Perfect in Death

In Death #64

by J.D. Robb

Perfection can be deadly in the brand-new crime thriller starring homicide cop Eve Dallas from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb.


Donald Quinland was a husband and father, a teacher and writer. Now, on a dark cobblestoned street where his naked, beheaded body has been discarded like trash, Lt. Eve Dallas wonders what happened during the nineteen hours since he went missing. Forensic evidence indicates that the killer had medical knowledge—could this be the result of illegal organ harvesting, or some sick experiment? Or does the atrocity of the crime suggest a personal vendetta?

After speaking with the grieving family, Eve and her partner visit Columbia and Barnard, where the late professor taught. In these Ivy League halls filled with sharp and occasionally devious minds, it isn’t so easy to get at the truth—and among Manhattan’s elite doctors and scientists, God complexes are an occupational hazard.

Genres: Mystery, Science Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Fantasy, Suspense, Romance, Futuristic

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 2, 2027

About the author

J.D. Robb is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling In Death series and the pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts. The futuristic suspense series stars Eve Dallas, a New York City police lieutenant with a dark past. Initially conceived as a trilogy, readers clamored for more of Eve and the mysterious Roarke. Stolen in Death (St. Martin's Press, February 2026) will be the 62nd entry in the series.

Reviews

[Linden]

Eve has a shocking case. A revered college professor is found decapitated on a public street. Who would want to commit such a despicable act? Then, severed limbs are identified as belonging to a young woman who has gone missing. Eve and her team are committed to stopping the disturbed individual who appears to be a modern day Dr. Frankenstein. It's a pretty gruesome premise and the book moves a bit slowly in the middle since the reader already knows who is responsible, but I always enjoy revisiting Dallas, Roarke, and Peabody as they solve a case. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.

[Nicole Korczyk]

Eve Dallas vs. Dr. Frankenstein. Lots of medical malpractice, very little thinking about If We Should. This was a good addition to the In Death series. I'm never sure how I feel about the ones where we know all along who the killer is, because it removes a good deal of the mystery, but it's still enjoyable to watch Eve's brain figure out the killer's motivations. Especially when the killer is nutso. On the other hand, the end is pretty abrupt because there's not much to say when we've already figured it all out.

[Jenn]

I like how the cover is reminiscent of Captain America's shield.

A local college professor is found headless in Theater Alley. To all accounts, he was a much beloved teacher, friend, father, and husband. So who killed him and where is his head? Dallas and Peabody are on the case with assistance from the usual crew. Someone is channelling their Dr. Frankenstein, but now we just have to wait for Dallas to figure that out in this compelling new entry to the In Death series by JD Robb.

[BWT]

Review to come!

#PerfectInDeath #NetGalley

Publish Date: Feb 2 2027 | Urban | Mystery & Thrillers | eBook

Advanced Review Copy of Perfect In Death provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

[Stacee]

This one was straight up bonkers and I loved it.

Definitely a few things I didn't see coming. As always, I fully enjoyed seeing the group of characters and I really loved that this one picked up almost immediately from the previous.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[Anita]

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary audio Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[LibraryNinja_Beritk]

In book 64 of J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas series, we find one of the most heinous crime scenes she’s ever undertaken: Eve is called to the scene of a body that has been decapitated. Eve has seen a lot of things before, but a missing head is not one of them. A popular professor, his body was less than 24 hours old from the time he went missing. While everyone is baffled at the horrific slaying, things get further complicated when missing limbs show up without a body.

Whoever is doing the killing clearly has some medical knowledge and isn’t afraid to use it. It’s no stretch to say that this is one of the grizzliest books I’ve ever read by J.D. Robb, but it’s also one of the most disturbing in terms of crime, technology, and sheer storytelling. It’s one of the worst nightmares you could ever imagine coming true, and yet you won’t believe it when you read it with your own eyes.

People will be talking about this book long after they put it down. Is there any such thing as perfection in death?

Thank you to Nora Roberts and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#JDRobb #libraryninja📚#EveDallas

[Marion]

Once again, a solid entry in this series. As usual Robb’s characters and plot drive the story. I finished it in one sitting and now can’t wait for the next one. Robb’s mind is always coming up with an interesting storyline that could happen in the future. In this case, a doctor is trying to create the perfect person but killing others and using their perfect body parts. Almost from the beginning we know who the killer is, but we see how Eve and Peabody figure out who is killing people and why. Also, what fascinates me about this series are Robb’s characters. As you read each book, you are still learning something new from all the characters, Eve, Roark, Peabody, Dr. Mira, etc. A fascinating and worthwhile series to pick up and read. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Edelweiss and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa DeLong-Cox]

64 books later and I'm still so pleased to pick up another Dallas and co. story! We get some solid Eve-isms, and a good chunk of time with several of the side characters. This wasn't my all time favorites, but felt like a solid addition to the In Death timeline. I did find it interesting how quickly this picks up following the last book – usually, we've had at least a little time in between stories!

The premise for this one is especially freaky – the idea of a droid/human hybrid being made with PIECES of humans is actually scary, especially when it's revealed that their consciousness is retained from the human parts used. I was sad when I realized that neither of the semi-living victims would be able to make it home to their lives.

*Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!*

[MAB LongBeach]

Eve Dallas doesn't get a break, being called out to a headless body before even having a chance to write up her last case. This is not a mystery; we know from the beginning who the killer is and why. But the good, solid police work, and the interactions between familiar characters carries the book.

A solid entry in the long-running series.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Icywolf]

Robb's upcoming release of Perfect In Death will not disappoint her many fans! It's another wild ride tracking down an improbable killer. You know if the case is really weird, it will be Eve and her team bringing a measure of peace to grieving survivors. I was excited when NetGalley offered an early read for the next book in a long-time favorite series and I thank them for it - the downside is that now it will be a very long wait for the next installment.

[Cozybooklady]

I've been a fan of this series since I read the first book, and this is #64!
Eve Dallas and her partner are called out to another crime scene, and this one is pretty bizarre.
They have a dead body, but no head, and Dallas and Peabody soon find themselves trying to figure out the logistics of the investigation, and with the help of her well oiled team, Lieutenant Dallas once again finds the killer and closes this grizzly case.

[Hannelore Cheney]

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
I had never read any of the books in this series, so I was curious. It took a while to get into the story, but I never quite enjoyed it. Maybe I would have benefited from reading previous ones. I felt I was out of rhythm and couldn't find it, which made the read uneven and confusing. I didn't understand what the point of the whole story was and ended up skipping to the end.

[Suzie]

This is something like the 50th (wait...64th?!?!) Dallas/Roarke book that I diligently read. This one's big far fetched but it is 2050 or something. Seemed to get tied up pretty cleanly with no suspects and then, they find her. I'll be there for the next.