J.D. Robb In Death Series

Posted March 28, 2016 by Karen in Book Reviews / 2 Comments

J.D. Robb In Death SeriesNaked in Death Series: In Death #1
Also in this series: Apprentice in Death (In Death, #43),
Published by Penguin on July 1st 1995
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Suspense, General
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781101203545
Goodreads

In a world of danger and deception, she walks the line--between seductive passion and scandalous murder...
Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all--and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire--and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about--except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.
Hooked on Eve Dallas? Pre-order your copy of the newest book, DEVOTED IN DEATH, coming in September. 

Hey Mom,

I know you are in heaven giving me that ‘mom’ look that says “Well, I could have told you, but would you have listened?”.  I would have never thought we had similar taste in books. I love paranormal/urban fantasy books with a good deal of mystery, a la Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels Universe or Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires, so how could you and I have anything in book common. You liked thrillers and mysteries a la James Patterson. So, after you passed I packed up all your hardbound books and donated them to hospitals and care centers.  I know you would have liked your books being enjoyed by others instead of just sitting on a shelf.   We won’t mention the Kindle I bought you that was still in its box with several books on it that I gifted you.  Amongst those various tomes, I saw a lot of J.D. Robb. I didn’t think much of the author, as I knew that Robb was a pen name for Nora Roberts, also an author you had a ton of books by.   Well ,my blog gal, Robbie, kept telling me about how great J.D. Robb’s books were and how great the audio narration by Susan Ericksen.  She told me that the books were set in the future.  So, after a lot of thinking and more postponing, I bought the audiobook and the Kindle addition.  Honestly, I have never ever liked audio books,  so I didn’t plan on liking Susan Ericksen’s reading either. They both sat in my online library collecting virtual dust.   I started the first In Death book, Naked in Death, both listening to it and reading it when not listening. I soon stopped reading and became enchanted by Ericksen’s narrations  and now I have spent a fortune on books that I donated a little over a year ago because J.D. Robb’s futuristic cop procedural drama romances have knocked me on my butt and I have fallen in love with Eve Dallas, the futuristic homicide detective in NYC.  I can’t imagine, you, my mother, reading futuristic cop procedural mysteries! WTH MOM! Maybe I didn’t know you at all. All this time I thought you were helping Alex Cross and his ilk to save the contemporary world, and here you were riding along with Eve Dallas.  We are not even going to start on Roarke because, MOM, you should not have been reading about ROARKE!  I knew you were not a prude, mom. I donated those books and the retirement homes, besides getting Alex Cross and his ilk, got some really steamy reads donated too.  BUT, WOW! Roarke…. I may just need a moment.  We missed out on some book chit chat, and I wish I could introduce you to Ericksen’s narration. As Ms. Ericksen’s talent for voices is beyond compare. She doesn’t just read the books, every characters has a rich voice that is completely their own, or Ms. Ericksen’s, that enriched my utter enjoyment of the series. Plus I have crush on Roarke, who is read by a woman, who sounds so sexy as a man, when he says ‘Darling Eve’. I assume you are reading this in Heaven, so go to the library in Heaven. (Heaven without a library would be HELL),  and seriously get the audio narrations of the In Death books.  OMG, once you hear Ericksen doing Roarke’s voice you may want to have dad talk in an Irish accent.

Well, I better sign off as this really hasn’t been short, and I will work on my brevity, see you in my dreams.

Love Ya Karen M. Seager Everett <<<< Family joke from when I was a little girl.  When you are an only child, you have to make sure your parents know who they are getting birthday cards from.

Now to our readers, if you haven’t read these books like I hadn’t, then you really need to get your head out of your ass and jump on the bandwagon.  A wagon, I might add that has been going for over fifteen years and I just found as I previously ignored Robb.  I have read/listened to all the books in the series.   I have decided I am Eve’s kindred spirit without the horrid childhood trauma, and I am a great literary detective as I have nabbed every killer with Dallas and her partner Peabody.  Yes, I love testing my detective skills against Eve’s. Since she has Roarke, I, therefore, get to solve the crime before her.  ***Sticks tongue out*** ***Rethinks tongue being stuck out at Eve, as Eve may coldcock reviewer*** So I adore each and every one of these mysteries. They are fabulous, not just in the plots which are grand, but in the way Robb writes her characters.  This could be why Robb is a New York Time Bestselling author and I am a clueless daughter who looked down her nose at her mother’s choices since I want a little twist with my books. Who wants to be in the here-and-now when I could be in an alternate reality?  So, as my mother laughs down from heaven, The wonderful Robb will get loads of money from the over forty books I had to buy because I am now addicted to Detective Dallas and the In Death cast of characters like a junkie on illegals.

The novellas after the first two Robb books have a touch of paranormal . . . just a hint, to take Eve Dallas out of her comfort zone. Eve is a no-nonsense type of gal, so having Eve brush up against the unknown actually makes her more human and actually makes one of the best fictional characters more fragile while she deals with death and those who are led by violence.

Despite Robb’s books dealing with death and violence, her books never glorify the killer and actually focus on the strength of the survivors and the stories of those who are lost to violence.  I have cried as the light goes out of a victim’s eyes and rejoiced when Eve and her team aren’t too late because Eve stands for justice, never vengeance.

I now want you all to go read Robbie’s review of Susan Ericksen’s narration of the series.  All I can say is this woman makes every character, male or female, have a unique voice.  WOW! Ericksen is beyond talented.

 

2 responses to “J.D. Robb In Death Series

  1. Sandy

    So glad you took the chance to read/listen to JD Robb. I am a huge fan of her and Nora Roberts. I have every book she has ever written under both names. I love Eve and Roarke and am right there with you going along solving the crimes and laughing or crying throughout the book.

    • Karen

      I love the friendship that these characters have with each other. I adore each and everyone, as they all mesh so well together. I actually woke one morning musing about Bella’s upcoming birthday party. LOL, I am a sane fifty year old woman enchanted by a group of fictional characters. 🙂

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.