Holiday in Death.

Holiday in Death   #7 In Death series.
J.D. Robb
Published by Berkeley
1998
308 pages

Summary from Goodreads
No one likes to be alone during the holidays. And for New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: All of the killer's victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters an elite world of people searching for their one true love - and a killer searching for his next victim. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal...

My thoughts.
Great book, I did have a suspicion about the murderer all through the book and so was not overly surprised when it was revealed who it was.  So far in the In Death series they tend to be serial murders so I am always on tenterhooks as to when the next one will strike.  I don't particularly like the gruesome murders and try desperately not to visualise too much!

I read this books because of the fantastic characters and the way they relate to one another. Holiday in Death was no exception, in fact I think it was almost the best so far.  As I thought in the previous book McNab the e-specialist is back and has his eyes very much on Peabody.  She detests him and refers to him as "Detective Data Bank".  McNab, while happy to enter into sparring with Peabody, goes off like a rocket when he finds out that Peabody is going to be bait to draw out the murderer.  Just as I thought a romance may be brewing between the two, J.D.Robb threw in the curve ball of teaming Peabody up with a LC (licensed companion) Charles Monroe, in a romantic relationship.  Will this go anywhere?  I will need to read Conspiracy in Death to find out!

Of course the main character Eve is at the heart of almost all relationships in this book.  Roarke and herself continue to develop as people and as a couple.  In the words of Mira, the police psychologist,  "It's a pleasure to watch what grows between you".  Again Roarke keeps his eye out for Eve, assists her where ever he can and is there for her, especially as she dives straight back into work before she is really fully recovered from a previous injury.

Eve is challenged often by her trust issues, and none more often than when she deals with Nadine Furst the news anchor.  However their relationship is growing and a friendship is definitely on the cards.  A big surprise in this book was the way Peabody goes nose to nose with Eve over an issue where she believes Eve has gone too far.  Young Peabody (Eve's assistant) is certainly growing and it was a great part of this story when she dresses Eve down.  I am looking forward to seeing how she develops as a character in future books, character development is the main aspect of these books that keeps me reading them.

Of course there is the added tension between Somerset the butler and Eve, that always provides humour.  Again that's what I liked about this book, plenty of chuckles to be had.  I thought they might have thawed towards each other more since their adventures in Vengeance in Death.  There is a slight softening there alright, not as much as I thought.  Somerset does show though that he is watching out for Eve more now though.  Another relationship to keep tracking.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys romantic suspense, I recommend it too to those who don't read a lot of suspense, like me.  There is plenty to focus on in these books, other than the murder and mystery.  However do begin with the first in the series.  I am really far behind, however the great thing about coming late to a series is that you don't have to wait till the next one is published!