Indulgence in Death by JD Robb

Short version:  I really liked it.  I know others are a bit tired of the series or think that there hasn't been much growth in Eve & Roarke's relationship for a while but that's not my experience.  I like these characters and enjoy coming back to them. I enjoy watching the growth in the other characters, how Peabody is becoming a more confident detective.  I'm hoping for a new love for Morris one of these days as he's still so sad about losing Amaryllis - the whole community that Robb created just works for me.  I liked this book, I enjoyed the police-y parts (this is one where you know who did it quite early on and it's mostly about how to catch him - or her or them, not giving anything away here!).  While not riveting, it was a solid story and definitely engaging.  The suspense aspects aren't really what I read the series for anyway.  For me, it's about the relationship, mainly between Eve and Roarke, but the other secondary characters have become important too after all this time.
I chuckled often at the banter between Eve and her colleagues or Roarke. Like this exchange between Eve and Roarke and her grasp of idiom.

"You need more sleep."

"Skillet, pan."

"What?"

You know, the skillet says the pan's the same deal."

He thought a moment, "I believe that's the pot calling the kettle black."

Whatever, kitchen stuff can't talk anyway."

or here

"It's Major Ketchup in the bathroom with the laser scalpel."

"...Obviously we were meant for each other as I can interpret that as you meaning something more like Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the candlestick."

"Whatever, it's that game..."

"Clue."

"You always know this crap."

I actually highlighted quite a bit of text in this book, funny banter between the characters that sounds so much like them that you don't need dialogue tags to know, after 30some books, who is speaking.   I love it. :)  Can't hardly wait until Treachery in Death comes out in MMP.


The only thing I'm dark on is that the UK publisher who does the Australian releases has not only changed the cover designs of the in Death books but also the size.  Grrr.  So I have the first 27 or so in a uniform design and colour, like this:-

and then the next one in the same size but a different design and the last two with a bigger size - not trade paperback but bigger than MMP.  So now my collection looks crappy.  And, I've decided to buy the US release from the Book Depository in future - they're cheaper, I get them earlier (by about a year) and they are at least MMP size.  So there.  Take that KMart and Piatkus.

Grade:  B+

(Publisher Grade:  D)