by J.D. Robb
Part of In Death, book 4
First published 2006
Three bodies arrive at the morgue wearing identical expressions of bliss. A respected engineer, a notorious attorney, and a divisive politician have all taken their own lives within days of each other. Lieutenant Eve Dallas sees no connection between these strangers, but something about their deaths feels wrong. The autopsies confirm her suspicions when coroners discover unusual burn marks on each victim's brain tissue. Dallas must determine whether she's looking at a rare medical condition or an elaborate murder scheme. Her investigation leads into the emerging world of virtual reality entertainment, where programmers have learned to manufacture pleasure and euphoria directly in the human mind. The same technology that creates artificial bliss might also turn a person's own thoughts into a deadly weapon. Dallas faces a killer who can make murder look like suicide and leave victims grateful for their own destruction.
Genres: science-fiction, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: high-tech-crime, murder-investigation
9 pages · MP3 CD · Brilliance Audio
Content warnings: violence