I requested this book by accident as whenever I see a J D Robb title I have to have it not realising this is the first in the Eve Dallas series which I have already read. I don’t often get the chance to reread a book but this confirmed why I like these books. Introducing Lieutenant Eve Dallas no nonsense kick ass cop who follows the rules and her hunches when a woman is murdered Eve wants justice for her and will stop at nothing to find her murderer.

Wow. This was absolutely stunning. Just addictive. It has me hooked from the first chapter and I inhaled it!! I highly recommend it.

Didn’t realise this was the first in the series and I had read some of the later novels. Was great to get an introduction to eve and rourke and learn more about their story

I enjoyed this book immensely. The writing is so good. It kept my interest from the very first page until the last.
Perfect pacing and such well developed characters.
Can’t wait to read more by this author

In ‘Naked In Death’ we meet lieutenant Eve Dallas in the year 2058. Although Eve just finished a horrible case, there’s no time to waste when a young woman gets brutally murdered by a weapon that hasn’t been used in years. The victim also happens to be the granddaughter of a US senator, which makes the case all the more intense. And soon Eve finds out that there will be more murders if she doesn’t solve the case fast. Not only is Eve working hard to find out who killed the young woman, after meeting a possible suspect, the handsome and rich Roarke, she also has to fight her attraction to him. Because a relationship of any kind is definitely not for Eve.

What I’ve loved most about the In Death series is the combination of thrilling suspense, romance and futuristic aspects that fills every book in this series. And this book definitely is a great one in that. From the moment I started reading ‘Naked In Death’ I was hooked. The book starts right away, and it kept me sitting on the edge of my seat right from the start.

The suspense and mystery was very good. There is this brutal murder, and not a lot of suspects to go around. The suspects that are there, aren’t easy to confront. Think a US senator, a high guy in the police world and a billionaire. This definitely made for a very thrilling read I couldn’t put down.

Most of all I was excited to finally learn how the story of Eve and Roarke met. And boy did I love it. I love these two characters, and getting to know these two from the start was so exciting to me. Although I’m not a real sci-fi lover, I love the futuristic aspects in this book too. Things are definitely very different than our present time, but not so different that you couldn’t expect it to be real. I love that.

‘Naked In Death’ definitely was a great read that kept me guessing till the end. I devoured every page and am determined to read more books in this series this year.

What ‘Naked In Death’ also definitely did, was make me remember how much I love reading crime thrillers. I used to read that genre all the time, but in the last few years that changed to romance. I’m definitely now determined to read more books in this series.. but also in other books in this genre.

This is not a bad book at all - obviously. However, I can already tell that I would not rate it higher than three stars if I were to finish it and I am unlikely to keep reading in the series. I do not particularly enjoy the prose, some parts of the narration seem old-fashioned, Roarke is too far along the asshole-scale for me (he is supposed to be getting better in subsequent books), and the speculative elements are a lot less pronounced than I hoped.

The book that kicked off the story of Eve and Rourke. Well worth reading again, a great reminder of the beginning.

Naked in death by J.D. Robb.
This is book 1 of the in death series.
Brilliant read. I loved Eve. Wasn't sure how I felt about Roake. I had no idea who the killer was. I'm looking forward to reading more of this series. 5*.

The first book in the 'In Death' series, 'Naked in Death' reminded me of Castle (the TV show).
Eve Dallas, haunted by her past, has a new case. A serial killer is mercilessly killing prostitutes, leaving them exposed and naked and each time there is a message for Eve, one that establishes his control, power and superiority over the the case Eve is trying to build. The year is 2058, the police investigations are aided by modern technology and in this first book we are informed more about those, including a brief background of the main characters.

Roberts writes a crime story that is free from loopholes, and her detective of choice is an inspiring women who is relentless in her pursuit of the truth. She also meets Roarke, a billionaire and also the man of our dreams. He is compassionate, persistent and attentive towards Eve and her needs.

The plot is engrossing, the readers can deduced their own conclusions through hints lying in plain sight and towards the end, all the questions are answered with precision.
If you are looking for a new author and love to read books with a kickass female detective, cases that will tickle your need for a good mystery and a series that gradually builds with a lot of promise, this might be just what you'll like.

So sorry, this book is a bit too futuristic for my taste so I abandoned it early on. My apologies to the author.

Ok, I am going to admit it. I’ve been aware of this series for a little while now, but never really acted on whether I should read it or not because it’s a long running series. And I mean, Long! It recently released the 50 (!) instalment - Golden In Death - and has no plans on stopping. The 51st - Shadows In Death - will be published this coming September. Plus, there are novellas within this series as well so VERY OVERWHELMING.

But been intrigued to try this so when I saw it was available for review to celebrate Golden In Death’s release on NetGalley, I snapped up a copy and, due to self-isolation, manage to grab my hands on an audiobook edition and listen to it while playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons (why do I get the feeling you’re judging me right now?)

It’s 2058 New York and the world has changed. Technology, the law, crimes. But for Detective Eve Dallas, she knows that murder is still murder.

When a professional sex worker (and granddaughter to Conservative Congressman) is violently murdered, Eve is put on the case as this could be the start of a serial killer. As more sex workers get murdered, her bosses and people in power want a result. Fast. Shame that the lead suspect in Eve’s investigation is one of the most wealthiest and influential men on the planet - Roarke - and that they both seem to have growing attraction to each other…

I’m surprised how well I liked this book. I can see myself very easily reading more from this series (I have one or two books on my kindle for review - one of them is Golden In Death). It’s an easy read. I feel it’s more a romance suspense novel set in the future rather than a crime/thriller, which makes sense as, from the little research I’ve done, it’s rumoured that this was meant to be a trilogy focusing on the main romance between Eve and Roake, hence why their relationship is a little more at the forefront.

Now, before I go any further, I want to stress that this book was first published in 1995, so suffers hugely from “Product of Its Time” syndrome. And that is this book's BIGGEST issue in a nutshell.

It hasn’t aged well. The technology in the book/series feels very dated, but that I will let slide. But how this book tackles the issue of sex work and historic child sexual abuse is a bit… er… not handled well. It’s a bit casual and I believe this book would have been completely different in tone and pacing if written today (hence why I am curious to read Golden In Death to see if that is the case).

And because it has “Product Of Its Time” syndrome, the way the relationship between Eve and Roake is handled is problematic. Nowadays, the relationship would have written different compared to when it was first published, because their romantic scenes together are sketchy. I know some people will say “But both characters are damaged, hence why those scenes are sketchy” and I understand that up to a point, but there were times that I flinched and I don’t think the language the author used in these scenes helped. There were a few occasions the language used in these intimate love scenes as quite aggressive and maybe even on the verge of assault.

I want to say that I did like this book because the crime intrigued me and I liked these characters (Eve more than Roake), but - huge BUT here - I do see the faults with this book and I am aware of them. This book is far from perfect and I hope, as I read more up-to-date novels within this series that these issues will be addressed and handled with better care.

Eve's latest case leads to more than police investigation.

Naked in Death is completely outside my normal reading tastes, but having been unable to concentrate on a book of late I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. It's pure escapism, hugely entertaining and completely distracting.

I found Eve perfectly named. Although Eve is not her original name, it represents the kind of woman she is revealed to be in Naked in Death, as she is both strong and vulnerable, careful and methodical but occasionally rash and always strong willed. I think any reader could identify with some facet of her character, but hopefully not the more devastating experiences she has had. 

Roarke is, if I'm honest, completely cliched and yet utterly attractive. He's rich, tall and handsome and very much a James Bond character and I think I have ended Naked in Death a little bit in love with him. I thoroughly enjoyed the mounting sexual tension between him and Eve and was actually quite surprised by some of the more explicit details of their developing relationship!

In spite of my usual preferred genres, I found the futuristic setting appealed completely. I loved the sumptuous descriptions of Roake's home and felt very much that New York was a clear and distinct location. Whilst J.D. Robb uses transport and communication in particular to create her settings, there is a perfectly familiar grounding too, especially through the themes so that Naked in Death feels relevant and fresh as well as accessible. 

And those themes are universal and pertinent. Relationships, murder, identity, abuse, corruption, violence, politics and honour all reverberate in a thrilling plot that I found transported me away from my own life into another world. I thought the title incredibly apposite too. The murder victims are indeed naked as they die, but the impact on Eve uncovers her personality, her past and a potential future for her too so that she is metaphorically naked as she investigate the deaths.

Naked in Death is exactly as it should be. It's commercial and somewhat predictable and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment reading it. Just what I needed!

It was amazing to read the book where the whole Eve-Roarke saga started. I read this book after I finished reading Golden in Death which is the 50th book in the series :-)
The ‘In Death’ series are really popular and I’ve read a few of the books from the series. The books are set in the future and have a mix of mystery and romance. This book is where Eve and Roarke meet and become a couple, and it was good to find out their history.
J.D Robb created a winner with this series, and I look forward to reading and reviewing many more ‘In Death’ books!

I'm currently dithering between 3 and 4 stars. Reckon that makes it 3.5?

Anyway, this book was much like I expected. It's a crime/mystery/thriller but it's set in the future with new technology. The basic ingredients are the same but a few spices to make it interesting. I enjoyed it. It wasn't amazing!!! but it wasn't bad. I liked Eve she was tough but with a squishy centre at times. She was a good character to follow. I did question some of her decisions but she was never crazy I was just a bit like really?

I think the things which put me off are simple. The POV hopped about a bit. The switching head things in the middle of a paragraph type thing was off-putting. If you want multiple pov great but keep it defined. This is something I've noticed Roberts do before though so I kind of expected it.

The other issue was Roarke. Fine if wants to be known only by one name go for it but I found it a little ridiculous and we had basically no backstory to him so he just felt so 1d. I've requested the next book from the library though (I'm on a waitlist) so hopefully, he gets some more personality later on. I also didn't love their romance. If felt sudden I like some building of tension! Also, the way Roarke forces Eve to accept what he was doing when it came to sex was a bit squiffy she want comfortable and he should have accepted it. And the way she so easily brushed off get past experience in one way to sleep with him and have her sexual awakening yet had flashbacks and trauma in other circumstance felt poorly done. I would have liked more effort to be put in to demonstrate the psychological and emotional impact.

It was enjoyable though even if I guessed the mystery about halfway in I didn't get everything so I was still absorbed in the mystery of whodunnit. It was flawed but this may simply be the book showing some age I don't know how the series has progressed there are a few books.

I started this remarkable series at book #27 (Salvation in Death). Why? Well, this was one of my book club group monthly reads at the time, and I loved it. 💛

I absolutely adored Naked in Death which is book #1 in the 'In Death' series by J.D. Robb. As I write, I can say I am loving book #2 (Glory in Death) as well (I’m currently reading it). 💛💛 There is a lot of love going on here, but rightfully so. I certainly hope it continues through all of books in the series and I'm curious to see how J.D. Robb will keep her abundance of readers engaged for its entirety.

J.D. Robb's writing is really clever. The characters are intriguing and fascinating, the plot has depth, and I was kept guessing almost to the end. I enjoyed the fact that it is set in the future, although this is not always a selling-point for me. The supporting characters were nearly as fascinating as the leads. A (sort of) butler, a friend and a co-worker all had their own peculiarities with subtle threads woven into the story. In a lengthy series like this, it's vital to surround the main players with great secondary people.

I instantly clicked with the heroine, Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who is a very complex woman. Eve has a very tough exterior, but there are occasions when the reader is able to glimpse someone a little bit softer. Blessed with a marvellous sense of humor, Eve doesn't allow anything or anyone to come between her and the case she is working on.

As for Irishman Roarke, when he becomes a suspect in the murder investigation Eve happens to be working on, Eve finds herself in a bit of a quandary. His being a wealthy, sexy and handsome bloke doesn’t make Eve's job very easy, but she would never do anything to compromise the job in-hand...

Naked in Death is a fast paced police procedural with multiple gruesome murders and red herrings to muddy the waters. There is plenty of action, intrigue and romance to keep the reader interested. It's a fantastic mystery and was really difficult to put down, the plot, twists, turns, as well as an incredible conclusion, all working flawlessly together to create a truly engaging book. I am very glad to have finally read it and am eager to read the entire series, however long it takes. Naked in Death is definitely a winner for me! 💛💛💛

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Little, Brown Book Group UK/ Piatkus at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

As a fan of Nora Roberts’ mystery romance novels, this series was recommended to me (JD Robb is the nom de plume of Nora Roberts) so I thought I’d give them a try – starting with the first one, obviously. Naked in Death features detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas, a police officer in New York city.
What I hadn’t realised was that it was set in the year 2058; I kept coming across strange unfamiliar words, but eventually cottoned on to what was happening. Some things had changed, but so much remained the same. Space travel and flying cars are now the norm; guns are illegal but have been replaced with lasers; prostitution is legal and regulated; and real coffee is a scarce and luxurious treat. This is what the future looked like in 1995 when it was written.
Human nature, however, is the same as it always was. The grand-daughter of a prominent politician has been murdered. Sharon DeBlass was working as a high-class prostitute, and the way she is murdered makes it clear to the police that there will be more bodies. Eve is assigned the task of solving this case with only officer Ryan Feeney, from the Electronics Detection Division, to help her – a sign that the investigation is politically sensitive and she needs to tread carefully.
Suspicion falls on multi-millionaire Roarke. He is a personal friend of the dead girl’s family, and has the resources to make enquiries of his own. Although he is a suspect in the case, and she should steer well clear, Eve finds herself strangely drawn to him.
Roberts is a master storyteller, and the characters are well rounded and believable; Eve is tough and resourceful, but vulnerable underneath. A troubled childhood is hinted at, but she is not keen to explore it further and who can blame her.
The fiftieth book in this series, Golden in Death, has just been published. It may take me a few years to catch up, but I will definitely be reading more of the adventures of Eve Dallas. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Crikey.. I was expecting a straightforward, well written crime drama. I got the well written bit, but straightforward? Not even a little bit. Yet still completely enjoyable.

Obviously, I am way behind the curve here, given that the 50th book has been released. But I think that I might just start saving my pennies for more.

I voluntarily reviewed a reviewer copy of this book.

This book was a monumental surprise to me. I have been aware of JD Robb's work for some time through both the huge amount of her work as well as her loyal followers,
Although not a large book, I felt it did so much in its 300ish pages. I was completely drawn into its futuristic world, as well as becoming so attached to the characters and the ongoing mystery.
Before I finished this book I had ordered the next 4 books in the series, which i have since finished and loved.

Readers beware - only start this book if you are prepared to be unable to put down the 50 book series.

I found this book disturbing and confused. I have never heard of the author, nor the fact that it is a series that is now on to its 50th book. I didn't know when it was published originally - I read it assuming that it was a modern story but found out later that it is around 25 years old.

The plot is that a dedicated policed officer, Eve Dallas, is given sole charge of a sensitive murder investigation. More murders are expected because of clues and hints left at the scene of the murder, and the murderer seems to be targeting Eve and taunting her. So far, so good, and I think I would have prefered just to have this storyline - a straight up police procedural.

One of the things that struck me as odd was the future world this was set in. Firstly the technology described felt very old fashioned - there was mention of some kind of futuristic communication device but it was called a fax! Secondly I couldn't see what this added to the plot apart from a few plot devices like the use of telecoms units.

The other part of the story that didn't work for me was Eve's romance with Roarke. It was very sexy which straight away felt very out of place in both a police procedural and a futuristic sci-fi book. Also it seemed out of character for someone "straight as a die" like Eve to behave riskily. And although Roarke seemed to have Eve's interests at heart, how he behaves, eg not asking consent to kiss and touch her, and Eve thinking that if she struggled while he was holding her against her will this would inflame him further, made for very uncomfortable reading for me.

So in conclusion, I am left confused and uncomfortable by this book. It tries to be a sci fi police procedural romance but I am left cold by it.

I have to be honest and say I have heard of these books, and many years ago I did pick this up, having read books by the author under the name of Nora Roberts. But the thing that always put me off was the mention of futuristic, I had visions of a Star Trek type read, although I did love the original Star Trek. So I don’t really understand why I never gave them a go.

So I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book 1 where the reader is first introduced to Eve Dallas a New York police detective who lives for her job, she is an intelligent, tough, honest detective, who wants to see justice served. In the first book she is hired by a prominent family to find the person who murdered their daughter, who was a ‘paid companion’. During the investigation she meets billionaire and mysterious Roarke, who is a suspect in the case. The story has plenty of suspense, to keep the reader engaged in the plot which is at times a little disturbing, but also there is some romance between Eve and Roarke, despite her putting up walls, he is a determined man, it’s good to see that Eve is a strong woman and that he doesn’t want to change her. Eve remembers nothing from before her eighth birthday, there is a hint of abuse, so understandable she doesn’t want to remember.

As this book is the first in a series that I believe reaches 50 this year the author is obviously doing something right with this series, so if you like a crime story with some romance, with some great characters, who I am sure will develop as the series progresses then it may be worth grabbing the first book, and who knows you may find a new series with plenty of books to keep you going for some time.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #PiatkusLittleBrownBookGroup for an ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.