TREACHERY IN DEATH - J.D. Robb
In Death, Book 32
Putnam (Hardcover)
ISBN: 978-0-399-15703-5
February 2011
Futuristic Mystery - Suspense

New York City, New York – 2060

Deciding she could use a little extra time in the gym, Detective Delia Peabody chooses to use the rarely used basement facilities and overdoes her workout just a bit. As she's finishing up her shower, Peabody overhears a couple of detectives angrily entering the locker room, and before she can make her presence known, realizes that remaining quiet is in her best interest. It's obvious from the conversation that these two cops are dirty to the point of having murdered someone to protect their “business” interests, and when they finally leave, Peabody calls for help and then goes to her boss/partner, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

Though the name of the dirty male cop is unfamiliar, it only takes seconds for Dallas to understand that the female cop—the leader—is a big fish. Not only is Renee Oberman a lieutenant in Illegals, her father is the legendary former Commander Marcus Oberman, known as the Saint for his uncompromising honor and dedication to the job. Taking down a dirty cop is never a fun job, but when it's one with a legacy such as Oberman's, Dallas knows that she and her team are going to have to be more slippery than their target in order to bring Oberman and her team down.

Unlike most of the In Death books, TREACHERY IN DEATH doesn't have much mystery, it's more suspense. Peabody, who started out as Dallas's aide is now a detective and Dallas's partner and has just closed the first case in which she is primary when she finds herself trapped and fearing for her life…from another cop. The insult of this—of a detective using her badge, her position, and her father's name—to get rich and thumb her nose at everything being a cop should be, is what drives Dallas, Peabody, and the select group brought in on this investigation. Though their paths haven't crossed that of Oberman before, this is very personal for Eve and her team. It may not be the “whodunit” style that fans are used to with the series, but it's just as entertaining to watch Dallas maneuver Oberman and her group of dirty detectives right where Eve needs them to go. This book also gives us a chance to see a different side of Commander Whitney and Dr. Mira, as they struggle with the feelings that they missed a wrong cop in their midst, and deal with the ramifications of bringing her down

It's an interesting take; watching how an investigation works when the detectives know from the beginning who the guilty party/parties are, and also showcases the passion and dedication of the characters readers have come to know so well. A compelling story, TREACHERY IN DEATH is a book I highly recommend.

Jennifer Bishop