Holiday in Death

Author: J.D. Robb
Published: June 1, 1998 (Berkley)
Category: Romantic Suspense
Series: In Death #7
Rating: 9/10

Another fine entry into the Eve Dallas series! I was quite eager to read Holiday in Death because of how things were left with Summerset in the previous novel, Vengeance in Death, with Eve saving his life and him being a teensy tiny bit nicer to her. But when we see Summerset again, it appears nothing has changed in their relationship.... on the surface at least. He shows his acceptance of her in subtle ways. Anyways, here's the blurb:

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters into an elite world of people searching for their one true love--and a killer searching for his next victim. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal...

It seems with each book, Eve becomes more human. She notices in Holiday in Death that she suddenly finds herself with several friends when she was so used to having none. Her big moment of humanity is when she questions Peabody's dating Charles, the licensed companion (futurespeak for licensed prostitute). Peabody takes offense to Eve's inquiry and they have a falling out, which Eve has a hard time figuring out.

Roarke is perfect as always. Sometimes I think that he's too perfect and too wonderful, but then I think about his dark past in Ireland, where he started his business in a not-so-legitimate way. I guess the only negative thing I can say about Roarke is that he needs a haircut. Sorry Fabio, I don't like my guys with long hair.

I found it amusing that dating services in the future aren't much different from the matchmaking services being offered today. In fact, Personally Yours seemed a bit of a step backwards, where a lot of it is conducted in person as opposed to the internet with all those big-name websites available today.

And Roberts got a little risqu é with this one, with some twin sibling incest! Wooo! It's not like she describes an act of incest! It's just part of the characters. Don't let that stop you from reading the book.