Leverage in Death (In Death #47) by J.D. Robb

385 pages

Blurb

What would you do to protect your family?

When Paul Rogan sets off a bomb at his office, killing eleven people, no one can understand why. He was a loving husband and father, with everything to live for. Then his wife and daughter are found chained up in the family home and everything becomes clear. Rogan had been given a horrifying choice—set off the bomb or see his loved ones suffer and die.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows the violence won’t end here. The men behind the attack were determined, organised and utterly ruthless. In this shocking and challenging case, both Eve and husband Roarke are heading into serious danger.

Review

This is the 47^th book in the In Death series, and I’ve read all of them. So, it wasn’t a huge surprise that J.D. came up with rather horrific crimes in this book. It wasn’t the first time and it almost certainly won’t be the last. It has been a while though since a plot didn’t only horrify me but also left me wondering ‘what would I do?’, ‘how far would I be prepared to go to keep my family safe?’.

My heart broke for Paul Rogan when this story opened. In fact, I almost skimmed my way through the first chapter and Paul’s ordeal because it was too painful and suspense-filled to read in detail.

The subsequent investigation was as intriguing as it always is and the climax had me reading on the edge of my seat…literally. Not that either of those facts surprised me; I wouldn’t expect anything less.

But, just in case you’re worrying that this is the book in which J.D. Robb went all dark, foregoing the usual banter and sexiness, allow me to reassure you. Of course, Leverage in Death was filled with her trademark characters having the sort of interactions I’ve loved them for ever since the first book. I’ll never stop laughing out loud at Eve’s observations about things most of us don’t think about twice, like this conversation about thumb sucking between Eve and Peabody.

“How good could your own thumb taste?”

“It’s not the taste, it’s the sucking action. Oral satisfaction and comfort.”

“So, basically, they’re giving themselves a blow job?”

I also love that no matter how perfect Roarke and Eve are for each other, their on-page relationship never gets too sugary. In this book they even engage in a massive battle of wills only to end it with a fabulous session of angry sex. Because that’s just how they role.

The fact that I read this book from start to finish in one day, really says it all. I adored this book. I even shed a few tears while reading the last two pages. As I said, over 47 books these characters have turned into close friends and when they experience all the happies, my eyes leak a little.

I can’t begin to tell you how delighted I am that even after all these books the In Death series has lost none of its magic. I’m so happy I’ve still got #48 waiting for my attention; it almost makes up for the fact that once I read Connections in Death I’ll have to join the thousands of readers eagerly awaiting the next In Death story.