I read, and this class is providing me with my first experiences writing them, so I definitely have a lot to learn!
Thanks for the feedback!
Hi Maryanne! This book sounds so good. I remember you recommending this author to me on my blog post a few weeks back. I was initially hooked, but now I am definitely going to have the check out their work. This book itself sounds so good. You did such a great job with this review!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if this book was a part of the series you recommended to me? It was the In Death series. Thanks!
Hi Megan, thanks for the compliments!
DeleteYes, this is the newest book in the In Death series (#58)! If you're interested in the series, I highly, highly recommend starting with #1, Naked In Death, as reading them in order will allow you to naturally progress in getting to know the characters and the new/evolving relationships they make throughout the series.
P.S. If you don't mind audiobooks, I even more highly recommend listening to the In Death series, as narrator Susan Ericksen is AMAZING!
Hi Maryanne! I see J.D. Robb's books on the shelves all the time, but I've never really looked at any of them. I like mysteries, but I'm not super into suspense. However, based on your review of this book, it sounds like something I might be interested in. Your description of the motley crew made the characters sound intriguing and that's a big appeal of books for me, so I might check it out! Do I need to start at the beginning of the series, or can I start at any point?
ReplyDeleteHello Victoria, this series definitely focuses on the characters (development and relationships) in addition to solving the crime, and does it well! I know the feeling of suspense is subjective, but personally, I wouldn't label this series as super-anxiety-filled suspense; that's not to say there aren't suspenseful moments, just that they don't leave me feeling nervous or uncomfortable, should I have to pause my reading before continuing on to a resolution for that moment. I hope that makes some sense... lol
DeleteTechnically, you can pick up the series from any point, if you're more interested in the particular crime to be solved; however, if you enjoy character/relationship development, I highly recommend starting with #1, Naked In Death, and always give a shoutout to the audiobook version, as Susan Ericksen is a phenomenal narrator! Whichever you choose though, I hope you enjoy!