The latest installment in J. D. Robb’s “In Death” series takes us back into the gritty world of futuristic New York cop Eve Dallas. This time Eve not only has to solve a murder; she also has to deal with memories from her traumatic childhood. With her enigmatic billionaire husband, Roarke, by her side, she must face the past in order to get inside the head of the victim to uncover the true murderer. Just when you thought this series couldn’t get any better, J. D. Robb proves it can.

Christmas 2059 may be a time of celebration for most, but death never takes a holiday. Lieutenant Eve Dallas has no trouble wading through the blood and stench of death and dealing with murder, but when a ghost from her past pays her an unexpected visit, Eve’s world is rocked to the very core.

In order to survive her horrific childhood, Eve blocked out many of her memories. Over the past two years, they have begun to trickle back into her mind, forcing her to deal with them. But she never expected this particular piece of her past to be waiting for her in her office this winter afternoon. Trudy Lombard has come to New York for a visit, bringing not only her son and daughter-in-law with her but also memories long-forgotten.

As a child, Eve was found in an alley in Dallas, Texas, beaten, traumatized, and with no memory of her past. When she was released from hospital, she entered the child welfare system and Trudy Lombard became her foster mother for a brief period of time. This woman should have protected and nurtured her. Instead, the child had suffered yet more abuse at the hands of this vicious and sadistic woman. Eve had forgotten all about Trudy, but her unexpected visit causes all of Eve’s childhood terror to come flooding back. But Eve is no longer that victimized child, and she sends the woman packing.

But Trudy Lombard is far from finished with Eve. In her mind, Eve owes her big time for taking her into her home when she was a child. Instead, Trudy goes to Roarke, threatening to expose all the dirty details of Eve’s past to the media. Two million dollars will buy her silence. Roarke is definitely not the kind of man to give into blackmail, and he makes a few promises of his own before he sends her running with her tail between her legs.

Trudy may have lost the first round, but she begins to formulate another plan. But something goes very wrong before she can confront Eve and Roarke with her next scheme. When she turns up dead in her hotel room, Eve must put aside her own personal feelings and discover the truth of what really happened to Trudy, even as suspicion falls on her and Roarke. It is her job to gain justice for the dead, no matter who they are. As her investigation continues, Eve uncovers a complex web of blackmail and lies that spans several decades. There is more than one person who wished Trudy dead.

Memory In Death picks up where the last book in the series left off. The relationship between Eve and Roarke gets deeper and more complex as more layers of their pasts are revealed. The characters in J. D. Robb’s books are real people struggling with problems on a daily basis. She surrounds Eve with a cast of colleagues and a few select friends, rounding out the book and deepening the story. A master of plot and dialogue, Robb entertains and intrigues as she pulls you further into Eve’s world.

This book can definitely be read and enjoyed on its own, but why would you? Treat yourself and go back to the first book where it all began and work your way forward. If you want an intricate and interesting murder mystery, fast-paced action, and a kick-ass heroine, then this series is for you. Mix in a sexy billionaire with a past of his own, and you’ve got the basis for one of the best series of its kind out there. Memory In Death is another winner by J. D. Robb. I can’t wait for the next one!

• Treachery in Death
• Strangers in Death
• Creation in Death
• Born in Death