Thankless in Death review

Thankless in Death by JD Robb is the 37th (!) book in the In Death series and Robb is still going strong. It's always a joy to visit Dallas and Roarke's world with each new book.

At the beginning of the series, I thought I loved it because of Eve and Roarke but I've come to realize it is the secondary characters, both reoccurring and one time appearance characters, that make the books so enjoyable for me. Whether they are funny, crazy, pompous, or self-involved, Robb's secondary characters turn a murder mystery in New York into a vivid world that sucks me in each time.

Thankless in Death focuses on the chase rather than the whodunnit as Eve and the rest of the NYPSD, and the readers, are perfectly aware that Jerry is the killer from the very beginning. But luck is on Jerry's side for most of the book and he keeps managing to slip through Eve's grasp. Eve's ability to think like a killer keeps her hot on Jerry's trail but sometimes that's just not close enough and I could feel Eve's frustration and anger at each near miss.

Given that Thankless in Death is set during Thanksgiving, we get another visit from the ever delightful Irish relatives, and we also get a return appearance of Nixie and her new family which was a nice, and very emotional, touch.

Robb deftly writes the juxtaposition of Thanksgiving and the joy of distant relatives descending on Roarke and Eve with the brutal family murder and ungratefulness of Jerry but without beating the reader over the head with it.

Thankless in Death is a fantastic addition to the In Death series and if you haven't been reading these wonderful books, I highly recommend starting at the beginning - if you're anything like me, you'll devour the whole series!

Synopsis

In the latest suspense thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, the year 2060 is drawing to a close in New York City and loved ones are coming together for Thanksgiving. But sometimes the deepest hatreds seethe within the closest relationships, and blood flows faster than water…

Lieutenant Eve Dallas has plenty to be grateful for this season. Hosting Roarke’s big Irish family for the holiday may be challenging, but it’s a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.

Other couples aren’t as lucky as Eve and Roarke. The Reinholds, for example, are lying in their home stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition. Those who knew them are stunned—and heartbroken by the evidence that they were murdered by their own son. Twenty-six-year-old Jerry hadn’t made a great impression on the bosses who fired him or the girlfriend who dumped him—but they didn’t think he was capable of this.

Turns out Jerry is not only capable of brutality but taking a liking to it. With the money he’s stolen from his parents and a long list of grievances, he intends to finally make his mark on the world. Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of this murder. What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry’s going to strike next.