REVIEW: Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb

In Apprentice in Death (In Death #43) by J.D. Robb, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is accustomed to dealing with the worst of the worst when it comes to criminals. Kind of comes with the job. But when three individuals are killed at a local public ice skating rink and the details unfold as to who is behind it, even Eve is shocked. It appears there are two evil minds working together to take down people across the city, much like a trainer and a trainee. Both highly skilled in weaponry and in plotting attacks on the unsuspecting public.

‘She’d expected another strike, but to have it hit under twenty-four hours from the first… A pattern, an agenda. Maybe a fricking mission. Killers on a mission didn’t stop until they’d completed it.’

Eve, former thief and now successful businessman Roarke, Detective Peabody and the rest of the department spend hours combing through information looking for a link between the victims. Thanks to Roarke’s tech genius, they get further along in their investigation more quickly than they had hoped. But it wasn’t soon enough as another long distance attack kills and injures more people. Eve is determined to put both psychopaths behind bars before they can strike again. She had no idea just how twisted or well prepared they would be, though.

“NYPSD,” she called out, sweeping left. “We’ve entered the premises duly warranted.”
“No one’s here–you can feel an empty house,” Roarke said. “Ah, there was a day when a B and E into an empty house was my favorite thing.”
“Now you get to do it legally.”
“Not nearly the same.”

Apprentice in Death was a nonstop, thrill-a-minute wild ride where Lieutenant Eve Dallas found herself matching wits with two warped criminals. With a city at risk, the media screaming for answers, and the situation rapidly escalating, Eve had her hands full…and a target on her back.

“Wars never really end as long as there are those who feel entitled, even obliged, to take lives.”

I seriously don’t know how J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) does it. This is book forty-three in the series and it is just as on-point and every bit as fresh and exciting as anything else I’ve read by her. Not only was this a complicated plot full of intriguing twists and turns, but it felt like the characters this time around, especially Eve, Roarke and Peabody, were all hitting their stride and in the prime of their careers.

There was a nice bit of personal growth in our protagonists, too, which showed Roarke wanting to protect Eve but realizing he needed to give her space to do whatever she needed for her job. And Eve was able to let down her guard–just a little–and let Roarke be a source of strength for her when things became difficult. She was as strong as ever of course, but the case was enough to wear down even the most veteran of cops, let alone with the added stress of making all of the decisions resting on her shoulders.

I will caution that in light of so many shootings and vigilante-type incidents that have happened in the past year or so in the U.S., this particular storyline may be a bit much for some readers. But remember that this is crime-fiction so be prepared for the somewhat grisly details you will read. I personally thought Robb did a fantastic job with the ‘bad guys’ and showing how their minds worked, how they created the plan and then followed through. I’m sure some people will find parts of it a bit chilling and creepy (especially toward the end) but I found it fascinating as it all unfolded.

The clock was ticking for Eve to find the masterminds behind very public and very brutal long distance killings, but she was more than up to the challenge. Apprentice in Death will have you holding your breath over the action and intrigue that filled this story to the brim.

Book Info:

Publication: September 6th 2016 | by Berkley | In Death #43

Lieutenant Eve Dallas returns in a fast-paced new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author J. D. Robb.

Nature versus nurture…

The shots came quickly, silently, and with deadly accuracy. Within seconds, three people were dead at Central Park’s ice skating rink. The victims: a talented young skater, a doctor, and a teacher. As random as random can be.

Eve Dallas has seen a lot of killers during her time with the NYPSD, but never one like this. After reviewing security videos, it becomes clear that the victims were killed by a sniper firing a tactical laser rifle, who could have been miles away when the trigger was pulled. And though the locations where the shooter could have set up seem endless, the list of people with that particular skill set is finite: police, military, professional killer.

Eve’s husband, Roarke, has unlimited resources—and genius—at his disposal. And when his computer program leads Eve to the location of the sniper, she learns a shocking fact: There were two—one older, one younger. Someone is being trained by an expert in the science of killing, and they have an agenda. Central Park was just a warm-up. And as another sniper attack shakes the city to its core, Eve realizes that though we’re all shaped by the people around us, there are those who are just born evil…