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In Death #56
Encore in Death
It was a glittering event full of A-listers, hosted by Eliza Lane and Brant Fitzhugh, a celebrity couple who’d conquered both Hollywood and Broadway. And now Eve Dallas has made her entrance—but not as a guest. After raising a toast, Fitzhugh fell to the floor and died, with physical symptoms pointing to cyanide, and the police have crashed the party.
From all accounts, he wasn’t the kind of star who made enemies. Everyone loved him—even his ex-wife. And since the champagne cocktail that killed him was originally intended for Eliza, it’s possible she was the real target, with a recently fired assistant, a bitter rival, and an obsessed fan in the picture. With so many attendees, staff, and servers, Eve has her work cut out determining who committed murder in the middle of the crowd—and what was their motivation. As one who’s not fond of the spotlight herself, she dreads the media circus surrounding a case like this. All she wants is to figure out who’s truly innocent, and who’s only acting that way…
From all accounts, he wasn’t the kind of star who made enemies. Everyone loved him—even his ex-wife. And since the champagne cocktail that killed him was originally intended for Eliza, it’s possible she was the real target, with a recently fired assistant, a bitter rival, and an obsessed fan in the picture. With so many attendees, staff, and servers, Eve has her work cut out determining who committed murder in the middle of the crowd—and what was their motivation. As one who’s not fond of the spotlight herself, she dreads the media circus surrounding a case like this. All she wants is to figure out who’s truly innocent, and who’s only acting that way…
370 pages, Trade Paperback
First published February 7, 2023
3008 people are currently reading
9444 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Robb
177 books35.3k followersJ.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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,702 reviews
February 13, 2023
J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) infuses murder, suspense, and drama in
Encore in Death
, a well-written futuristic police procedural set in New York City featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas with the NYC police department and set around 2061.
Celebrity couple Eliza Lane and Brant Fitzhugh throw a party on the night before Brant is scheduled to leave for New Zealand. He is producing and starring in a movie being filmed there while Eliza is set for the role of a lifetime on Broadway. Eve Dallas arrives after Brant toasted Eliza, fell to the floor, and died. The drink that killed him was originally intended for Eliza. Which of them was the target? With over 200 guests, staff, and servers, it’s not going to be easy to identify the killer.
Time spent with Eve, Delia (Eve’s partner), Roarke (Eve’s husband), and Eve’s colleagues is always entertaining. The main characters are compelling and three-dimensional. Eve’s need to serve and protect comes through in every book, but the underlying impetus for this is best understood by reading this series in order. As always, the interactions between Eve and Roarke are enjoyable and bring a different facet of Eve’s personality to light. Several of the recurring police characters play significant roles in this book, and readers get to see a bit of their private lives. I also enjoyed seeing Delia take on more responsibility in this story line.
The prose is well-written and engaging. The plot is thought-provoking and tragic. While this book has some action, it is mostly a police procedural. Robb usually manages to weave humor in her novels, providing some much needed levity to offset some of the more serious and grim aspects of the story. The humor manages to bring out Eve’s personality. Everything from phrases she doesn’t understand, to her reactions to the loud clothing worn by her colleagues and to a candy thief make her more relatable. The author brings strong characters, great plots, wonderful relationships, and excellent pacing to the series. Woven through the novel are threads of caring for others, friendship, relationships, ego, glamour, careers, leadership, and trust.
Overall, this novel was a twisty tale with great characterization that kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy engaging near-future police procedurals, then I recommend this series. This is the fifty-sixth book in the In Death Eve Dallas series and I have read all of them up to this point. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
St. Martin’s Press and J.D. Robb provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 7, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.88 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
Celebrity couple Eliza Lane and Brant Fitzhugh throw a party on the night before Brant is scheduled to leave for New Zealand. He is producing and starring in a movie being filmed there while Eliza is set for the role of a lifetime on Broadway. Eve Dallas arrives after Brant toasted Eliza, fell to the floor, and died. The drink that killed him was originally intended for Eliza. Which of them was the target? With over 200 guests, staff, and servers, it’s not going to be easy to identify the killer.
Time spent with Eve, Delia (Eve’s partner), Roarke (Eve’s husband), and Eve’s colleagues is always entertaining. The main characters are compelling and three-dimensional. Eve’s need to serve and protect comes through in every book, but the underlying impetus for this is best understood by reading this series in order. As always, the interactions between Eve and Roarke are enjoyable and bring a different facet of Eve’s personality to light. Several of the recurring police characters play significant roles in this book, and readers get to see a bit of their private lives. I also enjoyed seeing Delia take on more responsibility in this story line.
The prose is well-written and engaging. The plot is thought-provoking and tragic. While this book has some action, it is mostly a police procedural. Robb usually manages to weave humor in her novels, providing some much needed levity to offset some of the more serious and grim aspects of the story. The humor manages to bring out Eve’s personality. Everything from phrases she doesn’t understand, to her reactions to the loud clothing worn by her colleagues and to a candy thief make her more relatable. The author brings strong characters, great plots, wonderful relationships, and excellent pacing to the series. Woven through the novel are threads of caring for others, friendship, relationships, ego, glamour, careers, leadership, and trust.
Overall, this novel was a twisty tale with great characterization that kept me turning the pages. If you enjoy engaging near-future police procedurals, then I recommend this series. This is the fifty-sixth book in the In Death Eve Dallas series and I have read all of them up to this point. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
St. Martin’s Press and J.D. Robb provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and are not biased in any way. Publication date was February 7, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.88 rounded to 5 stars review is coming soon.
September 19, 2023
As the title suggests the setting for this book is the theatre and its players, and the initial murder is at an A-lister party. A famous actor raises a glass of champagne as a toast to his wife, takes a sip and crashes to the ground. Death by cyanide poisoning but who could have done it? I had a very strong gut feeling which eventually proved to be correct. I think I read too much crime fiction.
After fifty six books Robb is still finding new ways and new places for her characters to die. I really admire her creativity. Of course she bases all the action around her established team of Eve and Roarke and friends who are probably the real reason most of us keep on reading the books!
In Encore in Death Eve and Roarke are still in a happy place with lots of love and humour and no cross words. Galahad gets lots of treats. Peabody is still in heaven as she designs her new home. All is right with the world apart from that dratted candy thief who defeats all of Eve's attempts at hiding her chocolate bars.
Easy, entertaining reading. Love it.
After fifty six books Robb is still finding new ways and new places for her characters to die. I really admire her creativity. Of course she bases all the action around her established team of Eve and Roarke and friends who are probably the real reason most of us keep on reading the books!
In Encore in Death Eve and Roarke are still in a happy place with lots of love and humour and no cross words. Galahad gets lots of treats. Peabody is still in heaven as she designs her new home. All is right with the world apart from that dratted candy thief who defeats all of Eve's attempts at hiding her chocolate bars.
Easy, entertaining reading. Love it.
February 21, 2023
the setup…
Broadway and Hollywood megastars Eliza Lane & Brant Fitzhugh are hosting a party, celebrating the occasion of her return to Broadway in the revival of the play the launched her career. Everyone who’s important in the theater and film community are there to commemorate the event with rehearsals beginning the next day and Brant leaving to begin a new vid project. As Eliza and her co-star breakout into an impromptu duet, Brant raises a toast to her and then collapses, dying seconds later of apparent poisoning. It’s a scene of chaos that Lieutenant Eve Dallas and partner Detective Delia Peabody enter into with the monumental task of determining who’s lying and who’s telling the truth among a sea of skilled actors.
the heart of the story…
I chuckled when Eve was handed this case as it had to be one of her worst nightmares…a high profile investigation that promised lots of media attention with her at center “stage.” This was a tough one because from the inside and out, Eliza & Brant had a perfect marriage and relationship. And, it wasn’t totally clear who was the target as that poisoned drink was intended for her. There were a host of suspects and I latched onto one, never letting go until I was forced to admit defeat. There’s nothing easy about this one, which made it even more delectable.
the bottom line…
I loved the background for this case, full of talented professionals who were good at presenting faces that may not be their authentic selves. They were all so good that even Eve’s internal meter wasn’t reliable. It wasn’t all about the case as the updates on Peabody and Mavis’s home renovation project was fun and interesting. Of course, the normal dose of Eve & Roarke time was “icy,” too. The reveal of the killer and motive seriously caught me by surprise and that doesn’t happen often with these cases. This series is still holding up despite it now approaching almost 30 years since the first book, continuing to be one of my auto reads. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
Broadway and Hollywood megastars Eliza Lane & Brant Fitzhugh are hosting a party, celebrating the occasion of her return to Broadway in the revival of the play the launched her career. Everyone who’s important in the theater and film community are there to commemorate the event with rehearsals beginning the next day and Brant leaving to begin a new vid project. As Eliza and her co-star breakout into an impromptu duet, Brant raises a toast to her and then collapses, dying seconds later of apparent poisoning. It’s a scene of chaos that Lieutenant Eve Dallas and partner Detective Delia Peabody enter into with the monumental task of determining who’s lying and who’s telling the truth among a sea of skilled actors.
the heart of the story…
I chuckled when Eve was handed this case as it had to be one of her worst nightmares…a high profile investigation that promised lots of media attention with her at center “stage.” This was a tough one because from the inside and out, Eliza & Brant had a perfect marriage and relationship. And, it wasn’t totally clear who was the target as that poisoned drink was intended for her. There were a host of suspects and I latched onto one, never letting go until I was forced to admit defeat. There’s nothing easy about this one, which made it even more delectable.
the bottom line…
I loved the background for this case, full of talented professionals who were good at presenting faces that may not be their authentic selves. They were all so good that even Eve’s internal meter wasn’t reliable. It wasn’t all about the case as the updates on Peabody and Mavis’s home renovation project was fun and interesting. Of course, the normal dose of Eve & Roarke time was “icy,” too. The reveal of the killer and motive seriously caught me by surprise and that doesn’t happen often with these cases. This series is still holding up despite it now approaching almost 30 years since the first book, continuing to be one of my auto reads. 4.5 stars
Posted on Blue Mood Café
February 4, 2023
Brant Fitzhugh and Eliza Lane - A-listers whose glittering careers saw them rich beyond anyone's dreams. Their marriage was almost ten years long and the party in their apartment was one of both farewell to Brant as he headed to New Zealand the following day for six months, and Eliza as the revival of the stage play of twenty five years ago was due to begin again. Two hundred guests, along with staff, surrounded the pair, but when Eliza and her on-screen daughter Samantha began to sing, to perform, Brant toasted his wife with her champagne. His death was swift - Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Detective Peabody arrived soon after.
With so many witnesses, a distraught Eliza as well as her friends and staff, Eve had her work cut out. The whole team were soon on site, and so it began - the investigation which would take Eve, Roarke and Peabody deep into the minds of the sick and depraved. But would they find the person who killed Brant? Was it supposed to be Eliza who died? It was looking that way...
Encore in Death is the 56th in the In Death series by J.D. Robb and once again the author has nailed it! Another original plot, set in around 2061 where electronics, Auto chefs and hover craft are the norm. The characters are well-crafted and the continuing back-story of friends and family is like catching up with old friends. Oh, and the candy thief struck again! I love this series, and recommend Encore in Death highly.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
With so many witnesses, a distraught Eliza as well as her friends and staff, Eve had her work cut out. The whole team were soon on site, and so it began - the investigation which would take Eve, Roarke and Peabody deep into the minds of the sick and depraved. But would they find the person who killed Brant? Was it supposed to be Eliza who died? It was looking that way...
Encore in Death is the 56th in the In Death series by J.D. Robb and once again the author has nailed it! Another original plot, set in around 2061 where electronics, Auto chefs and hover craft are the norm. The characters are well-crafted and the continuing back-story of friends and family is like catching up with old friends. Oh, and the candy thief struck again! I love this series, and recommend Encore in Death highly.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2023
IMHO this is the weakest of the series... and I'm so very sorry to say it!!!
I love this series and all the characters, but most of all I love the crimes and the reasons behind them. Here, unfortunately, the crime was and the whys were really, really weak!
Also the way Eve got her clues was fortuitous to say the best!
I hope the next one will be better... I really hope...
I love this series and all the characters, but most of all I love the crimes and the reasons behind them. Here, unfortunately, the crime was and the whys were really, really weak!
Also the way Eve got her clues was fortuitous to say the best!
I hope the next one will be better... I really hope...
February 12, 2023
As predicted, the book hit all the spots. And I just admire the way the author brings out the best in friendships and relationships.
Peabody and Dallas are probably the best fictional female friendship I have encountered so far. I absolutely adore their dialogues. Laugh myself silly at times and I'm impressed every single time how the author makes the simplest interactions become meaningful.
I had to re-read paragraphs of dialogues just because they were so incredibly well written.
The plot was as unique and interesting as always, but overall the cast is what makes these books so good. Love them ALL!!
Can't wait to read the next book.....
Peabody and Dallas are probably the best fictional female friendship I have encountered so far. I absolutely adore their dialogues. Laugh myself silly at times and I'm impressed every single time how the author makes the simplest interactions become meaningful.
I had to re-read paragraphs of dialogues just because they were so incredibly well written.
The plot was as unique and interesting as always, but overall the cast is what makes these books so good. Love them ALL!!
Can't wait to read the next book.....
June 13, 2025
I like this one better during the Reread. I loved "seeing" the house renovations. I liked the mystery. This series is definitely my favorite.
April 14, 2023
4.5 stars ...
I was late to the game in reading the “In Death” series … was always putting it off: not even sure why – well, I was sort of sure why. Roarke is Irish I am always wary of all things “Irish” in books … I find the Irish characters are parodied a bit in literature and it annoys me. Started "Naked in Death" in 2012 (it was first published in 1995) so 17 years after it’s first publication. Another factor that put me off a bit was the fact that it was set in the ‘future’, the mid-21st century. BUT, after reading book one, I was hooked.
Eve and Roarke, Roarke and Eve – who is my favourite - hard to say – I want to be Eve and I want to be married to Roarke …
He is perfect. Eve – perfect? To me she is – some might find her a little bit brash and unapproachable, she finds it hard to make friends, she is not a fan of socialising or fashion (as I said, she is perfect to me). But once she earns your trust she is a friend for life.
Anyway, back to this book, ENCORE IN DEATH, book 56 – I hear you ask ‘how can you still be interested in a series, 56 books in?’ – very easily, I would say. I think I have rated most of the books four and five stars, nothing less. I have some favourites and ones that I will re-read - not sure this is one of them, hence the 4.5 and not the full 5 stars ...
This one kept me interested all the way through. I read and listened to it – love the narrator, Susan Erikson.
One little quibble that I have is Eve’s lack of comprehension of ‘popular references’ – she comes across as being a bit thick and she is not - she is very intelligent- In one of the books she did not even know that Springsteen was referred to as ‘The Boss’ – c’mon now, gimme a feckin’ break.
Some nice moments between Roarke and Eve ... seriously, no man is that perfect ...
Towards the end, I had an inkling who the culprit was ...
I was late to the game in reading the “In Death” series … was always putting it off: not even sure why – well, I was sort of sure why. Roarke is Irish I am always wary of all things “Irish” in books … I find the Irish characters are parodied a bit in literature and it annoys me. Started "Naked in Death" in 2012 (it was first published in 1995) so 17 years after it’s first publication. Another factor that put me off a bit was the fact that it was set in the ‘future’, the mid-21st century. BUT, after reading book one, I was hooked.
Eve and Roarke, Roarke and Eve – who is my favourite - hard to say – I want to be Eve and I want to be married to Roarke …
He is perfect. Eve – perfect? To me she is – some might find her a little bit brash and unapproachable, she finds it hard to make friends, she is not a fan of socialising or fashion (as I said, she is perfect to me). But once she earns your trust she is a friend for life.
Anyway, back to this book, ENCORE IN DEATH, book 56 – I hear you ask ‘how can you still be interested in a series, 56 books in?’ – very easily, I would say. I think I have rated most of the books four and five stars, nothing less. I have some favourites and ones that I will re-read - not sure this is one of them, hence the 4.5 and not the full 5 stars ...
... she studied the pond and the purity of the floating white lilies. Tangled roots down there, she bet; you just had to look under the surface.
This one kept me interested all the way through. I read and listened to it – love the narrator, Susan Erikson.
One little quibble that I have is Eve’s lack of comprehension of ‘popular references’ – she comes across as being a bit thick and she is not - she is very intelligent- In one of the books she did not even know that Springsteen was referred to as ‘The Boss’ – c’mon now, gimme a feckin’ break.
Some nice moments between Roarke and Eve ... seriously, no man is that perfect ...
"And there she is," Roarke murmered with a hint of Ireland in his voice.
"What a strange system runs between law and order."
Towards the end, I had an inkling who the culprit was ...
February 27, 2023
3.5 stars: There was too much slow build in the middle, but once things started moving, I couldn't stop reading. This is an interesting take (IMO) on THE MIRROR CRACK'D FROM SIDE TO SIDE by Agatha Christie in terms of its premise
February 26, 2023
Read this review on Fresh Fiction
Even with fifth sixty books in the series, J.D. Robb shows no signs of stopping with the In Death series. In ENCORE IN DEATH, a well-known man dies of cyanide poisoning. I can’t recall the last time a victim died due to poisoning in this series so it was a welcome notion. As you can expect, Robb weaves an intricate storyline that kept me on my toes.
I enjoyed the way Robb was able to keep me in the dark for most of the novel before revealing the identity of the killer. Not only was this perfectly executed but the ideas in her stories as well as her characters remain fresh and unique.
Robb has always had a skill at creating unusual victims and suspects, so it’s always a blast to read about them. I especially enjoyed this cast as the theme was carried out well, adding flavor to the mysterious plot. As one of my favorite mystery series, I always have high hopes for J.D. Robb and so far, she never fails to entertain me. ENCORE IN DEATH definitely deserves a standing ovation!
Even with fifth sixty books in the series, J.D. Robb shows no signs of stopping with the In Death series. In ENCORE IN DEATH, a well-known man dies of cyanide poisoning. I can’t recall the last time a victim died due to poisoning in this series so it was a welcome notion. As you can expect, Robb weaves an intricate storyline that kept me on my toes.
I enjoyed the way Robb was able to keep me in the dark for most of the novel before revealing the identity of the killer. Not only was this perfectly executed but the ideas in her stories as well as her characters remain fresh and unique.
Robb has always had a skill at creating unusual victims and suspects, so it’s always a blast to read about them. I especially enjoyed this cast as the theme was carried out well, adding flavor to the mysterious plot. As one of my favorite mystery series, I always have high hopes for J.D. Robb and so far, she never fails to entertain me. ENCORE IN DEATH definitely deserves a standing ovation!
February 9, 2023
I always look forward to a new book in this series, some are great, some are good, either way I know I'll like them. This one fell into the good category. The case was interesting, I really had a hard time guessing the bad guy until Eve laid it out for us. Then was stunned at who and why and what they got away with years ago. Some people really don't deserve to breathe air.
The entry didn't have a lot of extra stuff outside of the crime and working on finding the killer. It's too bad, because those are now some of my favorite parts. The one part of the book that dealt with this involved Roarke's wedding present to Eve. He really gets her and could not have gotten her anything better. The best part of the gift was Eve making Roarke sit through all the accolades that came along with the gift, he deserved those as well.
The entry didn't have a lot of extra stuff outside of the crime and working on finding the killer. It's too bad, because those are now some of my favorite parts. The one part of the book that dealt with this involved Roarke's wedding present to Eve. He really gets her and could not have gotten her anything better. The best part of the gift was Eve making Roarke sit through all the accolades that came along with the gift, he deserved those as well.
November 2, 2025
I really liked this one!! At a big, exclusive party, someone is poisoned. Its cyanide.
Roarke outdoes himself with his gift to Eve on their anniversary!! I always think to myself ‘wow, time surely moves slowly in their universe!’ Glad of it!!
Roarke outdoes himself with his gift to Eve on their anniversary!! I always think to myself ‘wow, time surely moves slowly in their universe!’ Glad of it!!
February 24, 2023
A good time is always had when I get to travel back to NYC circa 2061 to visit with Eve, Roarke, and the rest of the gang. I’m usually pretty good at having an idea of who the killer or killers are but, honey, I was all kinds of wrong this time around. You couldn’t’ve told me Sella wasn’t the killer. I just knew she was gon’ be Eliza or Brant’s bitter long lost daughter they put up for adoption and now she's back for revenge or somethin’ like that. To say I was shocked when the real killer was revealed is an understatement! 🤯🤯🤯 And, I really liked her! Damn you J.D. Robb! Shakes fists dramatically in the air. 😩😩😩 Oh, well! Til’ next time.
June 10, 2023
This is book number 56 in the Death Series. I must say that this book was a dud for me. I am not sure exactly why but I could never get into the story and kept falling asleep listening to the audiobook. I think it is just me; maybe the mood I was in or I was too exhausted when trying to read book.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours and forty-seven hours. Susan Ericksen does an excellent job reading the book even if I feel asleep.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is thirteen hours and forty-seven hours. Susan Ericksen does an excellent job reading the book even if I feel asleep.
January 3, 2024
Updated review as of January 3, 2024.
Re-read since I needed a palate cleanser after the last "In Death" book I just read. This is still probably one of the best books that Robb has put out in the latter part of the series.
Solid
Great installment of In Death. Thank goodness there wasn't a master serial killer wanting to spar with Eve. Book started a little dry, but then got really good. Really liked this. I liked the murder(s) and the why too. Just solid police work in this one. Also reduced Nadine time (thankfully) and reduced house decoration conversations (thankfully). Please lets stop with the movie syndication stuff.
"Encore in Death" kind of takes us back to the roots of the series. We have Eve investigating a murder. Very important people are involved. Eve solves it without actually using Roarke that much at all. And then the guilty party is caught, confesses, and the book ends. I won't actually cry about this by the way. The cults and super serial killers started to bug me after a while. Though the world of celebrity in the In Death world is often tedious now because of the whole Icove movie thing, at least we can see how Eve can use it to her advantage. Now never let of us speak of that thing again.
"Encore in Death" follows Eve as she and Peabody end up with a case of an A list movie star who is found dead during a party he and his Tony winning wife were throwing before he left to film a movie on location. The man was poisoned with cyanide (yes...give me old school murder weapons people). Eve quickly learns the man was well liked/admired/even loved but his wife was a bit terse and not as lovable. When Eve realizes that the wife may have been the target, then the case shifts and even goes back to a death that took place over 25 years earlier.
I thought this was really solid. You know why, Eve was actually wrong in this one. She didn't catch something and it also made her more human to me. Like I said, the cults and super serial killers and all of that have turned Eve into a Mary Sue type character for a few books now. I liked she struggled on this one and honestly got onto the wrong path. Heck even readers were all probably on the wrong one with this. And it made it a more fun read to follow all of the pieces and resolve things. Also we just have Eve and Roarke being a solid and happy married couple (thank God). I also laughed a bunch of times during conversations they were having (which has been a while believe me). I still glossed over the sex scenes, but that's just me not really caring anymore about them in that way. Glad they still get up to things so to speak. But honestly this was just good. Roarke has a job and it always baffled me he would be missing for days/hours at end to help out Eve and how none of his Board had a problem with it.
Peabody still decorating. I maybe laughed when Eve gave her 2 minutes permission to talk about the house. I think Robb has been reading our reviews LOL. We all are over it. Please let that house be done in the next book. I love decorating and renovating my house. I don't care to read about in fictional character's homes though. Peabody was good in this one, we really get to see her growing as a detective. The annoying sidekick who apparently has no sense at all seems to be slowly diminishing. There was a moment there when Peabody was all a flutter about meeting the wife of the man who got murdered that made me want to shake her slightly.
McNabb, Morris, Reo, Summerset, etc. are all here. We had Nadine at three points in the book, I mostly skipped over her. She's another one I wouldn't be sad at having a reduced role in the books. She's still somehow a super journalist with her own t.v. show and also is writing Oscar winning screenplays and oh yeah books. I cannot.
The writing was really good and the flow at first was a bit slow. But things did pick up. We also got some hints about Eve and Roarke taking a vacation to Greece soon and there 3 year anniversary is coming up. I think in that logic Bella is like 10.
The twists in this one were really good and I enjoyed watching all the loose ends being tied up. I didn't favorite this since I rarely go back and re-read any of the later In Death books.
ETA: I also liked that we got to know more about Roarke and Eve in this one. Roarke's go to comfort food is fish and chips. Eve wears a sleep shirt a lot in this book. Do you all recall her wearing one before? She talks about washing dishes, I didn't even know she did dishes. She even talks about helping Roarke clean up their bedroom. There was a lot of domestic pulses in this one which were nice to read about. I think at one point I used to joke that Roarke and Eve never went to the bathroom because it's rarely mentioned about Eve doing much more than a spin in something and Roarke is always dressed when Eve wakes up.
Re-read since I needed a palate cleanser after the last "In Death" book I just read. This is still probably one of the best books that Robb has put out in the latter part of the series.
Solid
Great installment of In Death. Thank goodness there wasn't a master serial killer wanting to spar with Eve. Book started a little dry, but then got really good. Really liked this. I liked the murder(s) and the why too. Just solid police work in this one. Also reduced Nadine time (thankfully) and reduced house decoration conversations (thankfully). Please lets stop with the movie syndication stuff.
"Encore in Death" kind of takes us back to the roots of the series. We have Eve investigating a murder. Very important people are involved. Eve solves it without actually using Roarke that much at all. And then the guilty party is caught, confesses, and the book ends. I won't actually cry about this by the way. The cults and super serial killers started to bug me after a while. Though the world of celebrity in the In Death world is often tedious now because of the whole Icove movie thing, at least we can see how Eve can use it to her advantage. Now never let of us speak of that thing again.
"Encore in Death" follows Eve as she and Peabody end up with a case of an A list movie star who is found dead during a party he and his Tony winning wife were throwing before he left to film a movie on location. The man was poisoned with cyanide (yes...give me old school murder weapons people). Eve quickly learns the man was well liked/admired/even loved but his wife was a bit terse and not as lovable. When Eve realizes that the wife may have been the target, then the case shifts and even goes back to a death that took place over 25 years earlier.
I thought this was really solid. You know why, Eve was actually wrong in this one. She didn't catch something and it also made her more human to me. Like I said, the cults and super serial killers and all of that have turned Eve into a Mary Sue type character for a few books now. I liked she struggled on this one and honestly got onto the wrong path. Heck even readers were all probably on the wrong one with this. And it made it a more fun read to follow all of the pieces and resolve things. Also we just have Eve and Roarke being a solid and happy married couple (thank God). I also laughed a bunch of times during conversations they were having (which has been a while believe me). I still glossed over the sex scenes, but that's just me not really caring anymore about them in that way. Glad they still get up to things so to speak. But honestly this was just good. Roarke has a job and it always baffled me he would be missing for days/hours at end to help out Eve and how none of his Board had a problem with it.
Peabody still decorating. I maybe laughed when Eve gave her 2 minutes permission to talk about the house. I think Robb has been reading our reviews LOL. We all are over it. Please let that house be done in the next book. I love decorating and renovating my house. I don't care to read about in fictional character's homes though. Peabody was good in this one, we really get to see her growing as a detective. The annoying sidekick who apparently has no sense at all seems to be slowly diminishing. There was a moment there when Peabody was all a flutter about meeting the wife of the man who got murdered that made me want to shake her slightly.
McNabb, Morris, Reo, Summerset, etc. are all here. We had Nadine at three points in the book, I mostly skipped over her. She's another one I wouldn't be sad at having a reduced role in the books. She's still somehow a super journalist with her own t.v. show and also is writing Oscar winning screenplays and oh yeah books. I cannot.
The writing was really good and the flow at first was a bit slow. But things did pick up. We also got some hints about Eve and Roarke taking a vacation to Greece soon and there 3 year anniversary is coming up. I think in that logic Bella is like 10.
The twists in this one were really good and I enjoyed watching all the loose ends being tied up. I didn't favorite this since I rarely go back and re-read any of the later In Death books.
ETA: I also liked that we got to know more about Roarke and Eve in this one. Roarke's go to comfort food is fish and chips. Eve wears a sleep shirt a lot in this book. Do you all recall her wearing one before? She talks about washing dishes, I didn't even know she did dishes. She even talks about helping Roarke clean up their bedroom. There was a lot of domestic pulses in this one which were nice to read about. I think at one point I used to joke that Roarke and Eve never went to the bathroom because it's rarely mentioned about Eve doing much more than a spin in something and Roarke is always dressed when Eve wakes up.
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October 1, 2023Listen, I'm 56 books in at this point. These continue to be books that I read that go in one ear and out the other. And I love that for me.
October 26, 2022
I enjoyed this as a fast, easy read. I used to really enjoy this series but as the series progressed the sameness of the plots did my head in. This one is number 56 and it has been several years since I last picked one up so when a ARC appeared at work I was a bit excited to give it a go.
A farewell party has left a man on the floor dead from cyanide. Eve Dallas is on the case and there are more than a few twists and turns before the culprit is in cuffs. But of course, Eve has suspected the right person from the very beginning. Massive spoiler has been hidden:
I want to say it was a fun, easy crime read but even the space of several years didn't stop this from feeling formulaic: Eve Dallas has become a collection of quirks in a grumpy but pretty police costume. McNab is still a bundle of brightly coloured energy. Peabody, in spite of being by now a senior and experienced detective, still seems to treat every pronouncement from Eve as if from on high. Roarke is still master of the business world with seemingly endless time to help his grumpy, workaholic wife.
I am sure the fans will still love this; Nora Roberts / J.D. Robb has a way with a story, but it is no longer enough to cancel out the cliched sameness, for me at least. The other thing that struck me as I was reading is that this the least diverse cast of main characters in any fiction book I have read in ages. Nearly everyone is straight,cis, and white (there are the odd mentions of different skin tone but you wouldn't know if they had a different culture from how the characters are written or how they relate to the world). While the story is set in the 2050's but it may as well be the 1950's. This might be part of her appeal for some demographics. This is really 2.5 stars as I did enjoy as some undemanding escapism and I keep hoping Roberts will one day do some real character development and shake this series up a bit.
A farewell party has left a man on the floor dead from cyanide. Eve Dallas is on the case and there are more than a few twists and turns before the culprit is in cuffs. But of course, Eve has suspected the right person from the very beginning. Massive spoiler has been hidden:
I want to say it was a fun, easy crime read but even the space of several years didn't stop this from feeling formulaic: Eve Dallas has become a collection of quirks in a grumpy but pretty police costume. McNab is still a bundle of brightly coloured energy. Peabody, in spite of being by now a senior and experienced detective, still seems to treat every pronouncement from Eve as if from on high. Roarke is still master of the business world with seemingly endless time to help his grumpy, workaholic wife.
I am sure the fans will still love this; Nora Roberts / J.D. Robb has a way with a story, but it is no longer enough to cancel out the cliched sameness, for me at least. The other thing that struck me as I was reading is that this the least diverse cast of main characters in any fiction book I have read in ages. Nearly everyone is straight,cis, and white (there are the odd mentions of different skin tone but you wouldn't know if they had a different culture from how the characters are written or how they relate to the world). While the story is set in the 2050's but it may as well be the 1950's. This might be part of her appeal for some demographics. This is really 2.5 stars as I did enjoy as some undemanding escapism and I keep hoping Roberts will one day do some real character development and shake this series up a bit.
February 12, 2023
3.5 stars
"We compromised, and still do, though that doesn’t always come easy for us. Love doesn’t hang on conditions, but marriage bloody well hangs on compromise.”
Book 56 guys. Each time I finished a book in this series, it always feel like I've accomplished something. And I actually did enjoy this one far more than I expected, despite having a certain actor/actress element being a big part of it. The case was also a pretty straightforward with a few little twists and many lies.
As always, the characters were the stars of the book, while the police procedural thing comes second. Nothing much happened, characters-wise, but still it's like coming home. I guess I was just in the perfect mindset for this one.
"We compromised, and still do, though that doesn’t always come easy for us. Love doesn’t hang on conditions, but marriage bloody well hangs on compromise.”
Book 56 guys. Each time I finished a book in this series, it always feel like I've accomplished something. And I actually did enjoy this one far more than I expected, despite having a certain actor/actress element being a big part of it. The case was also a pretty straightforward with a few little twists and many lies.
As always, the characters were the stars of the book, while the police procedural thing comes second. Nothing much happened, characters-wise, but still it's like coming home. I guess I was just in the perfect mindset for this one.
February 13, 2023
3.5 ***
Disappointing. Not one of the better In Death stories. Same old plot. Wealthy, famous entitled character killing another wealthy, famous character. Roarke fans will be disappointed. Obligatory cameos from a few regular characters. Susan Ericksen is an excellent narrator otherwise I would have been bored. I hate to say it but I'm beginning to think J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) should end the series rather than continue with sub par story telling.
Disappointing. Not one of the better In Death stories. Same old plot. Wealthy, famous entitled character killing another wealthy, famous character. Roarke fans will be disappointed. Obligatory cameos from a few regular characters. Susan Ericksen is an excellent narrator otherwise I would have been bored. I hate to say it but I'm beginning to think J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) should end the series rather than continue with sub par story telling.
February 13, 2023
Another solid addition to one of my favorite series! It's beyond impressive that 56 books in to this series and it's still fresh and exciting. Loved the ending (and thought I knew what was going to happen a couple times, but was wrong, which I really love).
February 23, 2023
56 books in and I still really enjoy this series. Still love the narrating style of the audio book. It's a really fast read. This time, Eve, Peabody, Rourke, and the rest of the crew are investigating the poisoning death of an A-list star. It's fascinating the different angles that Eve has to navigate to solve the murder. As an avid reader of the series, I also really enjoy the running gags - like Jenkinson's ties and the thief who keeps stealing Eve's hidden candy bar in her office.
February 7, 2023
Standard, below par Eve Dallas book.
Well written and formulaic, but the story fails to stand the test of logical reasoning in the central scene. This is the one where Eve intuits who she thinks the killer is. That chain of thinking is weak and hinges purely on "instinct".
If investigators everywhere used their "instincts" like that, God help the innocents who get caught in the cross-fire.
There's a deliberation about the writing in the first chapter leading upto the murder and Eve's introduction, it looks like it was "bolted on" with thinly buried clues, purely to substantiate the eventual killer.
It seems like the author wrote herself into a dead-end, then used the investigators "instinct" to force fit another central character into the role of the killer and finally edited in a bunch of cues and clues in the first chapter to tie it together.
Like a recipe with salt sprinkled on instead of cooked in.... its not bad, but its missing something in terms of smoothness and flow.
This book is the straw that breaks my personal value for money equation - the reason I stop reading JD Robb, 20 years after I started, with "Seduction in death" in 2002.
The quality of the writing is still great, still very visual; but the characters have stopped resonating... I suppose its fair to say that this series and this author isn't relatable anymore.
I guess, I've finally outgrown her.
Good bye. Thank you for 20 years of good books.
It was nice while it lasted!
Well written and formulaic, but the story fails to stand the test of logical reasoning in the central scene. This is the one where Eve intuits who she thinks the killer is. That chain of thinking is weak and hinges purely on "instinct".
If investigators everywhere used their "instincts" like that, God help the innocents who get caught in the cross-fire.
There's a deliberation about the writing in the first chapter leading upto the murder and Eve's introduction, it looks like it was "bolted on" with thinly buried clues, purely to substantiate the eventual killer.
It seems like the author wrote herself into a dead-end, then used the investigators "instinct" to force fit another central character into the role of the killer and finally edited in a bunch of cues and clues in the first chapter to tie it together.
Like a recipe with salt sprinkled on instead of cooked in.... its not bad, but its missing something in terms of smoothness and flow.
This book is the straw that breaks my personal value for money equation - the reason I stop reading JD Robb, 20 years after I started, with "Seduction in death" in 2002.
The quality of the writing is still great, still very visual; but the characters have stopped resonating... I suppose its fair to say that this series and this author isn't relatable anymore.
I guess, I've finally outgrown her.
Good bye. Thank you for 20 years of good books.
It was nice while it lasted!
February 17, 2023
I enjoyed this book so much! JD Robb/Nora Roberts always produces a readable, interesting book. The last 2 JD Robb books, while addressing important issues, were really too much for me to handle due to subject matter. I'm so happy that she has returned to a less traumatic murder, at least for the reader. Our favorite characters progress a bit in their lives; their interactions are amusing and endearing. The victim in this book is a well-loved actor who is poisoned at a party and there are a number of suspects. The story read well, there are enough twists and turns to keep things interesting and of course there are Dallas, Rourke and Peabody. I am just so relieved that this book was fun and terrific.
February 26, 2023
More of the same but passed the time listening. The crime was easily solved though I’ll admit wavering there somewhat, I was always strong with my initial guess. That along with no character development made a soft read. Nothing to write home about. Probably a 3 for this series but still better than some 3 star books I’ve read, so I’ll round up. Narrator was good as always.
March 13, 2023
2.5 stars.
I liked the beginning. The middle bogged down. But then about 70% the book picked back up. That is because an interesting personality was introduced at about that point. And the story took off. I think what was missing in the middle part -- for me anyway-- was that it was all Eve batting theories with people but not a lot of action or even anyone interesting in the mix. Just a lot of talking.
And then the kicker for me was the eventual villain. There was something there and I liked the picture they painted of this person at the very end. But the road to get to them was not well laid. I think the we were supposed to feel shocked. But instead I felt underwhelmed -- the motive was underwhelming, the clues getting us there were almost non-existent til they weren't and we got the 11th hour explanation of everything, even the scenes throughout the story with the villain were underwhelming until the end when we needed them not to be.
Pet peeve alert: I know Eve has an issue with idiomatic uses of language. And for awhile her disgruntled "why is that even a thing" exasperation over word etymology would only show up occasionally. But this one we got at least four of those moments (or maybe five) in this one book alone. It is a nice quirk but it loses its charm when it becomes so overused.
I dunno... I might have to put these aside for a bit. For years the Eve Dallas stuff was a solid, reliable read two books a year. But lately they've been feeling way too familiar, hitting the same beats. So I think I am going to let them rest for awhile, maybe come back when I feel like I need a familiar read.
I liked the beginning. The middle bogged down. But then about 70% the book picked back up. That is because an interesting personality was introduced at about that point. And the story took off. I think what was missing in the middle part -- for me anyway-- was that it was all Eve batting theories with people but not a lot of action or even anyone interesting in the mix. Just a lot of talking.
And then the kicker for me was the eventual villain. There was something there and I liked the picture they painted of this person at the very end. But the road to get to them was not well laid. I think the we were supposed to feel shocked. But instead I felt underwhelmed -- the motive was underwhelming, the clues getting us there were almost non-existent til they weren't and we got the 11th hour explanation of everything, even the scenes throughout the story with the villain were underwhelming until the end when we needed them not to be.
Pet peeve alert: I know Eve has an issue with idiomatic uses of language. And for awhile her disgruntled "why is that even a thing" exasperation over word etymology would only show up occasionally. But this one we got at least four of those moments (or maybe five) in this one book alone. It is a nice quirk but it loses its charm when it becomes so overused.
I dunno... I might have to put these aside for a bit. For years the Eve Dallas stuff was a solid, reliable read two books a year. But lately they've been feeling way too familiar, hitting the same beats. So I think I am going to let them rest for awhile, maybe come back when I feel like I need a familiar read.
February 10, 2023
Boring. The series has lost it's plot and character details in the last several books. The interplay and complexity of the earlier books is lost.
May 31, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this 56th book in J.D. Robb's "In Death" series!
March 31, 2023
I obviously love this series if I’ve stuck around for 56 (!!) books. I love the near-future setting, I love the procedural setup, but most of all, I love the characters. By 56 books in with the same core cast, I know these people intimately. They feel more real to me than some people I know in real life. I also love the episodic nature, how each case is self-contained to a single book, while we get to see how the lives of the central cast are progressing and changing from book to book.
This particular story deals with the celebrity world. When a hugely beloved actor dies of cyanide poisoning at the party he was throwing with his equally famous actress wife, Eve has to determine which half of the power couple was truly the intended target as she weaves through this world of glitz and glamour and long-held grudges. Just because you’re famous doesn’t mean you aren’t willing to get your hands dirty for revenge’s sake if opportunity presents itself.
I found the central story of this particular installment a bit lackluster in comparison to some other books in the series. However, I readily admit that this is due in large part to the fact that I am in no way enamored with the celebrity realm. I see what Roberts was doing with this installment, though. The past few books have dealt with heavy, dark, disturbing content, and this provided a bit of a breather for both the reader and the characters. Even if I wasn’t deeply invested in the case, there were a few interesting twists, and I’m always incredibly happy to catch up with the characters.
This particular story deals with the celebrity world. When a hugely beloved actor dies of cyanide poisoning at the party he was throwing with his equally famous actress wife, Eve has to determine which half of the power couple was truly the intended target as she weaves through this world of glitz and glamour and long-held grudges. Just because you’re famous doesn’t mean you aren’t willing to get your hands dirty for revenge’s sake if opportunity presents itself.
I found the central story of this particular installment a bit lackluster in comparison to some other books in the series. However, I readily admit that this is due in large part to the fact that I am in no way enamored with the celebrity realm. I see what Roberts was doing with this installment, though. The past few books have dealt with heavy, dark, disturbing content, and this provided a bit of a breather for both the reader and the characters. Even if I wasn’t deeply invested in the case, there were a few interesting twists, and I’m always incredibly happy to catch up with the characters.
May 17, 2024
Kind of nice to read a typical, no major life events, not even peril for our leading characters In Death book. Let’s face it after more than 50 books in the series you really need a slower one from time to time in order to keep things believable. I really appreciate that about this one. Especially as I grabbed it while I was quite sick because I needed something familiar and easy.
So for me it was a solid cozy read.
So for me it was a solid cozy read.
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