Treachery In Death by J D Robb

Treachery in Death by J D Robb (aka Nora Roberts) is the thirty-second novel in the In Death series featuring our main character Lieutenant Eve Dallas. (There are actually more but they are considered to be novellas.) The year is 2060 and summer in NYC is hot and humid with no end in sight. Murder doesn’t take a break just because it is hot outside; neither do the murder cops who are responsible for bringing justice to the killers. This is the responsibility of the murder cops, or Homicide Division of the NYPSD.

Eve and her partner Detective Delilah Peabody have just finished catching the bad guys responsible to tasing a man to death and stealing candy bars, chips and other items. Peabody nearly gets her head kicked in by one of the bad guys which causes Eve to offer a bit of advice. Peabody decides to listen to Eve’s suggestion about learning how to move on her feet better, which includes exercising more.

After completing her struggles in working out, she overhears a conversation between two cops that is an obvious reference to the fact that they are dirty and into things they should be helping to shut down, and not spreading. The cops are Lt. Renee Olberman the daughter of a legend cops call the gold standard, and Detective William Garret, both whom belong to the NYPSP’s Illegal Squad.

After escaping without anyone realizing she was in arms distance of being discovered and most likely taken down, Peabody shares her story with Eve and Roarke and the fun begins. Eve, Peabody, Roarke, McNabb, Webster, Feeney, Mira, even Commander Whitney, all come together in working to bring Olberman’s team down once and for all.

Think of Treachery in Death as the daughter to The Thin Blue Line by Joseph Wambaugh. This is about cops in the NYPSD Illegal’s department going bad and rogue. They use intimidation, sex, bribery, threats, and murder to get their way. The have killed several of their own officers because they felt they knew too much and were getting in the way of making money. Olberman is a woman who is driven by her own insecurities because of who her father is. She doesn’t care who she rolls over as long as she eventually get the promotion to Captain, and then Commander. Her squad revers her in a cult like fashion and does exactly what she tells them to do.

On the positive: I was extremely grateful and happy that Peabody played such an important role in this story. I actually think she is one of my favorites when it comes to this series, and could really see her in the forefront more often.

I don’t much get into the romance part, even though it is obviously necessary to keep readers interested in the series. I mean, yes, Roarke is Hottie McHockster and all that.

I like the fact that Eve goes up against what she perceives as the blue line that cops sometimes fall behind in order to support their fellow officers. She gets the full cooperation of a plethora of fellow officers in her squad and several others who are unlucky enough to be thrown into the mix. Eve is a hard-ass and puts herself into harm’s way more often than not.

I absolutely loved the ending of this story and with how her squad stood up for Eve, and not turned their back on her for going against fellow cops. If you can read the ending without shedding a tear, then please call me, we need to talk.

I believe, in my opinion, that this is one of the better stories of the entire series, and that’s saying a lot. The story was factual in nature, and the danger was palpable with every turn dangerous to Peabody and Eve’s determination to bring Renee and her crew down. I love the fact that Detective Lilah Strong stood up for what’s right, and hope that Robb transfers her into Eve’s squad.

Next books in series:

33. New York To Dallas (November 2011)

34. Celebrity in Death (February 2012)