30.6 - Delicious Dee's Task: In Death by J.D. Robb

[SRC Moderator, Moderator]

30.6 - Delicious Dee's Task: In Death by J.D. Robb

Wrapping up this year of tasks exploring my many book series in progress, I thought we could dive into one of the longest running series I’ve ever engaged in. With book 60, Bonded in Death, released in early February, the In Death series by J.D. Robb has kept me busy for many years.

For this task, you will pick one option and read a book A and book B from that option.
Your page count MUST exceed 500 pages (so 501) and at least one of the authors MUST BE NEW-TO-YOU.
Required: State which author is new-to -you

Option 1 – The Series
Book A: Read one of the books in the In Death series (NOTE: while each book is technically a standalone mystery, the world building continues throughout the series)

Book B: Read a book where an author uses the following format for their name – Initial.Initial. Last Name (i.e. J.D. Robb; T.L. Swan)

Option 2 – Cast of Characters
Over 60 books, the list of characters is vast. For the purpose of this task, only characters with first and last names are included, which is why Rourke is not on the list.

Required: For this option, pick one of the characters from the list below. You will use this character for both Book A and Book B.

Book A: Read a book where the author shares either first or last name with the character. Name must match spelling and position.

Book B: Read a FICTION book where the main character shares the same career/job as your chosen character. The career should be obvious from the book description.

Characters:
Lawrence Summerset – Butler or Majordomo
Delia Peabody – Police Detective
Ian McNab – Police Detective
Charlotte Mira – Psychologist
Li Morris – coroner
Ryan Feeney – Police Captain
Mavis Freestone – musician
Nadine Furst – Journalist
Louise DiMatto – Doctor
Cher Reo – Lawyer/Prosecutor

Option 3 – Titles and Series Numbering
All but one of the books in the series shares the same naming formula – BLANK In Death (book 33- New York to Dallas breaks that mold). For this option, you may pick any book in the series that is a whole number entry - with the exception of 33.

Book A: Read a book that shares the first word with your chosen edition. Words must match exactly.
For example: Indulgence in Death - A Fashionable Indulgence

Book B: Read a book in a series, where the series number entry can be found in your chosen In Death book. For the purpose of this task, series must have at least three published entries.
For example: Indulgence in Death is #31– you could read a book that is 1, 3, 13 or 31 in a series.
Required: state which series title and number you used

[Dee]

Eve Approves

JD Robb/Nora Roberts - if you have previously read Nora Roberts - you can still count JD Robb as your new to you author

Coroner = medical examiner is an acceptable substitution
Psychotherapist = psychologist is an approved substitution

[Dee]

You're Under Arrest (Disapproved)

[Marie (UK)]

So if I am doing option 2b using
The Shrine the MC Ryan is a Detective Chief inspector am I right in assuming this will work and the rank of detective does not matter

Eve is not on list either - is this deliberate?

[Dee]

Marie (UK) wrote: "So if I am doing option 2b using
The Shrine the MC Ryan is a Detective Chief inspector am I right in assuming this will work and the rank of detective does not matter

Eve is not on..."

yes DCI would work for Detective

I wanted this subtask to focus on the supporting characters vs. Eve/Rourke - because while I love them, I have equal love for everyone else

[Marie (UK)]

Dee wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "So if I am doing option 2b using
The Shrine the MC Ryan is a Detective Chief inspector am I right in assuming this will work and the rank of detective does not ma..."

me too - I might have saved Bonded if I had known this task was coming

[Dee]

Marie (UK) wrote: "Dee wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "So if I am doing option 2b using
The Shrine the MC Ryan is a Detective Chief inspector am I right in assuming this will work and the rank of detective..."

sorry!! re-read a favorite?

[Marie (UK)]

Dee wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "Dee wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "So if I am doing option 2b using
The Shrine the MC Ryan is a Detective Chief inspector am I right in assuming this will work and th..."

[Karen Michele]

For option 2 could I use Louise Erdrich for book a and then use Naked in Death for book b as a character with (obviously;) the same job? I have never read JD Robb or Nora Roberts. I've been interested, but it's such a long series!

[Dee]

Karen Michele wrote: "For option 2 could I use Louise Erdrich for book a and then use Naked in Death for book b as a character with (obviously;) the same job? I have never read JD Robb or Nora Roberts. I've been interes..."

unfortunately louise isn't in Naked in Death - if you want to try the series, I would go with the first option and then find 2 initials author to read

[Karen Michele]

Dee wrote: "Karen Michele wrote: "For option 2 could I use Louise Erdrich for book a and then use Naked in Death for book b as a character with (obviously;) the same job? I have never read JD Robb or Nora Robe..."

Ok, thanks, that was my back-up plan, too.

[♞ Pat]

For option #2, would you consider Kay Scarpetta of Postmortem (chief medical examiner) a coroner?

[Dee]

♞ Pat wrote: "For option #2, would you consider Kay Scarpetta of Postmortem (chief medical examiner) a coroner?"

yes that works

[♞ Pat]

Dee wrote: "♞ Pat wrote: "For option #2, would you consider Kay Scarpetta of Postmortem (chief medical examiner) a coroner?"

yes that works"

Awesome. Thanks!

[Marie (UK)]

Just had another look at the Task Dee.

Does the character have to be the same for both tasks in Opion 2
e.g. If I am using Ian McNab to match Author first name of Ian then my second book must have a detective character as that is McNab's job

[Dee]

Marie (UK) wrote: "Just had another look at the Task Dee.

Does the character have to be the same for both tasks in Opion 2
e.g. If I am using Ian McNab to match Author first name of Ian then my second book must hav..."

I intended it that way - i'll get the mods to tweak

[Julia]

Regarding the requirement that at least one author must be new-to-you: If an author uses as pseudonym, would that make a difference?

I have read several books by Nora Roberts, but none published as J.D. Robb. Would I be able to use J.D. Robb as my new-to-you author for Option 1?

[Dee]

Julia wrote: "Regarding the requirement that at least one author must be new-to-you: If an author uses as pseudonym, would that make a difference?

I have read several books by Nora Roberts, but non..."

Let me check with the mods

[Marie (UK)]

Julia wrote: "Regarding the requirement that at least one author must be new-to-you: If an author uses as pseudonym, would that make a difference?

I have read several books by Nora Roberts, but non..."

I had completely missed the new to me requirement will have to go back to the drawing board

[Dee]

Julia wrote: "I have read several books by Nora Roberts, but none published as J.D. Robb. Would I be able to use J.D. Robb as my new-to-you author for Option 1?"

got adjudication from the mods - while it is known that JD Robb is the pseudonym for Nora roberts - we're going to treat her as a new to you author; as long as the book page doesn't list both JD Robb and Nora Roberts

[Theresa]

I have not read JD Robb before so if I did Option 1 for this task if I did #1 of the series for book 1, would it be ok to do book 2 in the series for book 2 of the task

Book 1 - Naked in Death by JD Robb new to me
Book 2 - Glory in Death by JD Robb - author with the correct name format

I just want to make sure before I plan this.

Thank you

[Dee]

Theresa wrote: "I have not read JD Robb before so if I did Option 1 for this task if I did #1 of the series for book 1, would it be ok to do book 2 in the series for book 2 of the task

Book 1 - [book:Naked in Dea..."

Works for me - I hope you enjoy! I think when u started to binge read the first 6 within a month - now I’m more tactful in my reading

[Theresa]

Dee wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I have not read JD Robb before so if I did Option 1 for this task if I did #1 of the series for book 1, would it be ok to do book 2 in the series for book 2 of the task

Book 1 - [b..."

Thanks, looking forward to a new series!!!

[Roxana]

Hi, would a nonfiction book work for 2B? Like say the biography of a musician, or a collection of essays by a journalist? Or does "main character" imply fiction? :)

[Dee]

let me talk to the mods and get their thoughts

[Dee]

Roxana wrote: "Hi, would a nonfiction book work for 2B? Like say the biography of a musician, or a collection of essays by a journalist? Or does "main character" imply fiction? :)"

Hi Roxana

I chatted with mods - we’re going to modify language to require it to be fiction - we feel that nonfiction may add too many variables to establish does it work

[SRC Moderator, Moderator]

Task has been updated to say that 2B needs to be a fiction book.

[Kathy KS]

For option 3, if I choose an earlier book for book A (let's say, #1) must I only choose another #1 of a series, or do others having the numeral 1 count (e.g. 10, 11, 16, 21, etc.)

[Kathy KS]

Another question for option 3...

Can book 1 actually be a J.D. Robb "In Death" title?

[Dee]

Kathy KS wrote: "For option 3, if I choose an earlier book for book A (let's say, #1) must I only choose another #1 of a series, or do others having the numeral 1 count (e.g. 10, 11, 16, 21, etc.)"

if you were to pick a book 1 - then only a book 1 would work - the options more apply if you were to pick a book in the series with double digits

[Dee]

Kathy KS wrote: "Another question for option 3...

Can book 1 actually be a J.D. Robb "In Death" title?"

yes you can use a JD Robb book

[Kathy KS]

Dee wrote: "Kathy KS wrote: "For option 3, if I choose an earlier book for book A (let's say, #1) must I only choose another #1 of a series, or do others having the numeral 1 count (e.g. 10, 11, 16, 21, etc.)"..."
Got it! Thanks.

[Kathy KS]

Dee wrote: "Kathy KS wrote: "Another question for option 3...

Can book 1 actually be a J.D. Robb "In Death" title?"

yes you can use a JD Robb book"

Great.

[Katrisa]

Would a psychotherapist work for psychologist? When I search for books with a psychologist MC I seem to be just getting any mental health professional in the lists.

[Dee]

Katrisa wrote: "Would a psychotherapist work for psychologist? When I search for books with a psychologist MC I seem to be just getting any mental health professional in the lists."

i'll accept it because from what i can tell a psychotherapist can be a psychologist

[Katrisa]

Dee wrote: "Katrisa wrote: "Would a psychotherapist work for psychologist? When I search for books with a psychologist MC I seem to be just getting any mental health professional in the lists."

i'll accept it..."

Thanks!

[Jen B]

Not a question, just had to say thanks for this task because this series wasn't anywhere on my radar -- now I am hooked! :) Loved it!

[Dee]

Jen B wrote: "Not a question, just had to say thanks for this task because this series wasn't anywhere on my radar -- now I am hooked! :) Loved it!"

ah ha! my devious plan worked :) but totally concur - I had the first book on my TBR for ages - and then I bought the audiobook and I was hooked!