Imitation in Death, by JD Robb (In Death #17)

I finally managed to get an affordable copy of book # 17 in JD Robb's In Death series, Imitation in Death. I had an interesting surprise when I opened the package and saw a Uruguayan flag on the cover (that would be the left-most flag, the one with white and blue horizontal stripes, and a yellow sun in the top left-hand corner).

Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas encounters one of her most difficult cases in this latest offering from J. D. Robb, alter ego of bestselling author Nora Roberts. With the very first victim, Eve realizes that the killer stalking the streets of New York City isn't a run-of-the-mill serial murderer. The copycat executions are imitating the methods and victim choices of an ominous list of notorious serial killers, beginning with Jack the Ripper. And when the killer leaves a distinctive note at the crime scene, it's clear that he's targeting Eve personally--a fact that worries Roarke, Eve's shrewd husband.

Assisted by her aide, Peabody, Eve compiles a list of suspects that includes several high-profile possibilities. Their very prominence, however, complicates the investigation, for they have the power and influence to make the search difficult. All of the suspects are reluctant to cooperate but one of them is playing with Eve like a cat with a mouse by tempting her with crime scene notes and challenging her to find him. Can Eve stop him before he slaughters again? Or will his next victim be Eve herself?

This was a good, solid installment in the series, with an even more fascinating than usual mystery. A B+.

Clichéd as it may sound, this was very much a visit with old friends. That was the only "flaw" here, actually: Eve and Roarke are so comfortable together now, that there is no tension at all in their relationship. I love to read about them, but there's no urgency in it, whereas in the first few books I actually got excited about what was happening between them.

There wasn't all that much character development in this book, but there were some nice details. I especially loved to see Roarke lose in a fight to the death with a grill. At last, something he's not a genius at!! Also, there was some new info about Eve's mother, but this didn't quite pack the punch of earlier revelations.

The mystery was one I really liked. I tend to disapprove of the whole fascination serial killers generate, but I shamefully must confess I'm fascinated too, here.