Author J.D. Robb

I just finished reading my first book by J.D. Robb -  Brotherhood in Death. I think it will be my last. I didn't like it for a variety of reasons. However, being an OCD-ish type person, I did read the entire book.

The first thing I didn't like is that it's set in 2060 and for whatever reason, I'm just not that interested in futuristic literature. The second thing is that I couldn't see the purpose for setting the story in the future. It didn't add to the plot except that the detective could use a voice command to ask her computer to perform a search on a given set of criteria. She could also use a voice command to turn on the lights 10% or 25% or however bright she wanted them.

I also didn't like the writing style of the dialog. It seemed a little forced, as if it had to be different because this all takes place 44 years from now. For example, a computer is always referred to as  "comp", a witness is a "wit". All of the characters talk on what I can only assume is a cell phone with video (or "vid") capabilities called a 'link. The specifics of the 'link (or what it is an abbreviation for) are left to the imagination of the reader. When Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD (the S is never defined, but according to Wikipedia is Security) gets caught in traffic, she goes "vertical" - but again, no details.

The story takes place in New York City sometime after the Urbans. The Urbans are never explained and even Wikipedia did not have any information about it or them. Admittedly, I only did a very quick search. Still I shouldn't have to hunt down details like that.

Eve is foul-mouthed. I regularly use expletives, but Eve goes way beyond my comfort zone. She's just not a person with whom I can identify, and I think that is something I look for in pleasure reading. I much prefer Kinsey Millhone, V.I. Warshawski, and the lawyers at Rosato and Associates. I live vicariously through them.

I've just begun a thriller: Find Her by Lisa Gardner. While pretty brutal (Brotherhood in Death was also pretty brutal), I'm already finding this book much more to my taste.