Conspiracy in Death

by J. D. Robb

1999

Status

Available

Publication

Berkley (1999), Edition: Reissue, 400 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Romance. Suspense. HTML:In a future where human nature remains as predictable as death, a killer plays God and puts innocent lives in the palm of his hand in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series. With the precision of a surgeon, a serial killer preys on the most vulnerable souls of the worldâ??s city streets. The first victim: a sidewalk sleeper, found dead in New York City.  No bruises, no signs of struggle. Just a laser-perfect, fist-sized hole where his heart had once been. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is assigned to investigate. But in the heat of a cat-and-mouse game with the killer, Dallasâ??s job is suddenly on the line. Now her hands are tied...between a struggle for justiceâ??and a fight for her… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member Darla
What can I say about this book that I haven't already said a million times before? In case it's not obvious, I'm in the midst of re-reading the series, and I really didn't want to re-read this one. Not because it's bad, but because it's so emotionally intense. But I'm a bit anal, so skipping it
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wasn't an option. To blunt the impact, I started out reading a chapter at a time, then switching to another book for a while. That lasted until about 1/3 of the way through the book, then I couldn't put it down.

For those who haven't read the series, or who haven't re-read them often enough to be able to identify them from the titles, Conspiracy in Death has homicide lieutenant Eve Dallas investigating murders that involve the precise surgical removal of diseased organs. She collides with a disgruntled "problem child" cop who's intent on making Eve's life miserable. When that cop is brutally murdered, Eve's a suspect, and as such, has to turn in her badge.

Particularly on a re-read, I cringed at Eve's every interaction with Bowers, the disgruntled cop. Eve was her usual abrasive self, made moreso by both Bowers's complaints and the roadblocks being thrown up by the local medical community, who don't want to believe one of their own could be responsible. But while part of me is screaming at Eve to try to defuse the situation, another part is cheering, because her actions are utterly true to her character, and she couldn't behave any differently and still be the same character. She's since (in later books) grown and changed to the point where she'd have reacted differently, I think, but at this point in the series, it's who she was.

The loss of her badge, to someone whose entire identity has been wrapped up in it, is very well done, as are the effects of her slowly-widening circle of people she cares about and who care about her, and that's the core of the story--how she's broken down, and builds herself back up with a little help from her husband Roarke and her friends. For that, I forgive the idea that a cop at a murder scene can tell at a glance that a heart or liver is missing from a body.

Other memorable bits include the introductions of officer Troy Trueheart and Dr. Louise Dimatto, and Internal Affairs lieutenant Don Webster, and Eve's reaction to discovering that Roarke had opened bank accounts for her when they married.

Conspiracy in Death is the 9th story (8th full-length book--there was a novella just before this one) in the series, and while you could no doubt enjoy the mystery without having read the previous books, I strongly suggest reading the series in order, to get the full impact. Unlike some mystery series with static detectives, the characters in the In Death series grow and change throughout the series, and you'll miss that by skipping around.
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LibraryThing member miyurose
Yet another winner from J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts. I really enjoy this series.
LibraryThing member pauliharman
Another great Eve Dallas detective novel set in a futuristic New York. Eve finds herself stripped of her badge - the thing that she feels defines her as a real person. Her character really shines through as she fights the battle on two fronts. Excellent.
LibraryThing member gerleliz
I love this series. Silly but fun.
LibraryThing member Liz_S
Another awesome high action packed installment for J.D. Robb! If this is your first book you have read in this series, I would recommend that you start over from the beginning, as it gives you more insight to the characters and what they mean to each other! Not only is this a high intensity
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suspense series but it has a lot of powerful emotion connections between the characters as well! I love Nora Roberts, but when I need a break from her normal mushy lovey dovey books, I need not look further than her alter ego J.D. Robb! Very entertaining, and very engageing!
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LibraryThing member mariag_1984
This series is getting better and better with each installment! I don’t know how it’s possible but it’s true! I am very impressed with this story because it shows us for one more time but with more intensity how dedicated Eve is on her job as a cop and why.

In this book Eve has to solve a very
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difficult case but she also has to defend herself against some horrible accusations by a jealous cop. Eve finds herself in a very difficult situation when she’s forced to be tested and to give her badge for a while.

Eve had a difficult life as a child and her past haunts her. Here we can see more memories from the time she was abused by her father and I have to say that I don’t feel good when I’m reading these flashbacks. Her need for Roarke is more obvious than ever. At first I was against, but then I realized that he has a way to make her not only feel better but take action also. Another reason that I like her is the fact that she doesn’t love Roarke for his status, his money or even because he’s a mystery but because he makes her feel safe.

I have said too many times in my reviews that Roarke is amazing and the perfect man for Eve. And, yes, I am going to tell it again. It’s like he found a purpose in his life with Eve. He wants her to feel safe, loved and to help her heal. Many things about him are a mystery but it doesn’t matter as long as he is by her side. His possessiveness and the way he protects her from herself and from the others, are beyond words. I love him!

So, great plot, well-written and very interesting characters are what make this series awesome! I recommend it to all the fans of this genre!
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LibraryThing member msralways
Okay, I think I have a new favorite now. This book had some pretty intense moments that made my eyes water and my vision get all blurry. The plot was excelent and all the characters involved made the story that much more interesting. The writing was as always a pleasure to read through and to see
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Roarke and Eve face yet another obstacle in their relationship and make it through almost unscathed. Awesome!
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LibraryThing member Sheila1957
Someone is stealing organs from the homeless and poor. The cuts are skilled and neat. Eve has been tagged to stand for the dead but a street cop is complaining about Eve's behavior. It leads to Eve's being relieved of her badge and gun. I liked how Eve's emotions come out to the loss of her badge.
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It is unbelievable that this cop can cause so much trouble as Eve tries to stop a murderer. I like how this brings Eve and Roarke even closer than before. I liked her vulnerability.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Lt. Eve Dallas and her assistant Delia Peabody, are called to a crime scene by Officers Ellen Bowers and Troy Trueheart where a sidewalk sleeper named Snooks is found dead. Snooks was killed when his heart was removed by what appears to be a very skilled surgeon. When Dallas digs a bit further, she
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discovers that this crime is connected to another committed in New York City where an aged licensed companion died as the result of her liver being removed. After even more digging, Dallas discovers a case in Chicago and one in Europe that were all similar.

Unfortunately for Eve, trouble is also coming from within the police force. Officer Ellen Bowers is obsessed with Eve. She keeps a journal about all the terrible things that she believes Eve has done. One night Bowers is attacked and killed. The blame is quickly placed on Eve, who is stripped of her badge and goes into a deep depression. Only Roarke can bring her back, and help her figure out why four people are dead, and what motivated these murders.

I really enjoyed Conspiracy in Death because it showed Eve at her most vulnerable. Her tough exterior is softened with situations out of her control and she must accept help from Roarke and those close to her. Conspiracy in Death is a great addition to this popular futuristic mystery series.
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LibraryThing member AddictedToMorphemes
Conspiracy in Death by J.D. Robb
#8 "In Death" series

Lt. Eve Dallas is after another serial killer, this one a talented physician with a god complex who is preying on people who live on the streets. Dallas also has a run-in with a jealous underling who has had it in for her since they were in the
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police academy together. One thing leads to another, and that officer's complaints end up with Dallas being asked to turn in her badge. There's still a serial killer on the loose. What else is she to do? She has to go rogue, of course.

Another goody in the series.
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LibraryThing member wndy2011
All of the sudden, people are ending up unwilling organ donors and Eve Dallas is on the scene to try and find out why. But what will happen when her job gets put on the line by someone of her own, out of a jealous rivalry.
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Conspiracy in Death
4 Stars

When a street sleeper is found with his heart surgically removed, Lieutenant Eve Dallas realizes that this is only the latest in a series of murders targeting the most vulnerable members of society. As she closes in on the twisted mind at work, she suddenly finds both her
Show More
career and the secure life she has constructed for herself under serious threat …

While the In Death books are standard police procedurals (albeit with a futuristic twist) that employ familiar mystery themes and romance tropes, they are nonetheless quick and entertaining reads.

Although the mystery is not at exciting or suspenseful as some of the others in the series because the suspects are more or less interchangeable, Conspiracy in Death is, nevertheless, one of the more touching and poignant installments as it showcases the depth of Eve's emotional scars and the extent of her humanity.

In her darkest moments, Eve relationships with her amazing friends are front and center. Whether it is the love and support she receives from Roarke; her comradery with Peabody, McNab and Feeney, not to mention Dr. Mira's mothering, Mavis's outrageousness or Nadine's sarcastic comebacks - each and every secondary character enriches the sphere Robb has created in these works.

In sum, a lovely addition to the series and I'm enjoying working my way through the books.
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LibraryThing member jfe16
Called to investigate the death of a sidewalk sleeper, Lieutenant Eve Dallas discovers that someone surgically removed the victim’s heart. It’s not long before she finds similar cases in other cities: indigent citizens with organs removed. But while the killer plays a desperate game of
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cat-and-mouse with her, Eve suddenly finds herself the prime suspect in the murder of a colleague. Now she must fight, not only for the victims for whom she’s vowed to stand, but also for her own career.

In this, the eighth outing for Eve and company, Doctor Louise Dimatto and police officer Troy Trueheart play pivotal roles. Along with these two, all the expected folks . . . Roarke, Lawrence Summerset, Commander Jack Whitney, Captain Ryan Feeney, Detectives Delia Peabody, David Baxter, and Ian McNab, Lieutenant Donald Webster, Medical Examiner Li Morris, Doctor Charlotte Mira, Nadine Furst, Mavis Freestone and Leonardo . . . appear as well. As with previous In Death books, the stand-alone story is perfect for readers new to the series, but reading the earlier books provides the opportunity to see how the characters grow and change as the series progresses.

The compelling, well-defined characters and a strong sense of place give the In Death stories a solid foundation; as with all the stories in the series, the plot twists and turns as Eve works the case. Here, too, readers have a unique opportunity to see Eve in a different light in a difficult situation that brings a new dimension to many of the characters. Fans of the series will find it nearly impossible to set this one aside before turning the final page.

Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Lt. Eve Dallas and her assistant Delia Peabody, are called to a crime scene by Officers Ellen Bowers and Troy Trueheart where a sidewalk sleeper named Snooks is found dead. Snooks was killed when his heart was removed by what appears to be a very skilled surgeon. When Dallas digs a bit further, she
Show More
discovers that this crime is connected to another committed in New York City where an aged licensed companion died as the result of her liver being removed. After even more digging, Dallas discovers a case in Chicago and one in Europe that were all similar.

Unfortunately for Eve, trouble is also coming from within the police force. Officer Ellen Bowers is obsessed with Eve. She keeps a journal about all the terrible things that she believes Eve has done. One night Bowers is attacked and killed. The blame is quickly placed on Eve, who is stripped of her badge and goes into a deep depression. Only Roarke can bring her back, and help her figure out why four people are dead, and what motivated these murders.

I really enjoyed Conspiracy in Death because it showed Eve at her most vulnerable. Her tough exterior is softened with situations out of her control and she must accept help from Roarke and those close to her. Conspiracy in Death is a great addition to this popular futuristic mystery series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member melsbks
good book. Worth a re-read.
LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Conspiracy in Death
4 Stars

When a street sleeper is found with his heart surgically removed, Lieutenant Eve Dallas realizes that this is only the latest in a series of murders targeting the most vulnerable members of society. As she closes in on the twisted mind at work, she suddenly finds both her
Show More
career and the secure life she has constructed for herself under serious threat …

While the In Death books are standard police procedurals (albeit with a futuristic twist) that employ familiar mystery themes and romance tropes, they are nonetheless quick and entertaining reads.

Although the mystery is not at exciting or suspenseful as some of the others in the series because the suspects are more or less interchangeable, Conspiracy in Death is, nevertheless, one of the more touching and poignant installments as it showcases the depth of Eve's emotional scars and the extent of her humanity.

In her darkest moments, Eve relationships with her amazing friends are front and center. Whether it is the love and support she receives from Roarke; her comradery with Peabody, McNab and Feeney, not to mention Dr. Mira's mothering, Mavis's outrageousness or Nadine's sarcastic comebacks - each and every secondary character enriches the sphere Robb has created in these works.

In sum, a lovely addition to the series and I'm enjoying working my way through the books.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jmchshannon
After the novella interlude, Eve Dallas is back in Conspiracy in Death, book eight in the In Death series by J. D. Robb. In many ways, it feels like the novella and its exploration of Eve's growing humanity gave Ms. Robb the license to start making Eve's trials more emotional and almost traumatic.
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I say this because what Eve faces in Conspiracy in Death is brutal and something she could not have endured without breaking down in the first few books.

The murder mystery is complex and creative, but it is Eve's potential loss of job where the heart of Conspiracy in Death lies. Almost all of Eve's identity is with her badge, and to have that taken away from her is like taking away her soul. One cannot exist without the other, and the old Eve wouldn't have been able to. Once again, Ms. Robb highlights the growth of her character without banging readers over the head with it. The subtlety used in this part of the story is masterful.

Conspiracy in Death is the first novel in the series where Ms. Robb uses the murders to explore Eve's emotional state more fully. Through the threat of job loss, Eve cannot hide behind the badge but must find the fortitude to become someone without it. As I said earlier, it is a scenario Eve would not have been able to handle in the first few books. In upping the ante for Eve, Ms. Robb made Conspiracy in Death richer and more fulfilling.
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Awards

P.E.A.R.L. (Nominee — 1999)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

1999-04

Physical description

400 p.; 4.2 inches

ISBN

0425168131 / 9780425168134

Barcode

1600807
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