Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb

Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb - 370 pages

Eve Dallas is meeting with a colleague after work for drinks when a murder stumbles into her path -- literally.  A woman stumbles into the crowded bar and drops dead.  It turns out that gossip reporter Larinda Mars was murdered by someone she had blackmailed.  While Eve has never liked Larinda, she is determined to find the woman's killer and get her justice.

This is the latest in the Nora Roberts' futuristic crime series (under the name J.D. Robb).  As always, I enjoyed the story.  I like the interactions between the various characters and the slight character development that occurs in each new volume.  My only quibble was that the ending was very abrupt.

The Obsession by Nora Roberts

The Obsession by Nora Roberts - 453 pages

Naomi's life was turned upside down when she follows her dad one night and discovers that he is a notorious serial rapist and killer.  After nearly twenty years, she is finally ready to try to settle down in a town and try to make a life for herself including a relationship.  Then someone starts raping and kidnapping women from her town . . .

I listened to this on audio.  I enjoyed the story although it was fairly obvious who the killer was early on in the book.  I thought the narrator did a great job although she didn't differentiate between the characters as much towards the end of the book as she did at the beginning.

The Obsession by Nora Roberts

The Obsession by Nora Roberts - 453 pages

Naomi's life was turned upside down when as a child she followed her father one night and discovered his secret - he was a notorious serial killer.  She has spent her whole life trying to put the incident in her past and hiding her true identity from everybody she meets.  Then she settles in Sunrise Cove.  It's the first time since college that she has settled in one place for more than three months.  She makes friends and even starts a relationship.  Then women start disappearing and being killed . . . reminiscent of her father's killing style.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it is one of Nora Roberts' best books in years.  It was engrossing enough that I finished it in one day.  I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes romance or suspense.

Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story by Shanna Hogan

Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story by Shanna Hogan, 342 pages

Picture Perfect is a very well written book that tells the story of how Jodi Arias murdered her Mormon lover, Travis Alexander in a very gruesome way.  The author, Shannon Hogan, writes in great detail how the relationship spiraled out of control.  She interviews Travis' closest friends and writes details from the very beginning of their relationship. She even gives us background on Jodi's and Travis' childhoods.  Travis Alexander was an up and coming executive for the Prepaid Legal Group, which is how he came to meet Jodi Arias.  This book describes in great detail how their relationship started innocent enough, but then turned sexual and at many times, perverted.  Jodi was extremely obsessed with Travis and could not let go of him even when she discovered he had been seeing other women.  The author describes in great detail the day of the murder and the day Travis' friends discovered his body.  I had not known that the body had been in the house five days before it was discovered, but what was even more shocking was that he had two roommates that were living with the dead body and did not realize it.  This book covers so much more than the trial and reveals shocking details of Jodi and Travis' twisted and toxic relationship.  This was the best true crime book I have read in a long time.  Also, included in the book are many graphic and disturbing photos.

Killer Girlfriend: the Jodi Arias Story by Brian Skoloff

Killer Girlfriend: the Jodi Arias Story by Brian Skoloff, 144 pages

If you were following the Jodi Arias trial a few months ago, then you probably do not need to read this book.  I was one of the few people who was not familiar with the details of the case, so I thought I would read this book.  It was a interesting read that gave both her lies and the facts of the case.  The book detailed information on Jodi and Travis and how they met.  It also included intimate details of their relationship and how obsessive and manipulative she really was.  It was disturbing that she needed to stab him so many times and then shoot him.  If you like true crime, you may want to give this a read.

The Next Always by Nora Roberts

The Next Always by Nora Roberts -- 324 pages

The first book of the Inns BoonsBoro Trilogy has made a great first up and coming new best seller for Nora Roberts. Clare and Beckett have known each other since they were 15, but only Beckett knows what Clare does not, Beckett is still in love with Clare. Well Clare is back in town, but with three boys in tow, but this does not stop Beckett from getting what he had wanting since he was 15. While he is trying to pursue Clare he is also building an inn with his brothers and mother. This house/inn has been in shambles for a really long time and it is time to put it back together and bring this town some new tourists. Now you know there will always be some sort of trouble, but you just have to read it to find out.