Immortal in Death

"Immortal in Death" (1996) is the third book of the In Death series by J. D. Robb, following "Glory in Death" and preceding "Rapture in Death".

Plot introduction

Eve must solve a case, save her best friend, deal with her past and prepare for a wedding before it's too late.

Full Summary

In a few weeks she won't just be "Eve Dallas", lieutenant, homicide. She'll be Roarke's wife.

The story starts off with Eve Dallas worrying about getting married to "Roarke", her career and the one thing she least expected to do... shopping for a wedding dress. Still at home she tells Roarke she has the day off and before he gets any ideas she tells him she's soing to go shopping for a wedding dress. Roarke smiled quickly, knowing this was why Eve was so cranky but she points out she's getting the dress with her own money, not his. She explain that Mavis is going with her shocking Roarke a bit knowing Mavis's taste of clothes. Eve, kisses him, happy to get her own back at him and leaves before saying "I'm getting married, aren't I? What could be more ridiculous?"

She made her way to Leonardo's and just by looking at the bright, big dresses in the window she wanted to turn back but before she made her decision Mavis suddenly appeared and dragged her in. She gives in and as they enter Mavis runs to Leonardo and kisses him, giving Eve a clear picture. Leonardo leaves for a few minutes and returns with refreshments, then they get straight into picking the dresses. Leonardo studies Eve in a way to get an idea of the perfect dress for her. From the computer he settles on a bronze colour which Eve surprisingly agrees to.

He tells her to undress for measurements, not for prurient reasons. Mavis leaves them to it and as Eve warns Leonardo not to hurt Mavis another woman, Pandora comes in and attacks Leonardo. Unable to stop her Eve decks her one and she falls to the floor. Eve starts to get dressed when Mavis comes in and then both woman were on the floor. Leonardo and Eve both break them up and Pandora threatens them, then leaves. Mavis tells Leonardo that because she loves him, she would go away so that he could have a future.

Eve leaves Leonardo's and returns home exhausted. Eve made her way to the bedroom and lies face down on the bed, Roarke finds her and lies down beside her were she explains what happened. Roarke tells her he'll be going away for a while as he rolls her over and unbuttons her shirt, she asks him how long but soon gets distracted and they sleep together.

The next morning, Eve visits the morgue and discovers that Carter Johannsen (alias Boomer), one of her informants, was brutally beaten to death with a blunt instrument and thrown in a river. She enlists the help of Officer Peabody and Captain Feeney to track down the killer. With Peabody, Eve visits Boomer's flop which is devastatingly filthy. They go through his entire home and find a sample of some drug, along with its formula, under his bed.

Eve goes home to Roarke and tell him about what she and Peabody found. Showing him the formula, they discover it is a new type of drug, not yet released, that can both enhance sexual performance and act as a cell regenerator that restores youth. Eve then goes to sleep from being stressed out. However, in the middle of the night, Mavis calls Eve to come over to Leonardo's because someone's dead. Eve scurries over to his place and finds Pandora dead, with her face beaten to a pulp.

An investigation is made into Pandora's death, and throughout, all the evidence points to Mavis. In fact, so much evidence points to her that it seems as if she were framed. She learns that Mavis went to see Leonardo because she just couldn't stay away from him any longer. Then, tracking down Leonardo, she finally finds him at Mavis' place, drunk and bleeding from accidentally falling on his glass. Believing that neither Mavis nor Leonardo could have committed the crime, Eve sets off to find the true killer.