Salvation in Death

Ancientchurchritualsmeetcutting-edgecrimesolvinginthelatestnovelinthe#1NewYorkTimes–bestsellingseriesthat's"Law&Order:SVU—inthefuture"Intheyear2060,sophisticatedinvestigativetoolscanhelpcatchakiller.Buttherearesomequestionseventhemostadvancedtechnologiescannotanswer.RidleyPearsonhaspraisedJ.D.Robb'ssuspenseas"taut"and"nerve-jangling."Herlatestthrillersetsanewstandardforsuspense,asthepriestataCatholicfuneralmassbringsthechalicetohislips—andfallsoverdead.WhenDetectiveLieutenantEveDallasconfirmsthattheconsecratedwinecontainedpotassiumcyanide,she'sdeterminedtosolvethemurderofFatherMiguelFlores,despiteherdiscomfortwithhersurroundings.It'snotthebodegasandpawnshopsofEastHarlemthatbotherher,thoughtheneighborhoodisalongwayfromthestonemansionsheshareswithherbillionairehusband,Roarke.It'sallthatholinessflyingaroundatSt.Christobal'sthatmakesheruneasy.Asearchofthevictim'ssparselyfurnishedroomrevealslittle—exceptforacarefullyhiddenreligiousmedalwithamysteriousinscription,andacoupleofunderlinedBiblepassages.Theautopsyrevealsmore:faintscarsofknifewounds,aremovedtattoo—andevidenceofplasticsurgery,suggestingthat"FatherFlores"maynothavebeenthemanhisparishionershadthought.Now,asEvepiecestogethercluesthathintatgangconnectionsandadeeplypersonalactofrevenge,shebelievesshe'smakingprogressonthecase.Untilasecondmurder—infrontofanevenlargercrowdofworshippers—knocksthewholeinvestigationsideways.AndEveislefttofigureoutwhocommittedtheseunholyacts—andwhy.