Showing posts with label In Death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In Death. Show all posts

Saturday, May 13, 2023

In Death Covers Getting a Makeover in 2024

Looks like J. D. Robb's In Death series are getting a makeover next year. Check out the cover art for Random in Death, release on January 23, 2024.


Do you like it?

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

The Cover of Payback in Death by J. D. Robb is OUT!

(Amazon affiliate link)


"Lt. Eve Dallas is just home from a long overdue vacation when she responds to a call of an unattended death. The victim is Martin Greenleaf, retired Internal Affairs Captain. At first glance, the scene appears to be suicide, but the closer Eve examines the body, the more suspicious she becomes.

An unlocked open window, a loving wife and family, a too-perfect suicide note―Eve's gut says it's a homicide. After all, Greenleaf put a lot of dirty cops away during his forty-seven years in Internal Affairs. It could very well be payback―and she will not rest until the case is closed."

Yay. The new cover of Payback in Death by J. D. Robb is out. It's really different. I love the red and blue in particular. Anyway, it's out wayyyyyyy away on September 5th. I still haven't gotten through the last book, Encore in Death, yet. But, naturally, I'm still looking forward to Payback in Death.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

New Book Release Alert

Of courseeeeeeeeee, J. D. Robb’s new release, Encore in Death, would be on this list. Of course, chile. Of course. Nevertheless, Eve Dallas’ latest case has us readers falling into the cyanide poisoning affair of the husband of a celebrity couple. Now, anybody who is familiar with me know I can hardly stand mysteries involving celebrities, film sets, actors, so on. But if anybody can sell and deliver me on such a setup, it’s J. D. Robb.

Second, our Patricia Raybon is back with her second Annalee Spain Mystery, Double the Lies. So off to the 1920s we go to solve another mystery with our professor.


Sunday, March 14, 2021

Quick Reading Check-In on In Death Series...

I’m between courses now and decided to spend the week catching up on one of my top favorite fictional cops, Eve Dallas.  Undressing this series requires no undressing.  I’ve been talking about this series for years and, until book fifty-one, Shadows in Death, thought I was about to take a break from reading the books.  But why?  Shadows came out back in September, and since then I’ve tried four times to get through page number three in the book.  Something seemed off to the point where I could never find myself able.  Very seldom does an In Death book not hook from page one till the end.  Weird stumble, indeed.  I took it as a sign that I may just need to take a break from the series.

Until I waltz into my library’s used bookstore and saw a copy of Robb’s recently release, Faithless in Death, sitting on a display for $5.  There was absolutely no way I was going to pass that up.  It was a clearer sign.  And I took it and ran with it.

As I write this, I’m ninety pages away from the end of Faithless in Death.  I'm super happy I took on both books this past week.  I’m still crazy about this series, after all.  Yes, thirteen years and over fifty books and short stories later.

Once I wrap Faithless in Death, I’m going to put this bookshelf together to house all my In Death books (which, naturally, I own them all).  I’ve been moving books around on my shelves as new books come in, and some of the real estate surrounding my In Death books ate a chunk of that space.  So, some adjustments were necessary.

What can I say?  I’m loyal to the series.  The books need their own bookshelf.  It's that many books.  And it's that serious.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Another J. D. Robb Golden in Death Pre-Order UPDATE

Did you guys get this email from St. Martin's Press regarding a pre-order bonus consisting of a necklace?  Oh yeah, in celebration of Golden in Death, book #50 in J. D. Robb's In Death series!  If not, let me share the images (thanks to St. Martin's Press for the download ease of them) as well as the link where you can grab one for yourself.  This is really neat, though.


According to the email, it's:
"In anticipation of Golden in Death , J.D. Robb's 50th In Death book, St. Martin's Press partnered up with Swarovski® to create a necklace that's as iconic as the series' kick-ass detective, Lieutenant Eve Dallas. This special, limited-edition necklace features Swarovski® crystals and was inspired by Roarke's beautiful gift to Eve, The Giant's Tear, and her NYPD badge, as pictured below."

You can pre-order the set of Golden in Death along with the necklace, exclusively HERE ON BOOKPALS' WEBSITE.

Golden in Death releases February 4th, 2020!

Monday, September 30, 2019

A Bit of Cool J. D. Robb News I HAVE to Share...

Soooooo I got this email Friday from St. Martin's Press Marketing.  What did it say?  Well, it confirmed that my photo/selfie was selected for the mosaic image that'll be featured inside the dust jacket flap of J. D. Robb's 50th In Death release, Golden in Death.  I had to kind of stand there for a minute (as I was rushing to an appointment with a Snicker bar in mouth) to let this bit of excitement soak in.  My picture–as a dedicated fan of Robb's Eve Dallas In Death series–will be inside of Golden in Death's dust jacket with a slew of other fans.  And it'll be only a few weeks before my birthday when the book is released.  I could have passed out at the news, but went chattering about it to a lady in the waiting room.  Between excited chews of my Snicker's bar, of course.

Wait.  So they picked mine?  For real?

Seriously, despite losing someone incredibly special (mainly another mother) to me this year, cool things keep happening in 2019.  Back-to-back, dude.  With more on the horizon, so stay tuned.

So, wow.  This is something so neat that it'll take me a minute to soak in.  Eleven years reading this series and a photo of me will be plastered somewhere inside of the 50th (an incredible number for a book series as is) book's dust jacket.  Like... for forever!  That's wilddddddd!

THANKSSSSSSS!

Keep encouraged and keep glowing, people.  You know you're doing pretty good when good things keep coming at you.  

Stay blessed and receive whatever good comes your way!


Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Some In Death J. D. Robb Eve Dallas STUFF



I must’ve put my name, email address, and home address down somewhere recently. I got this neat-o supreme-o In Death/Eve Dallas/J. D. Robb t-shirt in the mail the other day. Along with the cute Connections in Death Pop Out Christmas Tree ornaments. I kept trying to wrack my brain on any recent activities I’ve participated in about my fave, J. D. Robb. Anyway, super surprised and super gleeful. And, most of all, I’m ready for Connections in Death. Though I rather live in the present and not press the future, February 5th seems too far away for its release. UGHHHHHHHHHHHH! Waiting is a BITCH! Equally stressful now that I know the following book is titled Vendetta in Death. And we won't see that one until September 2019!

By the way. The books featured in the image DID NOT COME WITH THE SHIRT. LOL. Wanted to make that clear. I ordered the hardbacks from Turn the Page Bookstore earlier this year. I placed them here for decorative... or... festive... purposes...?

So thanks to the publishers St. Martin's Press. J. D. Robb. And my girl, Eve Dallas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are building a brand-new school and youth shelter. They know that the hard life can lead kids toward dangerous crossroads―and with this new project, they hope to nudge a few more of them onto the right path. For expert help, they hire child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering―whose own brother pulled himself out of a spiral of addiction and crime with Rochelle’s support. 
Lyle is living with Rochelle while he gets his life together, and he’s thrilled to hear about his sister’s new job offer. But within hours, triumph is followed by tragedy. Returning from a celebratory dinner with her boyfriend, she finds Lyle dead with a syringe in his lap, and Eve’s investigation confirms that this wasn’t just another OD. After all his work to get clean, Lyle’s been pumped full of poison―and a neighbor with a peephole reports seeing a scruffy, pink-haired girl fleeing the scene. 
Now Eve and Roarke must venture into the gang territory where Lyle used to run, and the ugly underground world of tattoo parlors and strip joints where everyone has taken a wrong turn somewhere. They both believe in giving people a second chance. Maybe even a third or fourth. But as far as they’re concerned, whoever gave the order on Lyle Pickering’s murder has run out of chances…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday, January 31, 2016

A Lovely–AND Early–Surprise

Should I feel guilty for buying a copy of J. D. Robb's latest In Death book, Brotherhood in Death, early?  Hell, no.  I doubt my early contribution will stop her from stomping the New York Times Bestseller list.  So here I am, with Tuesday's (2/2/2016) release of Brotherhood in Death already in my hands.  Thanks to which employee works at my local Kroger's.  Cheers.  And keep up the "good" and "persistent" work.

Summary of Brotherhood in Death via Amazon:
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.
 A great treat to end January and START February...

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Down the Robb Holes

Now, yes yes.  Down the Rabbit Hole is an anthology featuring authors other than J. D. Robb.  There’s R. C. Ryan, Mary Kay McComas, Elaine Fox, and Mary Blayney.  True.  Being the hyper sonic-speaking Robb fan I am–I’m pushing this post toward the featured In Death short, Wonderment in Death.
Like many In Death shorts in previous anthologies, it works with a theme (just as the other featured shorts).  The theme of Wonderment in Death plays with–if you haven’t guessed–Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland.
This time around Homicide Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her tribe are solving the murder/suicide of a psychiatric patient.  The patient left her doctor’s office with a swing towards her brother’s penthouse.  Having killed him, she turned around and leaped out of the building.  It appears the case is open/closed, with a sprinkle of M.O. details revolving around the relationship the patient and her brother had with their parents.  However, it’s the hallucinogenic drugs found in her system that sends a red flag to Eve and her team.  And they’ll follow that clue as it leads them to a “mad hatter’s” gas chamber.
Thrilling, face-pace, and entertainingly silly (but always charming) at times.  But as always Eve and her tribe are present in this fun, short case.  One that I walked away from cracking up.  Robb always has a little extra fun in her shorts.  This one is no different.

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Obsession in Death

So let me set this book up for you, before I get into what I loved about it. Eve Dallas is somewhat of a celebrity cop in New York.  Her and her cases are often featured on the local news as one of New York‘s top homicide lieutenants. Books and movies have featured her cases–and in turn her likeness. And her celebrity comes increasingly valid with a billionaire husband at her side. So without a doubt, Eve is as profile as they come.  The problem is while many hate her (which is an understatement), some admire her. And some admiration comes with a deadly (another understatement) and twisted psychology. 

In Obsession in Death Eve has become the object of someone’s personal fixation. A fixation so apparent and disturbing that this person believes they must kill for Eve, to show and express the value of their “relationship.” The killings are about justice. Respect. They are offerings to Eve, and it becomes all the more evident as each murder relates back to suspects and victims from Eve’s old cases.  Obviously, Eve doesn’t appreciate these offerings. And it’s only a matter a time before their killer turns completely on Eve.  Hence... Obsession in Death.

It’s here. It’s done. Finally, all caught up on J. D. Robb’s In Death series. I thank those who've followed along on this semi-obsessive compulsive journey, as I read my way through four books until arriving at Obsession in Death‘s release on February 10th (where I snatched it a Kroger‘s after filing my income taxes; I had to get Kosher hot dogs anyway). I would go on about my grateful pleasure to those who've kept up with me, but I think I've said enough over the past two months.  Therefore, I'm going to make this quick. 

Obsession in Death is not only the 40th book, but it also marks the twentieth anniversary since the In Death series began with Naked in Death‘s publication on July 1st, 1995. (I'm always amazed, seeing that I was only twelve-years-old on that day.) That’s twenty years and still going; not too many series covering any genre have that longevity. Furthermore, the cool thing in all this realization regards how Obsession seems to recognize the series' hero and its own history. It’s the book that looks closely at the character and evolution of Eve Dallas herself. It’s the book that takes nods to previous cases, previous victims and suspects as well as old, crooked wounds within some of the cast.  It looks back at Eve's relationship with others, and even takes us back to Eve's apartment where she resided at the beginning of it all. I found it somewhat of a tribute to the series–a celebration of sorts. And it was a thrill that easily out beat its predecessor, Festive in Death.  I found myself very much standing at two in the morning to read the book.  I didn't want to get comfortable, I didn't want to sleep.  From start to finish it was a ride–both the syrupy sentimental and a plot that races the clock kind.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 6, 2015

Caught-Up in Death

It has finally happened–I'm caught up on J. D. Robb (except for two short stories) and am officially ready for Obsession in Death’s release on February 10th. (Which is six days away from where I'm standing.) Whoo-hoo! It’s been a thrill slamming these four books down these past two months. A truly fun and exciting treat/reunion. There were nights where I stood up to keep from falling asleep, as I chuck down 200 pages. In contrast, there was a time where I–pitifully–spent ten days with one book.  Which is not a good thing. I got Lay's Simply thick cut potato chips wedged in some books, as I snacked alongside Eve and crew. I silenced my Korean dramas with the MUTE button to funnel my concentration into some of the more gripping cases.  And I suppose I should mention how I was almost late for work one morning, having stayed up to read and awoke to follow-up with a few more pages.

Fun, indeed.

So the last four books are listed as: Calculated, Thankless, Concealed, and Festive in Death. If I had to rate them in order from best to worse, it'll be Concealed, Calculated, Festive, and Thankless. Nonetheless, you can visit my previous post on Calculated and Thankless to see what I thought of them.  From here I’m going into Concealed and Festive. Okay. Enough rambling.


Concealed in Death is book number 38 in Robb’s In Death series, and it ranks up there with one Eve Dallas’s creepiest cases. It started off simple enough. Eve’s billionaire husband–and series star–Roarke is interested in creating a haven for abandoned children/teens. He’s taken an interest in an old building that done such a thing almost twenty years previous.  Then, it was known as The Sanctuary. 

Nevertheless, a bit of demolition is required to fit Roarke’s taste for the building.  With the contractor present, Roarke wields a sledgehammer into a wall to get the process started. And what he uncovers is a pocket of space. Tucked in that space are the skeletal remains of two, wrapped in plastic. Roarke wastes no time contacting his wife, homicide Lieutenant Eve Dallas. And, upon her arrival, the skeletal remains of ten others are uncovered buried in further walls of the building.

This was probably one of the best In Death books since Treachery in Death. It’s books like this that make me roll my eyes at book snobs. You know, the individuals who look down on what they deem–snobbishly I should say–genre fiction. (Personally, I'd rather get rid of the “genre” and stick with Sue Grafton’s equivalent, “literary form.”) However, genre fiction, or mystery to be exact, explores social subjects and themes just as effectively as contemporary fiction. Though it's done under the duress of murder (which may be where all the snobby squealing comes from), that is only the vehicle to said themes and social conversations. 


Concealed in Death provided both murder and the conversation. Robb took readers on the individual stories of twelve (and then some) unfortunate teens who found themselves abandoned and/or abused by their families.  Subsequently, they're thrown into a shelter. Many of them gathered hard, abrasive defense mechanisms used to control those around them. Many harbored powerful, self-destructive rage. And many were so broken they were helpless and prey to a variety of influences. These teens manipulated, stole, and fought to relieve their sadness. And in the end, they were lured to their deaths by an individual just as destructive and broken.

Concealed in Death just goes on and on.  Whether it's the book's additional presence of mental illness and suicide; it opens conversation after conversation while telling a sad, troubling story that’s very much worth a discussion. It ranked right up there with the disheartening feeling I gathered after I closed Promises in Death six years ago.  Now, that's not to say that Concealed didn't have its flaws.  It certainly did.  However, just the conception of the case alone made it a winner to me.  Twelve skeletal remains hidden behind walls is chilling in itself.  Plus, I'm not one to nibble on flaws in books unless they're too big for me to swallow.


Which more or less brings me to book number 39, Festive in Death. A personal trainer named Trey Ziegler is discovered in his apartment. Murdered, of course. He was bashed over the head twice with one of his fantastic, high-flying fitness achievement trophies, before finding himself (well, his corpse of a self) stabbed in the chest with a kitchen knife attached to a note reading Santa Says You’ve Been Bad!!! Ho. Ho. Ho!  It would be somewhat easier for Eve if she found some sympathy for her playboy victim. Oh, yeah. The fact that he drugged his many sexual conquests takes part of her disgust. Nonetheless, this is her job; she must stand for the dead. So the search for his killer keeps going. From a fashion blogger, a native mistress, and Trey’s body-building rivals, the list of his potential killer goes on just as the variety of possible motives.  Was it a vengeance kill?  A passion kill?  Or maybe Trey was getting in the way of someone else's personal achievement? So, who killed Trey Ziegler and why?

There’s not that much I want to say about Festive in Death. I thought it was kind of standard. It wasn't all that exciting–especially after the gripping atmosphere Concealed gave me.  However, it was an enjoyable glide with Eve and the cast. See, the thing about Festive was Robb never really flipped any switches to me. I read it thinking to myself “wouldn't it be interesting if Trey’s killer was his gay lover”. Conversely, “what if Trey’s hiding someone else’s homoerotic voyeurisms.” Or even, “wow, I wish the character who seems naive and dumb was actually a blood-thirsty vengeful bitch.” Anything but the status quo would’ve done. And while it did twist a little in the end, it wasn't all that grand.  Plainly put, the book was too damn safe for me.

The true treat of Festive was probably the long scenes dedicated to Eve and Roarke’s life with family and friends. Seeing that this was a Christmas-themed book, it only made sense. Now, I'm not one to really invest too much in Eve and Roarke’s relationships with others. It’s true. To me, the books move so slow and are so stagnant in the relationship area that I don't feel like I really miss much.  Let me explain... 

Early in the series there was an arc where the dating couple, Peabody (Eve’s partner) and McNab (New York’s electronic division officer), were having a tiff.  He caught her being kissed by another individual and it deconstructed/reconstructed everything between them for a couple of books.  It was an issue that was there.  It came present, explored and experience without having been watered down or glossed over.  Another example comes when the resident psychologist, Dr. Mira, and Eve were on rocky terms during another arc in the series.  Their tiff had to do with an ethical disagreement involving a case. So other than that, nothing really sticks out to me concerning characters and their relationships with others. Perhaps I'm just blind to it, because I've read reviews where others are excited for growth in certain relationships where all I see is the same. Even with Eve and Roarke, I hardly see much of this “growth” people keep talking about. Basically, what I'm saying is that nothing breaks down to be built back up between these characters.  At least nothing serious, detrimental, or dynamic-changing.

I'm not as invested in the character relationships as other readers, but when it happens, I do notice piquing changes.  And I also want to add that I believe part of this issues comes with how everyone's world almost always orbits back around to Eve and Roarke.

Nonetheless, with all of that said, I will say that I did enjoy the parts in Festive not focused on the murder case.  (Honestly, I'm kind of shocked that I did enjoy them.) After all, a Christmas party is usually a good time. And in saying that, I still wish Robb would do something with the gay medical examiner Ty Clipper. So annoying how all these straight couples get to have all the fun. Even the coupling between a licensed male prostitute and a doctor (though I like them in general).

Well, that’s it. Enough rambling. I’m moving on to Obsession. Check with me there!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

A Reunion with Robb


I've decided that I'm going to cheat here.  See, for me to lay down exactly what this series is about (the series is almost 50 books deep) would cause me to burst into tears in an attempt to pull off a summary in one, clip paragraph.  With that said, I've got a link HERE that summarizes the story so far–from the author's own website.  If you're curious, click there.  Other than that, here's my last thoughts on this particularly entry in J. D. Robb's In Death series.

So it’s been exactly two years since J. D. Robb’s Delusion in Death (book 35 in her Eve Dallas series) was released, and two years since I got 20 pages in and decided to put it down. That’s where I stopped reading the series, having decided that after the disappointment of book 33, New York to Dallas, that I had my fill of Eve’s resurging past drama.  Nonetheless, I won't spoil anything.  Truly, it is a great and addictive series if all else fails. Recently, I've been thinking about the series–despite my previous complaints at its lack of character momentum and resolution–before I followed the urge to pull myself back into its world. It all just kept calling me back.

So what have I missed in two years? Well, Delusion in Death takes place in the year 2060. It opens inside of a crowded bar called On the Rocks (Robb was always, always kind of corny with names) in Manhattan’s Lower West Side. The bar is crowded during happy-hour, with business professionals searching for unwinding conversations and equally effective drinks. Everything seems sunny and cheerful until the headaches start. Like an invisible wave, those headaches quickly entice a blind rage that sweeps the brains of the bar’s patrons.  Suddenly, On the Rocks becomes a bloodbath where the once docile and tipsy patrons start a full-out assault against what appears to be their worst nightmares. The murderous frenzy leaves eighty dead. Only a few survive to tell their story.


Naturally, homicide lieutenant Eve Dallas reports to the scene, stepping her way over the bodies as she gathers evidence. Furthermore, considering her husband Roarke owns the bar, Eve has her hands full keeping his stake in the matter at bay. Nonetheless, through witness accounts and a set of interviews, Eve eventually uncovers the connection between an aerial hallucinogenic that swept the bar, and a buried apocalyptic cult called Red Horse. The question then becomes who is responsible for reviving the cult’s method of mass murder? Will he or she strike again? And how can Eve and her team stop the murderer and put the formula behind the airborne hallucinogen where no one else can ever have access to it?

So after a two-year hiatus from the series, I have to say that I did enjoy stepping back into Eve Dallas’s world. All the joshing between Eve and Roarke and Eve and her partner Peabody were present still.  I'm grateful for that, because the dialogue between characters are probably this series' strongest element. So I did miss the characters, and it felt great to be back alongside the cast during one of their investigations. Nonetheless, like usually, there are a number of other cast members who make up Eve’s team (and support) that continue to show and crowd up the pages. Having started the series in 2008, I'm very familiar with the cast, but after my little two-year break, I actually started to grow weary of some of them. There are just too many with minor purposes and even lesser development. Trueheart is still Trueheart, the green-around-the-ears cop. Baxter is still Baxter, Trueheart's mentor. Morris is still Morris, the cool medical examiner. (And you probably have absolutely no idea who these characters are!)  Like the series itself, character development often appears stagnant.  Now that's notwithstanding how each book/investigation covers approximately a weekend’s worth of time–give or take.  But regardless, a shake up in the cast is long past due.


As for the actual detection and police procedural portion, nothing much as change. On occasion does Robb write some solid action mixed with some even better avenues of investigation. And I mention that in regard to some of the other books in the series. Delusion, however, was mostly tepid in this area. Almost all opportunities to showcase Eve’s detection skills were unimaginative. To me, someone else is doing all the cooler stuff off-stage before handing Eve the information necessary to build her case.  To my chagrin, this is very contrary to her “digging up the dirt“ and "getting dirty" herself. In turn, this leaves Eve capable of only doing two things: processing interviews and staring at her murder board until an idea strikes. The former she pulls off excellently; it’s always a joy to watch Eve interview witnesses and suspects. The latter she more or less dispatches another cast member to act on her idea. I suppose she can do that as the lieutenant, and even in the very end she played a more active role in the story's conclusion. 

Nevertheless, it would be nice to see Eve untangling a little more than the files on her PPC (Personal Portable Computer). Even so, the series isn't so bad if you like Eve–which I do.  Not only do I find her charming, but she's also one of those characters that ask for your loyalty just as she displays it to her cast of supporters.  You learn to trust her as a reader.  She's the good guy. This is why I'm kind of glad I'm enthused about the series again. For me to detail what I love and what I dislike about the series would take an eternity, so from this point on, I’m just going to enjoy the ride and complain and marvel my way through to its end.

Super side note: thank goodness Robb chilled out on the comma splices this time around.   And what about those rumors that the series is now ghostwritten?  Anyone have a clue?

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