Stolen in Death

Eve Dallas is back in J. D. Robb's STOLEN IN DEATH, and how I have missed her! I missed her snark, her dedication, and her balls-to-the-wall approach to her work. So, imagine my surprise when STOLEN IN DEATH shows a softer side of Eve, one that demonstrates her continuing maturity and growth.

STOLEN IN DEATH starts like any other murder mystery, with a body and items stolen from a vault presenting a puzzle that looks fairly easy to resolve. Once Roarke identifies several of the remaining items in the vault as items he stole in his less scrupulous days, what appeared to be a straightforward botched theft attempt becomes something much more complex and way too personal.

It wasn't so long ago when Eve would have lost her cool about the show more connections to Roarke's past she would have to circumvent in her investigation. Old Eve would rail against the need to compromise her integrity as a cop, and there would be a painful fight between Roarke and her. This new, more mature Eve remains calm and plans out every aspect of her investigation, trusting her husband's claims that there is no crumb of evidence to connect him to any past theft. She voluntarily brings in Interpol and personally contacts the detective who continues to blame Roarke for any number of thefts.

When her investigation uncovers a motive that is entirely personal and threatens Roarke in several ways, again, she remains cool. She even reassures Roarke more than once, in what has to be the strangest shift of duties we've seen. Old Eve would not have been able to handle the threat to her husband and would have allowed the investigation to get away from her. Instead, it is Eve's level-headedness that allows her to capture her suspect and obtain the confession needed to ensure a lifetime of incarceration.

STOLEN IN DEATH is not the most gruesome of the In Death murders. Nor does it include the flashiest of takedowns. Instead, we have Eve dealing with one of the most personal investigations she will ever face, and she does it with logic, a precise attention to detail, and the grim determination we know and love. STOLEN IN DEATH is not a murder mystery Eve could have solved six months ago (in the In Death world). An emotionally invested/distracted Eve is the exact opposite of what she needed to be to resolve the mystery. Instead, we get to see Eve as she confidently ignores the emotional pitfalls, not out of necessity but out of the supreme confidence she has in her husband and their love for each other. STOLEN IN DEATH is a quiet murder mystery with one of the most satisfying endings in the series. Our girl Eve is growing up so quickly! show less

This could be a very short review: It’s Eve and Roarke, it’s J. D. Robb, therefore it’s terrific. All true.

Stolen in Death is the sixty-second book in author Robb’s In Death series. I don’t know how she does it, how she comes up with a fresh idea, a unique crime every time while simultaneously surrounding you with the familiar characters you’ve come to love. But she does, and it makes me very happy.

The story begins with Eve reluctantly getting glammed up for an event she doesn’t really want to attend but will because it’s important and because Roarke has asked her to. An event we know will be disrupted somehow by another grisly, grotesque murder. And Eve and her team will be off, working frantically to get a step ahead show more of the murderer, to try and keep the body count down. Roarke will accompany her when he can, bringing his own special brand of calm to the chaos, and will help her in their home office. He’ll pretend to be insulted when she tells him he thinks like a cop, but he would do anything – anything – for her. As she would for him.

Stolen in Death is especially good because it has so much Roarke. Who doesn’t want more Roarke? (Pause for swoons, sighs, rapid heartbeat and fluttering eyes.) Roarke recognized the depth of his love from the beginning and was all in from the start. He just had to convince “his cop.” Eve was frightened, hadn’t experienced love, was wary of this clever, cunning thief but fighting the attraction was futile. And over the years and their time together, she’s learned what she thinks of as “the marriage rules” and willingly follows them, accepts the need for closeness and has even – yes, slowly, but still – become more social and widened her circle of friends.

When it becomes apparent that Roarke’s past life has some meaning in this crime Eve becomes even more relentless and determined to quickly solve this crime before any harm comes to Roarke. Lt. Eve Dallas is always pretty scary, but when Roarke’s life may be at stake . . . watch out.

Stolen in Death is another exciting, satisfying addition to this series that I hope continues forever. The pacing is perfect, the ever-growing circle of coworkers, friends and family delightful to see and the cat-and-mouse, clues and danger keep you on the edge of your seat, turning pages as fast as you can. I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. You can jump right in at any point in the series but it’s well worth your while to go back to the beginning and meet everybody for the first time and watch all these relationships grow – and see the thrilling police work in action. I can’t wait for Book #63!! I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. show less

I stopped reading Nora Robert’s a/k/ J.D. Robb a few years ago for no particular reason. After reading her latest Eve Dallas installment, I admit to being foolish and dumbstruck. This book was every bit as good as the many other installments I have read and now I am committed to backtracking to pick up where I left off.

Her writing is intelligent as she examines the crime, the setting and suspects. Casting doubt on each in some capacity makes the murder and precedent crimes interesting and the plot complex. The banter between the characters is fresh, smart and believable. The dynamic between the main characters remains interestingly intense - love them and how they support each other, giving greater strength to their personalities and show more the relationship.

I chose to read this book for a plane trip, hoping that I would become invested in the story. WOW, I read it during the flight, barely marking my place before the plane landed, threw my kindle in my bag and the minute I got home I finished it. That is a home run book for me.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy. show less

This solid police procedural set in the near future is, amazingly, the 62nd book within J.D. Robb's "In Death" series. That alone speaks well to the author's sustainability of their writing.

Lt. Eve Dallas of the NYPSD, as homicide detective, is called away from a black tie affair to a domestic murder scene at the residence of a well-respected millionaire. Eve's husband and soulmate accompanies her and is stunned when a vault full of nefariously procured objects d'arts is revealed. One in particular is missing which happens to be something with which he has a personal acquaintanceship. As Eve digs into the details, more and more is disclosed about the deceased's secretive father's personal affairs and the family's dynamics. It's a game show more of cat and mouse and murder is always a dangerous game.

J.D. Robb (a.k.a., Nora Roberts) has delivered a solid police procedural with all the red herrings, footwork, analysis, and thrilling encounters for which one hopes. The writing is very good, the scene settings beautifully described, and the characters are well developed. Although this story is deep within the series' canon, it comfortably stands on its own. Although this is my introduction to the series, other readers have suggested, that one should really start at the beginning to garner the full Lt. Eve Dallas experience. I do believe that my teetering TBR just got a "few" books taller.

I am grateful to St. Martin's Press for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: February 3, 2026
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-1250414526 show less

It is September 2061 and Eve Dallas and Roarke are attending a gala event to benefit a charity that assists victims of domestic abuse. While Dallas thinks their mission is great and very worthwhile, she isn’t a fan of getting all gussied up and trying to make small talk. But, the night has gone well, and she has had a lot of fun with friends and Roarke.


The night has not gone so well elsewhere in the city that never sleeps. As a result, her night out gets cut short as there has been a murder. Dispatch sends her to the legendary Barrister House. Until late last year when the wealthy shipping magnate, Harry J. Barrister died, the home had not seen a death. Now it has seen another death just a few months later. The son who inherited the show more house and a lot more, Nathan Barrister, CEO of Zip Global, is very much dead on the floor of his office.


The blood on the floor, as well as on his head and in his hair, make it abundantly clear that this was no accident. He was struck over the head very hard by some object. Probably the decorative amethyst rock that the victim had on his desk. The same rock that still has his blood and other material on it.

The murder might have something to do with the vault that still hangs open for all to see inside. The vault that is still full of artwork, jewelry, and other fantastic treasures. Treasures that were stolen at one point or another, according to Roarke, and they found their way to this vault in NYC.

Of course, Roarke knows a thing or three about liberating treasures from others. Some items, according to the meticulous inventory, are missing from this vault. That includes a treasure Roarke lifted long ago when he was a mere lad.



Once again, Roarke’s past is both a hinderance and a major help in solving the current case. Lieutenant Dallas is again dealing with the two headed coin of being involved with Roarke. On one side---solve, find, and arrest those responsible. That mission never changes. The flip side of the coin is to try and protect the man she loves from the long arm of the law should his past deeds come to light. There remain many in law enforcement that would like to take Roarke down.

Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb is the latest in the long running series and another solidly good read. This book, as well as the series as a whole, is primarily a police procedural with a hint of romance. Family, the one you have by blood, as well as the one you make by way of good friends that care, plays a role once again here in this fast-moving read. The chase is on for a killer, and the read is a good one well worth your time.

My ARC digital reading copy came from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, by way of NetGalley.



Kevin R. Tipple ©2026 show less

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: A violent death and a vault of stolen treasures has Eve Dallas struggling to solve crimes old and new in the next thriller in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series.

A blow to the head with a block of amethyst has left multibillionaire Nathan Barrister dead—while nearby, a vault, its door ajar, sits filled with priceless paintings, jewelry, and other treasures. Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband, Roarke—who misspent his youth in Ireland as a scrappy thief—recognizes at least two stolen pieces among the hoard. The crime scene suggests a burglar caught in the act. But only one item seems to be missing.

Then it’s revealed that the vault had actually belonged to the victim’s late father—and show more no one in the household knew it was there until a recent remodeling project exposed it. To protect the family name and business, they explain to Eve, they’d been looking for a way to return the ill-gotten gains anonymously and avoid the police. But now the police are all over their elegant house, and have a bigger, bloodier mystery to solve.

By all accounts, Nathan Barrister was a good man, a generous employer, a devoted husband and father. As for his father—he clearly had secrets. Now it’s up to Eve and her team to find out if those secrets got Nathan killed—and if it was a crime of passion or revenge.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: "The sins of the father" has a long, interesting history in English usage. I the sixty-second book in this (apparently immortal) series, it's prominently aimed at the very wealthiest in society. Greed and covetousness are very much in Roarke's past, and Eve deals with Entitlement all day every day. They need both outlooks to solve this weird crime.

I was very interested by the unusual set-up for the crime. It feels very surprising to me, very weird indeed. I did not expect to have the dead billionaire not be the real villain of the piece. The real villain was more satisfying.

Because it's not coming out until February, and because I've given this one and book sixty-one four stars each, I'm not risking my sanity to say more than, "I've never given one of the series more than 3.5* before...but these got 4" and leave you to discover why. Do not start here...see my review of FRAMED IN DEATH for my best series-order advice.

Let's just say I get it better now than ever. show less

Barbara’s rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Series: In Death #62
Publication Date: 2/3/26
Period: Future New York – September, 2061
Number of Pages: 368

Over thirty years ago, who would have thought this series would still be as strong, interesting, and unique as it was in that very first book? Over the same 30+ years, we’ve only covered about three years in Eve and Roarke's time. WOW! I sincerely hope we get another thirty years.

Roarke’s past has surfaced before, but in Stolen it takes center stage. Not only does the loot from a long-ago heist reappear, but so does Magdelana—in her full malevolent glory. You may remember her from a previous book, where Roarke and Eve thwarted her attempt to drive a wedge between them. She didn’t take show more that defeat lightly, and this time she’s out for complete and total revenge. Nothing is off the table—murder, theft, attempted murder—it’s all fair game.

A dispatch summons Eve from a formal gala to the death scene of Nathan Barrister, a rich and powerful man and the head of Zip. While examining the scene, Eve discovers an open vault filled to the brim with priceless stolen items—some taken decades ago. Nathan couldn’t have stolen them himself; he was only a child when some of the thefts occurred. So who did? Why were the items left behind? And why would a stealthy thief commit murder when they could have gotten away clean?

Eve approaches every case with fierce dedication, but when someone attempts to murder her, everyone—from the Chief to the sketch artist—becomes personally invested in tracking down who hired the attacker. Unfortunately, the would-be killer is himself killed while trying to escape, taking crucial answers with him.

I both read the book and listened to the audio version, and each offers something special. Narrated by Susan Ericksen—who has voiced every book in the series—the audio truly brings the story to life. I’ve listened to them all, and she is consistently excellent. Her character voices are so ingrained in my mind that I hear them even when reading the text. Each performance is unique, well-paced, and expertly delivered.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great suspense story. While the series is set in the future, that future no longer feels so distant. The imagined technology is intriguing (and often very desirable), and the supporting characters are delightful—richly developed, full of personality, and extremely likable.

This is a wonderful story and can certainly be read as a stand-alone. However, to fully appreciate the depth of character growth and relationships, I suggest reading at least the first four books. I know recommending all sixty-one previous titles sounds daunting, but I promise—you won’t regret it.

Happy reading!

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. show less