Reading Challenge 2023

Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn’t count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who were loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler’s enemies, she’s also dealing with her Christmas shopping list—plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband’s upcoming holiday bash.

Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year’s 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer. 

I have to admit I love a good holiday story, even if I have to deal with a few murders to get it. If you follow me then you know how much I love reading J. D. Robb. For some reason, her books feed my soul. I just love her characters and feel like they are part of my life. Weird I know. But all the same, I am always happy to see what's going on in their lives.

Festive in Death is a very good book to read. I enjoyed the story as a whole. The mystery is a good one with characters you'll feel for and others that you'll think got what they deserved. As with all her cases Eve works this one just as hard. She doesn't let the holidays get in her way at all. 

What I loved about this one is that as Eve deals with finding a killer she's always trying to Christmas shop. Something she doesn't really like to do. I don't think she's good at showing how she feels about people and getting them a gift that might mean something to them would give them a big clue about her feelings. 

Festive in Death turned out to be one of my favorites of hers. Partly because of the mystery but mostly for Roarke and Eve's Christmas party. What a good time that must have been. By the time I was done with this one, I couldn't wait to read the next book in the series. 

If you haven't yet read her I will say that you really should read her books in order. Yes, each one has a complete story in it but I think you'll love to see the growth of all the characters. Each of the important supporting characters grows in some way from book to book. 

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