Kristen

After 29 books on the same theme, and roughly following the same format, J. D. Robb still cleverly keeps up the interest and suspense throughout this book. With it's technical banter which she makes either understandable or gives the reader permission to disregard (by being disregarded by the leading character) she gets across the importance of a phenomenally high technology in crime fighting. She uses subtle and tasteful humor, to develop characters and keep up readers interest. The extremely difficult background of the leading character Eve Dallas, deals with the current real life difficulties of many people who go through a negative foster care experience. Exposing the short falls of this very current issue (and several other socially important issues in other books) which need more airing as done in this series, she encourages more societal introspection into this aspects of our culture. She ably deals with the subject of sex both very distasteful,(as done by perpetrators) and tasteful leaving much to the imagination in more acceptable sexual acts, as performed by Eve Dallas and her Hunk, Oh I mean husband. Another theme, that of a very "Tom Boyish" woman working in a traditionally men's world is also well done and will appeal to many women's righters, as does Eve's sidekick Peabody who with her very feminine style also ably gives another face to this subject. With plenty of action, and intricate plot nuances, regular "who done it" fans are kept busy trying to keep up with or guess about the next move. All in all very entertaining and thought provoking.