Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb

In Death bk 42. Piatkus, 2016. ISBN 9780349410777
(Age: Adult) Mystery. Rape. Eve Dallas is on the trail of another murder, this time the cousin of her close friend, Dennis Mira. But as she delves deeper into why he was kidnapped and tortured, she uncovers shocking things about the high profile world in which he operates.
This is the 42nd book in the series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. Each of the books has a new mystery and there is always enough back story about Eve and Roarke's relationship and her friendships for a reader new to the series to become comfortable. In this book, the mystery was a dark one, involving rape and its effects on its victims. The themes of abuse of power and revenge were examined in depth and raised questions about when it was right to punish a wrong doer or when the justice system should do the punishing. It is not a book for the faint-hearted and its scenes of torture and gang rape are disturbing.
As always, Robb keeps the tension and suspense high, as Dallas and her band of investigators follow one lead after another. The path to solving who has committed the crimes is a complex one, and needs all the skills of Eve, Roarke, Peabody and the forensic team to solve it.
An interesting facet of Brotherhood in death is the examination of Eve's relationship with Charlotte and Dennis Mira, who are wonderful and caring characters. The case brings back bad memories for Eve who has flashbacks to her abuse as a child and with the help of her friends, tries to come to terms with her memories.
This is a chilling and absorbing mystery that will engage fans of J.D. Robb and keep new readers engrossed.
Pat Pledger