FORGOTTEN IN DEATH, J. D. Robb’s 53rd novel featuring Lt. Eve Dallas, opens with the discovery of the body of a homeless woman in a dumpster at a building site. The construction crew reports that she was known for keeping an eye on the neighborhood and tracking suspicious activity in notebooks. Eve and her investigative team at the New York Police and Security Department suspect that the woman, Alva Quirk, must have seen something that got her killed.

While Eve and her colleagues survey the crime scene, human remains are found in the Hudson Yards construction site nearby. The demolition of an old building uncovers a skeleton encased in an old wine bar. Tragically, the remains appear to be those of a pregnant woman. It turns out that the crime scene is owned by none other than Eve’s husband, Roarke, who is immediately notified.

"FORGOTTEN IN DEATH is one of J. D. Robb’s best books. The interview scenes between Eve and the suspects are some of the finest moments in the story."

Roarke joins the investigation as Eve and the NYPSD experts begin forensic research into the history of the buildings, search for financial records and missing persons reports, attempt to identify the remains through DNA, and determine the cause of death for both victims. The techs are also working on creating an image from the skeletal remains, even though they are decades old.

Once the victims are identified, Eve begins to piece together the lives of both women. Alva was abused by her spouse and escaped using a new identity. Eve finds her siblings and learns more about her story, including that her ex-husband was a cop and is now the chief of police in a rural town far away. Could he have used his professional connections to track her down and kill her? And who had access to the construction site where she was found?

The investigation then leads Eve to the Singer company, owners of the first construction site where Alva was found and the land that Roarke bought for his Hudson Yards construction project. Information is also discovered that ties the Singers to the Russian mafia. The skeletal remains of the pregnant woman are identified as Johara Murr, who might be connected to the Singers as well. Name and reputation are everything to the matriarch of this powerful family. Eve starts to dig into their background and discovers that the Singers have plenty to hide.

The plight of these women starts to take a personal toll on Eve, a survivor of childhood abuse. The victims deserve justice, and Eve is determined to make that happen. Not only will she uncover and apprehend whoever committed the murders, she will not let their suffering go unpunished.

FORGOTTEN IN DEATH is one of J. D. Robb’s best books. The interview scenes between Eve and the suspects are some of the finest moments in the story. Robb has created an iconic female protagonist in the mystery/thriller genre, imbuing Eve with heroism, personal and professional values, intelligence, and an individual flair that makes her especially memorable. Readers can rely on Eve to keep evil at bay and deliver justice in every action-packed adventure.