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Origin in Death (In Death #21)

4.28 of 5 stars 4.28 · rating details · 9,010 ratings · 260 reviews

Set in 2059 in New York City, the #1 bestselling In Death series has given fans a searing glimpse into near-future law and order. In this newest installment, Detective Eve Dallas tracks the cunning, cold-blooded killer of a father and son.

Mass Market Paperback, 347 pages

Published January 31st 2006 by Berkley (first published January 1st 2005)

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Jan 24, 2009 Celia Powell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: futuristic, thrillers-crime

You know that when a doctor gets killed, and his life seems to be squeaky clean, that something's going on behind the scenes. Eve Dallas, detective extraordinaire, is suspicious and begins digging into the good doctor's past. The resolution to the mystery is satisfyingly creepy, the banter is good, and Eve's incredibly wealthy husband Roarke gives her a fabulous leather coat which made me long for a fabulous leather coat of my very own. (That has absolutely nothing to do with the book, but it di...more

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Oct 23, 2007 Cyndy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Actually my copy is a hardcover - one of those 2/$10 things at Walgreens. Not really important.

I thought I should read at least one book by J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts). I'm glad I did. I may have to read more of her books. This one was a page-turner that I couldn't put down. If her others are as good, she's a good author to follow.

Inside were the lists of books by J.D. Robb and by Nora Roberts. I was interested to see that she wrote a book "with" herself - one listed by Nora Roberts AND J.D. Ro...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Books-treasureortrash rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, romance, reviewed

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes

Dr. Wilfred B. Icove is renowned for his reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries. He has been dubbed as Dr. Perfect and is loved by everybody. So who would kill him? Eve wants to find this out after he is found dead in his office from a stab wound to the heart. As Eve follows the trail of clues she discovers the shocking truth about this doctor.

To date there are 43 books in the In Death series, with one more expected to be released in September of 2012. These books are...more Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes

Dr. Wilfred B. Icove is renowned for his reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries. He has been dubbed as Dr. Perfect and is loved by everybody. So who would kill him? Eve wants to find this out after he is found dead in his office from a stab wound to the heart. As Eve follows the trail of clues she discovers the shocking truth about this doctor.

To date there are 43 books in the In Death series, with one more expected to be released in September of 2012. These books are crime drama, suspense and romance because they focus on the case Eve is currently working on as well as her and Roake’s personal relationship. This is a futuristic suspense that takes place in 2059 in New York City. The books are told in a third person narrative that focuses primarily on Lieutenant Eve Dallas, but at times the story is also told through some of the other characters including the murderer. They are written by Nora Roberts under the pseudonym of J. D. Robb.

There are many things that I love about this series, but the characters are my favorite aspect. Eve Dallas is a strong woman who has experienced a horrendous past, and she has found a way to not only live but to thrive. I enjoy reading about these characters and I love how they relate to each other. The banter that goes on between Eve and her partner Peabody is usually amusing. Roake, Eve’s sexy, and incredibly successful husband is an interesting and delightful character. Their relationship and interactions are always entertaining. Also the hot love scenes between Eve and Roake are fun to read.

There were many startling and unexpected events within this story line. The book examines the idea of cloning and the manipulation of human genetics. It shows what can happen when men play at being God. I never saw what was coming, but I loved how Eve follows the evidence and how the story unfolded.

This is a standalone story that had many twists and turns, numerous shocking events as well as an exciting ending. Origin in Death is a great addition to the In Death series and I recommend it as a very good book.

Favourite Quote:

““No, no, no.” As they passed, nearly shoulder to shoulder, Nadine managed to shake the box. “Brownies. Triple chocolate.” “Bitch.” Eve sighed. “Five minutes.” “Surprised you didn’t just rip it out of her hands, then thumb your nose at her,” Peabody commented. “Considered, rejected. Too many witnesses.””

For more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com (less)

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Mar 25, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-and-mystery, fiction, 4-stars

This may be my favorite J.D. Robb book. It incorporates a lot of my favorite elements of the In Death series, and it's some decent science fiction (who'd've thought!) to boot. Despite taking place in the 2050s, the series normally doesn't use much science as a jumping-off point: advanced technology mostly manifests in ways to solve or commit crimes in more complex ways, and to show off some neat Jetsons-like inventions I admittedly covet (AutoChef, will you one day be mine?), but Robb doesn't us...more This may be my favorite J.D. Robb book. It incorporates a lot of my favorite elements of the In Death series, and it's some decent science fiction (who'd've thought!) to boot. Despite taking place in the 2050s, the series normally doesn't use much science as a jumping-off point: advanced technology mostly manifests in ways to solve or commit crimes in more complex ways, and to show off some neat Jetsons-like inventions I admittedly covet (AutoChef, will you one day be mine?), but Robb doesn't usually spend much time looking at humanity through a game of Science-and-Consequences. Origin in Death, however, sets the dynamic of science and humanity under the microscope in a case that deals with genetic manipulation and (dum dum DUM) (view spoiler).

At the same time, the emotional aspect of this story is pretty high. Naturally, Eve carries her childhood trauma with her as she investigates this case, but it's not the straight-forward rehash that often happens in the books. It's a little skewed, and while it might be either old hat to dedicated series fans or obscure and confusing to those who haven't read all of Eve's history, I liked it. Especially in a case like this, where justice was both very simple and very not. A conversation between Eve and Summerset, when he calls her out on some possible hypocrisy between her childhood actions and what she was hunting down in this case:

"You think that's all this is? As vicious and ugly as that is, it doesn't even scratch it. Yeah, I know how to do my job. And I know murder doesn't stop the vicious and the ugly. It just keeps re-forming and coming back at you."

"Then what stops it? A badge?"

"The badge slows it down. Nothing stops it. Not a damn thing."

She turned away, drifted up the stairs feeling as insubstantial as a ghost.

The banter between Eve and Peabody was delightful ("Dolls are like small dead people. I have enough dead people, thanks."), the argument between Eve and Dr. Mira felt good despite also feeling bad, Roarke's nervousness (Roarke! nervous! I prefer nervous Roarke to god-of-the-universe Roarke) over hosting his long-lost relatives for Thanksgiving coupled with Eve's tentative invitations to her friends for Thanksgiving dinner (she asked Crack! I might have almost teared up, which I pretty much do every time Crack shows up post-Portrait in Death), meeting Amaryllis Coltraine and seeing Morris already head over heels for her (and having Promises in Death under my belt, that almost made me tear up, too), Eve realizing Trina has information she can use, and, Eve's last words to Roarke as they attempt to beat a ticking time bomb:

Terminate in thirty seconds.

"If we don't make it, I love you and blah, blah, blah."

My reading of this series is a bit haphazard, jumping back and forth from the newest releases to the mid-series releases like this one, and I only made a point of reading this one so that I could properly appreciate the latest release, Celebrity in Death, which is partially based on this book, aaaand I'm so glad I did, because this one was excellent. I don't recommend it as a good starting-point for the series (I think the first three books need to be read in order!), but it's a high-point of the series, definitely.(less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nora-roberts-re-reads, romance-mystery-scifi-thriller

In some ways this "in Death" book is possibly the best of the series in that it really emphasizes the futuristic element of the books while maintaining the mystery and romance aspects. The premise on which the book is based is fantastic and hopefully will always remain pure fantasy, but it has you reading as fast as you can to find out what will happen next. Once again you know who the killer is early on, but do you? Only in the most superficial way. As the action develops, you learn more and mo...more

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Mar 13, 2013 **Manjula** rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

Roarke and Eve are discussing the arrival of his relatives from Ireland!... OMG, hilarious!

"Should we have something separate for the children, do you think?"
"What?" Eve frowned at him as she poked at the food on her plate. Oh, that. Hell, I don't know. You're supposed to know how to do this stuff."
His face was a mirror of his frustration. "And how am I supposed to know how to do something I've never done before?" He scowled into his wine. "It's unnerving, that's what it is."
"You could contact t...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Amy A rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this installment to the series. A world renowned reconstructive doctor has been murdered in his office at his place of work. The suspected murderer is caught on security camera casually walking into his office and just as casually walking out again once the deed is done. In order to catch the killer Eve delves into the life of the victim. What she finds is that the victim is not always free and clear of dirt either.

This book really kept me glued to the page. I was very interested...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Daniel Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

The whole series, as regular readers know, is set in the near-future 2150s in New York City. Usually, this is a mechanism to speed up the action without blatantly sacrificing the story's credibility. It avoids much of the real-life tedium of gathering evidence and makes it possible to learn things via computer research that would be difficult to impossible to discover.

Unlike most of the preceding volumes, though, this one features some overtly science-fictional plot twists. But like the best of...more

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Feb 26, 2010 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm good with the fact that this series takes place in a near future, and I slid very easily into the plausible advances Roberts has populated her world with. But I found this story line just over my line into "far-fetched;" more problematically, it's such a massive scope that, along with the ongoing personal story lines of the main characters, it's all just too much. The ending feels rushed and unfinished, and even against character, as Dallas basically just hands the fallout over to the feds a...more

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Aug 23, 2009 Sharal Hunter rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fantastic installment that pulls Eve, Roark and company into the world of genetic cloning and what else --- murder! What starts out as a typical homicide investigation for Eve quickly spirals into a whirlpool of family secrets, ethics and integrity issues that pull Eve into different directions as she must confront her own ethics and integrity while making judgments on others.

Throwing into the mix is the arrival of Roark's LARGE extended family from Ireland to celebrate Thanksgiving, which ple...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Dana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Wifred Icove is found dead in his office. Who would have possibly wanted him dead? He was Dr. Perfect. He and his son ran a very successful cosmetic and reconstructive surgery practice. Everybody loved him.

Eve Dallas, police lieutenant in the year 2059 believes everything is a bit too perfect. No one is a saint. This looks like a professional hit but who would have wanted the good doctor dead? Dalllas starts out with her dogged persistence and wonderful gut instinct and follows through until...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Samiha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I tend to forget that this series is a crime-romance set in the late 2050s (so far). With the exception of all the futuristic technology and weird clothes (McNab) the books don't really make me think it is set in the future. Well Origin in Death was a smack on the face sci-fi dealing with genetic manipulation, cloning and evil doctors playing God.
The thing I loved about this book was how, unsure and ill at ease Roarke was about his hosting his family for thanksgiving throughtout the book. It hu...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Malin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book 21 in the In Death series. Works as a stand alone, but I suspect you'd get more enjoyment out of it if you started with one of the earlier ones.

Doctor Wilfred Icove Sr. is murdered while sitting at the desk in his office. He's been stabbed through the heart with a scalpel, and the last woman to see him alive is seen on security tapes strolling calmly out of there, cool as a cucumber. Eve Dallas and her partner Delia Peabody were in the building investigating a different homicide, so are amo...more Book 21 in the In Death series. Works as a stand alone, but I suspect you'd get more enjoyment out of it if you started with one of the earlier ones.

Doctor Wilfred Icove Sr. is murdered while sitting at the desk in his office. He's been stabbed through the heart with a scalpel, and the last woman to see him alive is seen on security tapes strolling calmly out of there, cool as a cucumber. Eve Dallas and her partner Delia Peabody were in the building investigating a different homicide, so are among the first on the scene. Everyone is shocked by the doctor's murder, and as Dallas investigates possible motives, she discovers that not only was Icove a pioneer in reconstructive surgery, a humanitarian and even a Nobel Prize winner, but everything about his entire life is so squeaky clean that Dallas has no doubt he must have been hiding something.

When his son and heir, Wilfred Icove Jr. is found dead in his home, again stabbed through the heart with a scalpel, it becomes obvious that Eve's suspicions about the Icoves aren't unfounded, unpopular as that may turn out with the general public. With the assistance of her multi-billionaire husband, her trusty partner Peabody and their usual support team, she delves deep into the history of Icove Sr. and his medical work, and discovers that in their quest for perfection, the Icoves were not averse to breaking several ethical and international laws, and that they may have had a hand in creating their own killer.

While a lot of the In Death books are fairly straight forward murder mysteries with a subplot or two to further develop the lives and characters of Eve, Roarke and the other supporting characters (in this book, Roarke's decision to invite a whole bunch of their friends and his recently discovered Irish relatives to New York for Thanksgiving), where despite mentions of some futuristic gadgets, it's quite easy to forget that they are also science fiction stories set in the future, Origin in Death explores a lot more of the futuristic aspects of the world these characters live in, and it's probably the most sci-fi novel in the series to date. There are serious ethical and moral ramifications to the discoveries that Eve and her team make during their investigation, and the details surrounding the murders and the denouement could only have played out in a story filled with science fiction technology. For once, a book that's less dark because of the discoveries either Eve and/or Roarke make about their pasts, and all because of the discoveries made in the murder case. If you're a fan, this is definitely a highlight in the series so far.(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Michelle (meshe) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series always gives me just what I expect. A good book, with some mystery and detecting, a little romance, and memorable characters. The futuristic aspect is well-done I think. The author gives us a glimpse into a future that doesn't seem too far-fetched to be real. I love the auto-chef and I want one, but I wonder if it will be just as aggravating to program a meal as it is to plan and cook one? The clean up should be easier, right? The basis of the mystery in this volume scared me. I see...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Ellie Mendez rated it 3 of 5 stars

No matter how much I try, Nora Roberts aka JD Robb is not my cup of tea. First of all, this is no mystery since very early on you know where it's going, all you do is follow the detectives hammer the nails in the coffin, and the surprises are mild. It felt more like the author wanted to be on a soap box regarding genetic tinkering, cloning, designer babies, etc.

The enjoyable part were the characters themselves, I really like Eve, Peabody and of course, the gorgeous (too-good-to-be-true) hubby. I...more

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Oct 16, 2010 Photojim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, 2010-reads, library-book

Eve is still my favorite female detective in a fictional work. But this one just wasn't up to the normal standards the 'In Death' books have set. The series is a science fiction series at it's heart and this book certainly helps remind us of that. This may have been one of the funniest of the 'In Deaths' as well. There is character growth. There is so much good stuff here.

But there are very real missed opportunities as well. I want to see the Thanksgiving meal. I want to see the aftermath of the...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Laine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, j-d-robb-nora-roberts, librarian-picks, mystery-suspense

Where do we really come from? What really makes us who we are? Is it what our parents tell us what to do? Is it the environment that makes us who we are? Or is it just DNA? Does our DNA make us think? Make us do things that other people won't do?

What if you had the opportunity to become God, and clone yourself over and over again and become the perfect human being there can ever be? What would you do?

Eve Dallas has a tough case. A very prominant doctor is dead. A doctor that is loved, liked, che...more

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May 09, 2013 Ender Wiggin rated it 2 of 5 stars

It would be nice if the author took longer than an hour to write the last 20 pages of her novels. The writing quality dips dramatically at the end. I know she's trying to create suspense and make it fast paced, but I shouldn't be in suspense about what's actually taking place in the story and it's not fast-paced when I have to re-read a paragraph over again because it barely made sense the first time around.

Also, the lack of consequences after these climactic end-scenes is getting ridiculous at...more

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Jul 04, 2010 Jerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jerry by: jerrybull@bellsouth.net

Eve Dallas series hits two dozen, but fresh, fine, suspenseful story awaits in "Origin"!

We continue to be amazed at the quantity and pace at which these "In Death" mystery thrillers continue to emerge from the mind of Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb. And unlike many series that start to get dull and stale after six or seven entries, if anything, Robb's stories are getting better, deserving the switch to hardback that occurred about six books ago. As usual, "Origin" features NYPD Homicide Lt. Eve...more Eve Dallas series hits two dozen, but fresh, fine, suspenseful story awaits in "Origin"!

We continue to be amazed at the quantity and pace at which these "In Death" mystery thrillers continue to emerge from the mind of Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb. And unlike many series that start to get dull and stale after six or seven entries, if anything, Robb's stories are getting better, deserving the switch to hardback that occurred about six books ago. As usual, "Origin" features NYPD Homicide Lt. Eve Dallas and her sidekicks on the force, especially partner Detective Peabody, set in a slightly futuristic time frame in the year 2059, with a few sci-fi touches to add interest. The plot burns hot almost right away as the police team catches the homicide of a world renowned reconstructive surgeon, Wilfred Icove, right in his massive and glamorous headquarters facility. The body peacefully reposes with no ill effects other than a scalpel buried in his heart! When a mysterious woman shows up on the security disk, the chase is on! But then soon after, the famous doc's son, himself an icon in the business, gets offed in identical fashion! As the world spins shocked, Eve and company start to get bad vibes about just exactly what is going on at the company and the close ties it enjoys to a fancy girl's academy for very high achievers. Some cryptic notes of Icove (Sr.) lead Dallas to believe he might be experimenting with the young women's genes in addition to providing their good looks!

The plot burns brightly all the way to an incredible conclusion, making for a really enjoying and entertaining read. Robb worms in some good humor as her husband Roarke is planning a big Thanksgiving dinner party for all his (somewhat newfound) relatives from Ireland -- some funny scenes as that unfolds takes the hard edge off the central theme without being a silly diversion. We also were pleased to see less rehash of Eve and Roarke's troubled childhoods, although some readers may need that background to put their feelings into some perspective.

We agree with the many others who feel "Origin" is a great addition to the set, and that Robb's stories, even as fast as they appear, are top notch fun!
(less)

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Jul 26, 2011 Naomi Young rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Eve Dallas novel I read; I got it used, on impulse, as "an airplane book." I was actually GLAD when the flight was delayed. It gave me time to finish. This is not deep world literature, it is brain candy with a streak of romance that borders on erotica. The science fiction is a bit unrealistic. But I love these books anyway. Eve is a fascinating character with a wonderful snarky internal voice.

I was very aware, though, that I was coming in in the midst of a longer story. The D...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Magpie67 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: j-d-robb, library-book, mystery, series, cops, 2013-challenge-women-of-mystery, detectives, irish, magpie-s-2013-goal, spicy-romance-hot-sex

I love all her titles in this series, but I really loved this one. The witty one liners were totally awesome and the multiple characters interacting were great. The subject matter was creepy and really looked at all angles of what would happen if cloning were to happen. forcing the human race to be perfect by creating perfect human beings? Definite Creep Factor!!!! Deciding how the human race should continue is not up to the hard core science club but to the procreating race it was given.... fla...more

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Mar 09, 2011 mlady_rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction__part_of_a_series, author__j_d_robb, genre__mystery_or_suspense, 2011, pov__third_person_female, format__mass_market_pb

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I won't even attempt to do a spoiler free review on this one. I know I couldn't unfold the story as well as J.D. Robb did here. The "victims" are a father and son, two doctors who show all evidence of being completely virtuous. But behind the scenes is a scary system of gene manipulation, cloning, body modification, forced schooling, and essentially selling young women as sex objects to wealthy men. Twisted. I think this is the first case where Eve felt for the murderers.

On the social side of th...more I won't even attempt to do a spoiler free review on this one. I know I couldn't unfold the story as well as J.D. Robb did here. The "victims" are a father and son, two doctors who show all evidence of being completely virtuous. But behind the scenes is a scary system of gene manipulation, cloning, body modification, forced schooling, and essentially selling young women as sex objects to wealthy men. Twisted. I think this is the first case where Eve felt for the murderers.

On the social side of things, it's Thanksgiving and Roarke decided to invite his relatives to dinner. A first for both him and Eve.

And because I marked them, a few unrelated (non-spoiler) quotes:

Black and white. It's not just the job, the years on it that bring in all the gray. It's the people, dead and alive, you end up connected to who paint it in. (pg 278)

As Sean seem determined to shadow her every move, she concluded that young boys were much like cats. They insisted on giving their company to those who most feared or distrusted them.

As for her cat, Galahad made an appearance, regally ignored everyone under four feet until he clued in that this variety of humans was more likely to drop food on the floor, or sneak him handouts. He ended in a gluttonous coma, tubby belly up under a table. (pg 331)

She nodded towards the candles burning on the table. "Bet the first guy who made fire figured he was a god, and the other cavemen bowed down to him."

"Or bashed him in the head with a rock and stole his burning stick."

She had to laugh. "Yeah. Well, yeah, but you get me. So you make fire, then, hey, let's see what we can do with this. Wow, no more raw mastodon! Make mine medium-well. Oh shit, I set Joe on fire!"

Now Roarke's laugh rolled out, and made her grin. "Opps, sorry, Joe," she continued. "So now you have to figure out to treat a burn. And how to deal with someone who likes to set Joe on fire, and maybe torch the village. Next thing you know, you've got hospitals and cops and climate control and -" She forked up more meat. "Roast pig on demand."

"A fascinating capsule view of civilization." (pg 113)(less)

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Jul 21, 2009 Irene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

I really enjoyed listening to this book. One of my favorites in the series. It brings up some very interesting questions on the genetics manipulation debate.
Eve is investigating a clearly self defense homicide in a highly reputed reconstructive surgery clinic, when she is called about another homicide at the same clinic. The founder and top surgeon of the clinic is found dead in his office. Signs seem to point to a professional hit. Of course when Eve sinks her teeth into the investigation she l...more

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Dec 21, 2011 Adrienne Testa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Didn't like this story.. too long winded. Doctors playing God cloning children to be perfect. The doctor's not satisfied making one clone but multiple clones of the same person. Two of these clones killing the doctors to stop the cloning. Uncovering the lab and destroying it before the Feds can step in and take over the case. Secondary story seemed unfinished. Roarke's Irish relatives coming for American Thanksgiving... Eve inviting Mavis, Leonardo, Louise, Charles and Crack for dinner. Yet, the...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Eden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another winner (well, it's not like I have read one that is a loser!) and one of the few that actually reminds me of science fiction I read years ago. Though the series is set in the future, most of the stories are murder mysteries with some Eve/Roarke steamy action thrown in. I have become so adjusted to reading about the futuristic clothes, vehicles and gadgets that it all seems pretty normal to me now. However, the plot in this particular book revolves around scientific experimentation that i...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-thriller, favorites, favourite-series, strong-female-characters

I feel like I'm a broken record in terms of reviewing books in this series. I love the series and everything about it, so at book 24, it's hard to find new adjectives for "fantastic".

There's a reason why Nora Roberts is as successful as she is - she knows how to combine a really good story with characters you will become addicted to. This installment of the "In Death" series delivers that in spades.

While investigating the case of a battered starlet who murdered her abusive boyfriend in self-defe...more I feel like I'm a broken record in terms of reviewing books in this series. I love the series and everything about it, so at book 24, it's hard to find new adjectives for "fantastic".

There's a reason why Nora Roberts is as successful as she is - she knows how to combine a really good story with characters you will become addicted to. This installment of the "In Death" series delivers that in spades.

While investigating the case of a battered starlet who murdered her abusive boyfriend in self-defense, Dallas and Peabody meet the victim at the famed Wilfrid Icove Centre for Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery where she is undergoing surgery to fix her famous face.

The case is obviously self-defense and they are on their way out when the famous founder himself is found murdered, a surgical scalpel slid neatly straight into his heart in his own office.

Because Dr. Icove is a beloved icon, and a Nobel Prize winner who has spent his life in the service of medical advancement, everyone is mystified as to who would want to kill him.

But once she begins to investigate, Dallas quickly realizes something very off is going on in the clinic. Being who she is, Eve immediately starts digging and doesn't intend to stop until she finds the truth and gets justice for the victims. Except it's anyone's guess WHO the victims in this case actually are.

This book has a particularly clever and intriguing plot, and the resolution of the murders is a really interesting aspect to the book. However, as always, what really grabs me by the throat and won't let go is the characters - especially Eve and Roarke, but all the supporting regulars are here and get their moment. Peabody and McNabb, Feeney, Dr. Mira, Mavis and Leonardo, Trina, and Louise and Charles - all of them get time in the spotlight in the book.

The bonus prize we get in the continuing evolution of Eve and Roarke's story, is a Thanksgiving visit by ALL of Roarke's Irish relatives, whom we met in earlier books when Roarke discovered the real story of his mother. The terror and confusion with which both Roarke and Eve face a family Thanksgiving is hilarious, particularly considering they can both face murder, mayhem and almost anything else without breaking a sweat, but family dynamics completely stymies them. It's classis stuff and very entertaining.

This series is my guilty pleasure and I never get tired of these characters. The series is a guaranteed fabulous read for me. I know I will enjoy any book in this series and so far, at book 24 in the series not one installment has ever let me down.

When I need a go-to fantastic read, the next "In Death" book is an easy choice. If you like strong, smart, slightly broken but basically lovable, inspiring characters combined with a terrific story every time, start with book 1 - Naked in Death and read the whole series!(less)

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Sep 30, 2012 Inga rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: j-d-robb

Grāmatas pamatā ir paņemta visai aktuāla tēma visā pasaulē – plastiskā ķirurģija. Bet lasot tālāk un iekļūstot izmeklēšanas tīmekļos, atklājas daudz baisākas lietas. Jau mūsdienās cilvēki mēģina klonēšanu (aita Dollija), bet šajā grāmatā iet runa par cilvēku klonēšanu un kāds tam ir mērķis. Mums – cilvēkiem vienmēr vajag atklāt vairāk nekā jau esam atklājuši, bet ir jāmāk apstāties. Šeit lieliski parāda, kurš klonē kaut ko, lai palīdzētu cilvēkiem (aknas, nieres utt.), vai pašus cilvēkus, lai to...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Nicole Gozdek rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: krimi

Ich liebe diese Serie. Klar, nach 21 Bänden bleiben die großen Überraschungen aus und das Verhalten der Figuren wird vorhersagbar. Aber das ist auch das große Plus, dass man die Figuren schon so gut kennt. Sie sind mir als Leserin ans Herz gewachsen, ich fühle und leide mit ihnen mit, freue mich über ihre Erfolge. Besonders toll fand ich bei "Stich ins Herz" wieder die Beziehung zwischen Lieutenant Dallas und ihrer Kollegin und Freundin Peabody. Es waren wieder herrliche Dialoge zwischen diesen...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Anna (Bobs Her Hair) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: futuristic, mystery, romance

This from a review written by another Goodreads reviewer named Steph:

"One of my least favorite j.d.robb's because the scheme eve undercovers is too grand. though the robb books are all wonderful because they effectively transport you to the future, in this work robb leaves the realm of plausibility or merely does not adequately explain a confusing and rambling plot that seems too large for the reader's imagination too follow, or at least not adequately handled by the author. "

I totally agree.

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May 09, 2011 Filipa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: english-books, j-d-robb, own, romantic-suspense, 2011-reads

The 21st book in the In Death series was another success.
In this book Eve faces another case in which technology and medicine are the most important thing. It wasn't one of my favourite cases, but it was curious to know what lies behind the obvious.
It also was the most creepy case I've ever read in any suspense/ policial book. It was kind of scary, really.
J.D.Robb however gets points for being creative and innovative. I've never read any case quite like this one and that's okay really. It was...more

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True Betrayals
by Nora Roberts

About J.D. Robb

aka Nora Roberts

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year...more aka Nora Roberts

Eleanor Marie Robertson was born on October 10, 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A. She was the youngest of the five children, also the only girl, of a marriage with Irish ancestors. Her family were avid readers, so books were always important in her life. She attended a Catholic school and credits the nuns with instilling in her a sense of discipline. During her sophomore year in high school, she transferred to a local public school, where she met Ronald Aufdem-Brinke, her future first husband.

In Augusy 17, 1968, as soon as she had graduated from High School, Eleanor married, against her parents' wishes. The marriage settled in Keedysville, Maryland. Her husband worked at his father's sheet-metal business before joining her parents in their lighting company. While, she worked briefly as a legal secretary. "I could type fast but couldn't spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever," she says now. After their sons, Dan and Jason, were born she stayed home. Calling this her "Earth Mother" years, she spent much of her time doing crafts, including ceramics and sewing her children's clothes. The marriage ended separating, and they obtained the divorce in January 1985.

In February 1979, a blizzard in forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate. During the now famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981 as Nora Roberts, a shortened form of her birth name Eleanor Marie Robertson, because she assumed that all authors had pen names.

Eleanor wrote under the pseudonym Jill March a story for a magazine titled "Melodies of Love".

Eleanor met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Her husband owns and operates a bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland called "Turn the Page Books". Since that time, they've expanded their home, traveled the world.

In 1992, she decided adopted other pseudonym so to publish a futuristic-suspense novels, she first decided to use the pseudonym D.J. MacGregor, but she discovered that this pseudonym was used by another author. In 1995, her first "In Death" serial novel was published under the pseudonym J.D. Robb, the initials "J.D." were taken from her sons, Jason and Dan, while "Robb" is a shortened form of Roberts.

Eleanor has also been known as Sara Hardesty, because when the "Born In" series was released in U.K. it carried that name instead of Nora Roberts. She has since changed publishers.

Eleanor has been plagiarized by another best-selling romance writer, Janet Dailey. The practice came to light after a reader read Nora Roberts' "Sweet Revenge" and Janet Dailey's "Notorious" back-to-back; she noticed several similarities and posted the comparable passages on the Internet. Calling the plagiarism "mind rape," Eleanor sued Janet Daily. In 1997, Janet, admitted to repeatedly plagiarizing from Nora Roberts' work, and that both "Aspen Gold" and "Notorious" lifted heavily from Nora Roberts's work. Both of those novels were pulled from print after Janet's admission. She acknowledged the plagiarism and blamed it on a psychological disorder. In a settlement, Janet paid Eleanor an undisclosed sum, which Eleanor donated to the Literacy Volunteers of America.

A founding member of the Romance Writers of America (R.W.A.), she was the first inductee in the organization's Hall of Fame. She also is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. (less)

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Quotes from Origin in Death

“The doll, Dallas. You know, Barbie doll. Jeez, didn't you ever have dollies?"
"Dolls are like small dead people. I have enough dead people, thanks.” — 45 people liked it

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Origin in Death (In Death #21)

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