Purity in Death

by J. D. Robb

2002

Status

Available

Publication

Berkley (2002), 368 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Romance. Suspense. HTML:Lieutenant Eve Dallas must take down a group of terrorists who use a computer virus to kill in this thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series. Louie Cogburn had spent three days holed up in his apartment, staring at his computer screen. His pounding headache was unbearableâ??like spikes drilling into his brain. And it was getting worse. Finally, when someone knocked at his door, Louie picked up a baseball bat, opened the door, and started swingingâ?¦ The first cop on the scene fired his stunner twice and Louie died instantly. Detective Eve Dallas has taken over the investigation, but thereâ??s nothing to explain the manâ??s sudden rage or death. The only clue is a bizarre message left on his computer screen: Absolute Purity Achieved. And when a second man dies under nearly identical circumstances, Dallas starts racking her brain for answers and for courage to face the impossibleâ?¦that this might be a computer virus able to spread from mac… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member samantha.1020
I'm beginning to have a harder time reviewing these books as I read farther along in this series. This review is probably going to be spoiler-heavy so for those of you who haven't read this series or aren't as far into this series: STOP HERE!

Okay in this latest installment Eve is up against
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something completely new to her. A computer virus is killing people by causing their brain to swell and expand until it basically pops. Gruesome, I know. This was such a strong book in this series because again we see Eve grow plus we also get to see Peabody and McNab's relationship grow. Awwww! I love that these two are together and like their sidestory just as much as I enjoy the main relationship between Eve and Roarke. Robb continues to keep me hooked into the mystery that is going on as well as keeping my sucked into Eve's world. I can just picture this futuristic world that Eve has created. I love going to "visit" because it feels like I get to see old friends with each books in this series. I'm looking forward to the next one but I probably won't get to it for awhile as I have a bunch of other books on my plate. As they say, "So many books, so little time." That's the truth especially when you have a toddling or running (whichever she seems to prefer) almost 1 year old. It is amazing that I can do any reading at all :)
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LibraryThing member Darla
This is, if I'm not mistaken, the 17th in the series. I could very well be mistaken, however, since I messed up the order. The last book I read in this re-read was Seduction in Death. For some reason, I put Portrait in Death on my TBR pile as the next one. I started reading it, found a reference to
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something that happened in Purity in Death, so I put it down and picked this one up. I completely forgot about re-reading Reunion in Death. I'm not sure I will, now that I'm already out of order. I'm getting a little tired of re-reading them, to tell you the truth.

But not this one. This, I think, is one of the best of the series.

Purity in Death starts with a panicky call from Trueheart saying he's killed a man. Turns out the man had actually been killed by a computer virus--infected deliberately by a vigilante group called The Purity Seekers.

Ignoring the mechanics of how the computer infected his brain, this book is just jam-packed with good stuff. There's a good mystery, with some unexpected twists, there are developments in the ongoing relationships (including announcement of Mavis's pregnancy), there's an injury--possibly permanent--to one of the team, life-and-death danger to another, political intrigue, and the thought-provoking question of vigilantism.

I loved the intensity of this book, both the tension resulting from the mystery plot, and that resulting from Eve's emotions. She's come a long way in 17 stories, going from being mostly a loner with all emotions kept tightly under lock & key to a person with a lot of people in her life who she cares about.
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LibraryThing member katiefeldmom
I really enjoyed the storyline and found it to be quite an interesting take on taking the law into your own hands. I continue to enjoy the relationship between Eve and Roarke as well as Eve's ability to accept the idea of family. I can't wait to see how a baby will work into future books.
LibraryThing member MusicMom41
My ticket for entry into The Dirty Secrets Club is that I am totally addicted to the Eve Dallas “in Death” series. This one continued the roller coaster ride we always have with all our favorite characters on hand including a brief “cameo” with Mavis who has astonishing news! The story is
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an intriguing one—if somewhat far-fetched. But hey, this should probably be classified as fantasy, anyway. Or would that be Science Fiction? We learn more about several of the characters in the process of watching Eve Dallas pursue the bad guys—even though these bad guys seem to be targeting other bad guys. This is a satisfying entry in the series that gives a whole new meaning to the term “Computer Virus.” Recommended, especially for fans-- IMO this series benefits from being read in order because of the dynamics of the characters.
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LibraryThing member wbentrim
Purity in Death by J. D. Robb

The not too distant future is the setting for Lt. Eve Dallas and her adventures. The entire series I have read so far is focused on homicide and the mystery that surrounds each murder. A vigilante group decides to cleanse the lurid streets of NY of what they consider
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predators. The trouble is they have substantial collateral damage.

Dallas is a firm believer is justice. Roarke, her husband, feels that justice may often be served by those outside of the judicial process. He may be influencing Dallas. She uses his considerable talent and expertise in socially unacceptable skills to help her solve this mystery. I do like the loyalty that Dallas shows to her staff and the resultant loyalty that is returned. The emotional interplay is the key to success in this series.

I recommend the book and the series.
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LibraryThing member wbentrim
Purity in Death by J. D. RobbThe not too distant future is the setting for Lt. Eve Dallas and her adventures. The entire series I have read so far is focused on homicide and the mystery that surrounds each murder. A vigilante group decides to cleanse the lurid streets of NY of what they consider
Show More
predators. The trouble is they have substantial collateral damage. Dallas is a firm believer is justice. Roarke, her husband, feels that justice may often be served by those outside of the judicial process. He may be influencing Dallas. She uses his considerable talent and expertise in socially unacceptable skills to help her solve this mystery. I do like the loyalty that Dallas shows to her staff and the resultant loyalty that is returned. The emotional interplay is the key to success in this series. I recommend the book and the series.
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LibraryThing member wisdomlore
Louie Cogburn spent three days holed up in his apartment, staring at the computer screen message: Absolute Purity Achieved. When someone knocks at his door, he picks up a baseball bat, and starts swinging, only to be killed by a cop's gun. Detective Eve Dallas takes over the investigation but there
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is no explanation for the man's sudden rage or death. When a second man dies under nearly identical circumstances, Dallas racks her brain for answers, including the possibility that this might be a computer virus able to spread from machine to man. We are introduced to Trueheart in this book (he's the officer who killed the first "victim") - and she becomes one of Eve's team.
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LibraryThing member SunnySD
Summer in New York is a sweltering, gritty mess of short tempers and hot pavement. The first death is bloody, violent, and impacts one of Eve's own. She knows somethings off, but what? As more of the city's best known deviants start going messily crazy and offing themselves, Eve finds herself
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bucking public opinion and political maneuvering as she and her team track a group of killers intent on purifying the city.

Fast and furious with a couple of interesting twists.
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LibraryThing member Kaetrin
3.5 stars.Susan Ericksen was just starting to solidify her "Peabody" voice here and it was a bit variable throughout. Also, there were a number of "hesitations" in the middle of words or sentences which happened often enough that I noticed and thought it worth commenting on. The story was good but
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I always did wonder what the BFD was between Eve & Roarke over the aims of the Purity Seekers - I thought it was a made up conflict when I read the paper version and nothing changed on audio.Still, there's a lot to love but not 4 stars for this one. :)
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LibraryThing member Barb_H
Great detective story. I listened to this as an audiobook because I love the voice acting she does for this series. It really brings the characters to life. I definitely plan to listen to and read the rest of this series. I've read/listened to all the ones up to this one so far already =)
LibraryThing member Bettyb30
This is a great read, murder, mayhem and quick sex. Not the lingering passion that last the entire book. JD Robb gives you fast and clean (to a point) version and lets you get on with the actual story! LOVE IT!!!
LibraryThing member kmartin802
This episode of the In Death series highlights a difference between Eve and Roarke that they are going to have to adjust to. Eve's black and white view of the law versus Roarke's moral flexibility causes some conflict between the two of them as Eve investigates a terror organization that has found
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a way to pass a virus into the minds of those they have judged as criminals who have escaped the justice system.

The story begins with a phone call from Officer Troy Trueheart who has answered a call for help and who killed the man who was beating a woman and who had killed her boyfriend. Eve rushes to his aide because he is one of her cops and discovers that things aren't adding up. Trueheart's stun shouldn't have killed this drug dealer whose target audience was school children.

When the dealer's computer is brought to EDD, it contaminates one of the officers assigned to study it which causes him to stun and paralyze McNab and take Feaney hostage before Eve manages to disarm him. Then the virus kills him. Since Eve has recruited Roarke as an "expert consultant, civilian" he gets deeply involved in trying to trace down the virus without killing himself while Eve follows the more traditional police path of investigating.

For Eve, law is god. She is especially outraged by these murders because they are being committed by people who have taken the law into their own hands. She stands for the victims even though they are not nice people. These are people who are exploiting children - a drug dealer who preys on schoolchildren, a child molester, etc.

This episode also begins to put some shades of grey into Eve's black and white view of the world and the law. She has to decided how far she can push the line without becoming what she despises. She has to make compromises for the greater good.

On the personal front, Eve's relationship with Nadine Furst, Channel 75's star reporter gets a lot of play. And Eve's best friend Mavis swirls into the story very briefly to tell Eve that she is pregnant which opens up more strange emotional worlds for both Eve and Roarke.

This was another excellent and entertaining entry into the In Death series.
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LibraryThing member eswaim
Eve, Roarke and the usual gang. Enjoyable read as always. I love listening to this series on my iPod. Eve has to figure out how these undesirable members of the community are being killed by a computer virus. I always love how she gets into the "bad guys" head and be able to figure out how things
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happened.
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LibraryThing member wareagle78
he story is a futuristic cop drama featuring Lt Eve Dallas, a fascinating character that has obviously been the centerpiece in previous books. The book stands well alone, however, and was a good read. While the story is based in the future, the technology and sociological changes are not the focus
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of the book, and if that is not your genre of choice it is not distracting. Instead Robb focuses on the crime and the development of both her plot and her characters. Her Fern Michaels alter ego was apparent with the emphasis on relationships, personal insights, and just enough steaminess.
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LibraryThing member msralways
Oooh, this one had a lot more going on behind the scenes than Reunion in Death had and a lot more going on in general. I thought it was really great how we got to see Eve and Roarke disagreeing in something that was the base of the case Eve was working on instead of just disagreeing on some aspects
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of it. It showed that even thought they're married, neither has to like what the other one thinks but hey get through it anyway. McNab and Peabody were so sweet and great together here that I just wanted to take them home and care for them. Jamie was a very nice surprise and adition - if a temporary one - to the team. Feeney rules. Another awesome story!
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LibraryThing member Sheila1957
A terrorist group is taking out those they judge to have been freed by the law. Eve has to stop the group. This is one book where Eve is so vulnerable. Her feelings are so close to the surface and her team is learning that Eve isn't as hard as she lets on. Of course, she saves the day with Roarke
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and the team's help
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LibraryThing member Marcella1717
Very interesting concept/plot. And, as always, great writing and wonderful interaction between the characters.
Usually I tire of a series after a while, but this one remains interesting.
LibraryThing member Carol420
He spent three days holed up in his apartment staring at his computer screen.The headache was unbearable and it was getting worse. Finally when someone knocked at his door he picked up the baseball bat and started swinging. The first cop on the scene notified Eve Dallas who took over the
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investigation. There is nothing to explain the man's sudden rage or his death -- except the message on the screen- ABSOLUTE PURITY ACHIEVED.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is dreading an evening out with some of her husband's business associates and is almost relieved to get an emergency call from one of her team, off-duty Officer Troy Trueheart. He's a nervous wreck and tells her he has killed a man named Louis K. Cogburn. Cogburn is a low
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level drug dealer who mostly sells to kids in his neighborhood but has never been a serious problem for the police. After taking a baseball bat to his neighbor and attacking Trueheart, he screams about spikes in his head, and Trueheart has no choice but to stun him. When they reexamine the computer, Dallas and her aide, Peabody, discover a message on his computer: Absolute Purity Achieved.

They take his computer to Cop Central but before long, Electronic Data Detective, Halloway, starts getting strange symptoms. His head starts to pound, he begins to get paranoid delusions about Sergeant Feeney, takes him hostage and it only ends when one of them is dead. It starts to look like some sort of computer virus is physically affecting the people it is sent to.

Purity in Death is another well written mystery/romance that takes place in future New York 2059. Eve and her husband, billionaire entrepreneur Rourke, have a great relationship that is realistically written and filled with humor and love. They are not only incredibly physically attracted to each other, but they have a shared respect that is a vital part of that relationship. This is the fifteenth book of a 45 (currently) book series and I can see why it's so popular. I plan to continue this fast, fun, and well written series.
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LibraryThing member wndy2011
What do you do when the justice system you trust fails you? You either suck up and hope it works next time of you find a way to deal justice youd way. And that is just what Eve Dallas must face with the murders happening on her watch. Bad people are winding up with exploding brains for some reason
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and now they are taking innocent people with them.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Purity in Death
4 Stars

Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her team are called in to investigate a seemingly routine case of heat induced rage, but soon discover that the perpetrator might have been the intended victim. When another man dies under similar circumstances, Eve begins to suspect that, although
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impossible, the men were infected by a computer virus. Can Eve find the culprit and stop their nefarious agenda before the contagion spreads?

With so many books in the series (#45 will be published in 2017), it is inevitable that certain plot elements will be repeated. Thus, Eve is once again investigating a cyber related crime (similar to Rapture in Death and one that involves a vigilante (as in Judgement in Death). Nevertheless, Robb manages to put new twists on these tropes to keep the reader engaged and the pages turning.

Unlike the previous installment, the character development takes a back seat to the mystery and the intriguing discussion on the moral ambiguity of vigilantism. That said, there are several heart-warming scenes between Peabody and McNab, and a wonderful moment in which Eve realizes that they, along with Feeney, Baxter, Trueheart and even Webster and Summerset, are all part of the family she never thought she would have.

Overall, another satisfying addition to the series and it was good to get an update on Jamie Lindstrom. Hopefully, we will be seeing more of him in the future.
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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb
I read the first book in this series years ago in a book group. I've read others in the series but not necessarily in order. I realized that I'd read a later book in the series when Mavis told Dallas she was pregnant.

A group of people is dissatisfied with the way the criminal justice system has
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handled certain classes of criminals, so they take matters into their own hands. I'm not sure if they hoped someone else would draw the homicide case or if they figured Dallas would get the case but underestimated her or thought they could control her.

I wonder what happened to Trueheart since I don't remember reading more about him in other books in the series. In this book, it seemed like he might be being set up to be Dallas's next Peabody. Also I don't remember Jamie showing up in other books I've read in the series--though since he's a kid and not yet old enough to become the police officer he wants to be, it might make more sense that he'd show up sparingly as the plots need someone with his skills (vs. Trueheart who's already a police officer and whose path should cross with Dallas's more often given they work at the same profession).
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LibraryThing member jfe16
A vigilante group calling itself The Purity Seekers declares itself both judge and jury and creates a computer virus to target people they believe deserve death for their misdeeds. Their neurological virus causes the victim to succumb to rage and then to die. They claim their actions are not
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terrorism; rather, they serve the innocent.

While examining the dead man’s computer, one of the officers in the Electronics Detection Division of the New York Security and Police Department becomes infected, attacks McNab and takes Captain Feeney hostage. Can homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas find the cyber terrorists and put an end to their “justice” before more people fall victim to their insidious virus? And will McNab survive this vicious attack?

Fifteenth in the “In Death” series, the intriguing plot delivers several unexpected twists as it unfolds. All the expected characters are on hand, along with a few from previous stories, and there is sufficient backstory for readers new to the series. As always, the strong sense of place anchors the narrative and the interaction between the characters remains a highlight of the series. The unique investigation involving the computer virus keeps the pages turning and readers, both new and returning, will find it difficult to set this book aside before turning the final page.

Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Purity in Death
4 Stars

Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her team are called in to investigate a seemingly routine case of heat induced rage, but soon discover that the perpetrator might have been the intended victim. When another man dies under similar circumstances, Eve begins to suspect that, although
Show More
impossible, the men were infected by a computer virus. Can Eve find the culprit and stop their nefarious agenda before the contagion spreads?

With so many books in the series (#45 will be published in 2017), it is inevitable that certain plot elements will be repeated. Thus, Eve is once again investigating a cyber related crime (similar to Rapture in Death and one that involves a vigilante (as in Judgement in Death). Nevertheless, Robb manages to put new twists on these tropes to keep the reader engaged and the pages turning.

Unlike the previous installment, the character development takes a back seat to the mystery and the intriguing discussion on the moral ambiguity of vigilantism. That said, there are several heart-warming scenes between Peabody and McNab, and a wonderful moment in which Eve realizes that they, along with Feeney, Baxter, Trueheart and even Webster and Summerset, are all part of the family she never thought she would have.

Overall, another satisfying addition to the series and it was good to get an update on Jamie Lindstrom. Hopefully, we will be seeing more of him in the future.
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LibraryThing member lbrychic
Eve, Roarke and the usual gang. Enjoyable read as always. I love listening to this series on my iPod. Eve has to figure out how these undesirable members of the community are being killed by a computer virus. I always love how she gets into the "bad guys" head and be able to figure out how things
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happened.
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Awards

P.E.A.R.L. (Honorable Mention — 2002)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2002-08-27

Physical description

368 p.; 4.25 inches

ISBN

042518630X / 9780425186305

Barcode

1600558
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