ABOUT THE BOOK
New York, 2061: The place called the Pleasure Academy is a living nightmare where abducted girls are trapped, trained for a life of abject service while their souls are slowly but surely destroyed. Dorian, a thirteen-year-old runaway who’d been imprisoned there, might never have made it out if not for her fellow inmate Mina, who’d hatched the escape plan. Mina was the more daring of the two—but they’d been equally desperate.
Unfortunately, they didn’t get away fast enough. Now Dorian is injured, terrified, and wandering the streets of New York, and Mina lies dead near the waterfront while Lt. Eve Dallas looks over the scene.
Mina’s expensive, elegant clothes and beauty products convince Dallas that she was being groomed, literally and figuratively, for sex trafficking—and that whoever is investing in this high-overhead operation expects windfall profits. Her billionaire husband, Roarke, may be able to help, considering his ties to the city’s ultra-rich. But Roarke is also worried about the effect this case is having on Dallas, as it brings a rage to the surface she can barely control. No matter what, she must keep her head clear–because above all, she is desperate for justice and to take down those who prey on and torment the innocent.
| Listening Time | 13 hours and 11 minutes |
|---|---|
| Author | J. D. Robb |
| Narrator | Susan Ericksen |
| Release Date | September 06, 2022 |
| Publisher | Macmillan Audio |
While I liked the previous books in this series, Desperation In Death just didn’t live up to my expectations.
In the case of this book, I read some and then turned to the audiobook, which I’d purchased due to ratings. I wasn’t sure about the narrator when the book started, since everything seemed to be read in a semi-angry voice. And over-the-top exaggerated. But that didn’t seem to continue. Soon I was completely happy with the narration.
In this story, which is set in New York 2061, a teenager’s death leads detective Eve Dallas into the sex trafficking world. However, due to Eve’s past, this case is one she is extremely passionate about.
Now here’s the problem, and bear in mind this bothered me so much that I may exaggerate a bit. Everyone’s extreme emotional attitude regarding this case drives the story. Plus tiptoeing around Eve, because of what she experienced in the past.
What About The Case And The Mystery?
The case is solved relatively easily with no surprises or suspense. Lots of deductions are made just by observing the dead girl. And Eve’s husband, Roarke, steps in to take up any slack and makes what little mystery there is simple since his money seems to be able to discover lots of information.
My Concerns
Though I’ve voiced them above, here they are in a nutshell:
- Anger drives the characters.
- Eve Dallas feels elevated to the status of the superhero, and I didn’t find her likable in this book.
- Every character was so outraged about sex trafficking, which they should be, but they all resorted to the f-word to make their point and big-talk about making people pay.
- It wasn’t enough to hint at how the girls were treated, the description of the sexual part was fairly graphic.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t the first time I’ve found myself in the minority regarding a rating and review. That being said, read other reviews. This may be a book you thoroughly enjoy.
While I did enjoy the previous books, this was a big disappointment. The mystery was solved without too much difficulty, and the focus was more on outrage and tiptoeing around Eve.
My thanks to St. Martin’s Press for a copy to review and the ability to freely post my opinion.
About the Author
J. D. Robb is the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. She is the author of over 230 novels, including the futuristic suspense In Death series. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
About the Narrator
Susan Erickson
If you purchase through the links in this post, I may earn a small commission. This helps support Pick a Good Book and allows us to continue bringing you great content.
