On Throwback Thursdays, I review older books.
The first “In Death” book was published in 1995, and #41 is scheduled to be released this fall.
Naked in Death is the first in the series, and it introduces Eve Dallas, a hard edged “murder cop” in New York City, circa 2058. Dallas is the main character throughout the series. Each book has her conducting at least one investigation into a murder. In this first book, she must investigate the murder of a senator’s granddaughter. She also meets Roarke, an Irish gazillionare with a secretive past.
The books have a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, intrigue. Amazingly, JD Robb has not repeated the same story twice. They’re new and interesting.
One of my favorite things about this series is that Dallas and Roarke get together over the course of several books and (spoiler alert) eventually marry. However, we’re not left with a happily-ever-after romance book ending romance. They argue like real married people, have conflicts, and continue to learn more and more about one another.
Dallas develops friendships and builds relationships, and some of these people stay a part of the world. Her relationships with others are complex and interesting. While you could pick up any book in the series and enjoy it, I think they’re much more enjoyable as part of a series. The people within the pages of this book have become my friends; people I can root for and really enjoy seeing triumph.
Don’t get me wrong; all the characters have flaws. But that makes them even more real and endearing to me.
If you like a little bit of everything, mixed up and tied together with a good murder mystery, this may be the series for you.
Doree Weller 