Leafing Through Pages – Immortal In Death (In Death # 3)

For review of all books in the In Death series, go here.

Stars: 4 / 5

Recommendation: A futuristic urban fantasy mystery thriller throwing the readers into a world that they understand as well as can envision what it would be like; and at the same time keeping it grounded to the world they know so they get hooked. Even if the story doesn’t jive with you, you will still love the series.

Immortal in Death is the third book in the long running In Death Series by J. D. Robb, the alter ego of the famous American romance novelist Nora Roberts, first published in July of 1996. We continue to pursue Lieutenant Eve Dallas along her homicide cases and also romance with the Irish Billionaire Roarke. Continuing with my pursuit to read the In Death series, here is my take on the third book.

The stories in the In Death Series are set in mid-21st century New York City, New York in United States, featuring NYPSD (New York Police and Security Department) Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke, an Irish billionaire, CEO of Roarke Industries, and one of the richest man in the world. First started in 1995, as of 2023, 57 books have been written in this series. The first book begins in the year 2058 and showcases that technology completely dominates the world, yet Robb has her main characters still believe in human impulses, passion and emotions that are key to solving every single case she comes across or in her relationships with her people and husband.

We are still in 2058 – a good 63 years ahead for when the series began in 1995 – but we are in the summer/fall season. This time Lieutenant Eve Dallas is put in a hot seat when her best friend Mavis Freestone is under suspicion and charged with murder. While she is trying to find evidence that would release Mavis, she also to deal with a possible illegal drug that might be more potent and toxic that has potential powers to give longevity but also could kill you.

We get to see a lot more of Eve’s childhood and what atrocities she went thru in this book. It was surprising that Robb put forth Eve’s history so soon in the third book itself. It was fitting though that she purges herself of her past before she embarks on a new journey as wife of Roarke, the billionaire who lives by his own rules. Would be interesting to see how they work it out in future books.

We want to see more of Roarke’s past, but we get only one glimpse into it this time. Something that connects both Roarke and Eve in a way that they can never be separated at all. Hope to see more of Roarke, or a story centering in Roarke one of these books.

Robb continues to show us futuristic world in the various concepts and technology that may have been unimaginable in 1995, but are much more acceptable and some available now in 2023. And perhaps in a few years we might see more of her imagination in the series come to life. Check the Spoiler Alerts below for some of them that I identified and grouped them.

I wondered about Summerset’s character. He hates Eve with all his heart and yet he supports Roarke’s choice. We get to see a bit of his past and why Summerset and Roarke stick together.  And Summerset first hand witnesses one of Eve’s nightmares. Still the bickering and bitterness between Eve and Summerset doesn’t reduce. I wonder if they would become reasonably friendly sometime in future books.

Again I had an inkling on who might be the ultimate murder at the very beginning of the introduction of the character itself. His entry was dubious which made me zero in on him. I am pleased to say that my hunch paid off. Robb and I were on same page on this. 😛

Incidentally most of the futuristic world and technology innovations that the book gives the reader, Robb had mentioned them to have begin since 2023. When this book was written in 1995, 2023 was 28 years ahead. However, I am reading in 2023 so for me some of the concepts seem very real or close to real for the way our world is heading now.

A futuristic urban fantasy mystery thriller throwing the readers into a world that they understand as well as can envision what it would be like; and at the same time keeping it grounded to the world they know so they get hooked. Even if the story doesn’t jive with you, you will still love the series.

Spoiler Alerts:

Plot Reveals:

1. C.J. Morse the reporter is seen as killed with the knife in Morse’s throat in the tussle between him and Roarke at the end of Glory in Death. Yet we see that he is taken to trial in this book. Looks like he survived the knife injury.
2. A new sect is mentioned – Members of the Pure Sect – who are devotional and similar to monks. Perhaps we will come across them in future?
3. Mavis and Leonardo, the fashion designer, fall in love and decide to move in together at the end of this book.
4. Futuristic technology and concepts for the time the book is set in (2058) which Robb imagined in 1995: Police Sensors and Porta-sensors; Multihabitation Buildings; Body Driers to dry your body after a shower; Automatic and voice controlled electronics, appliances and lights; AutoChef, like a vending machine that makes fresh food on order; Land, Sea and Sky traffic is common; A Traffic Hovercraft to control air traffic; Droids / Drones / all Robots of all kinds – working for humans in all walks of life, and even pets; Real food like coffee and meat is premium and only for rich people due to depletion of rain forests; Virtual Reality headphones; twenty four hour facial cosmetics that wont smudge such as lip dyes; Sealing Liquid for hands and feet instead of gloves and shoe covers; Recycling is a must; Graves for loved ones is for rich only; Moving Maps, People Glides and Glide-Carts ease a shoppers life; instead of guns laser weapons are used that tag a person and has ability to adjust it’s power making it deadly yet less messier than a gun (NS Laser is the weapon in this series); PPCs – Portable Palm Computers; Soda come in recyclable tubes rather than cans; Electronics such as laser-faxes, hologram send-receive units and tele-links; Compuguard, a software to detect unregistered and illegal equipment; Force Fields and Security Shields, to protect businesses and vehicles; Sensor Bugs, to keep all food establishments in-check; Flash Transport, for inter-planetary travel; Rehydrated food is commonly used such as irradiated powdered eggs or soy burgers; Medicines such as SoberUp for being sober after a drunk night; Gear to help fight gravity off-planet, like gravity boots.

Sub Plots:

1. Law Enforcement and extended departments: Captain Ryan Feeney, Eve’s ex-partner and head of Electronics Detectives Division (EDD); Commander Jack Whitney, Eve’s commanding officer, and his wife Anna, daughter Linda, son Steven; Dr. Mira, police psychiatrist; Nadine Furst, Channel 75’s reporter; Uniform Briggs; Chief Harrison Tibble; Beaver, a sweeper; Prosecuting Attorney, Jonathan Heartly; Chief Tech Dickie Berenski aka Dickhead; Lobar, a sweeper.
2. Close friends and family of Eve (works for Homicide Division of Cop Central in NYC) and Roarke (Irish Billionaire who practically owns most of NYC and have investments on and off planet): Mavis Freestone, Eve’s friend; Galahad, adopted cat; Summerset, Roarke’s valet and butler; Officer Delia Peabody, aide to Eve (has two brothers and a sister).
3. Other characters frequently appear: Caro, Roarke’s personal assistant; Larinda Mars, Channel 75’s reporter for Social Information; Crack, a street dealer and runs the Down and Dirty Club in the East End; Biff, a fabric expert; Trina, hair stylist; Dr. Engrave, leader in horticulture; Dr. Ambrose, at Midtown Rehabilitation Center for Substance Addicts.
4. Off planet locations: Silas Three; Tarus Five; Refini; Arts Colony on Mars; Penal Station Omega; FreeStar One; Star 50; Stellar Five; Starlight Station; Eden Colony; Vegas II.
5. Robb talks about Urban Wars that had occurred before world changed into something futuristic world in her stories. However we are yet to hear about these Urban Wars more.
6. From Secrets in Death # 45:
   • Detective Peabody & her partner & lover Detective Ian McNab head off to Mexico for a much needed vacation.
   • Garnet has a daughter Miranda; shows interest in Morris.
   • Nadine is looking for an admin; Eve has someone in her mind. A past character surfaces perhaps!
7. From Naked in Death # 1:
   • Roarke works on a space station for pleasure called Olympus Resort – off planet.
8. From Glory in Death #2:
   • Roarke is trying to take over a reforestry company, Treegro. He and Eve get married at the end of this book.

 Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:

1. We are still 2058 since the first book. And not many months have passed since the first book. Yet Eve comments that she and Roarke have known each other for a year. How is that possible?
2. On Pg. 121, we are shown that Pandora made a recent visit off-planet to Stellar Five. But on Pg. 137 and the rest of the book, it is shown that Pandora’s visit was to Starlight Station instead.