'Memory in Death' was my introduction to the 'in death' series, and it took me a few pages to get my bearings, but after that I settled in for quite an enjoyable ride. While I found the identity of the killer to be relatively easy to figure out, I also found it didn't matter that I'd figured it out. The real mystery wasn't so much 'whodunnit' as 'howdunnit.' How was the murder carried out? How was it covered up? And how could it be proven?
'Memory in Death' is very much a character-driven story. Rather than being filled with action scenes or gore, this story focused on the people. Most of the details came out through dialogue rather than action, and the characters are interesting enough that I enjoyed that.
One of my first thoughts when I started reading Memory in Death was "wow, is this over-the-top." That was quickly followed however, by, "and it's perfect!" Roberts/Robb gleefully indulges in everything that makes over-the-top detective novels and mysteries fun, and infuses it with a dollop of romance for good measure. It seems clear that she's writing for the fun of it and thoroughly enjoying what she's doing, and as a result her books are equally enjoyable to read. The characters are fun, wacky, and larger-than-life; the mysteries are suitably labyrinthine; the setting is just futuristic enough to allow her to shape her world to her whim without making it alien to the reader. |
Memory in Death (In Death #22) Books In Print, Audio Books.