Born in Death: In Death, Book 23

Born in Death is the twenty-third book in J.D. Robb’s In Death series. The In Death series is one of my favorites to read when I’m in the mood for a Romantic Suspense. I’m so glad I’m still reading this series for the #InDeathReadALong challenge.Storyline/My Thoughts: This book put me through so many emotions; if it wasn’t the case that Eve and her team were investigating, it was how pregnant Mavis scared Eve and Roarke. Yes, Eve and Roarke were petrified of Mavis and her emotions and also her going into labor. It didn’t help either when Mavis needed Eve’s help finding her pregnant friend. Mavis needed Eve to find her friend and keep her in the loop.At first, Eve and her team are investI enjoyed the storyline of this book because it left me guessing who was behind the murders of the couple and who was behind Mavis’s pregnant friend going missing. I had a hard time figuring out who was behind it all this time around, so I was shocked at the ending once Eve and her team figured it out. J.D. Robb did a fantastic job with this book when it came to the suspense of the storyline. It did have a weird villain(s), though, in it, and I won’t spoil it for anyone.igating two homicides of a couple who worked at the same company. Eve has a funny feeling that the couple who were killed were onto something at their company. It’s up to Eve and her team to find out the truth.Overall, this book gets 4.5 stars from me, and I look forward to diving into the next book in the series. I’ll never forget the moments between Roarke, Eve, and Mavis in this book. I don’t think Eve and Roarke are ready to have children yet.Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the In Death series, and I would recommend reading in order.Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this book and the rest of the series books. I can’t wait until I finally catch up on this series. I feel like the characters are family now, and I want to know what happens next in their lives.

So, it's a given that this series is total brain candy. And like candy, I limit myself on how many I read in a row. But this one is probably the best of the series so far.Mavis, Eve's best friend, is pregnant. She and her Honey Bear, Leonardo the fashion designer, have bribed, begged and guilted Eve and Roarke into being birthing coaches. This requires them to attend a birthing class."Eve let the images blur. She’d rather study a crime scene recording—mass murder, mutilation, severed limbs—than look up some laboring woman’s crotch and watch a head pop out. Roarke had horror vids in his collection that were less gruesome."With the horror of the birthing class behind her, Eve thinks she can take a deep breath. Then Peabody informs Eve, who is hosting the baby shower, that she can't just call a caterer and forget it - she has to decorate and set a theme and shop for baby presents!!!"Eve imagined the process of shopping in a baby boutique, and had to fight off a shudder. “I’ll give you a hundred dollars to go on your own.”"That’s hitting below the belt,” Peabody replied. “But I’m too strong to be bribed. You have to do the thing, Dallas. It’s Mavis.”“Coaching classes, baby showers, now shopping. Is there no end to the price of friendship?”All this, while investigating a double murder. Eve definitely prefers murder.And the murder/mystery is actually a good one, involving a baby-selling ring, money laundering and more murders.Back to the baby - Roarke is every bit as squeamish as Eve, maybe even more. Eve engages in some pillow-talk: "Bought the baby shower present thing today.”Good.”She had a little smirk of her own in the dark. “If Mavis goes into labor during the deal here, you have to drive her to the birth center.”There was utter silence for a solid ten seconds. “You’re trying to give me nightmares. Very small of you.”Roarke absolutely refuses to attend the baby shower and in fact, he, Leonardo and McNabb have other plans, which Eve thinks is unfair: "But it stinks, if you ask me, really stinks, that you get to go out somewhere drinking beer while I’m stuck at Baby Central. Just because you have a penis.”"We’ll think fondly of you over beer, me and my penis.”And yet, Eve has come so far in being able to express her feelings. "She came around the desk, and they held onto each other. She could stand on her own—God knows she’d proven it. But it was an amazing gift to have a man you could lean on without either of you thinking you were weak."By the time we get to the end, we have not one, but two very pregnant ladies. Tandy, who had become friendly with Mavis, had been abducted by the baby-selling ring and Eve and her team rescued her. Everyone is at Eve and Roarke's house when both ladies go into labor.During the last two chapters, which continues through the birth of both babies, AND a wedding between Mavis and Leonardo in the birthing room, I laughed out loud for PAGES. Then, I cried. And finally, I was laughing and crying at the same time. It was pure awesomeness, or as Mavis would say, it was totally mag, absolutely the ult, squared.

I don't think we've ever seen Eve quite so out of her depth before but trying to organise Mavis' baby shower taker her completely out of her comfort zone. Especially when she has to go into a baby store looking for a present! One of the reasons I love this series so much is that there is a lot of humour mixed in amongst the death and murder. The friendship between Eve and Mavis has always been fab but it's been even better since Mavis asked Eve and Roarke to be her birthing coaches. The two are absolutely terrified by the prospect but Eve will never let her friend down no matter how uncomfortable it makes her.This story sees Eve take on a missing person's case when Mavis' friend Tandy goes missing just days before she's due to give birth. Eve doesn't usually get involved unless someone is already dead but now she has the chance to try and stop anything happening to Tandy if she can only figure out why she was taken.I always enjoy the murder mystery side of J.D. Robb's plots but really the star of this book was Mavis. The scenes with the baby shower, the birthing classes and finally the main event and her new arrival were all just perfect with the exact right amount of humour and heart. Eve and Roarke had me in stitches laughing at their utter panic as Mavis went into labour but it ended with lots of warm and fuzzy feelings. I love this series so much and I'm so ready to dive into the next book!

A great murder mystery. A mix of white collar crime, murder and babies. The accountant saw to much and shared her concerns, so they had to go. A pregnant woman fails to turn up at A baby shower. All the elements of the story are blend together in this fast paced story.

Read this book years ago, so glad I decided to read it again. Will be re-reading more from this author.

I love her books , and Dallas is brilliant

another "can't put down" book . the series gradually has provided backgrounds to its characters and it all fits very comfortably together. I feel I know the area, the people and the whole thing. It is a bit like following the local news with updates and background .