Naked in Death

So, here I am, writing a review for the first book in the phenomenally successful forty-book 'In Death' series written by a much-loved author, and I've abandoned the book a quarter of the way through. Talk about cognitive dissonance.

The last time I felt this way, a client had taken me and my team to their favourite Argentinian steakhouse. It was the kind of place where the seats were covered in cowhide and the servers told you how long the cow carcass has been 'ageing' on a hook and explained that every steak was freshly cut from the carcass just before it hit the pan. It was meat-eater heaven and everyone was enjoying their food except me. I'm a vegetarian so not only was there not much for me to eat but I spent the first half-hour show more wondering how my fellow diners lived with the overpowering smell of fresh blood and bubbling fat that I could feel tainting my clothes.

'Naked In Death' started out as a fun read in a hard-boiled way. It had a no-nonsense, fast-paced start that quickly established the character of the main detective, Eve Dallas. The world-building of New York City in 2058 (as imagined in 1995) was deftly done. Only the flying cars felt dated.

But, even from the start, something about the novel felt off to me. There was an undertone of sleaze that was as welcome as the feel of a sticky hotel room carpet under my naked feet.

As I got further into the novel, I could see that it was going to have a clever plot, a high body count and a well-thought-through setting. I could also see that I really wasn't going to have a good time with this book because I didn't like what it set out to be. It seemed to me to be a power exchange romance novel dressed as an SF mystery. Not my sort of thing.

Rourke, the billionaire who can't afford a first name, didn't do anything for me. His faux Irish (I'll keep the sexy accent and the twinkly eyes and lose the immigrant heritage) charm just made me wonder what he was really up to. As he was a billionaire, I assumed it would be something sociopathic or narcissistic.

Still, it wasn't Rourke who put me off the novel, it was Eve Dallas. Almost everything about her annoyed me. She was constantly and pointlessly aggressive. Her analytical ability seemed weak. Her interrogation technique was all muscle and no brain. She lept to conclusions that ran far ahead of the data. She tried to solve a crime that the killer has told her is the first of six by looking at who had a motive for the first killing. Yeah, that's going to work. And then she gets distracted by tall, dark and kinda-Irish because he serves great coffee on his private jet which has her closing her eyes and licking her lips with pleasure. Sheesh. We hadn't even gotten to the passionate I just can't control myself with you sex scenes that I could see were inevitable and I already wanted to wash my hands.

Dallas' attraction to Rourke was a predictable cliché. That Rourke found Dallas intriguing seemed less plausible to me than the flying cars.

I abandoned the book at twenty-five per cent not because it was poorly written but because I didn't want to spend the rest of the book with my lip curled into a sneer as I kept count of all the things Dallas said, did and was, that annoyed me.

So, I decided to stop being the vegetarian in a steakhouse and move on to something that I have an appetite for. show less

Naked in Death
4 Stars

In New York City of 2058, homicide detective Eve Dallas is called in to investigate the murder of a prostitute only to learn that the victim is also the granddaughter of a prominent United States Senator. With the police chief and the media breathing down her neck, Eve’s case rapidly goes from bad to worse when another woman is killed and Roarke, the wealthiest and most enigmatic man in the universe, becomes a prime suspect.

As a huge fan of Nora Roberts’ books, I’ve heard oodles about this series from friends both here on Goodreads and in RL, but never quite managed to get past the first chapter (perhaps because books set in the future are not really my cup of tea).

Thankfully, the ladies over at the J.D. Robb show more group are having a series read in 2016 and I decided to bit the bullet and try again. Well, suffice it to say that the third time’s a charm!

Once I managed to get past the futuristic setting to realize that this is basically a police procedural with romantic elements, the pages just flew by.

The serial killer storyline is nothing that hasn’t been done before and the solution is obvious once the details of the case emerge and Eve realizes that two men are involved. That said, the characters and the action more than make up for the predictable plot.

Eve’s quick mind, sarcastic wit and obvious passion for seeking justice make her a particularly likable heroine and her prickly facade and intense emotional vulnerability only make her more engaging.

After hearing so much about the incomparable Roarke, it is actually quite difficult to pin him down. Yes, he is absolutely gorgeous and a gazzilionaire to boot, but his stalkerish tendencies and arrogant manipulations can be a lot to take from a non-supernatural being. It might take me more than one book to warm up to him completely.

The development of Eve and Roarke’s romance is the highlight of the story and where Nora Roberts’ skill as a writer shines through. The fact that both Eve and Roarke are overcoming obstacles from their childhoods and are both new to and wary of any real intimacy only heightens their chemistry, which sizzles on the pages. Their encounters both emotional and physical make this book well worth the read.

All in all, I’m glad that I finally got around to beginning this series and look forward to continuing the buddy read. show less

Long-time readers know I adore Nora Roberts and will gleefully read anything she publishes. Despite my love for her, I always avoided her In Death series because I didn’t want to have to tackle the 50+ novels in that series in addition to everything else I want to read. Still, I tasked myself with listening to my long audiobook list in order of publication date, and it just so happens that my husband had downloaded the first book in the series. So, I started Naked in Death, not knowing what to expect. I finished it in a day and immediately listened to books two, three, and four in short succession. Yeah, I’m a fan, and I cannot wait to get back to the series. First of all, I love the tone of this series. Not only is it darker and show more grittier than the novels she writes under her name, but there is also a rawness to Eve and Roarke that I adore. Everything about the series has an edge, from the characters to the world itself. Sure, it has fancy technology and gadgets, but there is something broken in Eve’s world that draws you to her. Only my self-control is preventing me from using my extra credits from downloading as much of the series as I can get and devouring them all. show less

Me gusta la novela de intriga, policiaca, novela negra, cualquier género relacionado y también me gusta la novela romántica, pero creo que hasta ahora no me he encontrado ningún libro que combine ambos géneros que me llene el ojo.
Este libro tiene un buen caso de intriga y asesinatos y honestamente me ha sorprendido mucho que nuestra buena Nora Roberts haya manejado este tema tan bien como lo ha hecho en este libro, un buen asesino en serie, unos asesinatos por demás ingeniosos y sangrientos y una investigación con mucho suspense e intriga y varios sospechosos.
He adivinado quien era el asesino como al 60% del libro, pero tal vez habrá quien se sorprenda cuando sale a la luz, para ser honesta, Roberts lo ha hecho bastante show more bien.
Pero estamos hablando de Nora Roberts, imposible que deje el romance fuera, así que tenemos mucho de eso y unas cuantas escenas eróticas, además.
Pero y este es mi más grande problema, he odiado la pareja romántica, no hace match, no hay una verdadera química entre ellos y me ha costado imaginarme a esos dos juntos y enamorados, mi buena Nora ha caído en el cliché de hombre guapo, inteligente, millonario, frio, calculador y misterioso que se enamora de una mujer más allá de común, carácter fuerte (por no decir borde), poco refinada y arisca como un gato montés. No, no hay química ahí para nada.
En un ambiente futurista, que siendo honesta me ha sorprendido, entiendo que el autor es libre de ubicar sus novelas en la época que les dé la gana y no tienen ni porque justificarlo en la historia, sin embargo, me ha parecido extraño, como fuera de lugar, como si necesitara que me justificara la razón por la cual la ha puesto en el futuro, tengo la sospecha que al no contar con información actualizada de la manera en que se investiga un caso, lo ha puesto totalmente en la ciencia ficción, así no hay manera de equivocaciones, pero solo es una suposición, en fin, no tiene tanta importancia la verdad, pero me ha llamado la atención.
Es Nora Roberts, así que, como siempre su narrativa es pulcra, esa mujer si algo tiene de bueno es que, si que sabe escribir y lo hace maravillosamente, pude escribir lo que sea que se hace digerible por mucho que la historia no termine de gustar del todo, su estilo narrativo me encanta, tiene buen ritmo y se lee maravillosamente.
Por lo demás, yo le habría quitado totalmente la parte romántica y habría dejado todo el tema del thriller que es lo que más me ha gustado show less

I'll admit that the Eve Dallas series is a guilty pleasure of mine. I can't pinpoint exactly why I like this series as much as I do. They're fun, and they're brain candy, and sometimes I need a brain candy fix. I didn't want to like the series. I tried my best not to, but I failed.

I enjoy every cheap, tawdry moment reading them, too. This is the first in the series, and it's a really strong beginning. Eve is a bit unlikeable, and sometimes you want her to just shut up. Still, she's a good strong character and Roarke saves her from being a total unlikeable bitch. He is still a bit too perfect if you ask me, but if that's what it takes to make people come back for more Eve and Roark, I'm all for it.

You're the only ones who know I read show more this series. Please keep it to yourselves.

Five stars, baby. show less

Eve is a heroine after my heart. Reluctantly so, brave, determined, tough, sarcastic, cool and haunted by her past. Not girly at all which in my eyes puts this series high above all chick lit books.
It's the start to a very intelligent, suspenseful, and addictive series set in the near future. We get introduced to a few of the most important characters although, Peabody, one of my personal favorites doesn't appear yet.

The first in a long running line of mysteries, 'Naked In Death' by J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) is an excellent introduction to the world of 2058 and NYPD Homicide Detective, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.
New York has changed a lot in the future and when a wealthy licensed companion is murdered in a particularly disturbing 20th Century way, Eve must fight her own superiors to find out who was responsible. This investigation is only a backdrop to the quite interesting story of her budding and combative relationship with Irish billionaire, and murder suspect, Roarke. Eve is a very interesting character, focused totally on the job. She has a dark past that she has chosen to ignore and suppress. Roarke is a man who raised himself from the gutter show more to become very powerful. He retains a slightly disdainful opinion of the law but he has an eye for Eve who tries to go by the book.

The romance elements of this book blend perfectly with the murder mystery elements, to give us a wonderfully imaginative and provocative story. The futuristic setting is completely believable, and provides an intriguing backdrop for the story without detracting from it. The main characters, Eve and Roarke are both complex and well-developed, and the dynamics of their rocky relationship will keep readers turning pages. show less