"It was a stab in the dark. On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan's neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel's best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel's blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional. Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime--from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn't think it's coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else's imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series. The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer's deranged private drama -- and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong."--
Well it's happened. I've read all 46 published books in the series. And much sooner than I thought I would. I'm both excited to be able to enjoy new books as they come along with everyone and sad that I have no more to read at the moment. Whatever will I do now?
I really enjoyed this one and I couldn't help but wonder how many of the events have happened, in some form to JD Robb, and thus formed inspiration for this book. I mean, you know she's had some rabid fans and there's no way some of them haven't crossed the line. And no doubt she gets numerous delusional requests to read work. But have any murder cases gotten a little too close to her imagined stories? I'd love to know.
Anyway, what a great plot and what a delusional murderer. The fact that the template was books - not so different from the In Death books - made for an interesting investigation process and pushed Eve to some knew places, including reading in their library. I loved getting to see this part of Roarke, who I already love but just gets all the better for having this love of books.
Very eager for more, but alas, that will have to wait until September...
