Dark in Death

In Death, Book 46

By: J. D. Robb

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

Lieutenant Eve Dallas returns in the new novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense, and takes on a case of death imitating art...

It was a stab in the dark.

On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan's neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel's best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel's blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional.

Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime - from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn't think it's coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else's imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series.

The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer's deranged private drama - and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong.

From the author of Echoes in Death, this is the latest of the edgy, phenomenally popular police procedurals that Publishers Weekly calls "inventive, entertaining, and clever."

©2018 Nora Roberts (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Writers block takes on a new meaning

Murder at a classic vid and the earlier death of an LC wind up connected through the books of a mystery novelist. Will the murdered or Dallas write the final chapter?

the beat goes on

Eve doesn't seem to flow in her part with quite the same appeal as usual, and the story lacked the intensity. Still, Eve, Peabody, and Roarke kept fans looking forward hoping for a better outcome.

obsession in overdrive

Eve and Roarke never fail to satisfy. The dynamic duo along with Eve's crack team of detectives must deal with a meticulous and physco seamstress who thinks she can write better than the author she "thinks" has plagiarized her unpublished work. She becomes a stone cold killer by becoming the villain in the authors works and killing off the main protagonist by re-enacting the crimes. Knowing in her deluded mind she will get away with it because of course, she is the better author. Eve with help from Roarke must delve into the author's books to get into the mind of the killer and prevent more deaths. In this one the inestimable Summerset is still away on vacation. and this frees Eve and Roarke to "explore" different rooms in the mansion as part of a romantic "bucket list".

A good Dallas adventure

Must have been fun including a writer in the plot. All those publishing details required no additional research. Other than that it is a plain old Dallas crime story, in other words wonderful. And Susan Erickson is perfect as always.

Always keeps my interest

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eve Dallas, always Eve but honestly I love all the characters. I've read every book in the "in Death" series and Eve is no nonsense, tough cop but has a soft side. Loves deeply, cares about her extended family, continues to learn about all the social nuances she faces.

What does Susan Ericksen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Individuality, she brings all the characters alive. I picture them using her character descriptions and the individual voices she uses for each character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I typically listen to audio books during my commute. I often laugh or cheer for the good guys while listening to any of the books in the "in Death" series.