Review: Abandoned in Death: In Death Series by J.D. Robb

 

The deceased woman was found on the park bench at a playground one morning in 2061 just before the summer heat really started. On her clothed and posed body was a sign written in crayon stating “Bad Mommy.” Lauren Elder will never see her 27th birthday. She will never again tend bar at Arnold’s. She has been missing since the night of May 28th when she didn’t make it home.

 

She was clearly held hostage as evidenced by the marks on her left wrist and ankle. The killer definitely washed her, dressed her, and applied makeup, perfume, and nail polish, and did other things, sometime before she was placed on the bench. The same public bench that will be where Bella, Mavis, and Leonardo will be, as well as baby number 2, once they all move into the new house.

 

While Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD takes every case seriously, having this happen, where Bella will soon play, makes it kind of personal. That same feeling extends to Peabody and the rest of her team. They don’t need extra motivation to solve the case. But, they have it this way as well as even more when they realize the deceased woman is not the only one he has taken.

 

The hunt is on for a killer who was abandoned long ago, has severe mommy issues, and is taking it out on various women in the here and now of nearly summer 2061. There are more missing women to find and, one hopes, save. He isn’t going to stop unless they stop him in Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb.

 

This book has numerous pov sections from the view of victims as well as the killer. I struggled to finish the book as I thought it was incredibly depressing. While some of the tales in this long running series had had depressing elements before, this one seemed to be incredibly depressing in all aspects. 

 

As far as the ongoing storylines that are in the series to this point, I did not see anything that was important or significant.

 

I rarely recommend folks just flat out skip a book in a series. I do here. That may say far more about me, my childhood, and other things than the actual book itself, but that is how I feel after slogging through the read.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3A60nE1

 

My Large Print reading copy came from the Pleasant Grove Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025