Naked in Death (In Death, #1)

by J D Robb

THE FIRST NOVEL IN J. D. ROBB’S #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING IN DEATH SERIES

In the year 2058, technology completely rules the world. But for New York City Detective Eve Dallas, one irresistible impulse still rules the heart: passion…

Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all—and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire—and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about—except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

• ISBN10: 0425148297
• ISBN13: 9780425148297
• Publish Date: 1 July 1995
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 22 April 2012
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780425148297

Reviews

[EBookObsessed]

I read this book so, so long ago but I remember that it wasn't the first In Death book that I read. When I first found this series, there were already about a dozen books out in the series, so I picked up copies as they became available. I did this until I realized I was missing the build up of the characters and their relationships, and decided to go back to the first story and begin there and read them in order. I will say that while Eve, Roarke and the In Death series is one of my favorite series and I jump on each on of the books which are released, I don't know how I would have reacted to this series, if I had read Naked in Death first. As far as investigative/crime drama, it is just okay and for a scifi story, it involves death by gunshot which in the future is unheard of but pretty damned average for us.

If you are new to the series, keep in mind that everything about this series gets sooo much better as the series progresses. It is filled with great characters who develop over the series and the scifi aspect comes in often but not always which just proves that man has been killing man for anything from a rock to a stick to a gun and we don't need lasers to do it.

There are currently 51 novels plus a bunch of short stories in this series so I can honestly say that aren't all amazing but the majority are great crime drama, added in the characters, the romance and the scifi and it is ranks at the top of my favorite series.

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

I’m a newbie to J.D. Robb’s books and have been meaning to read the In Death series. I decided to sign up for the #InDeathReadALong hosted by @UTCBookBlog and @PNRbookloverreviews, so I can finally read this series. I’ll read a book a month, and eventually catch up with the series. (Hopefully)

The first book, Naked in Death, was written back in 1995, and I was twelve years when it originally came out. Now it’s 2019, and J.D. Robb is having her 50th book come out in the series. That’s friggin’ amazing! 

The book is set in the year 2058, where guns are illegal, prostitution is legal, and real coffee is nonexistent or at least hard to come by in this futuristic world. Crime is still going on in this futuristic world, but it’s different from today’s world. Although, the main female protagonist, Eve Dallas, is finding out guns that are supposed to be illegal are being used for the latest murders that she’s trying to solve. Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant, and she’s one bad-ass female. I loved her character in the story and can’t wait to read the rest of the series and see her grow. She’s one copy that will do anything to find the killer, even put herself in danger a few times. She’ll also find herself infatuated with one of the men she believes to be a suspect. Roarke is a wealthy businessman who’s Irish and sexy as hell in the book. He’s fascinated with Eve right away and doesn’t know why at first. He’s determined to protect her and help her, even when she doesn’t want his help. Although, he’s kind of hard to resist. I know I couldn’t resist his charm and sexiness in the story. 

J.D. Robb did a fantastic job introducing the characters and building up the world in this book. I can’t wait to dive into the second book next month because I need more Eve and Roarke. Their attraction to each other is intense. Poor Eve had no way of walking away from Roarke. I think if she would’ve, I would be upset with her. 

The plot though of the story is what had me on the edge of my seat. Yes, Eve and Roarke was a significant part of the story, but I wanted to figure out who was behind murdering prostitutes. Eve was determined to find the killer, especially since the killer kept leaving her videos of each murder. You’ll be shocked by who it is at the end. I know I was after I found out. 

Warning ahead of time they’re some dark triggers in this book. If you are not comfortable with rape, then you may want to skip those parts of the book. I know there was a dark part in the book that made me uncomfortable, but I powered through it because it’s a big part of one of the character’s back story. 

Now, I’m waiting anxiously for February to get here so that I can read the second book in the series. Thank goodness my library has the books, so I can make sure to have them when I need to read them. 

[jojo_k]

I didn't like Naked in Death on my first read so I stopped after 1st book. But after watching my favorite booktuber(bookslikewhoa) pushing hard for In Death series, I skipped to reading 30's in series and I was hooked on Eve and Roarke. I had to go back and binged through 49 books and loved it so much I wanted turn around re-read them all. These characters are just so addicting!

[Eve1972]

I decided to take a break from my ARCs and give this one a go. 📚 Everyone always seems to rave about it so I figured I'd see what all the fuss was about. 🙏 Unfortunately, I wasn't as enamored by it. 🙈 One, I need to do a better job of reading synopses. Or in this case, reading it at all. Had I done that I would have cottoned on to the fact that the author set this series in the future. 🚀 So right off the bat I was MEH about the setting. 🙍 That was strike one. Second, I couldn't stand Eve. I found her cold, bitchy, and annoying. 😒 I will assume she gets better in the 40+ other books she is featured in. So I may give book two a read just to see. That was strike two. ❎ Strike three came with that ending. Holy abruptness Batman. It just ENDED. 💯🔚 Like WTF?? 😣

So ya, this one wasn't overly great for me. 😫 Like I said I'll probably give book two a read at some point just to see if Eve ever actually becomes likable. But I don't see myself intrigued enough to read 40+ books with these characters.⏰

[llamareads]

Since this was written 20 years ago, the "futuristic" setting of 2050-something hasn't held up very well - lots of transferring stuff around on discs, basically anything computer technology-wise made me cringe. The plot, however, was well-paced, if predictable. Eve and Roarke were great, and though their relationship was a bit fast-tracked for my taste, I still loved their chemistry. I really liked the futuristic-Law-&-Order-with-romance vibe, so I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series.

[nitzan_schwarz]

YOU CAN FIND THIS REVIEW AND MORE ON AFTERWORDS!

I first read Naked in Death about five years ago. I'm not ashamed to admit - it was love at first read. These characters and the world they live in completely captured my heart and soul in just a few pages. It felt like watching one of the detective shows I love, only more satisfying because the romance is an integral part of it, but I didn't have to wait five seasons for it to happen nor did it take over the story and overshadow the case. You know how hard that is to balance?!

Wait, wait, I'm getting waaaaay ahead of myself, aren't I?

Meet Eve Dallas, a seasoned detective in futuristic New York. She is a snarky, dry homicide cop with so much heart it's crazy, even though she tries to pretend otherwise. There is nothing more important to her than bringing justice to the victims, and her personal life is a constant casualty due to it.

Here is a tough, badass woman, who cares. And we can already tell the source of that huge heart lies in her childhood. I remember the curiosity eating at me the first time I read this novel, wanting to hear more details even though I could tell it would be awful.

A prostitute is dead. This specific prostitute is also the granddaughter of a senator. And more pressing--the killer left a jarring note saying she is only the first of six. Now it's a race against time to find the culprit before he kills more people, and bring justice to the murdered.

Now, as far as mysteries go, this is a decent one. It's pretty hard to read at times, you might guess at the identity of the killer before Eve does (I did), and I will warn you you will be nauseated by the whole affair. This is not a bad thing.

But I think the importance of this case is not necessarily about the mystery itself, not in the grand scheme of the In Death world. There is a reason Robb decides to start with this specific case, and not a case five years prior or something like that (Eve has been a detective for quite a while). That's because this is the case that will change her life. This is the case where she meets Roarke.

“You know, Roarke, you’re kind of cute.”

Who is Roarke? Billionaire tech god, this guy is everything. Handsome, rich, funny and smart, he is the ultimate book boyfriend. Especially because of how hard he falls for the hard boiled detective (despite a sketchy past of his own) and how well he comes to understand her.

Guys, these two are at the TOP of my OTP list, and it starts right here. I had forgotten how completely J.D. Robb manages to make you ship these two from their very first scene together. There is just such incredible chemistry between them, and they fit like two pieces of a puzzle. You want them together.

Seriously, these guys are my crack. I have read almost 20 books in this series and they never, never fail to capture my heart and soul.

If you love mysteries with a dash of romance, compelling characters and great side story lines, pick up this fantastic series!


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Gosh, I love this book. So happy that I decided to read this one again!! 333

[stacey_is_sassy]

Let’s try again…

You’ve got to love a prolific writer. If you’re fortunate enough, you might even find a good prolific writer. Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb is one of the best. There is one problem though…it’s expensive to become a fan. It can be intimidating to find an author that is already established. In the case of J.D. Robb, we’re talking about a series that is heading towards 45 books ALREADY. That is a lot of moola, and when you’re at #1 it can even put you off starting the series. It has the potential to start you on an adventure of epic proportions...or...an addiction where you may never see the light of day again. Well, in my case, I read #1 and #2 a wee while back and enjoyed them, then I got distracted…next thing I know we’re past 30 and 40. I’m stressing that there is no way I can catch up, let alone afford to catch up. So, I put the In Death series on hold determined that I will get back into the series…soon…ish.

WELL, THAT DAY HAS COME!!

I have a shocking memory and back in those days, I didn’t write reviews so it was back to square one and re-reading from the beginning. I had heard good things about the audio version, so I splurged and stepped forward in time and met Eve Dallas and Roarke. Now, remembering that I have a shocking memory, I vaguely recalled some of the details as I went along, but it was more like a first-time read, to be honest.

I enjoyed it. The problem is that when you start an already established series that has been around for a few years, it can seem a bit dated. What makes it even weirder is that the story is set in the future. So, while it’s attempting to be shocking with new and exciting technological advances, in some ways, it’s not that new and exciting anymore. We’re kind of already there and it’s not 2058. Obviously, it’s not the author's fault, but I wasn’t left gasping in awe and wishing for it to be 2058 now.

The storyline, while probably shocking when it was first released, isn’t that shocking now. There are plenty of stories with miserable characters who get off on power and use their authority to get away with a crime. Sure, the crime committed in this one turned my stomach, but again, I’m not shocked by it. Maybe "dark" has become more mainstream...or...maybe authors are feeling more accepted in revealing their darker side (while still staying in the Romance genre).

Naked in Death provides us with an intriguing look into the future. We get to see a serial killer case as it plays out and how the police will solve it. The dialogue, storyline and characters are interesting. The steamy scenes between Dallas and Roarke show an intense connection between two people not used to feeling anything more than sexual satisfaction. I loved that Roarke knew way before Eve that he was in for the long haul. Their coming to terms with having a relationship was quite amusing. I enjoyed meeting the additional characters and hope some of them will pop up in future reads.

I'm looking forward to going on with the series but it will take time…lots and lots and lots of time. I will not be reading them one straight after the other because I can't afford to not see the light of day for the next month or two. I will continue listening to them. The audio price is not much more than the Kindle price (which is bloody scary). So, listening to them should take me approximately 10 years…and I may not be joking. I kind of wish that I could have the first 30 downloaded into my brain and I’ll start reading/listening from 31 onwards. Because, there’s always the worry that if I read out of sequence, or skip a few…THE WORLD WILL END!! (First World Reader Problem #1).



I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[leelu92]

1 down, only fortysomething more to go!

[dpfaef]

This book just did not interest me at all. This is probably more me than the author, so I am not going to rate the book.

[Angie]

I have been interested, yet intimidated by, this series for a long time. But I am so glad that I finally gave Naked in Death a read! Set in the near future, Lieutenant Eve Dallas has just been assigned as the primary of a potential serial killer case. The victim was a well-known prostitute (legal in this future), and the crime scene was completely clean with her body arranged perfectly centered on the bed. It's clear that they're not dealing with just an upset client, especially when two other prostitutes are found in identical situations. Eve is going to bring these women to justice, even if the case starts hitting too close to home.

Naked in Death was really great even if it made me quite uncomfortable at times because of the content. However, I don't think any of the violence was done gratuitously. The killer is completely deranged, but highly intelligent. It took me a long time, but I did figure out who did it! I kind of guessed why, too, although none of the actual details, because WTF?! This is a sick world we live in, and it's still a sick world 40ish years from now. Even as I was disturbed, I was completely engaged and read through this in one sitting.

Other than the exciting murder mystery, there's also quite the steamy romance in Naked in Death. Eve becomes attracted to one of the top suspects in the case. Roarke (no last name) is wealthy, charming, and undeniably sexy. He also might be a murderer, but Eve is drawn to him, as was I. Those two have some great moments together! It does get a bit insta-lovey toward the end, but I was into it. I'm certainly looking forward to more of them!

Naked in Death was a super quick and entertaining read. It's got action, violence, sketchy politics, romance, and just about a bit of everything. This future seems pretty interesting as well. There's not a whole lot of focused world-building, but we get enough bits and pieces to get the gist of it. I'm excited to learn more though, because there's a lot of stuff that really reflects where we might be heading.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.