Well one thing about COVID and the state of the world, all I have been able to do past few days is read. I have been able to get through my library backlog, but I also really really wanted a comfort read. I tried to start The Chronicles of Narnia and started to get annoyed so set that series aside (will get back to it around Christmas I think) and then wandered around my shelves at home and was like I really need something to read. And then I came across my In Death books. For those who know me, they know I have been reading “In Death” since I was a teenager. My mom bought the first book and it used to have a high heel on the cover. I started reading it and thought it was weird, but kept reading. I didn’t really understand the whole urban fantasy thing going on at the time. I started to pick up the series later in graduate school and then started buying them. I haven’t bought one in a few years since the series got very samey there, but the first few were so good. The first few that brought you into the land of Eve Dallas and Roarke. Ahh.
Naked in Death (5 stars)-The book that launched a thousand words. The first book in the series is when we are introduced to Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Eve is dealing with the fact that she shot and killed a suspect and she feels like she is treading water. She has her best friend Mavis and a crappy apartment. However, things change when a senator’s daughter is found murdered and Eve finds herself interviewing suspects and meets billionaire Roarke. The chemistry between the two of them is immediate, but Eve is focused on her case and not on sleeping with a man that she thinks just sees her as a play thing. The series starts off in the year 2058 and I swear that the first few books are the only ones that move the timeline along efficiently. It’s only lately that it feels like a murder goes down and Eve solves in 5 minutes. I have to say that the dialogue was great and so was the main plot. The romance was not upper most in the book, but it is there and it shimmers. When Eve and Roarke finally have their moment, it’s worth the wait.
Glory in Death (4 stars)-The second book has Eve in a something with Roarke. She’s not happy about trying to define things and hates that it feels like he’s trying to box her into something she doesn’t want. When a murder occurs, it’s enough to get Eve out of figuring out where things are going between them. Honestly this one really was mostly about Eve and Roarke’s relationship. At times I hated the guy because he really does bully Eve in this one. I think J.D. Robb made the relationship more equal later in the series, and also Roarke wasn’t always right. But I felt myself getting irked at Roarke in this one.
Immortal in Death (4 stars)-Ahh we get Leonardo in this one. We have Eve investigating a murder which links back to Mavis. Let’s get it out of the way, there’s no freaking way that Eve would be allowed on this case. Okay, moving along. Things do feel a bit far-fetched in this one. I definitely thought this one was a reach at times. Robb gives a ton of probably suspects though. I think I like that better than the later series when you know right away who did it, or when you realize that Eve knows in seconds who a murderer is. We also are dealing with Eve trying to come to grips with the fact that she has agreed to marry Roarke. There’s an explosive thing that is revealed in this one that definitely shapes the series as it goes on with Eve finally remembering her past and what it means for her as a cop.
Rapture in Death (3.5 stars)-This was a weird one. Maybe because when Robb tries to get all science fiction about some things like this one was it doesn’t really work well. I think I like Scalzi more in these cases because he breaks things down enough in his books that you are like, yep, sounds plausible. We still have some fallout between Eve/Roarke in this one because of Eve recovering what was done to her as a child and Roarke trying to come to grips with it. This was probably the first time that I actually did like Peabody. She has a great scene in this one that ends up protecting not only Eve, but Roarke. And we also see how much Mavis loves Eve too. I really do wish we got more points of view via Mavis in the series. We rarely do, but when we do, we get that bond that at times doesn’t get talked about/brought up enough for me.
Ceremony in Death (3 stars)-We have Eve and Feeney at odds in this one. I think this was the lone time that Robb tried to do a “Halloween” book and thank God. I don’t think most fans liked this one. And for me it was because of the ending. The ending. Gah. It’s wrong and I still feel uncomfortable about the character of Jamie because of what went down. And also the whole thing about Satan/Wiccan religions, etc. just no, no.
Vengeance in Death (3.5 stars)-This was a hard one for fans. A huge thing is revealed about Roarke. It used to get brought up a lot in the earlier books I realized, but Robb barely brings it up now. Probably because it left fans divided about whether Roarke was a good guy or not. We do get to meet McNabb in this one.
Holiday in Death (2.5 stars)-I did not need an incest book. I did not.
Midnight in Death (2.5 stars)-One of the first half books in the series. I still have this one and the collection it was part of, so that was fun to read. This moves pretty fast, Eve has a timeline to catch a serial killer before he murders Dr. Mira.
Conspiracy in Death (3.5 stars)-This one was just kind of boring after a while. Eve is accused of murdering a fellow cop. Of course she didn’t do it. But we have to deal with her having a breakdown about losing her badge and gun and Roarke steps in to take care of her. The whole thing felt so damn convoluted. Part of me wanted her to walk away from the NYPD in the end, but then we wouldn’t have a series would we?
Loyalty in Death (3 stars)-I don’t know, this one was boring. I forgot how much. It just dragged on it felt like for hours. I do agree with someone I follow that it baffles the mind that Eve was even the freaking lead on this. I mean come on. Things on that front get ridiculous as the series goes on, but it drives me up the wall that Eve would even be involved in a freaking terrorist case like this.
Witness in Death (4.5 stars)-Well a great read to end on. We have an actor murdered in front of an audience, who did it? I loved the turns this one took and I loved that Eve in the end still fought for justice for the victim, though she didn’t like him in the end. What was good about this one though is that for once we have Eve determined to “woo” Roarke and Roarke messing it up was pretty great to read. I wish I could remember the recent one where Eve bought the team food and they all thought it was Roarke and kept thanking him and how ticked she kept getting LMAO. Anyway, we get a small moment that I really did enjoy.