I didn't really like this, I enjoy it when the killer has some weird twisted motive but he still has his sanity. When the killer is literally insane it tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth because there is no area of safety in insanity.

I really like Roarke's story arc in this one, I was really happy with the reaction he got from Sinead especially with all the terrible things that has happened to him.

Mega swoon for Roarke but also sad and heart thumping moments. A lot of secrets have been revealed here. I’m glad for the re-read because I love learning some info that I’ve forgotten or just missed. Eve learned how and why Roarke does what he does but boy she definitely enjoyed her payback when she was on the opposite end. The murders is definitely a crazy mess but the team is always on it to fight for the dead.

Uau! Adorei!
J.D.Robb não desilude e continua a surpreender.
É sem duvida a minha série favorita!

Oh, this one made me cry! It was so well done! I had no idea who the killer was, and the emotional byplay between Eve and Roarke was extremely well done! It was a very strange case, and dealt with a very mentally ill killer, but there was a bit of a gruesome beauty in his work too. A lot of other reviewers have gone into much more depth than I could, but suffice it to say that this was one I loved!

read Portrait in Death many moons ago so it was great to revisit it. This is one of the sharper installments in the series, IMHO. Eve and Roarke tracking down a serial killer who ends up murdering someone who ends up being close to another person in the series was I think a good choice. I remember my shock at what happened and the fallout from it. It was great to see this brought up again in later parts of the series and I liked that Robb didn't forget about it. I thought that everyone in this one, Peabody, McNabb, etc. did great. I also didn't know who the killer was and it was a nice surprise in the end.

"Portrait in Death" finds Eve Dallas matching wits with a serial killer. He is focused on getting the perfect shot and she's focused on stopping him.

As I said above, the reason why I think this is so many long time readers favorite book was that someone who is close to another character gets murdered. It had repercussions for all of our faves in this one. You also don't see Roarke at this best, but you do see Eve at her best. This book is what leads Roarke to finding out about his past and it's heartbreaking. There are some ugly marriage moments, but it's still wrapped up quite well in the end. Also we get Summerset hurt in this one and Eve trying to deal with Roarke feeling some upheaval over that.

I honestly thought the flow of this one works though we move back and forth between New York and Ireland. The overall plot doesn't suffer while Roarke deals with realizing everything he has been told is a lie.

The ending was well done and I honestly forgot all about it until this re-read. So it was nice to revisit such a high point in the series.

4.5 stars - Romantic Suspense/Futuristic/Crime Thriller


n  "The love was naked on him when he saw it was you."n

J.D. Robb at her best!
There are so many totally emotional scenes between Roarke, who is definitely not at his perfect best, and Eve, who steps up to be the best wife she can. Tissues anyone?
Then there are all the in jokes like hidden chocolate bars and Eve's twitchy eye whenever Peabody puts the words sex and McNab into the same sentence.
Of course there is the usual banter. Peabody and Eve get most of the good lines in this one, although everyone is a comedian from time to time.
And don't forget the drama. Trueheart plays an important role towards the end as the book rushes to a stressful conclusion.
Finally a special commendation to Galahad who plays one of his biggest roles even though it has serious consequences for Summerset.
So good:)

You know, when I finish one of these books, I always think it’s one of the best. It’s utterly impossible to pick a favorite, like picking a favorite child. But this one, man, this one really brought the feels, in a lot of different ways. Eve and Roarke *and Lord, even Summerset this time* rarely bring me to tears *Dallas doesn’t allow that shit* but this made me cry in more than one place.

Eve’s cases are always interesting and get pretty damn exciting but this one actually caused me a moment or two of outright terror. The end had me literally on the edge of my chair.

In short, as always, amazing. This is one series I hope never ends. ❤️

Portrait in Death
3.5 Stars

Following a tip, Eve Dallas discovers the body of a young woman in a dumpster and begins investigating a series of murders in which the victims are all students whose bodies have been staged and photographed. At the same time, Eve must deal with an injured Summerset as well as Roarke, who has become troubled and distant.

The murder investigation is one of the weakest in the series. It progresses slowly and there it too much rehashing of evidence. It is also relatively easy to identify the killer by process of elimination. Nevertheless, the race toward the climax and resolution is very exciting and there are a couple of edge-of-your-seat moments.

In contrast, the character development is excellent, especially for Roarke as he struggles to reconcile his feelings after discovering some disturbing information about his past. Roarke has always seemed to be the perfect man, so it was intriguing to see him so lost and … well… human, which only enhances his appeal.

As always, the interactions between Eve and Summerset are a highlight and it is particularly gratifying to see how much they have in common both in terms of the lengths they will go to for Roarke, but also in their reactions to hospitals and Trina's torture sessions.

In sum, not the best mystery, but worth it for more of Roarke's backstory and insight into his character.

Rereading for buddy read - June 2017
One of my Top 5 In Death books...I've read this one several times, yet it still tugs at my heart-strings. Will try to return with review.

I'm giving Portrait an extra multiplier for all the good Roarke developments. We were in dire need of more info on his past!

This is the one about a mad photographer. Eve shags a call about a young coed found in a dumpster. At about the same time, Nadine from Channel 75 News calls to say she received an envelope of professional photos of a very beautiful, very dead young woman. Before long, a young college man turns up dead in a public fountain, dressed for a stunning photo shoot...

In other more interesting news, Louise Dimatto introduces her clinic's new headshrinker to the big boss - and what a coincidence, she's from Dublin, too! Remarkably, Dr. Moira has a personal message for Roarke: your mother wasn't Meg Roarke. Your mother was young, beautiful, and never would have left you if your father hadn't killed her. Talk about a kick in the pants! Roarke's world flips upside down, so he flies to Ireland to look into his past. Also in this one, Somerset breaks his leg badly, ruining Eve's plans to have 3 weeks alone with her hubby. Trueheart catches another tough break during a critical point in the investigation.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is clued into a gruesome murder by a reporter that a woman has been killed. Why is the news station being notified? And why was the woman's body posed as a portrait? As usual for Eve, she is fast on the case. Are other women in danger and why is this particular killer so precise with this victim?

Knowing that Eve was going in for the long haul gave me just the opportunity I needed to listen to this audiobook. Again, narrated by Susan Ericksen, it was just fabulous. While Eve is focusing on the case, Roarke does step aside for a moment - for a while really - and deals with his past. Wow this was an amazing part of this book and series! Trying to avoid spoilers, I will mention that Roarke is in Ireland and there is trauma and there is drama.

While Eve and Roarke were not together as much in this book, Eve and Peabody were, and I just love their dialogue. In addition to what is going on with Roarke, Summerset has quite a bad experience in this book thanks to Galahad, their ever present cat.

When Roarke and Eve have their scenes together they singe the pages. I don't know if there is a way for me to express how intense their scenes are. Roarke's situation in this book was hard to read, but the levity occurred between Eve and Peabody. I will never forget the "chocolate" scene. Yes, real chocolate. Read the book to see what I am referring to.

While the serial killer at large is the backdrop of this story, n  Portrait in Deathn is a pivotal story when it comes to Roarke and thus will be a top favorite for me.