Nora Roberts started her In Death series back in 1995 with the release of Naked In Death. A best selling romance author, Nora Roberts decided to expand her audience and appeal by entering a new genre under a pseudonym. Hence the birth of J.D. Robb. Readers were thrilled with the futuristic setting and a tough as nails homicide detective-Eve Dallas. A loner with a murky violent past, Robb matches her with brilliant billionaire Rourke, whose own mysterious past kept fans guessing for a long time. The series quickly gained attention and a strong fan base, eventually prompting Roberts to ‘unmask’ herself with the twelfth book in the series-Betrayal in Death. Fans of Nora Roberts jumped on the band wagon, thrilled that their favorite author had two series in which to enjoy.
Obsession in Death (out February 10) marks the 40th installment of this series. Putnam has invited Smexy Books to be the last stop of the Countdown to 40 blog tour that celebrates the release of Obsession in Death with a week long In Death read-a-thon with excellent prizes, an exclusive look at the book before release, and more. (Catch up on the other participants – HEA Blog, Romance at Random, Heroes and Heartbreakers).
Smexy Books has chosen to re read Innocent in Death. I’ve always been a fan of this series and this particular book is a constant re read for me. While I enjoyed the world building and suspenseful chilling storyline, it’s the personal conflict(s) of this book that break my heart, fire up my blood, and reaffirm my love for Eve and Roarke.
I have chosen three scenes in the book that I believe are pivotal points in the storyline; showcasing and rejecting Eve’s subconscious fear that she is unworthy of everything she has in her life-most importantly Roarke’s love.
These scenes will release consecutively on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Innocent in Death (In Death #24) by J.D. Robb
New York Lieutenant Eve Dallas doesn’t like to see innocent people murdered. And the death of Craig Foster is clearly a murder. He was seemingly ordinary history teacher, but uncovers some extraordinary surprises. Foster’s death devastated his young wife, who’d sent him to work that day with a lovingly packed lunch. It shocked his colleagues at the private school, too, and as for the ten-year-old girls who found him in his classroom in a pool of bodily fluids-they may have been traumatized for life.
Eve soon determines that Foster’s home made lunch was tainted with deadly ricin, and that Mr. Foster’s colleagues have some startling secrets of their own. It’s Eve’s job to sort it out- and discover why someone would have done this to a man who seemed so inoffensive, so pleasant… so innocent.
Now Magdalena Percell… there’s someone Eve can picture as a murder victim. Possibly at Eve’s own hands. The slinky blonde-an old flame of her billionaire husband, Roarke-has arrived in New York, and she’s anything but innocent. Roarke seems blind to Magdalena’s manipulation, and he insists that the occasional lunch or business meeting with her is nothing to worry about… and none of Eve’s business. Consumed by her jealousy–and Roarke’s indifference to it, she is unnerved by the situation that she finds it hard to focus on her case. Still, she’ll have to put aside her feelings, for a while at least-because another man has just turned up dead.
Eve knows all too well that innocence can be a facade. Keeping that in mind may help her solve this case at last. But it may also tear apart her marriage. (Goodreads)
Scene One: When Eve first meets Magdalena Percell. Pages 35-38
A fancy New York restaurant. Detective Eve Dallas has shown up late, again, for a dinner date with her husband Roarke She is making small talk with their dinner companions when a voice calls Roarke’s name.
When someone said his name, and he glanced toward them, Eve saw something come into his eyes, just a flash of it. A something she’d only seen when he looked at her.
It was gone, shuttered down into polite pleasure. But it had been there. Very slowly, Eve tracked her gaze over, and saw her.
She was stunning, in a bold red dress that managed to be both elegant and sexy. Long legs ended in the glitter of paper-thin silver heels. Her hair was a long, waving stream of delicate blond, clipped at the sides with something small and sparkling. Her eyes were brilliantly green, full of life and excitement that translated to sexual power. Her lips were full, very red and lush against luminous skin.
“Roarke.”
She said it again in a kind of throaty purr that brought up the hackles on Eve’s back. And she glided as such women do, to the table, holding out her hands for his.
“‘Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world,’” she murmured as he rose, and lifted her face for a kiss.
“Magdelana,” he said with the Irish in his voice cruising through the name, and he brushed her lips very lightly with his. “What a surprise.”
“I can’t believe it’s you!” Magdelana laid her hands on his cheeks, stroked. “And as handsome as ever. More. The years agreed with you, lover.”
“And with you. Eve, this is an old friend of mine, Magdelana Percell. Magdelana, my wife, Eve Dallas, and our friends, Sam and Natalie Derrick.”
“Wife? Oh, of course, of course. I heard. One does. I’m delighted to meet you. And you,” she said to the Derricks. “You’ll have to excuse me for breaking into your meal. All I saw was Roarke.” She smiled down at Eve, that glitter in her eyes. “You understand.”
“Oh, yeah.”
With another full-wattage smile, Magdelana dismissed Eve, then all but melted into Roarke.
“I’ve only been in town a few days. I was going to contact you, see if we could make a date to catch up. It’s been, my goodness, ten years?”
“Nearer to twelve, I’d think.”
“Twelve!” She rolled her exquisite eyes. “Oh, Franklin, forgive me! My escort, Franklin James. This is Roarke, his wife, and the Derricks.”
“We know each other.” Roarke held out a hand. “Hello, Frank.”
He was thirty years her senior, by Eve’s gauge, looked prosperous and hale. And, she thought, slightly besotted.
“We’ll let you get back to your dinner.” Magdelana ran a hand down Roarke’s arm—a light, somehow intimate gesture. “I’m just thrilled to see you again.” And this time she brushed her lips against Roarke’s cheek. “We’ll have lunch, won’t we, and take a walk down Memory Lane. You won’t mind, will you, Eve?”
“The lunch or the walk?”
Magdelana laughed, a frothy gurgle. “We’ll have to have lunch ourselves, us girls. And tell secrets about Roarke. I’ll be in touch. So nice to meet you.”
Conversation picked up again, over food, and fishing. Though Roarke’s face betrayed nothing but interest in his companions, Eve knew him. So she knew while he ate, he drank, he spoke, his mind was across the elegant room where the stunning Magdelana sipped wine in her bold red dress.
A powerful scene that sets the stage for what is to come. Robb cleverly begins to sow seeds of discontentment. Eve is dressed casually in pants and sweater while Magdelana is in a bold red attention getting gown. Magdelana is rich, beautiful, and extremely intelligent. Eve is a cop with a basic education, no money, and considers herself average in looks. Magdelana had Roarke first and Eve is afraid she will get him back.
The official data was slim, and the no criminal doubtful as Roarke had said they’d worked together. Even if she hadn’t been convicted, even if she hadn’t been arrested, there should have been some note in her file about being questioned at some point or other. He’d cleared it for her, Eve thought, and felt something tighten in her belly. He’d hacked in and tidied up her data, the same way he’d taken care of his own once upon a time. He’d protected her.
Eve and Roarke have only been married for about a year and a half. Though they are deeply in love, their individual pasts have shaped large portions of their lives. Eve honestly cannot understand why Roarke loves her. Why he choose her. Her inadequacies, in her eyes, are far too numerous. She is his direct opposite and when faced with an old flame of Roarke’s, Eve is shaken to her core. She and Roarke have been at odds before but this hits the very center of their relationship. Eve is unable to handle the onslaught of emotions battering her. This goes beyond simple jealousy. Eve is used to dealing with things head on. Confronting them then breaking them down until the truth appears. She is black and white and here she is forced into a gray area. Her inability to discuss personal matters with anyone but Roarke becomes problematic as her issues are with Roarke this time.
And it’s killing her.
I’m having lunch, nothing more or less.” His head angled slightly while those wild blue eyes narrowed speculatively on her face. “Or don’t you trust me?”
“I’d trust you a hell of a lot more if you didn’t refer to her as an old friend when we both know she was a hell of a lot more.”
“What she was is nearly a dozen years in the past. Years before I ever set eyes on you.” Now simple bafflement joined the irritation and the ice. “Christ Jesus, are you jealous of a woman I haven’t spoken to, seen, or thought of in years?”
Eve only looked at him for one long moment. “You’re thinking of her now,” she said, and walked away.
We are so used to seeing Eve as the strong unemotional cop who fights tirelessly for the victims…it’s shocking to see her facade crack and catch glimpses of the the fragile vulnerability she hides from the world.
“No. No, I don’t believe you’d betray me with her. I don’t believe you’d cheat on me. But I’m afraid, and I’m sick in my heart that you might look at her, then at me. And regret.”
I would love to hear your thoughts on Innocent in Death and how you felt about Magdelana and Eve’s reactions to one another.
Be sure to come back and visit us on Thursday when we will be discussing scene two-Eve and Summerset’s changing relationship and a big JD Robb prize pack will be given away.
I wish I could tell you my thoughts on Innocent in Death but I started reading this series last year and am currently reading Divided in Death, I believe that book is 18. I am really looking forward to reading Innocent in Death. I have seen Eve basically shrug of Roarkes past lovers more than once so to see her finally deal with jealously is something I am ready for.
I enjoy the mystery and the romance of this series but what I think I love most is watching Eve evolve. She is such a strong character and struggles so much when she has to deal with her feelings. It is an amazing series and I am glad to finally be reading it.
Yes. Watching Eve and Roarke change over the years and shed their protective shells has been quite the journey. I read Obsession In Death and it really hits home in here how much Eve and Roarke (especially Eve) has changed. If that is your favorite part then you will love what’s to come. :)
I LOVE this series but this book isn’t one of my favorites. Not because of the writing but because of the buy guy. This was a particularly horrifying, yet all to possible, scenario.
*spoiler*
Robb cut me deep with this book, I know I had hesitations against procreating after finishing it!
I know right? I was completely creeped out.
I “enjoyed” seeing Eve struggle not only with jealousy, but with the reactions of others in her bullpen, etc. It was well done writing and characterization.
What I found odd and scary for me is that I had an inkling the bad guy was who it was! I almost never successfully predict those! And its plausible… scary, but plausible…. and too, how it can slide through. People don’t want to look at what should be a face of innocence and see the face of evil. Who would?
I donn’t think Magdelena considers Eve to be a serious rival . While Eve has always been able to brush off meeting any of Roarke’s women, seeing that look in his eyes really throws her.
You are so right. It’s not Magdalena that bothers her as much as Roarke’s reaction to her. We feel Eve’s pain, confusion, and despair.
OMG> That hurt me to read. It just hurt. I’m only at like book 12 or 13. As a matter of fact I just read where Rourke found out about his mother. He kept things secret from Eve and she thought he wanted to leave. I was so hurt for her. I love these characters.
Gosh, you brought back some memories. I have read all of her books and this one I remembered well. I think when Roarke called her “Maggie”, you could feel Eve’s pain. I can’t wait to read her next one.
Poor Eve. Roarke was so clueless in here.
I know everyone was horrified by this one … I had most of it figured out by the end of the second chapter. I liked that Eve was able to see the killer … that something “good” came from her experience and a killer was brought to justice. As painful as it was, I think this case helped Eve heal herself and see herself differently. :)
I am a book hoarder in general, but with no titles so much as Robb’s In Death series. Often I buy both the ebook and the paperback. The main reason I love this series is the depth to which we see these lovers’ relationship. In other romances, you get the initial conflict and the resolution, but with Eve and Roarke we get numerous conflicts and how they affect the relationship. Innocence does a fantastic job of showing Eve’s insecurities above and beyond the dreams that betray her psyche.
Loved, loved this book. One of the ones I re-read over and over, although I skip over most parts concerning the case. I did love Peabody’s reaction to the principal and her morals…or lack thereof. Love seeing Peabody get angry!
This book is one of my favorites and it has my favorite quote of the series. I was riveting while reading it. Since I do this series on audio, I think I listened day and night until I was done. I think this is a hugely pivotal book for Eve and Roarke.
“No. No, I don’t believe you’d betray me with her. I don’t believe you’d cheat on me. But I’m afraid, and I’m sick in my heart that you might look at her, then at me. And regret.”
Your summary is dead on! Eve is use to the tangible; break it down, analyze each piece, deal with it! Magdalena and Roarke’s inability to see what a danger she is to their marriage, leaves Eve reeling! When Summerset is on Eve’s side and tells Roarke that Magdalena is trouble, you know there is a problem! Roarke proves he’s not the “perfect” husband in this book. Maybe you can say it’s because she was his ‘first love’, but the fact that he hurt Eve and was so obtuse about it, made me so mad! Even though Eve forgave him, I was still mad at book end!
Then ending was perfect! When Summerset said he thought applauding would be wrong, when he went to take Magdalena out, was perfect! Roarke deserved the punch, even though Eve knew it was a set up! He actually deserved several for the pain he caused Eve.
The young girl who did the murders can truly happen. I believe there are people born like that! They don’t see anything wrong in the evil they do. It’s all about getting what THEY want, no matter the cost to others!
I love all the books. The scenes between Roarke, Eve, Magdalena and Summerset make this book great for me. It lets us see a clueless Roarke and a insecure Eve. All very human emotions that make the characters really feel like they exist and are part of your family, because I for one feel Eve’s pain when I read or even better re-listen to this book. That’s why Nora is such a great author.
I don’t know what else I can say to add to Lueke’s entry which said it all. This is definitely a pivotal book and the one that I have read over and over….even more than Naked. I so agree that it was not Magdelena who was the issue for Eve…but Roarke’s behavior toward Magdelena. Out went the marriage rules of honesty, except in this case Roarke was definitely blindsided by Magdelena(Summerset’s word)so he couldn’t even see her for what she was. This is the book where Roarke makes it clear that Eve has made him whole…filled in the void that Magdelena created in him. Nora did such a great job on letting us into Eve’s fear of losing Roarke. We saw this fear of losing Roarke in Glory…but after all they had been through over the year and a half of marriage that fear still existed. Empathy for Eve’s feelings are deep.
Love the whole storyline.wish she was a real person.feel like they are old friends.have read them all and own almost all.have re-read them many times.great job.
I Love this book and all of the In Death books. This book was a emotional roller coaster for me. I cried, got mad, wanted to hit Roarke and Shake Eve. It made me happy, sad, and Mad. Thank you Nora Roberts for this and other great reads. Please keep up the wonderful work.
Loved the mystery of this one, but probably my least favorite Roarke story. Luckily he redeems himself! But I couldn’t believe the little psychopath! Such a page turner!!
This book was amazing for the fact that it’s the first time you really see Eve doubt herself on her relationship with Roarke. My heart broke for her when she was trying to figure this whole situation out. I didn’t like Magdelena from the get go and I love how Eve was able to take care of her in the end.
it’s been a while since I’ve read this and now I’m gonna go home and take it down from my In Death shelves :) I thought La Nora did a great job with setting up the contrast between Eve and Magdelena. Eve was shown to be vulnerable w/out losing her kickass qualities and for once we saw Roarke reduced down to ordinary dense man status.
I suffered with Eve when Magdalena came on the scene. Eve still can’t believe she deserves the love of Roarke and his inability to see that is something that makes the reader want to shake him for putting her through any undue worry. I love that many times I don’t figure out who the killer is until towards the end (kinda like a punch in the face and I say duh! who didn’t I see that). This one did surprise me. I was more interested in the outcome of the Eve, Roarke outcome. Way to go Eve – I think that was a punch from all of us!!! Even the one to Roarke!!
You sure picked a great book Tori. I love this series, and I have re-read most of the books, some more often than others. I love seeing their personal lives develop, and yes I so felt with Eve in this one.