Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are building a brand-new school and youth shelter. They know that the hard life can lead kids toward dangerous crossroads—and with this new project, they hope to nudge a few more of them onto the right path. For expert help, they hire child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering—whose own brother pulled himself out of a spiral of addiction and crime with Rochelle’s support.

Lyle is living with Rochelle while he gets his life together, and he’s thrilled to hear about his sister’s new job offer. But within hours, triumph is followed by tragedy. Returning from a celebratory dinner with her boyfriend, she finds Lyle dead with a syringe in his lap, and Eve’s investigation confirms that this wasn’t just another OD. After all his work to get clean, Lyle’s been pumped full of poison—and a neighbor with a peephole reports seeing a scruffy, pink-haired girl fleeing the scene.

Now Eve and Roarke must venture into the gang territory where Lyle used to run, and the ugly underground world of tattoo parlors and strip joints where everyone has taken a wrong turn somewhere. They both believe in giving people a second chance. Maybe even a third or fourth. But as far as they’re concerned, whoever gave the order on Lyle Pickering’s murder has run out of chances.

For a complete list of the …in Death titles (some in anthologies) as well as links to the recent reviews done at Keeper Bookshelf please visit our J. D. Robb page.

Title:  Connections in Death
Series:  In Death #48 / Eve Dallas
Author:  J. D. Robb
Genre:  Futuristic Thriller/Mystery/Crime
Published:  February 5, 2019
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
My Rating:  5 stars

My heart broke for Lyle – and especially for his sister Rochelle.  Lyle had fought hard to overcome his addiction, to turn his life around and he’d been successful at starting on that new life.  Until someone stole that chance, that life from him in the most hideous way making it appear that he’d given in one last time to his personal monster.  Now, Eve is on the hunt for an evil monster that cares nothing for life – and she and her crew will track the killer down to deliver justice for Lyle and Rochelle.

Like always with any Mystery, I’ll not be going into the plot because you need to experience that for yourself firsthand.  CONNECTIONS IN DEATH is an intense, intriguing thriller that takes us into a world that most rarely, if ever, see.  I was captured from the beginning, and although I had my guesses I wasn’t certain until the reveal.

I enjoy catching up on the lives of the many people who make up Eve’s “crew”.  And this time we add a new member to that ongoing set of people who care, who help, and who matter.  I’m looking forward to running into Rochelle again at some point, she is a strong character who shines in this story.

I read this one in record time, but I’ll go back for a second read shortly to catch those nuances that I miss when needing to know how it all ends.  If you love a really good mystery, a power couple that seems opposites in so many ways but on the same side where it matters – their love for each other, and love long term series then you’ll love this In Death story.

I own a Kindle edition of Connections in Death

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