I loved this book it was a great read and for a change I was at least half way through it before I guessed who did it I love this series and can’t wait to see what happens next there were little bits about people from the other books in the series which I loved

Golden in Death is the 50th book in the In Death series. As usual with all of J.D. Robb/Bora Roberts books, it’s not hard to fall into to the story and be involved as the investigation evolves. It’s a familiar family for me, which I absolutely love. The characters are all familiar to me by now and still they manage to surprise the reader on how much they have grown over the years of this amazing series.

The villain/criminal was a surprise, which is always the best part and the side characters continue to be entertaining, and I simply love Eve’s literal sense, it makes me laughing out loud. The personal relationship between Eve and Rourke continues to be sweet and Eve’s acceptance that she needs him more than she wants to admit, is just lovely and shows the grow in the character.

As usual, I fell in love with the story and can’t wait for the next one.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Novel:
In the 50th novel of Robb’s acclaimed In Death series, Dr Kent Abner, universally liked and lauded paediatrician, is murdered in what appears to be a motiveless crime. As the bodies pile up, Eve must race to identify and apprehend the killer before he strikes again.

The Characters:
Robb is a master at creating realistically flawed and complex characters with whom the reader cannot help but identify. My relationship with Eve has always been tricky, however perhaps it’s because I’m paying closer attention due to it being the 50th book, or perhaps Robb is, but the growth evident in Eve’s character is astounding. She’s massively more self-reflective and aware of the emotions felt by herself and others. This is attributed early in the novel to her relationship with Roarke, but honestly, it’s a pleasure to see her grow and change and become easy within herself and her relationships. A lot of the rougher elements of her dealings with others have smoothed out, and while she is still certainly the kick-ass character we all love, she appears a lot more open and understanding.

Peabody is another character who showed tremendous growth. Her character was presented as more independent, self-assured , and willing to defend her roots, friends and Lieutenant. The reader also has the pleasure of getting to know Harvo better. While reading Robb’s cast pf secondary characters is like a meal with old friends- joyous and comfortable, I am happy that the world is expanding, and hope to continue to meet new characters in Eve’s circle and maybe a few of Roarke’s too.

The Story:
In this novel, Robb follows her usual formula, beginning the novel with the first murder, and winding her way to Eve and Roarke. The pacing is excellent, and Robb always does an excellent job of varying the big reveal- here there are seemingly no credible suspects until three-quarters of the way through the novel, and when the identity is revealed, it is unexpected. This allows the suspense to build and maintains mystery, but also means that we spend little time with the antagonists, where I would have liked to look more into the killer’s motivations and thinking.

One concern I had going into the novel was that it would be a best hits album, taking us through all the key moments and characters so far. Instead, Robb did not change up the formula or make any dramatic changes. Instead, it was business as usual, but with subtle differences to entice the long-time reader. This lack of interaction with every major character will be a disappointment some readers and a relief to others; I must count myself among the latter; I love Robb’s secondary characters, and as a long-time reader, these interactions enrich every novel, but to spend too much time with them would be at the expense of the plot, so I am grateful to Robb for keeping to her excellent storylines.

The Writing:
Robb’s writing style is wonderfully rich, with a cadence and rhythm not only unique to her, but one that is brilliantly adapted to her characters, with the difference between a police officer, doctor and teacher evident in their speech, and characterisation. There are surprising bursts of humour for new and old readers alike, and inside jokes which will only make sense to long-time fans. The sex, as is usual for Robb is not graphic, but still steamy, and the characters written as beautifully as ever. That is the crux of this book- it is not the best Robb has written, nor the worst, but more of the same, and as someone who has enjoyed the 49 previous book, that is what makes this book a pleasure to read.

This book would be an excellent standalone read, but the experience is vastly improved if one has read some of the other novels.

Rating:
4/5. This was an excellent read from one of my favourite authors. I look forward to reading more works by Robb.

Declaration:
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing this ARC free of charge in exchange for an honest review.