J.D. Robb’s long-running series continues to stay fresh and interesting. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) has done it again in Abandoned in Death. It’s June 2061 and main character New York City Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas along with Detective Delia Peabody are sent to a playground where a young woman has been found dead. The twenty-something woman is discovered lying on a bench. Her presentation appears to have been staged as she is dressed in vintage clothing, has fresh makeup on, a new tattoo and in her folded hands is a piece of construction paper with “Bad Mommy” written in crayon. The search is on as two more women are reported missing and are believed to have been kidnapped by the killer, who appears to be a man traumatized by his childhood – something Eve can relate to. Time is running out.

While the books take place in the near future and have some futuristic aspects, at its heart, this is simply a darn good crime mystery / police procedural series. Eve is a talented, strong woman with a great group of supporting people around her. This includes her husband Roarke who happens to be one of the richest men in the world. And their deep love (and lust) for one another adds a nice element of romance to the stories. This latest installment is focused on solving the case and saving the women. The way the team profiled the killer and was able to put all the pieces together was exceptional. It's one of the best in the series in the past few years and I’ve enjoyed them all.

Rated 4.5 stars.