“A new J.D. Robb book is out.” It’s the words that all we J.D. Robb fans want to
hear and excitedly wait for twice a year. I can still remember the first time I
read a J.D. Robb book. A friend and bookstore owner placed a copy of the first
In Death book in
my hands and insisted I had to read it. I protested initially as I already had
so many other series I was reading. Little did I realize at that time that J.D.
Robb was actually Nora Roberts, an author I already loved and one of the first
romance authors I’d had the pleasure of reading. My friend gave me the ultimate
bookstore guarantee: read it and return it if I didn’t like it. Today that copy
of NAKED IN DEATH, along
with 41 other J.D. Robb books, happily sits on my shelves.
Originally Published June 1995
The relationship between Roarke and Eve is the cornerstone of the In Death series.
Roarke and Eve are an unlikely duo on the surface. Eve is a cop with a penchant
for following the law while Roarke disdains both cops and rules. When we first
meet Roarke and Eve in NAKED
IN DEATH, Roarke is a potential suspect. The sparks between the two of them
ignite immediately and it’s the passion between them that attracts romance
readers to the In
Death series. However, J.D. Robb doesn’t sugarcoat their romance.
Instead, we see them love, soothe, caress, argue, fight, and forgive one
another, just as real couples do. Eve has adopted a rigid lifestyle to cope and
I love watching her learn to be flexible, particularly as her character begins
to grow past the damage the past inflicted on her. BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH has
one of my favorite scenes of Eve and Roarke’s relationship as it shows they’ve
become close enough to disagree and still love one another.
Over the course of the now 42 book series, Eve has accumulated a plethora of
friends. We’ve watched her grow from a lone cop in a small apartment, fighting
the nightmares of her past, to a woman fully confident in herself, her
relationships, and willing to battle those demons of the past when they pop back
out. Eve has faced the horrors from her past, both head on such as in NEW YORK TO DALLAS, and
more indirectly in BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH. We’ve
seen Eve change from a wariness at entering Testing and speaking with Dr.
Charlotte Mira in NAKED IN
DEATH to depending on her for both a psychological profile as well as
friendship. In fact, Eve has so many friends that when they are put at potential
risk, such as in OBSESSION
IN DEATH, Eve has a hard time remembering the names of all the people that
have come to matter to her.
And yes, that’s another part of the fun of reading the In Death series, as
the past is always lurking right around the corner and you’re sure to get some
surprise revelations or touching scenes with beloved characters. Some of the
books, such as ORIGIN IN
DEATH, have ramifications that echo throughout the series. The Icove murder
and the subsequent fictional bestseller and movie make Eve well known to the
general public. We see this case resurface, time and time again, although never
quite as obviously as in CELEBRITY IN DEATH when an
actual actress from the movie (who looks like Peabody) is murdered. Some of the
moments are far sweeter, however, such as the touching Thanksgiving dinner in THANKLESS IN DEATH.
The secondary characters are just as important as the primary characters in the
In Death series. Everyone has their favorites, whether it’s the rumpled but
oh-so-loyal Captain Ryan Feeney or the former grifter turned singer and Eve’s
best friend, Mavis Freestone. Delia Peabody, however, is my favorite secondary
character. We first meet her in GLORY IN DEATH where she’s a
traffic officer who assists Eve with securing a murder scene and later uncovers
a secret hidey hole that helps solve the case. I love Peabody because she
softens Eve, always looking at the brighter side while still remaining sobered
by the reality of murder. Peabody, affectionately called She-Body by Ian McNab,
worries about her weight, her food intake, and isn’t afraid to show her
appreciation for the finer things in life- and yet she maintains the peace you
would expect from the child of Free-Agers.
J.D. Robb’s world is futuristic as the very first book is set in the year 2058.
We get to see a variety of fascinating technology, from cars that can levitate
(Eve uses this feature for parking in downtown New York quite a bit) to the
AutoChef, one of my favorite features. If Eve and Roarke want spaghetti and
meatballs, they simply program the AutoChef and voila, they have their food
ready to eat. There are downsides, however, as we see how Roarke’s expensive
coffee and Mr. Mira’s homemade hot chocolate become treasured treats. However,
the futuristic setting and technology are not off-putting for readers who like
their stories more contemporary. Much like the cartoon tv show “The Jetsons,”
the technology in the In
Death series is both cutting age but also believable as some of the
innovations are already in progress.
J.D. Robb has become a mainstay for many readers as we look forward to our twice
a year daily visits with old friends. I love each and every aspect of the In Death series,
whether it’s the mysteries themselves or the wisecracks made to lighten the
heaviness of the deaths they encounter. However, what I love most about any J.D.
Robb In Death
book is the sense of love and family, no matter the blood ties. If you haven’t
read a J. D. Robb book, then hesitate no further but jump right into the In Death series
where you’re sure to make some lasting fictional friends.
In Death
In a near-future New York City, technology and humanity (still) fight for
their place in the world, but for NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas, survival depends
on instinct. A troubled past haunts her memories, and relationships are
casualties of necessity…until she meets and marries a mysterious billionaire who
defines the very nature of passion. Working together, Eve and her husband,
Roarke, must solve some of the most baffling, gruesome, and dangerous cases the
city has ever seen. Despite threats and danger, no one is more determined than
Eve to find justice for the dead, even if it kills her.
The new novel featuring homicide detective Eve Dallas from the #1 New
York Times bestselling author of Devoted in
Death.
Sometimes brotherhood can be another word for
conspiracy. . . .
Dennis Mira just had two unpleasant surprises. First
he learned that his cousin Edward was secretly meeting with a real estate agent
about their late grandfather’s magnificent West Village brownstone, despite the
promise they both made to keep it in the family. Then, when he went to the house
to confront Edward about it, he got a blunt object to the back of the
head.
Luckily Dennis is married to Charlotte Mira, the NYPSD’s top
profiler and a good friend of Lieutenant Eve Dallas. When the two arrive on the
scene, he explains that the last thing he saw was Edward in a chair, bruised and
bloody. When he came to, his cousin was gone. With the mess cleaned up and the
security disks removed, there’s nothing left behind but a few traces for
forensics to analyze.
As a former lawyer, judge, and senator, Edward Mira
mingled with the elite and crossed paths with criminals, making enemies on a
regular basis. Like so many politicians, he also made some very close friends
behind closed—and locked—doors. But a badge and a billionaire husband can get
you into places others can’t go, and Eve intends to shine some light on the
dirty deals and dark motives behind the disappearance of a powerful man, the
family discord over a multimillion-dollar piece of real estate . . . and a new
case that no one saw coming.
Debbie Wiley
2 comments posted.
I haven't read #42 yet, but I have all the other plus the anthology books. I've read some of them at least 3 times. I also look forward to the new books in the series. Please keep them coming.
(Lois Boden 12:12pm February 7, 2016)