Sunday Spotlight is a feature we began in 2016. This year we’re spotlighting our favorite books, old and new. We’ll be raving about the books we love and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂
Naked in Death is the first book in Nora Roberts’ In Death series. It’s the beginning of Eve and Roarke. Roarke and Eve. Oh how I love these two. Naked is the foundation of Eve and Roarke’s relationship. This is where it starts. This is where it grows from. Rereading it, I was reminded about every reason that I adore this series.
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death
Also in this Series: For a full list, go here.
Genres: Futuristic, Romantic Suspense, Mystery
Release Date: July 1, 1995
Publisher: Berkley
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.
Order the Book:
Excerpt
This is the first time Eve and Roarke laid eyes on each other. Swoon.
He was alone. There were other lines in the pew with him, but Eve recognized the solitary quality that surrounded him. There could have been ten thousand in the building, and he would have remained aloof from them. His striking face gave away nothing: no guilt, no grief, no interest. He might have been watching a mildly inferior play. Eve could think of no better description for a funeral. More than one head turned in his direction for a quick study or, in the case of a shapely brunette, a not so subtle flirtation. Roarke responded to both the same way: he ignored them. At first study, she would have judged him as cold, an icy fortress of a man who guarded himself against any and all. But there must have been heat. It took more discipline and intelligence to rise so high so young. It took ambition, and to Eve’s mind, ambition was a flammable fuel. He looked straight ahead as the dirge swelled, then without warning, he turned his head, looked five pews back across the aisle and directly into Eve’s eyes. It was surprise that had her fighting not to fold at that sudden and unexpected punch of power. It was will that kept her from blinking or shifting her gaze. For one humming minute they started at each other. Then there was movement, and mourners came between them as they left the church. When Ee stepped into the aisle to search him out again, he was gone.
Even though Eve fought it, fought him, she couldn’t make Roarke go away.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For whatever’s upset you.”
Except for that one flush of temper, she’d been pale when she’d come into the apartment. But her cheeks were colorless now, her eyes too dark. When he started toward her, she shook her head once, fiercely.
“Go away, Roarke.”
“Going away’s easy. Too easy.”
Very deliberately, he put his arms around her, felt her stiffen.
“Would it matter, really matter to anyone but you, if you took one minute to let go?”
She shook her head again, but this time there was weariness in the gesture. He heard the sigh escape, and taking advantage, he drew her closer.
“You can’t tell me?”
“No.”
He nodded, but his eyes flashed with impatience. He knew better; it shouldn’t matter to him. She shouldn’t. But too much about her mattered. “Someone else then,” he murmured.
“There is no one else.”
Then there is Mavis. How can you not love Mavis?
“I slept with him,” Eve blurted out, and Mavis responded with a fit of helpless choking.
“You–Roarke.” Eyes watering, she reached for more tissue. “Jesus, Eve. Jesus Christ, you never sleep with anybody. And you’re telling me you slept with Roarke?”
“That’s not precisely accurate. We didn’t sleep.”
Mavis let out a moan.
There are just so many wonderful things about this series and they all started with this book. If you haven’t read the series, give this a try and you will love it!
In Death
About the Author
With a phenomenal career full of bestsellers, Nora Roberts was ready for a new writing challenge. As her agent put it, like Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and caffeine-free Pepsi, a pseudonym offered her the opportunity to reach a new and different group of readers. The first futuristic suspense J. D. Robb book, Naked in Death, was published in paperback in 1995, and readers were immediately drawn to Eve Dallas, a tough cop with a dark past, and her even more mysterious love interest, Roarke.
The series quickly gained attention, great reviews, and devoted readers. Since the debut of Loyalty in Death (the ninth In Death book) on Halloween 1999 on the New York Times bestseller list, every J. D. Robb title has been a New York Times bestseller. While fans had their suspicions, it wasn’t until the twelfth book in the series, Betrayal in Death (2001), that the publisher fully revealed that J. D. Robb was a pseudonym for bestselling powerhouse Nora Roberts. Unmasked, Nora Roberts fans who hadn’t yet picked up one of the Robb books were quickly playing catch-up.
Robb’s peers in the mystery world are fans as well, with accolades for the In Death series from such blockbuster authors as Stephen King, Jonathan Kellerman, Dennis Lehane, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline, Janet Evanovich, David Baldacci, Harlan Coben, Robert B. Parker, Ridley Pearson, Linda Fairstein, and Andrew Gross.
The In Death books are perpetual bestsellers, and frequently share the bestseller list with other Nora Roberts novels. J. D. Robb publishes two hardcover In Death books per year, with the occasional stand-alone original In Death story featured in an anthology.
Forty books later, there is no end in sight for the ever-popular In Death series.
I Love this series! I had read most of Nora Roberts books, but hadn’t read this series. But about two years ago I decided to give it a try – then couldn’t stop reading book after book – now I await each new installment. About a month ago I started reading it again from the beginning.
I *just* read this book last week and am now on book 5– talk about a binge… I can’t put them down! Great book that has aged well considering it was written 20 years ago
I read this book when it first came out, and I must have re-read it about twenty or more times over the years. Good times!
One day I will get back to this series. I think I am up to book 13 or 14.