J.D. Robb discussion

Up next in our In Death series Buddy Read is Salvation in Death. Feel free to join in the reading & discussion of this book. Reminder to first time readers: This thread is a spoiler zone.

In the year 2060, sophisticated investigative tools can help catch a killer. But there are some questions even the most advanced technologies cannot answer.

Ridley Pearson has praised J. D. Robb’s suspense as “taut” and “nerve-jangling.” Her latest thriller sets a new standard for suspense, as the priest at a Catholic funeral mass brings the chalice to his lips--and falls over dead.

When Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas confirms that the consecrated wine contained potassium cyanide, she’s determined to solve the murder of Father Miguel Flores, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. It’s not the bodegas and pawnshops of East Harlem that bother her, though the neighborhood is a long way from the stone mansion she shares with her billionaire husband, Roarke. It’s all that holiness flying around at St. Christobal’s that makes her uneasy.

A search of the victim’s sparsely furnished room reveals little-- except for a carefully hidden religious medal with a mysterious inscription, and a couple of underlined Bible passages. The autopsy reveals more: faint scars of knife wounds, a removed tattoo--and evidence of plastic surgery, suggesting that “Father Flores” may not have been the man his parishioners had thought. Now, as Eve pieces together clues that hint at gang connections and a deeply personal act of revenge, she believes she’s making progress on the case. Until a second murder--in front of an even larger crowd of worshippers--knocks the whole investigation sideways. And Eve is left to figure out who committed these unholy acts--and why.

I will start this next week.

That's what I'm shooting for also, Sharon.

Has anyone finished Salvation? Or reading it right now? It looks like we'll be carrying it over into March.

I am just about done. Should finish tonight.

I am happy to start a new one for March, I have almost finished Salvation.

I'm almost finished.

Sorry ladies been crazy at work so I'll only manage to start second week of March.

Catch it when you can, Michelle. I'm finding myself a little backed up myself. I hope to finish it over the weekend.

Lots going on in my real world and I fell behind. Is it ok to post?

Yes, you can post. Our In Death BR threads are always spoiler zones. I think most people participating realize that new. I'll post another reminder for first time readers.

First Time Readers Beware - This is a spoiler zone!

There are a lot of scenes that I like in this book but the first one that stands out is when Eve comes home and sees Roarke standing in foyer with Summerset and she had that "staggering life of the heart". I love when Eve has those moments. Then she asks him to go for a walk. Be still my heart!

Those are the moments that always hit me too...just the way they hit Eve. The moments where she realizes what Roarke is to her, means to her, all over again. Very touching.

I also get a kick out of every time Eve asks Roarke a Catholic question and he gets embarrassed because he doesn't know the answer.

This is a really good book I actually was surprised I liked it as much as I did.

It is sort of an odd story with a very strange case. There's a lot going on, not all connected...very eclectic. I remember understanding the case better after the reread.

Here's the cast list for reference (Sandra, feel free to move it if you'd prefer).

Cast List (Under a spoiler solely to control the length of the post)
(view spoiler)[Eve Dallas: NYPSD lieutenant and homicide detective; married to Roarke
Roarke: Billionaire; married to Eve
Detective Delia Peabody: Eve's partner and McNab's co-hab
Captain Ryan Feeney: Eve's former partner and trainer. Head of EDD.
Commander Jack Whitney: Eve's boss.
Mavis Freestone: Eve's best friend and a music phenom. She's Leonardo's cohab.
Detective David Baxter: Detective on Eve's squad.
Callendar: E-detective under Feeney.
Summerset: Roarke's majordomo.
Dr. Charlotte Mira: NYPSD profiler and psychologist
Dr. Li Morris: Chief medical examiner
Nadine Furst: Ace TV reporter for Channel 75 and moderator for the show NOW
Detective Ian McNab: Detective in EDD under Feeney and Peabody's co-hab
Lino Martinez: Former member of a disbanded gang, the Soldados
Miguel Flores: Murdered priest
Teresa Franco: Lino's mother
Jimmy Jay Jenkins: Founder of the Church of Eternal Light
Juanita Turner: Woman whose son was killed in an explosion set off by gang members
Billy Crocker: Jimmy Jay's manager
Father Lopez: One of the priests at the parish
Magda: helps at the youth group center
Jolene Jenkins: Jimmy Jay's wife
Rosa: helps out at the Rectory of St. Cristobal's Church
Hector Ortiz: Patriarch who recently died
Joe Inez: Former gang member
Ken Aldo: Las Vegas friend of Lino
Graciela Ortiz: Hector Ortiz's great-granddaughter
Ulla Pintz: One of the Eternal Light singers
Samuel Wright: Jimmy Jay Jenkins' son-in-law and attorney
Penny Soto: Lino's ex-girlfriend.
Ariel Greenfeld: Woman Eve saved in another case. (hide spoiler)]

Jonetta wrote: "It is sort of an odd story with a very strange case. There's a lot going on, not all connected...very eclectic. I remember understanding the case better after the reread.

Here's the cast list for..."

It was yes. It was a really big puzzle.

I haven't had a lot of time to get online last week. Anyway, I really enjoy every scene with Roarke and Eve just being husband and wife. In this book the scene is when Eve and Roarke come home about the same time and take a walk around their yard. (I don't think yard is the correct word for Roarke's world.)

I know these scenes always move onto the case but I just love the "wham" when Eve sees Roarke.

That "punch" she feels every time she sees him is special...I love reading those scenes too, Sharon. It always hits her in the heart & she's usually surprised by the intensity of what she's feeling. And maybe a little amazed that he feels the same way.

And they seem to be doing that a lot. Eve is becoming more and more comfortable and goes on these walks with Roarke

Is this the first time Eve acknowledges that she knows about the button?

Wiki link to books & references to the button with the passages & page numbers included: The Button Follow the link & scroll down. It's like a stroll down memory lane reading these! Eve does make reference to her bafflement over the fact he still carries the button in a book prior to Salvation.

That is scary good !!

I love it! And one of my favorites occurs in the very first book:

"You got a button fetish, Roarke?"

"I've been carrying this around like a schoolboy carries around a lock of his sweetheart's hair."

Her eyes came back to his and something sweet moved through her. Sweeter yet as she could see he was embarrassed. "That's weird."

"I thought so myself." But he slipped the button back in his pocket. "Do you know what else I think, Eve?"

"I don't have a clue."

"I think I'm in love with you."

Another snippet from this one I enjoyed.

Eve - "Yeah he was smart enough, but Penny was his athlete's heel."

"Achilles'." Roarke paused, studied her face. "Do you do that on purpose? The misnomers?"

"Maybe. Sometimes. Anyways,....."

Penni wrote: "Another snippet from this one I enjoyed.

Eve - "Yeah he was smart enough, but Penny was his athlete's heel."

"Achilles'." Roarke paused, studied her face. "Do you do that on purpose? The misnom..."

Loved that!

The sex in the car scene is fun. Roarke trying to give Eve experiences she missed in her youth.

One of my favorite scenes!! Yay Roarke! I do love that he tries to give Eve experiences that were robbed from her growing up. Love what he says to her as she tries to talk him out of sex in the car! Love that he just takes charge!

This book really feels like they have settle that much more into coupledom.

Michelle wrote: "This book really feels like they have settle that much more into coupledom."

Yes - it's really nice to see.

Another favorite scene in this book is when Roarke tells Eve about his dream.

I love how he was touched that Eve stopped what she was doing and sat down to listen to his recap of the dream.

For me, it kind of hit me hard when I realize that Roarke takes so much responsibility on his shoulders for past events. I think we talked about this before but again Robb uses events from previous books and ties it into the current book.

I often get angry with Eve because so often she forgets big events and appears to put her job above Roarke's. But this scene and her comment to Roarke that she will reschedule her day relieves his grief and shows that she is there when Roarke needs her.

OMG when she asks Summerset to get Roarke's aunt to call him my heart just melted. I wanted to give Eve a big high five.

Yes, I thought that was awesome when she asked Summerset for that. He does a lot of that type of thing for her. It was nice that she was able to do that in return for him.

I think this book shows us the flipside of the coin in this respect. Turn about is only fair...Roarke shoulders so much for so many people & still bears a lot of baggage from the past (though he wears it well). I, too, loved that Eve makes it clear to him in this scene that he is her top priority.

How far Eve has come. She just sits down. Think that surprise Roarke as well. Before there would have been some internal debate about what to do but she just was there for him. And then to see Summerset and Eve getting their own short hand. Hardly any question form Summerset , just it will be taken care of.

Lots of small scenes that just made me go aaahh. Peabody and McNab taking five. Brilliant move of McNab asking carmicheal if he want to witness the fight and the the make up.

Also nice to see another old case coming back. Closing the circle.
And let's not forget mavis and the ice cream. How Eve goes straight to thinking she might be pregnant again.

The case I'm not going to touch. I think all sides was covered and not her more could ally be said about it.

In agreement with all you said, Michelle...some of my favorites in some great scenes & touching moments. It was interesting the way the old case was brought into it. I'm a fan of Summerset & Eve and their crazy relationship, absolutely love Peabody & McNab, and never tire of Roarke & Eve and the beautiful emotions portrayed when they look or think of one another. Another good read in this series!

Oh and I forgot the pertunias.
I think there really are good moments all over this book. For me this book was more about the relationships.

I find myself more drawn to the books that feature the relationships more than the murder/mystery...for me, the murder is a given & I know Eve will solve the case. (Although, I love a good murder mystery, of course) But I never tire of the relationship/character issues/growth. It sets these books apart from others, imo.

It does Sandra. But I also think that robb is brilliant at balancing this. Emotional/ relationship growth with a good mystery. And by this I mean the books in the series not just in the book themselves.

I agree, Michelle. Robb is one of the best at consistently finding that balance.

Sandra and Michelle, I love the relationship books too. After we've read the books from the beginning, it is beautiful to see how all the relationships have grown and complement one another.

Yes, it is. The whole relationship development & growing network, and its importance to each of these characters, seems more prevalent to me in my reread of the series. I just find myself zeroing in more on the characters & their growing need & support of one another. A lot of *sigh-worthy* moments! :)