Fantasy in Death (In Death Series #30)

strong futuristic police procedural

Four partners founded the computer-gaming firm U-Play. One of them Bart Minnock is the glue that holds the group together. He comes home one day, locks his door, enters his inner sanction and begins to play the new cutting -edge word-wielding warrior game Fantastical, the firm's newest which is cutting edge and not yet released to the public.. He is shocked when his hologram is hit and he feels the pain.

The next day NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is assigned the locked room murder of Bart Minnock, who was found lying on his blood soaked floor. Eve struggles with figuring out how the victim was killed before she can focus on who the culprit is. Until the police entered, the door was locked with no evidence of any tampering yet someone entered and left leaving in spite of a security droid who it says no one was there. However her investigation forces the killer to target the persistent cop and her wealthy spouse and "technical consultant" Roarke.

J.D. Robb consistently writes a strong futuristic police procedural with a deep romantic subplot enhancing the mysteries; now at an incredible thirty tales. Eve is a strong stubborn individual who refuses to quit though progress in terms of resolving opportunity is lacking. Recurring characters make appearances, which provide a feel of continuity to long term fans. Filled with action, Fantasy in Death is a terrific five decades in the future locked door whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

EXCITING!

Fantasy in Death follows the murder of Bart Minnock one of the co-owners of U-Play, a company in the midst of creating a new game that would change the gaming world. Bart is murdered inside a locked room with no murder weapon or person present. Eve's introspection on friendship, partnership and love is an interesting feature. She's really starting to get the hang of being married and is lovable, sweet and funny. Enjoyed the investigative journey to find the murderer.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Fantasy In Death Review (J.D. Robb)

Synopsis:
Refreshed from her previous caseload, the ever-ready Lt. Eve Dallas isn't quite so ready for the scene she finds at gaming guru Bart Minnock's supped up apartment.

Apparently the late Bart Minnock, co-founder and face of up and coming gaming company U-Play, was on the verge of finishing up and marketing a game that would catapult his company to tops of the gaming industry and would have been considered "to die for," and he did, when someone decided to take a chop at him. Now, the strong and sexy Eve Dallas must use all of her wits and resources to track a killer that, by all rights, doesn't exist.

With a victim everyone seemed to love, a very short short list, no witnesses or physical evidence and another member of U-Play's founding team in the ICU, Eve is racing the clock to catch a killer who just may be better at the game than she; but can she do it without losing her head?

Review:
This was a great read, as are all of the In Death books. If you have read all the books in the series and have become familiar with the twists and turns and thought process of Lieutenant Eve Dallas, the book may become a little predictable towards the middle and continue on to the end.

I was not very impressed with the way the book ended and have come to expect more of a shock value from J.D. Robb's writing. While the book is still as good as any another installment of the In Death legacy, with this succeeding Promises In Death (which was phenomenal), I was expecting a bit more of a challenge.

The vivid imagery and ideological technology the plot surrounds gives the book a very nice edge that geeks everywhere will appreciate; myself included. While the ideas of the future presented in each In Death installment are always interesting and thought-provoking-especially beginning with Divided In Death where more technological focus was brought in-this book centers on it!

Being a geek doesn't mean you have to love flying cars. While I'm not a huge fan of what many peoples ideas or thoughts of the future are, I have always enjoyed that J.D. Robb does not focus on that element, but makes it blissfully apparent what the environment will be like-to her mind or simply for this series-in 2059-2060. You don't have to be afraid of being inundated with "sci-fi" when you read these books. She (J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts) pours it on with the skill of a pastry chef! Just enough to keep your sweet tooth from aching from the onslaught of sugar.

Speaking of sugar, I have always respected the love scenes in the In Death books between Roarke and Eve. Scenes filled with love and passion and, at times, fun and lust. But not filth. The love scenes neither diminish the books themselves nor the plots therein. They have a way of sucking you in and making you feel the emotions between them.

Conclusion:
Even if you're not satisfied 100% with the way the book ends, you'll love it. J.D. Robb delivers again. Whatever the book may be lacking in certain areas, it makes up for in others. And it gives us hope for the next! Check it out for yourself. A DEFINITE recommend!! Enjoy!!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Another Winner(a 4 3/4 star review)

While a lot of readers have complained how the series has run into a rut, I believe "Fantasy In Death" proves that there are still plenty of things to write about in 2060 New York City. I tried to pace myself,I really did! This particular story has is much more of a "thinker's" story,and is packed with more E-info than normal. Eve, Peabody, Feeney and the EDD Division geeks(as well as Roarke, my favorite "expert consultant, civilian") are are wrapped up in a classic Christie style locked room mystery. It's fascinating to see how the grand dame's plot of the early 20th century finds itself in mid 21st century New York. A headless corpse,no weapon, a locked secure room...Read very carefully! A quick cameo by Nadine, Mavis, Leonardo and Belle is just enough without taking away from the story's pace. My only complaint is how the story seems to completely wrap up exactly by the last chapter,and the whole thing seemed rushed.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Another Hit by J.D. Robb

I have read all of J.D. Robbs' In Death series, she continues to amaze me with her quick wit, exquisitely consistant characterisation, and truly devious plots. And this book Fantasy in Death, was another #1 in my opinion example of her writing.

If you haven't read any of her prior books, you don't need to because she does an excellent job, given the readers enough information without being boring or wordy to introduce her characters. I find that ability a huge plus and it does help get the reader back into her series, even though you haven't read one of the other books in a while.

As for this book specifically, and no I don't do spoilers, I will have to say -- this was an incredibly clever plot that left me guessing who had done it until she revealed the 'whom' in the book.

Well written, lots of fun, and a very enjoyable read.

Enjoy.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

ROBB CONTINUES THE SAGA

i enjoyed this book and it was an easy read. I am not sure there are many more plot lines for Robb to get Dallas and Rourke into. In my opinion her story lines are running thin. Eve Dallas is either going to have a baby or find Rourke out of money.
There are just so many murder plots. This book follows a kind of "cookie cutter plot"

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Dallas and Rourke capture the reader again.

Having read all of the Eve Dallas "Death" series books, I have yet to be disappointed. As the lead characters grow as individuals and as the best crime-stopper team in literature, we learn to love and respect them more and more. This latest edition continues to show the Eve/Rourke struggle with their "perfect love" and the evolution of a fascinating "cop crew" of supporting characters.
This edition mingles the present-day love we have for all things gaming with the futuristic possibility of turn a fun experience into a deadly game of betrayal. Each book leaves me wanting more and this one was no exception.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A great read!

As always, Nora Roberts comes through with the newest of her In Death series. Entertaining, fast past and with enjoyable characters. The only issue I have is that I sometimes wonder how Roarke can run a multi-billion dollar business when he spends so much time as an "civilian expert". But that aside, it is a great kickback and relax read.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Fantasy in Death is a True Fantasy

This is the latest strong Eve Dallas book and stands up to the series' reputation of being fast-paced, strong, and a good balanced mix of romance and thriller. Lead character Eve Dallas explores yet another facet of her own personality, her relationship with her husband Roarke, and her relationships with her friends and partners as she works to solve a puzzling and frustrating case. Her theory about cause of death is a fascinating change from her usual seeing is believing attitude and makes for an interesting scene when she has to sell it to the kind of people most likely to have thought of it in the first place but who are reluctant to consider it--probably because they didn't think of it first! There isn't a lot of such favorite characters as Mavis and Nadine in this book, but plenty of Peabody and McNab to make up for it!

I initially bought the audio version of this book and since I have listened to it twice since I bought it, I plan to purchase it for my nook as well. I highly recommend this book, and the entire series, for any reader of mystery, thriller, or romance...no matter what format you prefer.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

love J.D. Robb!

I thought this book did a great job of making the characters seem alive once more. This is the first book in awhile of hers that I read cover to cover without putting down. The plot line is interesting and the characters are smart and funny. I love Eve and Roarke and think that any person reading this and looking for a little romance will love them too. If you regularly read the in Death series by J.D. Robb you may have not liked the last couple books, but this book will make you enjoy them once again. I would highly recommend this book to not only regular readers but for any person looking for a little mystery, a little romance, and a lot of fun!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Another fantastic Installment for JD Robb

I have been reading Nora Roberts/JD Robb for over 25 years (sometimes I find that hard to believe too) I started back when she was writing romances for different romance lines. I have never not bought her books since my first purchase. I have them all. I was so delighted when she came out with the In Death series (which I didn't know about until book 4 - I had to go to the book store and order the first 3). I NEVER read the back or inside of the book when it has either of her names on it - I just buy it because I know the quality of her work and it is tremendous. I look forward to each and every one of them and as soon as I buy them I have to read the whole thing - can't put it down. My love of my family and friends are the only thing above my love of reading and escaping into a world that this author creates - I'm either laughing, crying, or scared depending on the circumstance. Thank you Nora/JD, and please keep them coming.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Awesome Series!

Welcome back to the world of Eve Dallas where she operates at a level most of us can only dream about. With this installment, J.D. Robb takes virtual reality to a whole new level as Eve and her team have to solve a murder where trying to figure out how the victim was actually murdered when there appears to be no plausible explanation proves to be quite challenging. From the outside looking in, this case appears to be unsolvable. I enjoy how Eve Dallas’s mind works and this book is no exception as she analyzes every detail with a fine-tooth comb looking for the slightest hair out of place.

Sadly, there wasn’t enough sparring with Somerset in this book. I have come to enjoy their snark sessions as much as they do and wish there had been more.

One of my favorite things about this series is seeing how the characters have evolved. Early on, I wondered if Eve had a compassionate bone in her body. Oh, sure, she feels passion, anger, satisfaction, and even fear throughout the series, but this is a character that plays her hand very close to her chest. You have no idea what cards she is holding until it’s time to draw. Eve surprises me throughout the series with the range of emotions she displays and the control she exerts on herself to hold herself to her high standards. This book brings us another surprise when the reader is given another glimpse into Eve’s soul and how she has to remain detached from people in order to do her job. To someone who doesn’t know her very well, she may come across as cold and unfeeling. And sometimes to some who do know her well, they make the same assumption about her too.

With every book I wonder where J.D. Robb can take this series to next. There are no limitations. On planet or off, virtual or reality, this series takes the reader to unbelievable heights and depths and we are left to wonder, what next? One thing is for certain, with this series, no matter what happens next, it will be amazing and I am looking forward to my next Eve Dallas excursion.

Not her best

Although the characters roles were in keeping with the In Death series, I found this book rather boring. I had the method figured out early in the book, and found all circumstances rather predictable.

A must read

All of the Eve Dallas fans will love this book. Eve is quite retrospective in this one. Interesting.

Implausible

I'm a big fan of the In Death series, and of Nora Roberts/J. D. Robb's writing in general. And I have to respect anyone with guts enough to juggle THREE different genres at once: romance, police procedural, and science fiction. Roberts long ago retired the trophy for romance writing, and as J. D. Robb her police procedure is as good as any I've seen. But when she steps into the sci-fi world, she stumbles. All too often, she refers to some "futuristic" component of her world that is actually way out of date, such as the ubiquitous use of computer discs. Most major computer manufacturers stopped making computers with floppy drives a decade ago. Most of the time we can overlook this, because the focus is on the characters, the mystery, the who and the why. But in Fantasy in Death, Robb puts the focus on the how, and this is where she drops the ball. I don't want to spoil the book. But the solution to this mystery is, basically, implausible. It's Star Trek science, where mysterious mumbling substitutes for honest science. Yes, the "fiction" in "science fiction" allows great leeway for a writer, but there comes a point where the fiction outweighs the science, and the reader's suspension of disbelief crashes to the ground. Physics simply does not work the way Robb wants it to in this novel. If it did, her future world would be a LOT weirder than it is. When I was reading this book, I started to suspect early on where Robb was taking this story; I said, "No, she knows better than that. She's not going there." But she does. I kept thinking she was fooling us with red herrings and misdirection, but no, she winds up presenting us with an ending that would have gotten a first year physics student sent to the back of the class.
I'm certainly willing to stretch a point for a writer who has given me so many hours of entertainment. But when I read 270-odd pages with a growing sense of disbelief and disappointment, I have to conclude that this one confused even the author.

dallas and roark!!!

once again eve is frosty!!!!!!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

AWESOME!!!

Started this series up to about book nineteen some years ago, about two months ago, bought them all for my nook and read 1 through 30. I can't get enough. It is like a movie, I can see the characters, and 2060 and all the stuff that doesn't even exist right now because of the fabulous writing. The characters become family and each book leaves you wanting more. I can't believe now I have to wait for the next one. This book was no exception and is as thrilling and exciting as all the rest. A must read!!! Go J.D. - - don't stop writing we want more of Eve and Roarke. Think about a movie or a kick-a tv series :)

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

That's a great book, I read it really fast and want more now!!!

Great!!!

Hard to put down.

I have read all the "In Death" series and was getting somewhat bored but this book was really hard to put down. Even though I suspected who done it, it was still fascinating seeing the plot come together. I like that Eve is finally showing more growth & emotion with her friends, co-workers and her marriage.

Staying with the In Death series, I love it, you can follow all the characters every episode and not loose a beat

All the in death stories hold your attention, I have never jumped or skipped a page, never a slow read, holds you there and makes you part of the team.