Visions in death

by J.D. Robb

2005

Status

Available

Publication

New York : Berkley Books, 2005.

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Romance. Suspense. HTML:Detective Eve Dallas searches the darkest corners of Manhattan for an elusive killer with a passion for collecting soulsin this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series. On one of the city's hottest nights, New York Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas is sent to Central Parkâ??and into a hellish new investigation. The victim is found on the rocks, just above the still, dark water of the lake. Around her neck is a single red ribbon. Her hands are posed, as if in prayer. But it is the eyesâ??removed with the precision of a surgeonâ??that have Dallas most alarmed. As more bodies turn up, each with the same defining scars, Eve is frantic for answers. Against her instincts, she accepts help from a psychic who offers one vision after anotherâ??each with shockingly accurate details of the murders. And when partner and friend Peabody is badly injured after escaping an attack, the stakes are raised. Are the eyes a symbol? A twisted religious ritual? A souvenir? With help from her husband, Roarke, Dallas must uncover the killer's motivation before another vision becomes another… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member pauliharman
Robb delivers another page-turning chapter in the story of Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD Homicide division, circa 2060. A believable future world, with more than its fair share of serial killers. Helped by dependable partner Peabody and megarich husband Roarke, the bad guys have no chance
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against her determination. In this story, a psychic sees the murders; Eve is initially sceptical but the psychic is bang on the money...
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LibraryThing member MrsRJ
Nora Roberts, (writing as J.D.Robb) has crafted a hard hitting, female detective series that consistently one ups itself and always finds a place at the top of the best seller charts and Visions In Death is no exception.The year is 2059 and New York City Detective, Eve Dallas is called to Central
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Park to investigate the murder of Elisa Maplewood. Arriving in an expensive gown and heels, Dallas seems as out of place as the horrific scene she and partner, Detective Peabody pour over. Carefully and methodically they collect anything that could possibly lead to the apprehension of a suspect. The killer had gone to great lengths and taken unnecessary risks in order to stage the scene…the victim was displayed on the rocks near the lake, her hands posed as if in prayer, with a single red ribbon around her neck. Upon closer examination, Dallas discovers the most alarming, as well as, the most telling clue, the eyes had been removed with surgical precision.

When Celina Sanchez, a licensed, registered psychic offers to help with the investigation by sharing her disturbing and surprisingly accurate visions, Dallas is less than receptive to the idea. However, after an extensive background check and some cajoling, Dallas and Peabody pay Celina a visit at her home. During their conversation, Dallas presents the psychic with the ribbon from the crime scene, to which Celina has no reaction whatsoever. When the psychic continues to question why she was unable to connect, Dallas admits it was a fake, which upsets and impresses Celina tremendously. When the actual ribbon was retrieved from an evidence bag and given to Celina, she had an immediate and severe reaction, which surprised and alarmed the two seasoned detectives. Despite following up on all leads, exhaustive searches and Celina’s visions, more bodies were discovered with the killer’s grotesque signature.

Agreeing to an interview with the press was an unusual step for Dallas, however, she had a plan and reporter Nadine Furst had the means to put it into action. If this killer was motivated by a hatred of women, if he harbored feelings of male superiority, what better way to call him out of the shadows than to have women discussing his shortcomings on television. While Dallas was right about his reaction, she miscalculated the target of his rage. She had anticipated, as the lead investigator the killer would come after her, instead her partner, Detective Peabody was viciously and mercilessly attacked.

As visions of death become shocking crime scenes, Dallas must venture inside a killer’s twisted mind to find what motivates him to do his dastardly deed. During the hunt for this psychopath, she is forced to deal with abuse issues from her childhood that she has spent a life-time trying to bury. The author takes the reader through an action-packed murder mystery, while at the same time personalizing the story through the growing bond between Dallas and husband Roarke, as well as, the relationship between Peabody and Dallas. The reader is given a glimpse into Eve’s past and the issues that haunt her, motivate her and have shaped her strong, in your face personality. The characteristics that make her such a good cop are the very same traits that force her to keep everyone at arm length distance.

The twists and turns will keep you glued to your seat, trying to figure out who is behind this latest series of murders in the city that never sleeps. An excellent audio experience that I recommend to anyone that enjoys thrillers and mysteries.
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LibraryThing member Darla
This is the 19th in the series, and not really one of my favorites. But hey--it's a long-running series. Some stories are bound to be better than others.

There's yet another serial killer on the loose in mid-21st-century NYC. And yet again, the victims' eyes are removed. Eve & co. are getting
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nowhere, when a psychic shows up and reluctantly offers her help, saying she'd dreamed about the murders. Eve is just as reluctant to accept that help, preferring solid police work to woo-woo stuff.

Of course there are some wonderful moments in the ongoing series story--including a dinner party given by Charles & Louise and including Eve & Roarke and Peabody & McNab. And those moments are why even though the mystery in this book isn't one of my favorites, it's still a must-read.

It's just that I'd be perfectly happy if I never read another serial killer book again. Ever. I think that's probably why I went from reading lots and lots of romantic suspense to reading hardly any--I overdosed on those darn serial killers. I guess I wouldn't mind if a serial killer were just a little different for a change. But it seems that 99% of them are killing their mothers. I blame Hitchcock.

The end did redeem the story quite a lot, but for me, it was too little, too late. I was, I hate to say, bored with the story by the time the twist came, so I wasn't as excited by it as I might otherwise have been. Whether the fault is with the story itself or simply with my disenchantment with serial killer tales I have no idea.
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LibraryThing member samantha.1020
Visions In Death is the next book in the series and was another strong addition to this series. In this book, Eve is up against a killer who is killing young women and removing their eyes. With little to go on, Eve may be on her most difficult case yet especially when she begins to work with a
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pyschic who seems to be having visions relating to the murders. Peabody played a more prominent role in this one which was a nice change. Plus, I just love the dynamics between her and Eve so I had a fun time reading this book. Another fast-paced mystery with a great ending that I didn't see coming whatsoever.
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LibraryThing member wisdomlore
A series of gruesome murders, where the victims are raped and their eyes removed, has Dallas and Peabody very busy - when a psychic, Celina Sanchez, shows up with what she claims are visions of the crime and the criminal himself. Dallas is skeptical but is persuaded to accept any help she can get.
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The twist at the end is close to the kind of twist Christie employed with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Peabody and McNabb are in the process of moving in together, when she has an encounter with the killer and is badly hurt.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
The more of this series I read the more I enjoy them - another strong mystery with a neat little twisted ending.
LibraryThing member Lostshadows
While I like the series overall, this one contained one of the things I hate most about mysteries: the author withholding important info just to have a big reveal.
LibraryThing member Kaetrin
This one was more successful for me. It struck me that for once, Roarke didn't have a lot to do with the investigation, only popping in for bits and pieces and a little at the end, which considering his heavy involvement in the previous book was a refreshing change. Some fun stuff with Peabody and
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McNab, Louise and Charles, Mavis and Leonardo (the part where Mavis asked Eve and Roarke to be the back up birth coaches was hilarious) and some drama for someone close toward the end. I think I must have been pretty worried when I first read the book. I even had (a tiny bit of) sympathy for the villain here. Very good.
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LibraryThing member Barb_H
Intense! This was an excellent book in a series that I love. I couldn't put it down. Definitely going to continue to read about Eve and Roarke, and all the rest of the cast of this wonderful futuristic cop series.
LibraryThing member gogglemiss
Still good to read, but getting to be the same, as before, now.
I'm really interested and kept entertained by Eve's friends and acquantitiies as their lives develop and change.
LibraryThing member eswaim
Good storyline. Psychics and Sensitives are involved. Someone from the crew gets hurt. Twist in the end.
LibraryThing member Linkmeister
This is one of J.D. Robb's (Nora Roberts) police procedural series set in the 2050s. It's a familiar tale: a serial rapist/killer must be stopped before he kills again. The clue-gathering and analysis is pretty well told, and the characters are believable. Robb/Roberts doesn't let the futuristic
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aspects get in the way of the crime story in this one; I don't know about the earlier novels in the series.

This is the first one of the series I've read, and I'd now like to go back to find the first ones. It stands alone, but it would be useful to know the backstories.

Addenda (1/25/07): I've now read half-a-dozen of the "in Death" books, and this one stands out even more. Dallas's realization of what it means to be interconnected with other people (in the hospital scene after Peabody's injury) is very well written. Her background has never given her that appreciation before, and her struggle is palpable.
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LibraryThing member msralways
I can't tell how much this story was good. It's always a pleasure to read about Eve and Roarke and her dynamic with her friends and everybody that gets involved in the investigation. But here we got to see a side of her that we don't get to see much and that is the worried sick friend side. Things
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happen here that made the final chapters a total heartbreak. Incredible!
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LibraryThing member Sheila1957
A serial killer is lose in NYC and he takes the eyes of the women he has raped and killed. Eve gets the case and she finds other cases of missing persons that may be related. She also has a psychic who tells her she has visions of the murders. It gets more personal when Peabody is attacked.

I like
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this group of characters. Eve is having a hard time with all these friends and friends of friends but she is building a family from them. She is learning to care for them although it scares her, especially when Mavis asks her and Roarke to be the back up coaches for her baby's birth. Eve needs to be stronger than she is when Peabody is attacked and Eve has to deal with the personal costs as well as the job. I like Eve's vulnerability. I also like that Roarke can read her and know what is going on in her mind. I like how the two complement each other.

Can't wait to read the next one.
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LibraryThing member KANwrites
Another good one--no complaints here.
LibraryThing member AddictedToMorphemes
Visions in Death
by J.D. Robb
#19 In Death

After being called on-scene to investigate the murder of a young woman found beaten, raped and mutilated, Lt. Eve Dallas meets with a female psychic who claims she saw the murder occur in a vision. As more murders occur with the same modus operandi and are
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also "witnessed" by the psychic, Dallas has to determine whether the tips supplied to her through the psychic are helping her actually solve the murders or are just helping to validate her own instincts and investigative skills. Interesting talk point regarding police departments using people with gifts outside our usual five senses.

Due to the nature of the crimes, Eve starts having nightmares again. After sitting in on a hypnotherapy session with Dr. Mira and the psychic, who are working together to pull out specific details from her visions regarding the killer, Eve also is starting to think about the possibility of going under hypnosis herself to help her make peace with her own past.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
One went out to take the dog for a walk. Another had drinks with a friend after a theater preformance. They had something in common, they are both dead. Dallas knew they weren't his first and second kills, he had been practiceing for a long time. He made a fatal mistake when he made it personal to
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Dallas. Now she will hunt him down and put him in a cage for the rest of his miserable life.
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LibraryThing member wndy2011
Young women are showing up murdered in NYC. Ritualistic killings, raped, and their eyes gouged out...Eve Dallas has her work cut out for her. She must find the killer before he kills again, and one of the women could be someone very close to her.
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Visions in Death
4 Stars

Eve and her team investigate a series of vicious murders of young women. In a strange turn of events, Eve finds herself consulting a psychic whose visions are eerily accurate. Will they be able to find the killer before he attacks again?

Despite the futuristic setting, Robb's
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characters and stories demonstrate that people are the same no matter the century. Whether it be hatred, jealousy and fear, or love, friendship and family, human nature does not change.

While the storylines in the series are becoming formulaic (not surprising given the number of books), Robb still manages to catch the reader off guard every once in a while. Thus, what starts off as a run-of-the-mill serial killer case (which is exciting in and of itself), has an exceptional twist at the end.

The characterization is, as always, a highlight and there are some really wonderful moments as Eve finally opens up with Peabody.

All in all, another enjoyable installment and I'm having fun working my way through the books.
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LibraryThing member jfe16
A body in Central Park, posed with a red ribbon around her neck, her hands in prayer, and her eyes removed, launches New York Police and Security Department homicide detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas into an alarming case. Bodies continue to turn up, Peabody is seriously injured, and a psychic has
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visions that yield astonishingly accurate details of each murder.

Will the killer strike again before another vision becomes a nightmare?

The nineteenth book in the “In Death” series brings readers a gruesome, gritty killer and a strong cast to help solve the murders. The continuing camaraderie between the characters in this series remains strong as new revelations keep them relatable and nuanced. Relationships grow, the plot twists and turns, readers find it difficult to set the book aside before turning the final page. It’s good to know that some things never change . . . .

Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member kevinrtipple
I always had a strong skepticism of folks who claimed they could see things, whether it be visions of the future, or something else. Then I met Sandi. We had been married a number of years and with kids before she told me she had the ability to see things before they happened. Not during the event,
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but before it. It did not happen that often, sometimes more than a year would pass between such deals, but I learned that when she had a very strong dream of something that she believed would happen, I really should pay attention.

So, Lieutenant Dallas’s skepticism of such abilities reflected my own long ago as Visions in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries by J. D. Robb begins. This is the 19th book in the series. It is still September 2059 and just after recent events detailed in the last book. She has been out with Roarke, doing the corporate wife thing, and has survived the four-hour event without killing anyone. She counts that as a win and is looking forward to getting out of her dress and high heels. That is until her latest case begins.

Her and Detective Delia Peabody are dispatched to Belvedere Castle in Central Park. A young woman has been brutally assaulted and killed. It wasn’t bad enough that she was raped and strangled by way of a red ribbon wrapped around her neck. The killer set the body up as a presentation of what he done and finished the act by taking her eyes with him.

This poor woman wasn’t the first and certainly won’t be the last. Detective Peabody and Lieutenant Dallas are chasing yet another killer across the city from kill site to kill site as he works his own agenda. What that agenda is or why he is doing it remains a mystery to them both. That means Dallas is going to come up with a risky plan in Visions in Death.

All the usual caveats apply here in this read as they have been from the beginning. The former writer in me cringes every so often with all the head hopping shifts of POV in many paragraphs, awkward transitions, and all the rest of it. At the same time, this read, and the series in general, pulls you in from the start of the tale.

Which is ultimately why it works. The series characters you care about, the crimes are often twisted and gruesome, and the stories are interesting. While there might be flaws in the construction of the storytelling, depending on the eye of the beholder, there is no doubt the actual story is compelling. Every case, including this one, pulls the reader in quickly and weaves a complicated world with murder at the heart of it. Technology changes over time, but human emotions do not. These books work well and can become quite addictive. Visions in Death is another good one.

My reading copy came by way of the Libby/OverDrive app and the Dallas Public Library System.



Kevin R. Tipple © 2022
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
The 19th In Death concerns a killer who is beating, raping, and brutalizing young women and removing their eyes as the final insult. A psychic named Celina Sanchez comes to help with the case. She's a friend of Dr. Louis DiMatto.

The case brings back the trauma of Eve's own childhood. She tells her
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partner Peabody about her childhood expanding the very small pool of people who know about it.

Eve visits Dochas for the first time which also reinforces the bad dreams she has. However, it also illustrates the ways she and Roarke have dealt with their childhood traumas in contrast to the way the killer deals.

Peabody almost becomes a victim of the killer and spends some time in intensive care.

This story has Eve realizing how big her circle of friends has grown and how much she cherishes them all. There's a dinner party with Charles and Louise, McNab and Peabody, and Eve and Roarke that gives her a nice break from the intensity of the murder investigation. I also really like that Eve and Mira are getting closer with each book.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Visions in Death
4 Stars

Eve and her team investigate a series of vicious murders of young women. In a strange turn of events, Eve finds herself consulting a psychic whose visions are eerily accurate. Will they be able to find the killer before he attacks again?

Despite the futuristic setting, Robb's
Show More
characters and stories demonstrate that people are the same no matter the century. Whether it be hatred, jealousy and fear, or love, friendship and family, human nature does not change.

While the storylines in the series are becoming formulaic (not surprising given the number of books), Robb still manages to catch the reader off guard every once in a while. Thus, what starts off as a run-of-the-mill serial killer case (which is exciting in and of itself), has an exceptional twist at the end.

The characterization is, as always, a highlight and there are some really wonderful moments as Eve finally opens up with Peabody.

All in all, another enjoyable installment and I'm having fun working my way through the books.
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LibraryThing member lbrychic
Good storyline. Psychics and Sensitives are involved. Someone from the crew gets hurt. Twist in the end.
LibraryThing member Marcella1717
Good main story plus loved all the interaction between the usual cast members.

Language

Original publication date

2004-06-30

Physical description

371 p.; 18 cm

ISBN

9780425203002

Barcode

1600561
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