J.D. Robb – Holiday in Death

Wow, my 200^th post already!

The seventh book in the In Death series, published in 1998.

When computer technology brings lovers together, dating can be a deadly game…

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. And for New York’s most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the killer’s victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters an elite world of people searching for their one true love – and a killer searching for his next victim. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal.

After being severely wounded in the previous book, Lieutenant Eve Dallas is eager to get back to work, even though she is not totally healed yet. It is almost Christmas time, and now she has to do some shopping for the friends she has accumulated since meeting Roarke. It used to be only Mavis and her, but now there is Nadine, Peabody, Dr. Mira and of course her husband. But what do you buy for the man who owns half the known galaxy already?

And Roarke is throwing a Christmas party, why does he have to do stuff like that? Decorating Christmas trees is also something Eve hasn’t done before in her life. But Roarke wants to create memories together, do the traditional things.

Christmas is also a time for murder, and Eve has to find a serial killer, who uses the 12 days of Christmas as his theme. What do you do when you see Santa Claus on your doorstep, carrying a lovely present for you? You open the door. Which is a very bad choice in this instance. The killer is cocky, even poses for the security camera’s knowing he can’t be recognized in his Santa disguise. He tranqs, then rapes and strangles his victims, making them more beautiful, leaving a temporary tattoo somewhere on the body, reading: my one true love, and then he leaves a piece of jewelry behind, hinting at the song. A partridge in a pear tree, two turtledoves, etc. So does he want to kill 12 people before Christmas? How is Eve going to find him, when he leaves no trace at all behind?

The only thing the first two victims have in common, is the dating service they used. The make up used on them was very high end, but still too popular to nail it down to a few buyers. Eve doesn’t like the owners/managers of Personally Yours, she is convinced there is something wrong with them. But after trying very hard to find evidence, they are not the murderer. Piper even becomes a victim, rescued only just in time by her brother.

Eve decides to use Peabody and McNab as undercover agents, having them signed on at Personally Yours. Hoping this will flush out the killer. And in the end, it does. But will she be there on time to save Peabody?

A great book. I didn’t remember the details much, but I did remember who the murderer was. Really creepy person, very much disturbed. But you can’t blame the mother for the choices he made. No new characters to the cast yet, though we did meet Charles, the LC again. I like him.

8,5 stars.