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Naked in Death

Naked in Death (In Death, #1)

by

Start date: January 16, 2012

Finish date: January 16, 2012

Discussion: ♦Buddy Reads♦

Discussion leader: Shellbelle

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♦Buddy Reads♦

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last updated Mar 30, 2025 03:36AM

* Buddy Reads - Discussion/Find A Buddy
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last updated Feb 26, 2025 06:00PM

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What Members Thought

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*

Sep 02, 2017 Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: a-own-book-form

Better than most of the Nora Roberts I've tried lately. The relationship isn't fully plausible but it has its fun moments. A little angsty but Eve has some depth, even if its a bit stereotypical. Going from three stars to four because the mystery and the end explanation is clever. Full review soon. ...more

15 likes · Like · see review

Krissy

Nov 03, 2013 Krissy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-before-2015, cover-color-black, audible-library, audiobook, pgs-300-399, abuse, cover-color-blue, cover-butterfly

Re-read with audio. I would still rate it a 3-3.5

12 likes · Like · see review

Wealie

Mar 08, 2016 Wealie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-audible, 0-kindle, challenge-read, read-in-2020, 0-purchased, listened, favourites, 1st-of-series, 0-series-read, re-read

5 stars - The novel that started a 50 strong novel series, with a plethora of novellas to boot. A wonderfully written start to an exceptional series of characters in a fully realised world you can almost taste in the writing.

This review was written after several readings of the full series, so is coloured by my 60 odd book strong knowledge of the key characters.

This is an excellent procedural cop drama, romance suspense and in a near future New York setting centring on a politically charged murd 5 stars - The novel that started a 50 strong novel series, with a plethora of novellas to boot. A wonderfully written start to an exceptional series of characters in a fully realised world you can almost taste in the writing.

This review was written after several readings of the full series, so is coloured by my 60 odd book strong knowledge of the key characters.

This is an excellent procedural cop drama, romance suspense and in a near future New York setting centring on a politically charged murder case of a licensed companion (prostitute) who was the granddaughter of an influential senator. Lieutenant Eve Dallas is the top murder cop in Central PD assigned to the case as she navigates a multitude of suspects. Eve is a complicated character with psychological issues in her past hidden by amnesia, she lives a simple life and is defined by her role as a murder cop, to the detriment of everything else in her life. One of Eve's top suspects is the alluring billionaire and gifted entrepreneur Roarke with a shady past. On the surface Roarke has all the check marks of prime suspect, but Eve just can't line him up as prime suspect in her mind. On top of that Eve can't help being drawn to him every time she's in his presence, even if spending time with him puts her badge and career she lives for in danger.

Exceptionally well written, with great characterisation and world building. It's hard to think about the characters and world building without taking into account my experience of reading the full cannon. However, I remember on first reading how gripping I found the world building, which was so visceral at times I felt I could taste it and smell it along with Eve. In terms of characters, a re-read gives new nuances to the words and actions of the characters and you recognise certain elements as more important as they become emblematic throughout the series. But again, on first reading I remember being profoundly affected by Eve and finding myself caught up in the slow burn romance between her and Roarke. More than that, the supporting characters, especially Feeney, Commander Whitney and Summerset were well realised and seeds of ongoing character traits and arcs are put in place skillfully without bogging down the central plot.

The central plot around the procedural murder investigation was strong, with just enough twists and turns to keep you engaged, without becoming too fantastic. The same goes with the futuristic world setting. The tech makes sense (in fact, one could suggest J.D. Robb predicted Alexa and Siri!) and adds an interesting dynamic, without overpowering the central plot. Even reading this in 2020 (25 years on from it's original publication) it feels fresh, though there was a fun reference to the urban wars ending in 2016 that made me smile when I caught it this re-read. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if Robb is still writing Eve and Roarke's story when we finally catch up with the time period they're rooted in, I mean 2058 is only another 38 years away.

The primary POV is of Lieutenant Eve Dallas, occasionally switching with the murderer, Roarke and briefly with Feeney. When the POV changes it makes sense and at no point do you struggle to know whose eyes you're seeing through, whose thoughts you're hearing.

It's not surprising that instead of only being the first of a three novel arc, this has become an ongoing series that still packs an emotional punch, even at 50 full novels in - 61 books including all the novellas, with two more due to be released in 2020 and 2021. If anything the long running nature of the series means you get to see the characters grow and fall more deeply in love with them.

Along the way we meet the first few members of the Dallas/Roarke extended family: (view spoiler)

I've revisited this novel several times over the years and adore the narration by Susan Ericksen. I enjoy the novel even more with every new installment J.D. Robb writes adding layers of emotional connections to Eve and all her interconnected relationships. Going back to the original few novels with the knowledge of how Eve and Roarke's love and New York life develops, along with the wonderful crew of characters they accrue along the way is fab. If you haven't read this book, I can't recommend it enough, it's in my all time favourites and if you have read it, give it another whirl, especially if you've read the rest of the novels, it is even more enjoyable knowing where these great characters are going. ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Marla

Jan 13, 2012 Marla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series, romance, adult, made-me-laugh, challenged, mystery, girl-power, recommend-frankie, recommended-to-me, science-fiction

Murder mystery set in the future (2058). Once I got over the shock of a future world, the mystery and romance captivated me.

Reminds me of Rachel and Trent in Kim Harrison's The Hollows series, but without the magic, Eve Dallas is a tougher and smarter detective then Rachel is a witch, and Roarke is more sweet and sexy than Trent.

Likes:
* Beautiful and tough thirty something, Lt. Eve Dallas
* Eve's appreciation of coffee
* Mavis Freestone, Eve's one-time arrest turned friend
* Roarke, mysterious, pow ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Carrie

Jul 25, 2014 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-in-a-series, serial-killers, library, romantic-suspense, crime, futuristic-romance, cats, mystery-thriller, courtesan-prostitute, rape

I have been meaning to start this series for a while now. I have read a few of Nora Roberts books in the past and had liked them, so chances were good that I was going to enjoy her writing under the name J.D Robb. And I was correct.

I mean whats not to like, we have a psychological thriller set in the future, yes there is "romantic" moments, well to be honest there was sex and the build up to potential romantic relationship. It's the year 2023, guns have been banned and are illegal, prostitution ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

☘KathyD☘

Jun 29, 2014 ☘KathyD☘ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: pages-300-399, genre-romance, book-kindle, character-alpha-male, audio-audible, genre-suspense, book-1st-in-series, character-government, character-kickass-heroine, pov-multiple

This book was suggested by a couple of people, so I had to read it...definitely a good idea! :) Looking forward to the next in the series!!!

Reread June 2020

1 like · Like · see review

Shan ~A~

Sep 30, 2013 Shan ~A~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1st-in-series, series-trilogies-i-started

I don't know what took me so long to start this series, but I am not a huge fan. Yes, its true and only after reading the 1st book in the series.

Who in there right mind wouldn't want more Eve and Roarke.

She alone is so kickass and take no prisoner, that you can't help but to root for her and his definitely fits right in with her personality.

He doesn't judge her, he just accepts her for who she is and falls in love with her flaws and all.

On top of that it fun to see Eve or rather experience Ev ...more

Like · see review

Joy

Jul 22, 2017 Joy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This combination of police procedural/romance/SF book really sucked me in. I devoured the next two in this long-running series.

Like · see review

Mary X

Jul 21, 2011 Mary X rated it liked it

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Rieh Medin

Sep 12, 2011 Rieh Medin rated it it was amazing

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Ouroboros

Oct 02, 2011 Ouroboros marked it as to-read

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Christy

Oct 17, 2011 Christy rated it liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, romantic-suspense

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Laurel

Aug 14, 2012 Laurel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

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Sarah Dizon

Nov 02, 2012 Sarah Dizon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, library, read-in-2012, romance, 4-stars

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Kim

Nov 08, 2012 Kim marked it as to-read

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Denise

Aug 21, 2013 Denise added it

Shelves: mystery

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Maggie

Jan 04, 2014 Maggie rated it really liked it

Shelves: zz-2014-relistens, zz-2014-challenge-reads

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Brenda H

Mar 30, 2020 Brenda H rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1990s-published

4 stars

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Navi

Oct 07, 2014 Navi marked it as to-read

Shelves: romance, science-fiction, mystery, crime, thriller, first-of-series, audiobook, libby-overdrive

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Carole Workman

Nov 27, 2014 Carole Workman marked it as to-read

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Teddie

Feb 04, 2015 Teddie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: badass-protagonist, favorites, mystery

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Logan

Sep 28, 2015 Logan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, borrowed-library, romance, 2016-books-read

2 likes · Like

Nancy

Oct 10, 2015 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, thriller, romance, on-kindle

1 like · Like

Shelley

Mar 03, 2016 Shelley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, re-read, mystery, 2016

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tpixie

Mar 11, 2016 tpixie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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Melike

Dec 10, 2016 Melike marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller

2 likes · Like

Kristin

Dec 17, 2016 Kristin marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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Lindsay

May 01, 2018 Lindsay rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5stars, romantic-suspense, audiobook, read-in-2018

6 likes · Like

Susan

May 23, 2017 Susan marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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Beth

Nov 03, 2017 Beth added it · review of another edition

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