by J.D. Robb
Part of In Death, book 50
First published 2020
Lieutenant Eve Dallas arrives at what appears to be a routine death scene. Pediatrician Kent Abner lies dead in his home after opening a package containing a golden trinket. The egg-shaped object released lethal airborne toxins when Abner split it apart. Dallas calls in hazmat teams and submits to testing to ensure she avoided exposure. Her investigation reveals Abner was widely respected, though he made enemies by advocating for vulnerable patients. The lab works to identify the poison while Dallas tracks the package sender. When a second victim dies from an identical method, Dallas realizes she faces a calculated killer. The two deaths must connect somehow, but the link remains hidden. Dallas must uncover the relationship between victims before the murderer strikes again. The case tests her skills as she hunts someone who kills from a distance using science as a weapon.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: calculated-killer, enemies-to-lovers
387 pages · Hardcover · St. Martin's Press
Content warnings: death, violence