In the book Born in Death by J.D. Robb, the story follows Lieutenant Eve Dallas as she investigates a series of murders that seem to be connected to an underground fertility clinic. Set in the futuristic city of New York in the year 2060, the book explores themes of birth, family and the lengths people will go to have a child.
Chapter 1: The book opens with a bang as Eve and her husband Roarke are attending a charity event when a bomb explodes, killing a pregnant woman and injuring many others. The victim, Deena MacMasters, was a client of the controversial fertility clinic, Better Birth, and Eve suspects that the bomb may have been targeting her specifically. This explosive start draws the reader in and sets the tone for the rest of the book.
Chapter 2: The next day, Eve and her team begin their investigation, interviewing witnesses and tracking down any leads. Eve also visits Better Birth, where she meets the owner Dr. Renee Oberman and her husband, Senator Gerald Hathaway. While the clinic has a strict confidentiality policy, Eve manages to get some information and suspects that they may be involved in some illegal activities.
Chapter 3: As the investigation continues, Eve discovers that Deena was pregnant with twins using the clinic’s services. She also learns that Deena’s husband, Dr. Jerry Reinhold, is a former employee of Better Birth and may have left on bad terms. This raises the possibility of a personal vendetta against the clinic.
Chapter 4: In this chapter, Eve and her team visit Deena’s husband and ex-boss, Dr. Jerry Reinhold. During their interview, Jerry makes a surprising confession – he had an affair with Deena’s sister, Marlo Durnam, who also works at the clinic. Jerry claims that they ended the affair before Deena became pregnant, but Eve is skeptical and decides to investigate Marlo further.
Chapter 5: The investigation takes a new turn when another woman, Dr. Nora Connelly, who works at Better Birth, is found dead in her apartment. Nora was also pregnant with the help of the clinic and is the mother of a baby that Renee and Gerald legally adopted. Eve suspects that Nora may have been silenced because she knew too much and was planning to expose the clinic’s illegal activities.
Chapter 6: As Eve continues to dig deeper, she uncovers a dark secret – Better Birth was selling babies through some of their clients who turned out to be surrogates for wealthy clients. This shocking revelation adds a whole new layer to the mystery and puts more suspicion on the owners of the clinic.
Chapter 7: Eve and her team interview more clients of Better Birth and one of them, Eliza Bowers, reveals that she was the surrogate for a high-profile couple, the Delanos. The Delanos had paid a huge sum of money for a baby but never received one. This leads Eve to suspect that they may be seeking revenge on the clinic.
Chapter 8: In this chapter, Eve and Roarke visit the Delanos and discover that they have been trying to conceive for a long time and are desperate to have a child. Their desperation and heartbreak over not receiving the baby they paid for adds a poignant layer to the story and highlights the theme of parenthood and the lengths people will go to become parents.
Chapter 9: The case takes a dramatic turn when another explosion occurs, this time at Better Birth, killing Renee and injuring many others. Eve and her team race against time to find the killer before they strike again. With multiple suspects and motives, the investigation becomes a race against time.
Chapter 10: As Eve and her team close in on the killer, they discover that it was Marlo Durnam who was seeking revenge for her sister’s death. Marlo had also been the surrogate for the Delanos but was unable to conceive, leading her to blame Better Birth and the owners for Deena’s death. The book ends on a poignant note as Eve and Roarke visit Deena’s children, now safe and loved in the arms of the Delanos.
Born in Death is a riveting thriller that explores the dark side of the human desire for parenthood and the consequences of taking desperate measures to have a child. With a strong plot, well-developed characters, and a futuristic setting, this book keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end. It is a captivating and thought-provoking read that showcases Robb’s talent as a writer.
