Roberts Nora. Memory in Death 1/3

Nora Roberts writing as J. D. Robb.Read by Susan Ericksen.Unabridged.J.D. Robb continues her excellent series with yet another great installment. In this book, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is forced to confront painful memories from her past when one of her foster mothers, Trudy Lombard, surfaces at the police station to talk to Eve. Trudy had left emotional scars on Eve and memories of cold baths, being locked in the dark, and scrubbing the kitchen with a toothbrush overwhelm her. Eve leaves the police station instead of wrapping up an investigation, which is so out of character that Peabody contacts Eve's husband, Roarke. When Roarke arrives home, he finds Eve huddled under the hot shower. This is the last weak moment for Eve as she pulls herself together to face her emotions at seeing Trudy again. Meanwhile, Roarke is furious and fully expects Trudy to visit him as well as he suspects blackmail is behind Trudy's return. Sure enough, Trudy attempts to extort $2 million dollars from Roarke at his office; the resulting scene is very powerful and displays Roarke's full capabilities. Eve wants to confront Trudy herself and Eve and Roarke go to Trudy's hotel to tell her they will not be subjected to blackmail. However, Trudy is dead and the rest of the novel focuses on Eve's investigation into Trudy's death. Eve also has to cope with her own indifference to Trudy's death as she generally feels a sense of compassion for the victims. This was a highly enjoyable read and a great addition to the series. Highly recommended!After clashing with clones and killers in last year's Origin in Death, New York City police lieutenant Eve Dallas ("Her eyes were the color of good, aged whiskey and were long like the rest of her. And like the rest of her, they were all cop") settles back into a more conventional mystery. In December 2059, a mysterious woman shows up in Eve's office claiming to be her "mama." It's Trudy Lombard, the cruel foster mom who took nine-year-old Eve in after Eve killed her abusive father. Trudy made Eve take cold baths and locked her in closets, among other torments, and now Trudy wants Eve to pay $2 million to keep her past a secret. Readers of the series will know how Roarke, Eve's rich, deadly husband, handles the situation; he tosses Trudy out on her ear. When Trudy is found murdered the next day, it's up to Eve to catch the killer and prove that neither she nor Roarke was behind the bludgeoning. All the action takes place over Christmas, and Eve, being Eve, complains about the foolishness of the holiday, but Roarke et al. continue to slowly teach Eve the virtues of love, family and friendship. This is number 22 in a series that still manages to feel fresh.Nora Roberts (English Nora Roberts - Eleanor Marie Robertson Aufem-Brinke Wilder) is a famous American writer, author of modern love and detective novels. In addition to romance novels, she writes futuristic detective stories about Lieutenant Eve Dallas under the pseudonym J. D. Robb.