Stolen in Death by JD Robb

Wealthy people acting badly is probably one of my favourite mystery tropes right now, because watching them have to pay the price feels so good in today’s world.

Book Synopsis:

A blow to the head with a block of amethyst has left multibillionaire Nathan Barrister dead―while nearby, a vault, its door ajar, sits filled with priceless paintings, jewelry, and other treasures. Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband, Roarke―who misspent his youth in Ireland as a scrappy thief―recognizes at least two stolen pieces among the hoard. The crime scene suggests a burglar caught in the act. But only one item seems to be missing.

Then it’s revealed that the vault had actually belonged to the victim’s late father―and no one in the household knew it was there until a recent remodeling project exposed it. To protect the family name and business, they explain to Eve, they’d been looking for a way to return the ill-gotten gains anonymously and avoid the police. But now the police are all over their elegant house, and have a bigger, bloodier mystery to solve.

By all accounts, Nathan Barrister was a good man, a generous employer, a devoted husband and father. As for his father―he clearly had secrets. Now it’s up to Eve and her team to find out if those secrets got Nathan killed―and if it was a crime of passion or revenge.

Review:

I love visiting Eve Dallas, and Stolen in Death is a classic In Death romp. You have the ultra-wealthy dead and a mystery of why they were killed. Nathan Barrister said the wealthy dead man seems to be a wonderful person: a good husband, father and boss. 

He’s also recently come into the money, the gorgeous house and the dynasty after his father’s death. The estate was split between him and his sister. As Eve, Roark and her team dive into this death, they discover that daddy dearest is the one with secrets, and the one people would have wanted dead. 

Of course, an Eve case is never straightforward, and she and Roarke discover some of the missing priceless artifacts are actually pieces Roarke “liberated” 20 plus years ago. How did they end up with Nathan’s father? Who’s behind the theft? And what do they know about Roake? And who is the mysterious woman who was cuddled up to Nathan’s rabidly womanizing father just before he died? 

This is such a great and fun mystery in a long-running series. It continues to move Eve and Roarke forward, while tying in past cases (although you don’t have to have read the series to still enjoy this book) and bringing old friends and enemies back onto the page. 

All in all, this is a satisfying entry into the In Death series.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.