Simone Biles, Sexual Abuse, and Mental Health

I have to share this thoughtful post from Brendan. While I didn’t watch much of the Olympics this year, Simone Biles of course was all over the news. The attacks on her for making a difficult decision not only in her best interest, but that of her teammates as well, was utterly vile!

Blind Injustice

Simone Biles. Agência Brasil Fotografias, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Content warnings: Sexual abuse, suicide

One of the major stories of the recently concluded Summer Olympics was how decorated American gymnast Simone Biles was ultimately not involved in several of the events that she qualified for as a result of her struggles with mental health. Reaction to this seemed a bit split: many praised her for prioritizing her mental health, while some critics thought of her as a quitter.

Just to clarify, I fall into the former category, not the latter. I think Simone Biles did the right thing in prioritizing her mental health, even if it meant missing some major events this Olympics. To do otherwise would’ve been a danger to her mental and her physical health, which is more important than any Olympic medal.

Yet, at the same time, it seems like there’s often been…

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Forgotten In Death (In Death #53), By J.D. Robb ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Spousal Abuse, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 7th, 2021

384 Pages

Synopsis: In the latest novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas sifts through the wreckage of the past to find a killer.

The body was left in a dumpster like so much trash, the victim a woman of no fixed address, known for offering paper flowers in return for spare change—and for keeping the cops informed of any infractions she witnessed on the street. But the notebook where she scribbled her intel on litterers and other such offenders is nowhere to be found.

Then Eve is summoned away to a nearby building site to view more remains—in this case decades old, adorned with gold jewelry and fine clothing—unearthed by recent construction work. She isn’t happy when she realizes that the scene of the crime belongs to her husband, Roarke—not that it should surprise her, since the Irish billionaire owns a good chunk of New York. Now Eve must enter a complex world of real estate development, family history, shady deals, and shocking secrets to find justice for two women whose lives were thrown away… (Goodreads)

It’s hard to believe that J.D. Robb’s long-running In Death series is now up to #53, but with Forgetful in Death, here we are. In this outing there are two main mysteries to be solved: one involving a homeless woman known by many for her sweet nature and penchant for giving out origami figures, and the other which focuses on the uncovered skeletons of a pregnant woman and her infant.

As is often the case with this series, the identities of the villains are fairly easy to guess, but that’s not really important. What is, is the journey getting there and what it reveals about not only the victims and their killers, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas herself. Throughout this series Dallas has stood for the homicide victims whose cases cross her desk, no matter who they were or what their background. She leaves no stone unturned in her quest to bring the people responsible for their deaths to justice, and in doing so, allows them to rest in peace and brings closure to their loved ones. That continues to be the case here, and the way this story unfolds makes the title especially apt. 

As usual, Dallas is backed by members of her Scooby gang, although this time around it’s really just the ever-dishy Roarke and her stalwart partner Delia Peabody, who play integral parts in the investigations. I never tire of the interplay and dialogue between Dallas and the people she cares about, and as I expected there are some lighter moments to break up the darkness. The ending comes with justice being delivered to some truly abhorrent individuals who never should see the light of day again, and I took great pleasure in seeing them get their just desserts.

I’m happy to say that Forgotten in Death is another winning entry in this series, and I have no doubt it will please Robb’s legions of fans. I’ve said this before about the In Death series, but it bears repeating. Every time I pick up a book it’s like greeting old friends and family. Dallas, Roarke, Peabody, and the rest, are all characters I wish I knew in real life, but alas, I’ll have to console myself with reading of their adventures twice a year.