Wonderment in death by J. D. Robb

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In death bk 41.5. e-book. Piatkus, 2016. ISBN 9780751554106
(Age: Adult) Recommended. Mystery. Thriller. Novella. New York, 2061. When Darlene Fitzwilliams kills her brother and then jumps from a tall building, it could be taken for a murder/suicide but Eve Dallas' friends insist that Darlene would never have murdered her brother. When Eve discovers that Darlene has been visiting psychics and someone with a penchant for Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland has been messing with Darlene's mind, the hunt is on for the motive and the murderer.
This is a quick read, in novella form, so there is not much character development, but readers who are familar with Eve, Roarke, Peabody and colleagues won't mind that as they will know and understand very well how the main characters operate.
The plot and action however is exciting and different. Robb manages to keep the reader in suspense for the duration of the novella, and the references to Alice in Wonderland add a certain whimsical touch to the plot. Eve and Peabody find clues to the type of people that Darlene had been visiting in the months before her death and quickly make sense of the crazy man whom she's been visiting.
This is certainly one for fans of the series - fast paced and engrossing - it is a very entertaining read.
Pat Pledger

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