Naked in Death (In Death, #1) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Apr 05, 2018 Kate rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-in-series, set-in-new-york, hero-is-a-cop, kick-arse-heroines, fiction, detective, murder, futuristic

I'm not typically someone who reads detective novels. And futuristic isn't my scene at all. Add to that my being intimidated by series which have a lot of books in them... Well it's no wonder why I haven't read Naked in Death before. But I'm glad I did because it's such a good story.

I loved the main character, Eve Dallas. She's slightly damaged but determined and the exact kind of kickarse heroine I love to read about. She's rough around the edges and does whatever it takes to do her job and ge ...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery, science-fiction, crime, novels, fiction, ultimate-reading-list, romance

On the positive side, I liked a lot of the imaginative touches in this vision of a mid-twenty-first century New York City and was initially pulled into the mystery. This novel by romance writer Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb was shelved in mystery, not romance--and could be called science fiction as well--I usually like such blends of genres.

In the end though, this didn't really work for me as science-fiction, mystery or romance. The sci-fi aspects ultimately are mere trappings, despite the an On the positive side, I liked a lot of the imaginative touches in this vision of a mid-twenty-first century New York City and was initially pulled into the mystery. This novel by romance writer Nora Roberts writing as JD Robb was shelved in mystery, not romance--and could be called science fiction as well--I usually like such blends of genres.

In the end though, this didn't really work for me as science-fiction, mystery or romance. The sci-fi aspects ultimately are mere trappings, despite the angle on legalized prostitution and a gun ban (and already feel dated). The mystery didn't have a twist or impact like the best of that genre. And the romance? Roberts is supposedly known in the genre for pioneering strong female characters, and Lieutenant Eve Dallas comes across as such--dedicated, bright--before she meets the jerk alpha man of her dreams she falls into bed with--even though he's a suspect.

Also, this is early Roberts, having been written in 1995. That means it doesn't yet have the smoother, cleaner style you'd get later from her. Expect POV ping pong--really bad so it's hard sometimes to know who's thinking what. Also, FWIW, I found the Right-winger = asshole riff and anti-gun rants in this novel mucho annoying, even eye-rolling. I did rather like that, unlike almost every other romance novel I've ever read, gay and bi characters actually exist. (And people come in shades other than pale, again, not often seen in romance books if the list of recommended romances I've been reading through is an indication.)

But no, this is not a novel I'd recommend--though this is the first in a series and I hear it improves a lot--I think there are almost 40 books. (Roberts, under any name, is amazingly prolific.) I can well believe the series does get better having read one of Roberts recent books, Tribute--her writing after 15 years has matured into a much cleaner style--but I'm going to pass on reading more of the "in Death" series. Be warned--this is a lot grittier than the usual romance with graphic sex and violence. ...more

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Sep 22, 2010 Tami rated it really liked it

This book was great. It had more sex than I usually prefer to read in a book, but it was a fast, engaging read. There are at least 28 books in this series. When my class is over I am going to read tons of them!

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