What’s better than Eve, Roarke, Peabody and McNab? Two Eve’s, two Roarke’s, two Peabody’s and two McNab’s. In Celebrity in Death, the 34th installment of J.D. Robb’s long running In Death series, we find Eve Dallas face to face with Eve Dallas and both are right in the middle of murder.
In all honesty, after reading New York to Dallas (In Death Series #33) I thought there was nowhere for the In Death series to go. In that book Eve faced head on many of the emotional demons which haunted her throughout the series. With Roarke beside her she faced her past with courage and an emotional tenacity that allowed her to move on. Their love was stronger than ever and the hurdles they faced felt like the climax to the series. I wondered where the series could possibly go from there. I was pleased to find the latest book, Celebrity In Death, is the next chapter in Eve’s life, a life that is always evolving and filled with excitement.
Celebrity in Death solidifies the fact that at the core of this series are two major components. The first component is a clever and intricate weaving of several ongoing relationships which continue book after book. Of course the most important relationship is between Eve and Roarke. Their marriage, like any marriage, has its ups and downs, but the love and romance between them is constantly evolving. As readers we get a ring side seat to their relationship, making us feel as if we are a part of their lives.
The second major component is Eve’s job as a Lieutenant in the Homicide Division of the New York City Police Department. Each book involves a murder and reveals Eve’s tenacious nature doing whatever it takes to solve that murder.
Celebrity in Death gives us the Eve that’s all business. When she’s invited to a Hollywood party with the cast and crew of the new film The Icove Agenda, a film based on one of Eve’s cases, she’s not only sitting down with Hollywood’s A-listers, she’s also sitting down with the actors who portray her, Roarke, Peabody and McNab. At first it’s a bit disconcerting carrying on conversations with people who look just like her husband, herself and her partner, but Eve manages. That is until K.T. Harris, the actress who portrays Peabody, is found dead. Now Eve finds herself in the middle of a murder case where all the suspects are very good actors and all of them had a reason to kill K.T. Harris.
With blackmail, bribery and several actors who not only know how to tell a believable lie but also had a reason to wish K.T. Harris dead, Eve has to wade through the world of movie making and find out who really murdered her.
This was a great addition to the In Death series. In many ways it allowed us to take a breath from the deeply emotional journey that was part of the previous book New York to Dallas. This one has lots of humor and camaraderie between the characters and features what Eve does best – solving murders. Of course there’s lots of help from the ever lovable Peabody, the quirky but steadfast McNab and one of the best heroes in romance today – Roarke. It also allows readers who have not followed the series to jump right in – it’s all about the case and the characters who are quintessentially unique, lovable, familiar, and who are to many us “family”.
Don’t forget to check out the General Fiction Forum on February 21st when Deb Haupt does a Q&A with J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts.
I’m curious. How many of you are In Death fans? What is your favorite In Death Book? Which character would you like to see ‘featured’ in the next book?
dhaupt
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Hi Marisa, thanks for the plug. I am a fanatic In Death fan 
there are few better romantic couples in my book than Roarke and Eve, they both have checkered pasts, they both are passionate people, they both burn up the pages with their lovemaking.
I would like to see more of Charles and Dr. Louise.
thanks for the great article, it's hard to believe this is the 34th installment of that series, it's unbelievable how fresh it still seems.
Deb'
