Kevin's Corner: FFB Review: Ceremony in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 5) by J. D. Robb

Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb opens with Lieutenant Eve Dallas gazing at the body of Frank Wojinski who died of a heart attack as he sat in his chair watching arena ball. The year is 2058 and natural deaths happen to cops as do murders.

He leaves behind a wife, Sally, adult children, and grandkids that have questions about what happened. They are not the only ones.

Commander Whitney also has questions. The commander was aware that former officer Wojinski was either conducting an off the books investigation or was involved illegal drugs. There is video surveillance of him in a private club conducting some sort of hand to hand buy operation. At the time, Whitney tried talking to Wojinski who refused to explain. He willing took a week off and submitted to a physical and a drug scan that he passed. So, Commander Whitney sealed the file and let the matter drop.

Commander Whitney regrets that decision now for several reasons including the fact that the autopsy indicates he had digitalis and the powerful drug Zeus in his system. Though he never showed any sign of being on Zeus and such signs are hard to conceal, it certainly is present in his system now according to the autopsy. A possible explanation of why it never showed up in his recent physical and drug scan and shows up now could be internal police corruption.

He wants Dallas to investigate the death as well as the possibility that fellow officer and friend, Feeney, may have covered for him and falsified records. Feeney trained Dallas and is more a father to her than a mentor. The idea he is corrupt is unthinkable. She can’t and won’t believe that. Commander Whitney orders her to investigate secure in the knowledge that her ethics are stronger than her friendship and she was uncover the truth no matter where it leads her. He also orders her to only report to him and to do so using private channels keeping the investigation secret to the suspect, Feeney, as well as the entire police department.

Dallas has no choice but to do the job assigned. The case leads her into the shadowy world of the occult. The year is 2058 and there are any who believe in Wicca, Satanism, and other unseen forces that can’t be can’ be explained or easily dealt with no matter how good technology is now. Solving murders still means asking lots of questions. It also means, at least for Dallas, putting yourself at considerable risk again and again.

As always, the head hopping between characters stands out in the read. As always, graphic sex is present. So too is crime, murder, and plenty of action as well as a couple of laugh out loud moments. Book five of the series, Ceremony in Death by J. D. Robb (Mora Roberts) is another fun read.

The series to this point and my reviews:

Naked in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 1) March 2021

Glory in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 2) April 2021

Immortal in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 3) May 2021

Rapture in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 4) by J. D. Robb (June 2021)

Ceremony in Death: Eve Dallas Mysteries (Book 5)

J. D. Robb

https://jdrobb.com/1997/05/ceremony-in-death/

Thorndike Press

1997

ISBN# 978-1-41041-1634-6

Large Print Hardback (out of print in this format by this publisher. Available elsewhere in audio, eBook, and print formats)