Book 34), Celebrity in Death (In Death

I have to say compared to her last "In Death" book this a quieter mystery. I really needed it after the last books graphic style. It is a good read, keeps you guessing and gives the reader better insight into Dallas, Roarke, Peabody and the rest of the crew. Very enjoyable.

Celebrity in Death is the latest in a series by JD Robb. I got hooked on her In Death books a long time ago. Dallas is an excellent homicide detective in New York City, and her cases are amazing. I would recommend this book for women who enjoy murder mysteries.

Celebrity In Death, I love the In Death series! I have read everyone and each time i read one i can't wait to see how the Eve and Peabody play off each other, I would recommend all of the In Death books.

This was my first digital book read :) and i was very happy with both the story and the download process. I've been reading the in death series for a few years now and Celebrity In Death was a great read :)

I'm a huge fan of this series, but am struggling to stay awake during this one. There's nothing new here and little excitement and action. Don't really feel this installment was a great addition to the series.

It was a nice light hearted story after the serious New York to Dallas. And none of our usual characters got hurt. Nothing JD Robb writes can dissapoint me.
Also, the book arrived in great condition, dust cover & all.

I love the In Death Series and reading it on my Kindle Fire gives me so many more options than a traditional book. The only downfall is that I finish her books before she completes the next one.
Celebrity In Death

JD Robb is amazing....I have read all Nora's books and love them, but the In Death series are my favorite. Eve and Roarke are my favorites, especially Roarke.......I hear his accent while I read his word.

I love JD Robb!!!! I have already read all the books in the In Death series, and while patiently waiting for the latest book to be released here in Australia, I decided to go back and re-read the series from Book 1, including the bonus In Death books(which I had previously not read). I am so glad I have. I am picking up things I 'missed' or did not notice the first time around. I hope JD Robb keeps Eve and Roarke going for a long time to come. Eve and Roarke Rule!!!!

This installment had a little more talk and a little less action as Eve investigates a murder related to the making of the vid based on the Icove case. I was kept guessing the who done it until close to the end. While not the best of Robb's In Death series, it comes close. It was a very satisfying read. Can't wait until September to read the next one.

My comments are more about the Kindle edition rather than the story (which was enjoyable, but almost slight. Not her best, not her worst) Who can you complain to about the Kindle typesetting? Paragraphs ran into each other, and capital letters were out in the middle of nowhere, not attached to any words(and, yes, I found the words they were supposed to go to, a half a page away). This was all really annoying, especially the run-on paragraphs. It was as if they didn't want to take the space to separate different scenes. I guess that's so the capital letters could have all the extra space.

After the emotional roller-coaster of the last installment, this quiet tale of mass murder was almost soothing. Eve and Roarke, still reeling from the aftermath of their time in Dallas, are caught up in the movie being made of Nadine's book about the Icove clones. When one of the stars of the film dies during a dinner with all the cast and real-life personalities, Eve is of course right on the scene and plunged back into a murder investigation.

This would not be a good entry point into the series in my opinion because anyone not already in the know about the Icoves and not already invested in the characters is unlikely to find this particular tale compelling. That said, for those of us who read every book as soon as it comes out, this was a welcome quiet story, a chance for Eve to take a much needed emotional breath while exercising her considerable police skills. I was surprised to see how much I enjoyed Eve with some of her sharper edges softened; it certainly seems like recent experiences, while painful, are finally helping her to let go of some of her past and enjoy more of her present.

Not fast-paced, not a constant thrill ride, yet nevertheless a satisfying addition to the Eve and Roarke story that showcases a softer side of both characters.

Just started reading, and yes this one seems low key but that's okay. Not every book has to be fast paced.
My early comment is that I seem to have a glitch in my kindle copy of Celebrity in Death. In the 4th chapter Eve goes from talking to Mira about getting Julian sober to talking with Andrea in the same paragraph. Has anyone else come across this instance and are there any other in the ebook?

I used to love all the J D Robb books--they were fast moving, had humor and lots of in-depth characters that interacted well with each other. Eve was edgy and passionate, and it was wonderful seeing her and Roarke develop their relationship over the years. She also had wonderful and complex stories that kept you turning the pages well into the wee hours of the morning.

This story, like too many of the recent JD Robb books (except for Treachery in Death), slow down with too many conversations between Eve and Roarke that I've heard many times before in so many of her other books, and with what I consider "filler" as these conversations about her child abuse just go on and on with the same conversations, and nothing fresh. It seems that more and more of these same conversations are added, and it really takes away from the books. It almost seems like she is turning these books into a rehash of her other books, which I don't read anymore, instead of continuing with the fresh and exciting plots from the JD Robb books. If this continues, I will have to give up on this author, as so few of the recent JD Robb books have held my attention and are what I consider "keepers", to be added to my bookshelf and read over and over again.

WOW! I have read everyone of the J.D. Robb books - over and over! I was really disappointed in New York to Dallas - I still swear Nora Roberts did not write this book! But Celebrity in Death is phenomenal. I won't give anything away but had some heart racing moments reading it! THIS is Nora Roberts!

I'm not sure I will read any more of her books if it is this slow and boring. I skipped tons of pages cuz Nora Roberts kept repeating herself over and over. I know she can do better. No more J.D.Robb books for me if she continues to write like she did in this book.

Got what I paid for. Cost 0.00 and the CD was blank. Bought many CDs in this series and was almost 3 months before I got around to listening to it so guess I will have to buy it again so I can listen to the next book in the series.

I have read the entire "In death Series" atleast twice, in some cases three times. I wait patiently for each of her newbooks and while waiting I re-read my favorites from the series.. I can honestly say that I won't be reading this one multiple times, and am very disappointed. I almost didn't finish it....I kept wondering if this was written by Nora Roberts or a ghost writer???? It lacked her warmth and usual flare. The idea was good but was drawn out miserably...

nora continues to disappoint as she has in last few books--the plot is very weak and she adds about 80 pages of boring reduntant interviews of possible suspects just to fill space-her biggest strength has always been interplay of continuing characters -she devotes perhaps 10 pages to this--there is so much possible material with her 10 or so cohorts- wish she would quit weakening her rep with this junk!

I still love Eve, Roarke & Peabody and interestingly the secondary characters stay in the background,in this story. We still see the relationship between Eve & Roarke grow as Eve continues to come to terms with her past. However the pace of this book is much quieter and it seems that Eve has solved the crime without the legwork. No chasing criminals through the streets, no bombs disarmed, no off world travel - not even any arguments between Eve & Roarke. And no last minute death defying feats. I have all the Eve Dallas books and eagerly await the next installment in the series, but I prefer the faster pace.

Celebrity in Death is the latest book in the Eve Dallas series and it is almost contemplative compared to some of the earlier books. Eve is the subject of a vid that is being made based on Nadine Furst's book about the Icove case. A dinner has been planned with the cast members and their real life counterparts to celebrate the near completion of the movie. As usual, Eve is grumpy about getting dressed up and having to attend a fancy social function. All of that changes when one of the actors ends up dead and Eve and Peabody have to solve the murder.
The victim, K.T. Harris, was disliked by everyone who worked with her and even had a tussle with Eve during the dinner. She was playing Peabody in the vid and her resemblance causes Eve and the rest of the NYPSD staff some moments of unease. As they dig deeper into her life and death, they discover that K.T. had lots of secrets and was doing her best to disrupt the lives of her co-workers by various methods such as blackmail and coercion. It seems to Eve and Peabody that everyone has a motive and with the majority of the suspects being actors it is going to be difficult to really find out what happened.
This book has less of the action that earlier books had but more introspection into Eve and Roarke's lives. Peabody and McNab have their special moments as well. Eve is moving on from the events that happened in Texas and coming to some measure of peace. Roarke still worries about Eve but looks back on his life and realizes how much balance Eve brought to him. Their relationship just keeps getting stronger and more loving. There are thirty four books in this series and they only cover a little over two years which adds to the continuity of Eve's relationships both personal and work related. The overlying theme of this book is about choices and how making a certain choice at a particular time has caused events to happen in each of the lives of the characters in the book. This is also the means that Eve uses to finally solve the murder-looking at choices made and how that person's life was affected by them. It all ties together and makes this a satisfying addition to the series.

This one, for me, was another excellent read and a great addition to what is becoming one of my favorite series.

In this one Eve and her billionaire husband are attending a party celebrating the soon to be finished and released move which follows the book written about Eve’s Icove adventure. At some point in the party a body is found in the swimming pool – no other than the actress who is playing the part of Eve’s side-kick Peabody. There are no witnesses but everyone at the party is a suspect and most, if not all, have a motive since the slain actress is not the nicest person in the world and has made many enemies throughout the years.

The action in this one is pretty quick and the seeking out of clues of who the killer might be follows a logical order and comes to a very logical ending.

The story is well written and smooth. Yes, there are at least two – maybe three – of the never ending love scenes between Eve and Roark which are all just about the same and one you have read one of them; well, you have read them all. I tend to skip over these as they are generally thrown in here and there and add nothing to the story. It is not that I dislike a bit of sexual play in novels, it is just that after reading quite a number of the books in this series I find the author has pretty well exhausted her arsenal of sexual situations between these two. Yawn.

All the primary characters who inhabit this series play their part in this story and it has become almost like reading about family – I enjoy that. I will say that the author has the ability to build and develop a character and then stick with that character from then on and yet, even though the characters do not change that much, are still interesting.

This was, for me, a good read and I enjoyed it.

This was a library find.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Dallas and Peabody start this installment out on the set of the movie being made about them! Unfortunately they learn just how unpleasant the ‘actor’ playing Peabody really is. So when she later ends up dead at a party for those involved with the movie, everybody has the potential of being a suspect since everybody present had some kind of run in with her. But it’s up to Dallas and Peabody to wade through the evidence and collar a killer.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve read a book from this series, and I was hoping the break would make me love this installment that much more. But sadly I had trouble truly investing myself in the book. For one thing, I was introduced to so many characters at once that I kept getting a few mixed up! I also really missed the intimacy between Roarke and Eve in this installment. No, the couple wasn’t having problems, the book just focused more on the murder! But don’t worry there are definitely still a few chuckles to be had.

“Wear your new boots.” He passed her the clothes. “They’ll work well with that, and with the coat as well.”

“What new boots?” Her eyebrows drew together as he took them off a shelf. “And where did they come from?”

“The boot elves, I assume.”

“The boot elves are going to be pissed when they’re dinged and scuffed inside a week.”

“Oh, I think they’re more tolerant than that.”

“Those elves keep this up I’m going to need a bigger closet.”

But she dressed as advised, then sat to pull on the boots while Roarke programmed breakfast for two.

They slid on like–as Peabody might say–butter. “Okay.” She stood, took some strides. “They’re great. Sturdy–I could definitely kick some teeth in with these.”

“The elves had that as top priority.”
This book was an okay read, I was just hoping for more.

Eve and Peabody find themselves in a surreal situation when they visit the set of the Icove Agenda, the film based on Nadine Furst's book of the same name. They come face to face with their acting counterparts and it's uncanny how closely the actors come to looking and behaving like them. Later that evening, they return with Roarke and McNab to a glitzy evening with the cast, director, producer and Nadine, who has written the screenplay. During the evening one of the cast members is found dead in the home's rooftop lap pool so Eve and Peabody find themselves in the awkward position of investigating a murder that happened under their noses.

This installment brings the series back to basics after the emotionally wrenching case in Dallas. The story isn't terribly exciting but the case is interesting, Eve and Peabody are back together in rare form again and we are treated to some pretty good moments between Roarke and Eve. I found myself just enjoying the snappy dialogue and the humorous interchanges between Eve and Peabody, which has been missing for the last two books. We also gain some insight as to just where Eve is in dealing with the emotional aftermath of her last case in Dallas.

I enjoyed the story and the chance to revisit old friends. The mystery was engaging and the climax in Interview was classic Eve Dallas. This may not be the exciting book some may be looking for but it has all of the elements of the series that keep me happy.

Found this one in a local dollar store, and it was a disappointing read.

I must confess to never having read an "Eve Dallas" novel before, but I guess I should have. The book is littered with references to "zoner", "herbals," "'links"and other terms that are likely familiar to readers of other books in the series -- but they left me scratching my head at first. I finally figured them out from context, though I'm still not sure what "zoner" is, exactly. And I was thrown when Dallas sent something to the lab for "a quick anal." (Oh. That's pronounced "a-NAAL," as in "analysis." My bad.)

Robb's writing style left me cold as well. The story is basically told in massive blocks of dialogue, with barely any reference to who's speaking, so it's easy to lose track -- especially with the plethora of characters that drift in and out. And the characters themselves are poorly drawn, descending into little more than names. The result is blurry story-telling.

Celebrity In Death was another fun read from JD Robb. Full of mayhem and plot twists, this futuristic cop tale was well-written with my only pet –peeve being some head-hopping. However, it wasn’t enough to jerk me out of the story.

I never saw the bad guy coming when that person was finally revealed. Then again, I’m no armchair detective. I let the story get me there and welcome the surprise.

I had a great time and was able to close the book with a big smile on my face. Highly recommended.

The title of this J.D. Robb "In Death" detective story is _Celebrity in Death_ (2012). It occurred to me that it might be a swell idea to open this review with some profound comments on celebrities. But I am not a celebrity. Nor do I know any celebrities. Nor am I an expert on celebrities. I came to the sad realization that I am not the man to explain Miley Cyrus or the Kardashians to you. That must be left to others more profound than myself.

We are left, then, with the novel itself-- number 43 in a long-running series of police procedurals featuring the tough, passionate cop Eve Dallas in a near-future New York City. It is a world of supercomputers, androids, meditation rooms, prison asteroids, and Pepsi in plastic packets. It is somewhat different, but not _too_ different from our own world. It is not really terribly imaginative. But Robb did not make the mistake of making her setting a cyberpunk hell. That would be fatal for a long-running series of mysteries.

I have not read a massive number of novels in this series, but I gather that _Celebrity in Death_ is a bit less gritty and violent than the usual novel in the series-- a touch more cerebral and low-key. I liked the change. Dallas and her able assistant Peabody are undergoing the rather surreal experience of watching actresses play themselves on a vid set, recreating one of the crimes from one of their old cases. But a bit later, they have the more surreal experience experience of finding K. T. Harris, the bitchy actress portraying Peabody, murdered.

There are plenty of people with a motive to murder K.T. But Eve and Peabody soon discover that her murder was just the tip of the iceberg for a serial killer who has survived partly by cunning and partly by plain dumb luck.

The plot to _Celebrity_ seems to be a bit less routine and a bit more clever than the other novels in the series that I have read. Recommended.

I have liked this series and love all the characters from Eve and Roarke to Peabody and McNab. I skipped ahead several books in the series to this one because of availability. The earlier books in the series contained much less profanity, which is totally unnecessary for developing the characters or the story. I found the many f words and other profanities to be distracting rather than adding to the story. Thankfully, Roarke and Peabody mostly spared such language. The story itself involved the same characters we love in this series and Eve was her usual brilliant cop. Rourke was as charming as always and we were intrigued with the mystery of "who done it".I don't think this was the best "Death" book though even without the languge.

Celebrity in Death centers on the filming of the movie based on Nadine Furst's book on the Icove case, one that Eve and Peabody worked. For me, this was one of the strongest entries in the series. It has a different feel to it than some of the others, maybe because Eve isn't in direct danger. She's definitely involved in the murders, but not directly. Because it's the movie version of one of their cases, there are Hollywood look-alikes for Eve, Peabody, Roarke, McNabb, and others involved, and the actor playing Peabody is the book's first murder. One of the things that stuck with me was the reactions of the real cops and their friends to the death of someone who looked so much like their Peabody. It really drove home how much everyone cares about her. At this point in such a long running series, I think you need the earlier books to really understand some of what happens and is said, and to appreciate the character growth. The Audible version of the book is perfect. Susan Erikson is fantastic, and I hear her voice now when I read this series. Highly recommended, if you're already somewhat familiar with the series.

First Sentence: With frustration, and some regret, she studied murder.

Lt. Eve Dallas couldn't do anything about one of her past cases gaining national attention with a book having been written about it. Now it's being turned into a film and its strange having others play her and those close to her on sets eerily similar to her reality. The worlds of make-believe and reality collide when the murder of an actress portraying Dallas' second, Peabody, occurs at a party.

The J.D. Robb books are one of my slightly guilty pleasures but there's really no reason to feel that way. J.D. Robb is, in fact, mega-bestseller Nora Roberts and she didn't achieve her success by writing poorly.

Robb creates great characters with whom we become involved and invested--they, and their inter-relationships, become almost real to us. And yes, there's sex; a natural part of a married relationship. One of the best parts of her characters is that they have grown and changed through the series. What's remarkable is to think that, in the span of 34 books, the series has only progress about two years in character time; a subtle touch that both keeps the characters form again and adds realism as no policeman only has one major case per year.

Robb writes delightful dialogue with humor, edge and occasionally insight. Her books are set in the near future with just enough sci-fi to be interesting, but real time is catching up to invented time. Don't mistake her books for fluff, however. There is plenty of grit to them, and the hard unpleasant realities of a murder investigation. The plot is complex enough to keep any mystery fan guessing. When I can't identify the killer, I'm a happy reader, indeed.

"Celebrity in Death" is yet another very good read in a series I hope continues for many years to come.

CELEBRITY IN DEATH (Fut. Pol Proc-Lt. Eve Dallas-New New York City-Future) - VG
Robb, J.D. (aka Nora Roberts) - 34th in series
Putnam, 2012

This is an open ended series. That means that although the regular characters grow and change and have movement in their lives that there isn't a single story with a beginning, middle and end to the series as a whole. But mostly there is no end intended for the series. Some people have gotten tired of the series. I have not.

Once again JD Robb has provided us with an interesting mystery to deal with. This time the murder happens while several of our regular characters are in the house. Hollywood is in New York to make a movie (to use the "old" term) of the book about one of Eve's biggest cases and the director and his wife have invited the main cast members, the author, and the major players in the real case to dinner. Something happens on the roof garden of the building that looks at first like an accident, but not to the eyes of Eve, or her partner. And the story begins.

It is in many ways a regular Eve Dallas story. The lives of the regulars move forward. We see Peabody working on her own as a detective. We see Eve doing some managing and not as much of the street cop. The two of them work not just with the other local cops but with others in other parts of the country. And it looks like Nadine is going to get another book out of what is going on because she is involved from the first page.

It was fun to read, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

I never put spoilers in my reviews.
J D Robb (Nora Roberts) is one of the few authors I reread. Everything about the "in Death" novels is quality writing and defies genre labeling.
From the relationship between Dallas and Rourke, the mystery/thriller storyline, an extremely strong female role model, the secondary characters, the setting, well, everything, you just can't wait for the next one. Robb shows that a woman can be strong and capable despite soul crippling events in her life. I have a mantra, "just step over it and move on." Eve Dallas personifies this. It doesn't mean you never think of it or that you forget but life goes on.
Dallas "stands for the dead," they are hers, no matter who or what they were in life and grieves for their lost futures. To her it's almost a sacred trust and she is uncompromising in her pursuit of justice for those in her care.
I think even most men would like these books, if for no reason than to see how women would like to be treated.
Read, enjoy, repeat.

I liked this story a lot; there were more elements of both Peabody and Eve's sarcastic humor which I enjoy. I will give credit to the author for making her characters so genuine, believable for the majority of their parts. Finding out about the victim's past in this book was enlightening. Just when you thought she couldn't have been any dirtier, you got some new insights into her past and if I were a cop on this kind of case with such a victim, it'd take everything in me to try & find the killer because honestly, the victim deserved what she got. However, when you learn about who did it and that person's own past, you begin to forget just how much of an absolute scum bag the victim was because the true murderer is even worse; by a long shot. I do find it unbelievable with all the ways Roarke is able to help her out all the time though considering he's also running a super huge universal company but I guess you have to keep it in check in your mind that this is a story and not a real life situation.

Another fabulous Eve Dallas installment! One of the things that I noticed strongly with this book are how different Eve and Peabody are. They are like night and day but get along together and complement one another perfectly. For that matter, Eve and Roark are the same as well.

Eve is not easily influenced, swayed or impressed by much of anything. She plays her cards close to the chest at all times, shows emotion, but keeps her inner spirit locked down so tightly that most people, even those closest to her, don't know where they stand with Eve or what she is thinking or feeling.

CELEBRITY IN DEATH has Eve and Peabody rubbing elbows and hobnobbing with the glitzy and glamorous Hollywood types while filming The Icove Agenda. Where Peabody is gushing over meeting all the stars, Eve is strongly detached. Eve would much rather put on her favorite boots and coat instead of fancy party dresses and shoes designed to torture one's feet.

I really enjoy seeing Eve outside of her element and comfort zone. Thanks in great part to Roark's presence in her life, Eve holds her own quite well at social gatherings and functions but it's such a joy to see Eve switch gears from high society wife to murder cop.

Still not enough Somerset in this one, but I got my Mavis, Leonardo and Bella fix, so I'm satisfied for now. I always enjoy Eve's interactions with Bella, especially Bella's insistence that Eve give her a smooch.

This case hits a little too close to home for many of the characters. The actress portraying Peabody in the movie has been murdered. Her striking resemblance to Peabody is so acute that seeing her corpse causes many characters to display a strong emotional response.

Unfortunately, the victim is not very well liked by anyone at the party. K. T. Harris has plenty of enemies for Eve to focus on as potential suspects. After a drunken tirade at the dinner party, even Eve is not one of the victim's fans.

Once again, Eve does a fantastic job of ferreting out the most obscure clues that eventually lead her down the path to finding the killer. The speed with which she accomplishes this amazes me even more. It's almost as if the crime scene speaks to Eve, tells her its secrets. Being a cop is all Eve has ever known. It's definitely in her blood, but it's also in her soul. I'm glad Peabody is so different and that she doesn't try to mirror Dallas. She can hold her own just the way she is, but I never get tired of seeing these two wonderful characters in action, two halves of a whole.

I think fans of this series will be very pleased with what CELEBRITY IN DEATH has to offer. A lot of fast-paced action, snappy dialogue, several laugh out loud moments and an intriguing plot makes this one of the best Eve Dallas books out there.

It seems like I'm not getting much time to read lately, but when J. D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) releases a new novel in the "In Death" series, I make time. Celebrity In Death is the latest installment that follows the life of Lieutenant Eve Dallas as she kicks butt and solves murder cases in the 2060 version of New York. In Celebrity, Dallas has to figure out who murdered a video star at a party she was attending. While all the potential suspects are known, the clues as to which one did the deed are elusive...

Dallas, Roarke, Peabody, and McNabb are attending a party centered around the new video of her Icove case. The Icove Agenda, written by reporter Nadine Furst, is highly anticipated, but of course Dallas would prefer not have anything to do with parties or publicity. Her role switches from attendee to cop when one of the co-stars is found dead in the lap pool on the roof, and everyone at the party becomes a possible murder suspect. Dallas quickly finds out that the deceased was not a favorite of anyone involved in the film, and in fact most of them end up having reason why her death isn't anything to shed tears over. Still, a death is a death, and Dallas stands for the victim, regardless of how they lived their life. As she drills down into everyone's story, she starts to uncover some past history that leads her to believe that this murder isn't the first one the suspect has committed, and it probably won't be the last unless she can provide the evidence to tie together the coincidences.

While this wasn't wasn't as edgy or tense as prior novels, it was still interesting with some unique twists. The focus was more on investigative work, trying to tie together past actions to the current case. The actors and actresses who played Dallas and company looked eerily similar to their real-life counterparts, which made the murder feel more personal to Peabody and McNabb, as the dead actress played Peabody in the film.. In addition, Dallas felt like she was looking into a mirror, seeing how others view her by watching how the actress interpreted her character.

An In Death novel is like catching up with old friends, and I never tire of watching Dallas go head-to-head with murderers. Celebrity In Death is no different, and I can't wait until the next installment.

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Library
Payment: Borrowed

So many times authors start off a series with a really well-developed set of characters and a great plot idea, but over time the author seems to forget that people (whether fictional or real) are changed by the events that occur. It becomes increasing frustrating to the faithful series reader, and they become bored when the author fails to allow the characters to change and grow over time.

JD Robb's readers keep coming back for more, because the characters remain the heart of the In Death series. JD Robb's latest installment, Celebrity in Death, is just another shining example of why Robb deserves the national bestselling accolades.

Eve and Roarke have had many major life-altering moments during the 30+ books in the series. Thankfully, Robb takes the time to address the impact these events have had on them as individuals, as a couple, and in their relationships with those around them. Instead of constantly putting Eve and Roarke in high-profile, high-drama, life-threatening situations book after book, Robb has books like Celebrity where the case is a little more low-key and the focus is returned to the characters. Robb allows the characters to have flaws, to learn from their mistakes, to grow into better (but never perfect) people.

Robb also skillfully blends the necessary elements from past stories into Celebrity, giving a newer reader some background to clue them into events that have led up to the newest story. Though it's definitely best to have read the previous titles, a reader can at least get a "last time on..." review.

Celebrity in Death is a fantastic job by JD Robb, because it integrates the making of a movie based on Eve's prior case involving the clones, it is a breather from the highly intense trip to Dallas where Eve had to face the demons from her past, and it gives the reader insight into all the characters and how their relationships are developing.

Kudos to Robb for keeping the focus on the characters and for understanding that characters like people can't remain stationary in life, or they start to become stagnant. Readers often identify with characters and by keeping those characters evolving it keeps the reader interested and invested.

A murder book that celebrates love. One of the things I admire the most about Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb's books is how she effortlessly conveys that deep abiding love that most of us yearn for. That sense of comfort, security and support that one finds with one's soul mate. The disconnect between reality and fiction (as portrayed in a fiction book) is blurred as Eve is forced into close proximity with the actors who have assumed the identity of all of those involved in the Icove cloning case. Eve semi-seriously wishes for a murder to rescue her from a dinner party with the principals in the movie but could not have predicted the impact on her inner circle when the person playing Peabody is found dead. The radical contrast between the amiable nature of the genuine Peabody and the actor who found a way to antagonize all whom she interacted with still doesn't ease the shock experienced by those who care for Peabody herself but eventually helps mitigate the impact. Eve is still recovering from the trauma experienced while in Dallas but she has learned to entrust Roarke with her vulnerability and the reaffirmation of their love as well as the flowering of Peabody and McNab's relationship is a beautiful bonus to this murder mystery. There is a slight feeling of inevitability when the culprit is finally identified but the unfolding of the investigation is filled with Eve's trademark dry humor and entertaining perspective (although she really should find a different place to stash her candy) and this is a wonderfully natural progression to the series and an excellent read as expected.

The last In Death book was raw and emotional (as it needed to be). This book was everything I wanted in a book that followed New York to Dallas. At one point, there's mention of (paraphrasing, not a spoiler) "being careful with each other" and that feels like what this book is - Robb being careful with the reader as well, and this is a good thing. I feel like it makes Eve and Roarke's lives a little more real - the fact that they aren't going all out every minute of every day, and are taking some time to recover from the events of the last book.

I enjoyed the mystery here, and unlike some of the other books, I was more in the dark for longer about who eventually was the guilty party.

We also got to see more of Peabody in this book. Well, maybe not more in terms of lines or pages, but more about her and her relationships. It felt satisfying and needed, although I hope that in a future book, some of the promises of more Peabody interaction will take place, particularly between her and Eve. It seems like the two of them should start to open up more to each other. Not in a best friends type of way - that's not Eve, but in a "partners share stuff" sort of way.

All in all I would recommend this book thoroughly, just don't go into it expecting the same level of non-stop action and emotional gut-punching as the previous entry in the series.

CELEBRITY IN DEATH, the latest novel starring Lieutenant Eve Dallas, begins on a note that's a bit different from the opening paragraphs of most of the books in this series. From the start, prolific author J. D. Robb has struck a balance between the familiar and the unique in these futuristic police procedurals, set in the New York City of 2060. So what is the different note? Dallas, always so self-assured and confident, is a bit unsettled.

The cause of this paradigm shift is being on the set of a movie. It turns out the film is about Dallas herself, and the actress portraying her is so good that she seems to be Dallas's long-lost twin. Dallas is somewhat less than comfortable with all of the glitz, glamour and attention, and as such is the polar opposite of Peabody, her police partner, who soaks up the lights like a sponge. This is somewhat ironic; K.T. Harris, the actress who plays Peabody, is equally adept at doing so, but is cold, abrasive and universally disliked.

Does anyone spot the murder victim yet? Yes, you're right. Harris is found dead at the close of a cast and crew dinner. It is not immediately clear whether she has passed as the result of foul play or drunken misadventure, but Dallas swings into action almost immediately, operating from a worst-case scenario perspective. There are any number of likely candidates on the list of who might have done it, on the basis of both motive and opportunity. It is at this point that the narrative really shines, demonstrating the main strength of CELEBRITY IN DEATH and its predecessors. While the hook of the series is its futuristic setting, the meat of each and every story is the step-by-step procedure utilized by Dallas and her team in finding and bringing the murderer to justice.

As always, Dallas whittles down the list of potential suspects, and in doing so makes a number of surprising discoveries that not only lead her to the murderer but also unearths a string of mysterious deaths trailing several years into the past. It is here where the heart of the series is particularly demonstrated. Dallas makes clear what is always implied, whether in these books or in other police procedurals: it is law enforcement that ultimately speaks for the murder victims, and each and every one is important. Dallas is as driven and focused as any police officer one is likely to encounter in detective fiction, and that personality trait is demonstrated front and center here.

Of course, as even those who are casually familiar with the series know, there is a heavy romantic element to these novels. This is personified by Dallas's husband, the enigmatic Roarke, who has more money than God and power to match. Of course, Roarke plays an important, multi-faceted role in CELEBRITY IN DEATH, from the sublime (cutting through red tape to obtain information for Dallas's investigation) to the not so sublime (helping Dallas select her wardrobe for the cast and crew dinner). Regarding the latter, Robb is uncannily capable of presenting such tasks as seductive --- even to male readers --- as opposed to being somewhat, well, less than manly.

While the series is targeted primarily at adult female readers (and I know of at least one readers' group that spends hours discussing Roarke), these books are multi-faceted. Anyone who enjoys mysteries should be reading them, and probably is. If not, CELEBRITY IN DEATH is the perfect place to start.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

This is another great example of JD Robb at her best. The In Death series is really not something that you can pick up with this book but with twenty plus books already published, there's a lot in paperback you can pick up while working your way to the newest release. Plus, the background of this story is the plot from Origin in Death so you really should read that one first at least.

After the successful true crime book release of the story from Origin in Death, Hollywood has come to New York ready to turn it in to a movie complete with look a-likes for Eve, Roarke, Peabody, and the whole team. At a dinner with the main cast, film producers, and Eve's team when one of the cast comes up dead, Eve is ready and on the case. Eve has to wade through the seedy underbelly of the cast and crew to try and deduct who could have wanted the actress killed (which could be anyone since no one liked her) and who had the means.

This was a really great story with a lot of the elements I love in an Eve Dallas novel. She was her same sassy, sarcastic self. Roarke was sexy, powerful, and supportive. And Eve's team offered the same great insight and humor they provide to every story. There was even a little bit of character growth which I love. Since we've been living with these characters for over twenty books, any time we can step away from the crime and step in to their lives makes me so happy. This is a must read for JD Robb fans. Not my favorite but is a definite re-read for me.

I'm never going to read ahead in a series, ever again. OMGosh so many spoilers all because I skipped ahead and had to read this one. I keep hinting about my Eve issues and I will lay them out in a post I swear, but let's just say Eve has addressed most of them in this book, not all but most. One of the major things is due to the total number of books and the amount of years they have been coming out I also assumed the timeline within the books moved with us, so I thought Eve & Roarke had been together way longer than just 2 1/2 years (which she addresses in the book); now I feel like crap for some of my assumptions about Eve.

In this new installment Eve is dealing with her own celebrity statues due to a movie comin out based on the book written by Nadine Frost, based on a previous case the Icove cloning case. (from the book Origin in Death). While dressed to the nines and at a swanky celebrity party someone is killed & it becomes a game of clue *literally* with Eve and Peabody becoming primaries on the case, trying to solve the murder.

This time I was totally clueless about who did it up until the last few chapters where she laid it all out for us; which makes a great mystery novel. I was hooked on this story and was fascinated and intrigued by the changes that took place within Eve. She was also cleaning up the loose ends from previous novels (that I skipped over) now I have to figure out what the heck happened in Dallas, that changed Eve so much. Unlike previous novels Eve has grown somewhat, so whatever happened in Dallas was profound & finally pushed her to grow & get comfortable with herself & Roarke.

I just wish she didn't wait until shyt hits the fan in a case before she grew; but I guess we all change differently. This time around she has embraced being Roarke's wife a little more. She isn't afraid to use the resources being the wife of a wealthy man gets her at least for the purpose of a case. She has even embraced *a little* the cloths aspect of it. I might have to fight her for the coat Roarke gave her, and those boots too.

A great read, a burn rubber kind of book. Happy Reading
Be Blessed

I do not believe this book was written by Nora Roberts aka J. D. Robb. If it was, maybe she has multiple personality disorder. This was Eve Dallas being her most unprofessional ever. Some sentences I had to reread several time to understand what was being said. It only got a star because it started to read and have the old feel of the In death series around page 240 to the end.

Here are some things I have a problem with.

What does this mean? "Unlike the early morning pulse and mumble, Asher's building held quiet midday". Held quiet midday, what is that?

Why wasn't Feeney (he was hardly mentioned in the book), and Morris not included in the party with all the Hollywood big shots?

How could Eve, a Lieutenant walk into a department, who's head is a Captain (Feeney) using his people to help her without clearing it with Feeney? She has never done that before. Total disrespect.

And the biggest mistake in this book? When Eve Dallas causally told an employee that her boss was murdered and I quote, he was struck on the back of his head with the statue of a black bird, and I end quote. She said that to a civilian, it makes no sense she would disclose information like that.

Why after Asher was murdered, did she not go to his apartment to investigate, she went instead to the Hollywood big shots to let the know someone else was murdered, by the time it crossed her mind to check out Asher's apartment, someone else has beaten her to it.

All of the above and more was why I gave it one star.

The book was not well written, I felt as if I was fumbling my way throughout the entire book, with Eve Dallas.

We've often marveled at how "Robb" not only keeps pumping out the NYPD Homicide Lt. Eve Dallas novels (according to one source, "Celebrity" is #34...) but also maintains superior quality in such a long-running series. Fortunately, her latest is no exception! Even the setup is clever: a movie company is making a film from TV reporter Nadine Furst's best seller about one of Eve's famous cases ("The Icove Affair", from the earlier #21 "Origin in Death"); and the stars are having a fancy dinner with their corresponding real-life characters, including Eve, her husband Roarke, her partner Peabody, Furst, and several others. While the group is viewing a fun reel of outtakes, the obnoxious actress playing Peabody slips out of the theater, and is soon enough discovered quite dead beside the rooftop pool. Like a game of Clue, virtually everyone at the dinner party is a suspect when it appears the death was not a suicide, although the production company would certainly prefer that verdict.

The plot thickens when it seems the dead actress was blackmailing some of her cohorts - and then the private eye who helped her get the goods turns up murdered! Needless to say, Eve is off and running on a suspenseful police procedural that moves along quickly. While we readers do learn the probable culprit with about a quarter of the book to go, even the closing in and arresting process is engaging, with more than a few surprise events from the past adding to the "fun." Indeed, "Celebrity" is a highly recommended addition to this terrific set.

Celebrity In Death is much less emotional than New York to Dallas was. Eve is beginning to deal with what happened though she is having very lucid dreams and Roarke is also starting to cope with the aftermath. They are both being careful with one another so while there is interaction that is solely Roarke and Eve, it is not the main focus of this story. For me this book got back to the nitty girtty of solving the crime, much more about the process. There is a lot of interview time with witnesses where both Eve and Peabody's skills are demonstrated and just solid detective work.

The big question always is who got murdered and who is Eve going to get justice for. Nadine has sold her book rights for The Icove Agenda and they are filming right in New York City. Roarke and Eve, Peabody and McNab, Dr. Mira and her Husband, Mavis and her husband and Nadine are attending a dinner with the cast of the movie. Eve is trying to just enjoy herself when she has words with K.T. Harris, the woman who is playing Peabody in the film. Little is though of this as the hostess pulls her aside and the night moves on to a gag reel showing. After the viewing, K.T. is found dead in the rooftop pool. Eve quickly realizes that K.T. is not liked by anyone on the cast but everyone seems to have an alibi. Solid interview and just plain digging reveal just how much K.T. was disliked and why. When a P.I., that K.T hired to investigate two of the other cast members and their relationship in order for K.T. to be able to blackmail them turns up murdered as well, Eve and Peabody are at a loss as to who the murderer is until Eve discovers something outrageous. Seven deaths of people close to one of the suspects have turned up and that just seems too convenient.

I was glad to have a break from the emotional stress of New York to Dallas. I understand why it needed to happen but it was a rough story. I really enjoy the evolution of relationship that the In Death Series has. Eve and Roarke have hit a new level of their relationship with all of Eve's past out in the open, yet things are still the same. Roarke continues to gift Eve with things even though it makes her crazy and Eve harassed Roarke about his business. Peabody and McNab really hit a new level when the idea of marriage is discussed. There is not much of Mavis in this book but I hope more in the future.

All in all, this was another solid entry in the In Death series. It is amazing that this is book #34 and I am not feeling that the series is dragging out. There is always something new and fresh. It keeps me coming back.

I am a big fan of the In Death series and this latest installment did not disappoint. Susan Ericksen is a fantastic narrator, she's the main reason that I prefer this series in audio instead of print. Something about all the voices, particularly Roarke's accent, really makes the story come alive!

The Celebrity title in this one refers to the fact that Eve ends up investigating the homicide of an actress playing her partner, Peabody, in a movie about the Icove case based on Nadine's book. She's been leading up to this one for awhile, the Icoves have been mentioned in basically every book since the case was solved in Creation in Death. The story gets started right away and keeps a good pace throughout, and while it wasn't particularly suspenseful and I guessed correctly who it was, I really liked the character development and it kept me interested.

The only thing I don't understand is the Kindle pricing - Nora Roberts' alter ego J.D. Robb apparently nets a higher price tag than Roberts herself, since this one is $14.99 and Roberts' newest, The Witness, is only $12.99 - definitely a little strange!

Nora Roberts as JD Robb has the absolute BEST characters! Her prose is amazingly smooth. Her descriptions as luscious as silk and as creamy as chocolate.

If you are looking for a hard-hitting, action-packed, female lead with a ruggedly handsome, if somewhat dangerous, leading man then this is your series.

Eve Dallas and Rourke are the hottest couple around. The work together as a magnificent team--in play, life, love, and workouts. I'd definitely enjoy sparring with Rourke. Heck, I'd enjoy it with Eve and I don't bend that way.

You never know what is coming next, which is good since I can usually peg the bad guy after the first or second chapter. She keeps it interesting without treading over the same territory.

The back stories are relatable and intriguing all on their own.

This series definitely hits the high water mark for me!

Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke find themselves hobnobbing with the Hollywood crowd when a film is being made in New York City based on Nadine Furst's book on the cloning case. Unfortunately the actress playing Peabody in the film, K. T. Harris, is a manipulative bitch, hated by all. And during a party at the director's house, she is discovered dead in the rooftop pool. As the investigation continues, secrets are revealed about all the members of the film.

I really loved this one. I didn't even figure out who the murderer was until later in the book, somewhat unusual and welcome. Eve is still working her way through the incidents in the previous book, while Roarke is trying to keep his cop safe. It was a great read. 4.5 out of 5.

I borrowed the book from the library. After the tour de force of New York to Dallas I was hoping for another blockbuster. Instead, I found a book that could have easily been a short story were it not for all the padding. I figured out the guilty party long before it was revealed, despite all the red herrings that were thrown about. One bit of padding involved a gift from Roarke to Eve of a leather jacket with a lining made of body armor. She made such a point of this that you would think there would have been an attack of some sort, but no such thing. That's just one example of the unnecessary details. All of the usual characters are brought in at one point or another, but the book just does not live up to the standard set in the last one. Sorry.

I have loved the In Death series for years, and believe I have read every book.
I can understand wanting to take this one down a notch; the events of New York to Dallas were intense, and Eve and Roarke need a chance to calm down and mentally regroup.
HOWEVER, the series in itself is becoming weak. It's so terribly formulaic at this point. Eve has nightmares. Roarke always manages to save the day. The book goes on at great length about how rich he is. Mira clucks like a mother hen. Peabody complains about her body and how she shouldn't eat whatever yummy treat is in front of her (yet always pouts if she doesn't get a bribe from Nadine). For once, though, Eve doesn't end up needing medical care.

The series needs a really strong shake-up, or needs to get tied up and let go gracefully. The main story arc, of Eve's family, has been wrapped up. While that was definitely a shake-up for Eve and Roarke, it is absolutely meaningless for the other characters.

Does anyone else think a major character needs to die? Not a situation like Morris' girlfriend, who you didn't even see until that book came out. Someone who has been in several of the stories, so that the death absolutely sucker punches the remaining characters. It could be someone as low-tier as Trueheart, or as high up as Morris himself.

I own almost every In Death book and have read most of this series twice and enjoyed nearly every second of it. That being said, the mystery itself was fine but the quick dialog was very off. Eve and Roarke are no longer talking in sexy innuendo but in full out crudeness. The witty repertoire between Dallas and Peabody was forced and obvious. Eve can't even manage being put out by the new jacket and boots that Roarke purchased for her. She pushes for a search warrant that a rookie wouldn't have submitted. And worst of all Eve goes to Summerset for a quickly resolved problem and neither one of them takes a shot at the other. I would believe she would have gone to Caro much quicker. I am glad I didn't buy this one. I got it at my local library and still feel cheated.

i was hoping that after reading 'new york to dallas' that we were back on track to decent 'in death' books. not the case.. i know that characters have to develop/etc but the whole writing style has changed and not for the better. so many characters, who could keep track of them all. the mcnab and peabody sideline of..'lets get married..someday'.. really? what was the point of that. dallas is so touchy feely these days i am wondering if she got some sort of brain damage in one of the many fights she was in. i love this series but the last few books (especially Indulgence in Death) have gotten so bad i am wondering if it is worth reading anymore. hey, nora roberts/jd robb.. get your old ghost writers back because this new bunch is going to lose you $$.

The series is back on track after what I felt was an off-kilter offering with New York to Dallas.

Movie stars are in town filming the movie adaptation of Nadine's book based on the mind-blowing Icove case. What I love about this is that of all the cases Eve has worked on, it feels right that the Icove case is the one that winds through all the later books as one that captures the minds and imaginations of the fictional characters since it happened in Origin In Death

Even in a futuristic NYC with cars that can fly and machines that can create an entire four-course meal with just the push of a button, a case where women are bred for specific traits, cloned, trained and then sold to men for myriad purposes is mind-blowing stuff. It remains one of my favorite of the series. So this book is a nice call back to all of that.

Robb mines the humor quotient for great effect with both Eve and Peabody being mildly freaked out by the "other me's" on set, actresses portraying them in the movie and made up to look just like them.

But all the fun and games ends when one of the actors is murdered in what is set up to look like an accident. Eve, Peabody, McNabb and Roarke are on scene so they take over the case. This book is solidly police procedural with most of the personal stuff left largely in the background. In tone it kind of reminded me of Witness in Death because of the involvement of actors and the fact that you are never quite sure if they are acting or not during their various interviews with Eve.

I couldn't really guess the perp this time around but I did enjoy how Robb circled around and filled in the back-story and built up the motive. It was a nice storytelling.

There is a new character introduced who feels like he might be a new minor recurring character. I found him interesting enough that I look forward to see if he does make more appearances.

I do take a star off because once again we have a killer who kills multiple people. I would not think less of Eve's abilities if the main case is where the murderer only killed one person and that was it.

But that is a peeve that comes with familiarity of the series. I can't remember the last series I still liked 34 books into the series. Lately I kinda blanch if I find out the series is more than five books long.

Good installment!

I enjoyed the strengthening relationship between Roarke & Eve. As others said, this book has less physicality. It is more a thought exercise in solving the puzzle of the murder(s). But the relationship is fascinating. Again as previously observed, I think someone new to the series would not find this a good entry point. Too much is about the established relationships. Not just R & Eve. But also with Peabody, Nadine, the various technical folks among the cops. I liked it because I know the people and relationships. I think without that it would be quite puzzling.

I enjoyed so much of it being about Eve and Roarke.

I was somewhat surprised that Mira, her psych friend was not much involved in the crime. She did some therapy with Eve but very little, if any, role in analyzing the murder.

Ok, let's admit it - it's got to be hard for the author to come up with something new, fresh, and revealing in every book when the series gets so long. For those of us who love the series, this was a pleasant little trip with old friends. There are no big character developments, no tension between our familiar characters. The mystery itself was less intense, novel, and threatening than many of the previous installments. I hesitate to say this particular book seemed a little "phoned in" but it did not hold my interest and make me stay up until 3 am to keep reading as some of the others have. But, that's ok, I prefer a relaxed visit with Eve & Peabody to a more intense one with less likable characters.

Thirty-fourth in the In Death futuristic romantic suspense series revolving around Eve Dallas and Roarke...yum... This one is about the Icove case being made into a movie.

My Take
It was good. I also think of it as a bridge novel in that it carries on from Nadine having written the true crime book about the Icove case (see Origin In Death (In Death, #21) and we are in on the shenanigans behind filming the movie. We still have its world premiere coming up--hence my designation as a bridge.

Could be the kiss of death--I sure hope it ain't!--but Eve is getting mighty comfy with Roarke buying all those yummmy dresses, boots, clothes, etc. for her. It's sweet and about time even if it does take some of the edge out of their interaction. I do enjoy how they tease each other. Even her nightmares are calming down more. It was pretty funny how icked-out Eve was with seeing "herself" playing a detective, though!

Eve's investigation provides a backstage peek at the sniping, bickering, and manipulations on a movie set. There's not so much of the glamorous side in this so much as a look at the real people behind the masks with their weaknesses and true emotions. And the actors discover just how down and dirty a cop will get to dig up the truth.

And McNab pops a question...

The Story
It's a dinner party where the book's main characters meet the actors playing them for the film. It's bittersweet as some of the movie people just rub people the wrong way. One goes just a bit too far and ends up dead.

The possibilities are almost endless for this victim has made it a mission in life to hurt, humiliate, and destroy wherever possible. Even Peabody wants this actor alive again just so she can have a punch up!

The Characters
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a kick-ass police officer in New York City in 2060. She can't be bought and she always gets her man. The bad guy always gets caught and sent to jail. The good guy, she gets to go home to. Roarke--no last name--is, in Eve's words, "an Irish gazillionaire" who gets her. He knows just what kind of "because" present to buy his wife. He knows how to soothe her through her nightmares. And she's the one woman this man wants just as he is the only one for her.

Detective Delia Peabody is her partner. She-body is from a New Ager background and makes a softer counterpart to the hard-edged Dallas. Roarke brought back a gift for her from their trip to Dallas (see New York to Dallas (In Death, #33)) and Peabody has decided it is now her signature--you can imagine how excited that makes Dallas, LOL. Peabody's life partner is the brighter-than-life Ian McNab, an E detective and a whiz on the computer.

Nadine Furst is a TV personality who wrote a bestselling book on the Icove case; now she's doing the screenplay for the movie. She's also good friends with Dallas and Peabody. Kyung Beaverton is the latest in a long line of media liaisons with whom Eve has worked. He seems to have gotten it right as Eve lets Roarke know he's not a jerk.

The movie people include:
The strong-willed, dominating Mason Roundtree is the director; Connie Burkette, is his peacemaking wife; Marlo Durn is playing Eve in the movie and seems to have really done her homework about Eve while the bitchy K.T. Harris is playing Peabody; the unassuming Preston Stykes is the assistant director; the sweet Matthew Zank is playing McNab; Mavis is playing herself while potty mouth Andrea Smythe is playing Doctor Mira; Julian Cross plays Roarke and never met a woman he didn't want to tup; and, Joel Steinburger is the very successful producer with the ever-obsequious Valerie Xaviar in charge of publicity.

A.A. Asner is the private detective who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. Barbie is his dippy, but sweet secretary. Robert Willoughby is an attorney and Asner's neighbor. I suspect we may be seeing more of him. Brice Van Horn is K.T.'s brother and he couldn't be more day to her night.

There is very little of Feeney, Whitney, Dr. Mira, Dr. Morris, Summerset, Mavis, Leonardo, and Bella and almost nothing of Trina or Dallas' men.

The Cover
The cover is a bit confusing with its middle strip of diamondplate overshadowing the very busy bottom collage of fishnet, a clapboard, a length of leopard print and handcuffs while the almost two-thirds top strip is a royal blue. Somehow, I just never equated diamondplate with Hollywood...

The title is too true for it is a Celebrity in Death in this installment.

Let me just say that I love the In Death series and I thought this was a great premise for a new book. Unfortunately, everything that could have made this book exciting never happened. It was all very low key and not the kick ass Eve I've come to know and love. There was no heat for me. I need more Roarke and more drama. If Roarke and Eve are going to start being just this annoyingly happy, sappy, in love couple I'm going to be so disappointed. What makes the In Death series so good is the constant up and down of their relationship, the pull Eve feels between her straight up view of morality and the fact the Roarke won't tow the line she would like him to. I don't think any of us want them to get along all the time. They are exciting when they fight, make up, fight, etc.. And all in the midst of a juicy murder. All of my favorite books in this series feature heavy situations between the two of them. Innocent in Death and Judgement in Death come to mind. As far as Eve and a captaincy, I just don't see it. Like the excitement I want between Eve and Roarke, I don't see any excitement with her behind a desk and dealing with the politics of the job. I want Eve in the field kicking ass and taking names. Don't wimp her down or Roarke for that matter. I anxiously wait for the next one and hope for better.

I laughed out loud while reading the very first chapter - and that may be the primary thing that keeps me coming back again and again for more In Death. Robb packs a lot of humor into her books, in addition to solid mysteries and the underlying romance. Considering the dark storyline from the previous book, I wasn't too surprised at the slower pace of this one. Eve and Roarke are coming to terms with their past, and their relationship is finally taking the next steps. The mystery wasn't the most exciting (and I do admit to a bit of boredom with the Icove case - let's move on, shall we?), but the character development, especially in the relationships, was excellent. Not only are Eve and Roarke admitting their own vulnerability toward one another, but Peabody and McNab move forward as well. There were a few cameos from popular secondary characters (like Mira and Feeney), but for the most part they stayed in the background. This was about Eve letting go of her painful past, which I think will allow the series to go to a new level.

Overall, I didn't find this as fast paced as previous installments, but I couldn't put it down either. Another winner from Robb that leaves me eager for the next book. Highly recommended.

I loved this one. Kind of Agatha Christie-ish -- one murder and a list of possible suspects. Seems like it didn't stay a mystery for long. But entertaining even so.

I was relieved with this one. "New York to Dallas" was over-the-top emotional intensity. This one seemed to balance it -- an lower key but still entertaining de-escalation. I could breathe.

One thing I loved was the "next-step" in strengthening her partnership with Peabody -- that's progress.

I especially loved the no-holds-barred, somewhat foul-mouthed British actress character. She was so real. So herself with no apologies and holding nothing back.

J.D. Robb did it again! Another fabulous book in the series.
I really enjoyed it. Because this times it was one of her "lighter" ones - no overly violent deaths, no horrible nightmares for Eve and no drama whatsoever between Roarke and Eve. And I'm really happy about it.
Quite a few of her last books have been of the violent sort. Still great, but not easy to read. That's why I was happy, to sort of "breeze" through this one. The mystery was still engaging and I loved watching Eve and Co. work on it.
On top of that I loved the harmony and understanding between Eve and Roarke. A lot of readers obviously enjoy reading about the conflicts between them - I'm not one of them. Yes sure, a few arguments here and there keep things interesting, but I don't like it when there are serious things standing between them, like in "Divided In Death" - that was one book that was very hard for me to get through.
I love that Eve is now comfortable with showing her feelings, not just for Roarke, but for some of the other characters as well (Peabody, Mira, Nadine, etc.). She's becoming more amazing with every book. And I'm still amazed about the way her and Roarke's relationship evolved since the beginning. I just love them together.
They didn't have very much page time in "Celebrity", but in this book it was more about the quality than the quantity of their shared scenes. All of them were either sweet, hot, funny or extremely emotional. My favorite one was when Roarke got Eve another (very special) present. I adore her reactions! The story behind the present was very touching as well and shows just how much Roarke truly loves his lieutnant.
There was a short, but extremely cute scene between Peabody and McNab as well! Look forward to it! :]

Basically I have to say that it was definitely one of the best books in the series, maybe not as intense as some of the others, but still great. It certainly was one of the funniest. J.D. Robb is getting better and better at writing entertaining dialogues.
The Hollywood-theme worked suprisingly well for me - usually I'm not a big fan of books about stars.

A great and entertaining addition to the series! :]

P.S.: If you're new to the "In Death" series I would give you the advise to start at the beginning with "Naked in Death". Otherwise you'll just miss out on a truly great storyline and character development.

I accidentally stumbled up on one of the books (book # 24) from "In Death" series and I loved it. When I found that the book was one of thirty something series I got really excited.
I think you will like this book if you have followed Eve Dallas's story from the beginning. It is exciting and romantic as usual and a nice addition to J D Robb's collection. I can't wait for her to write the next one.
If you have not read any books from "in Death" series, I suggest that you go back and start with the first book. The first few book are especially sweet. Don't spoil the story by starting from "celebrity in death" :)

Nora Roberts the author known for having the most best-selling books in the world. We can obviously see why with "Celebrity of Death." Roberts latest installment of the Eve Dallas series is breathtaking, much better then her previous books in the series. This book really had me hanging on to the end of the page not wanting to let go. My eyes were rapidly moving through her words, it was such and exciting read. Many Roberts fans I'm sure would agree, and I'm sure many would enjoy this book that I highly recommend, I was truly hooked when I read this Second Chance

Now, as long time fans know, these books are oftentimes pretty much the same. I obviously don't mean that as an insult - I just mean that we basically know what to expect by now. J.D. Robb definitely gave me a few things I wasn't expecting this time around though.

One of my favorite things about Celebrity in Death is that it seemed to be funnier than previous installments. There were more laugh-out-loud moments with all the characters. I definitely loved having the humor ramped up.

Also, there was an adorable scene from Peabody's point of view while home with McNab. Oh man, so cute you guys. You will melt. We don't get enough from her eyes!

The mystery/suspense was strong in Celebrity in Death as well. Figuring out the who this time around wasn't nearly as fun as figuring out the how and why. Eve has to dig pretty deep to come up with her case this time and I thought it was crazy fascinating! Lots of curve balls.

Seeing our beloved characters surrounded by the movie stars playing them in the Icove Agenda movie was super fun as well. Especially Eve, since she spurns all the attention. Seeing Roarke's counterpart cracked me up since he was in no way close to being as swoonworthy as the real thing.

The one bummer for me in Celebrity in Death was a lack of Whitney (Eve's boss, the police Commander). He didn't even get to dress anybody down, y'all! I love it when that man yells at people.

Anyway...I loved this installment to the In Death series! J.D. Robb better keep cranking these books out to fill my never-satisfied craving for more Eve and Roarke!

Dressing up and brushing elbows with the rich and famous isn't exactly Lieutenant Eve Dallas's idea of a good time. But Eve can't turn down an invitation to have dinner with the most famous members of the cast and crew of The Icove Agenda, a film based on one of Eve's cases. If having dinner with an actress who looks like she could be her sister didn't make the evening less-than-ordinary already, having a murder occur during a party she's attending definitely would. K.T. Harris, the actress playing Eve's partner Peabody, was hated by almost everyone who knew her. How do you catch a killer when almost all the suspects are talented actors with a motive to off the vic? Good thing it's Eve Dallas who's on the case.

The glitz and glamour of the silver screen are tarnished by murder, secrets and blackmail in CELEBRITY IN DEATH. Author J.D. Robb's writing style shines in this fast-paced and fun installment of her incredibly popular IN DEATH series. Yes, I did say "fun." Perhaps that sounds a bit odd when talking about a murder mystery, but much of CELEBRITY IN DEATH is just that. Eve, Roarke, Peabody and the rest of the well-beloved characters meeting the actors playing them made for many a lighthearted moment in CELEBRITY IN DEATH. The death of someone playing Peabody also managed to cause a few minor shake-ups in this book. While Harris is nothing like Peabody, she does resemble her and that fact leads to some truly wonderful scenes, including one between Peabody and her boyfriend McNab.

Regarding the case itself, Ms. Robb takes readers on a journey filled with twists and turns. Even if you figure out who the killer is early on, the action and the surprises don't stop there. With all the suspects there are, there's a delicious amount of scandal and information that is delightful to watch Eve and Peabody go through. I actually enjoyed CELEBRITY IN DEATH more the second time I read it because I slowed down and enjoyed the journey rather than devouring it like I did on my first read through.

CELEBRITY IN DEATH is the thirty-fourth full-length book in the IN DEATH series, but readers new to the series will be able to follow along. However, since the book revolves around the movie about the Icove case, you can expect major spoilers if you haven't yet read ORIGIN IN DEATH. There are also some spoilers, as one might expect, from the previous book, NEW YORK TO DALLAS.

There's a wealth of things to love about CELEBRITY IN DEATH, from the characters to the case to the small moments between Eve and Roarke, Eve and Peabody, Peabody and McNab and more. Ms. Dallas makes the world of the IN DEATH series come alive in each and every book and for a long-time fan such as myself, CELEBRITY IN DEATH feels like a visit with old friends. While it's lighter in tone than many of the other IN DEATH books, CELEBRITY IN DEATH was no less of a joy to read. Bring on the next IN DEATH book!

Lily
Review provided courtesy of Romance Junkies

A bit more laid-back than the last book. Much more thoughtful, insightful. Still the same fantastic chemistry between Dallas & Rourke, with the same delightful repartee between Dallas & Peabody. Less blood & gore, more thoughtful interaction between the main characters. Much more out in the open, as it should be after the revelations of the last book. I really enjoyed the change in pace. Looking forward to the next installment to see where this goes.

I loved this book! The only reason I gave it a 4 instead of a 5 is because... come on, you can't be handing 5's out everywhere, then when it really is 5 worthy, we've already diminished the value of 5. lol, ignore my rambling. I thought the pace was great, a little slower than her usual stories, but not "slow." hmm, how do i explain this? Usually the pace of her books are ...frantic. Eve's so bogged down by the emotional and stuff that she collapses right? (exhaustion and all that) Well this pace was slower as in she didn't hit those exhaustion walls this time, which was nice. With all the craziness that happened in Dallas you gotta give the girl a break once and a while. Because really, who's life is 24/7 craziness? I thought the diaglogue between roarke and eve was amusing as usual, and I had a chuckle when Eve asked Summerset instead of contacting roarke to make the transpo arrangements. Overall development character and relationship wise, but Eve's right... they just need to have a really good fight and everything will be good again .....:D

Celebrity in Death is the 34th story in the "In Death" series by J.D. Robb. These stories are consistently first rate.

In this latest offering Eve and Peabody must find the murderer of the actress that was playing the part of Peabody in the movie adaptation of Nadines book on the Icove case.

You either love or hate these stories. Count me among those that love them and will continue to buy them as long as Ms. Roberts keeps writing them.

As always, JD Robb (Nora Roberts) is an excellent writer. Although the book can be read as a stand alone book, I highly recommend reading the the entire "In Death" series in chronological order to see the development of the main and background characters in the ongoing series. Her writing style is a joy to read. She is intelligent and her mastery of vocabulary and complexity of dialog is fun to read.

JD Robb does it again,the book continues in the in Death series giving you a different look at Eve Dallas. No matter if you already know someone is going to die, and she is going to solve it, how she gets there kinda keeps you wondering what turn its going to take this time. She is growing as a person as the series continues. Hopefully when J D Robb decides to end the series or at least begin a different chapter Dallas and Rourke will be parents and the past is completely put to rest.

I don't know if I can tolerate listening to the entire book. The reader is so horrible. This is my first exposure to this series. Is it remotely believable that the sidekick character has the intellectual and emotional maturity of an eleven year old? Really? A police detective? The reader makes the character sound like a second rate voice actor on Natasha and Boris cartoon. The silly abbreviations , i.e. vid for video, sounds like some 50 year old trying to sound like a teen back in 1970. So far, this book is really dreary.

**SPOILERS** ** SPOILERS ** ** SPOILERS**

So I decided to read this book after the stunning disappointment of New York to Dallas, mostly because I was hoping that with the "revelations" of the last book (trite and stupid and completely contrived as they were ) we could at last put paid to Eve's tortured past and move the heck on and have some pick up and movement in the books at last, which have SERIOUSLY stalled over the last several books. Unfortunately, this book was a massive let down. Still tormented Eve, though now Mommy (who she won't call Mommy) has replaced Daddy in her nightmares (and the great insight is why oh why does she call the man her father but not the woman her mother..gak!) I mean really, it's just SO.VERY.DONE. I really don't even care anymore.

The plot itself was merely a device so that everyone and I do mean EVERY ONE who has ever appeared in the Dallas-verse could get a cameo or a mention, everyone from Mavis showing up for a spaz hyper YADA YADA to a mention of Tiko the scarf-selling kid. It's deja vu all over again. The book dragged, endlessly, and I kept putting it down from sheer boredom and forgetting to pick it back up, and even forgetting what I had read. I found myself just skimming and skipping over parts just to get it over and done with because I really don't like leaving a book unfinished but this one was a chore to read.

So I am done I think with this series. It's gone on entirely too long and has lost whatever spark it used to have and I don't think, at this point, there's any hope of getting it back.

A movie is being made about one of Eve Dallas' cases and at the party to
preview a cut of the film, K.T. Harris, the one to play Peabody, ends up dead.
Many didn't like her including Dallas. Who wanted her dead? Can Eve and
Peabody discover why? I have enjoyed the In Death series over the years.
I loved this one! Must read!

At last a Dallas book I can let my mother read.

In previous novels there would be pages and pages of almost pornographic blow by blow details of Eve and Roarke's lovemaking. It didn't actually add anything to the story and became so tedious Iwould find myself skipping 6 or 7 pages three or 4 times during the book to get past those blah blah blah blah bits and back to the story which is what I was interested in.

In this book JD Robb seems to have got the mix right and has cut down on it. We still get 3 bedroom scenes per book [ must be a rule :-)]but at least they are no longer gag inducing and I feel happy to lend this book to my mother.

Great stories, always.

I agree that there was more focus on E & R in this particular book, and how they related to each other, but I do miss the banter between E & Summerset. Seemed to go on and on to fill pages, but no real depth. Think that this series has just about exhausted itself.
Also wondering when a family comes into the picture. Would like to see that a finale, and with an epilogue of how they are a few years on.

I love the J.D Robb series.
However, this one was just an ok read. It seems that the plot was drawn out. Rourke and Eve's scenes were emotional but I really couldn't connect with the book.

If you are a fan of DALLAS and Rourke you will enjoy the book as I did. However, it wasn't the usual suspense filled case.

u do not know how she keeps coming up with all these terrific ideas for her i”n death” series but JD seems to keep them coming. Never would’ve thought of having a murder while the Lt Eve Dallas was on the premises!

J. D. Robb has done it again, she pulled me right into the Eve's world and I didn't not want to let go. When an actress falls prey to her evil machinations, Eve must stand for her and sift out the one person who had the balls to shut this woman down. When Eve works a case, her dedicated pursuit of the killer will end when they are locked up in a cage and the irony is they don't think they belong there. Everything is in place for a great story, the murder, the apprehension of the killer, the romance and the friendship. This was another great read in this wonderfully awesome series.

Hip hip hooray!
Eve Dallas managed to get this one figured out too.
She is just too damn good! If only ALL police worked as well and efficiently as she does.
Great read.
Thanks again JD Robb!

I actually liked this book a lot. After the horrendous Fifty Shades trilogy, I was relieved that Roark and Dallas had evocative sex versus explicit sex (and no red room). Also, from reading some of the negative reviews, I had low expectations and was pleasantly surprised that the crime was solved with minimal damage to Dallas.

What can I say? I am addicted to the world of Eve Dallas. Celebrity in Death is about the murder case of a unlikeable actress, that resembles Eve's partner and friend Peabody. Lt. Dallas will need all the help her husband, Roarke, can give to struggle through the lies and half-truths of the movie star suspects.

Beautifully written and fast paced, the story just pulls you in. The world created in these novels is gritty, beautiful, and completely believable. I had no desire to read a book based in the mystery section and I am finding out I was wrong. I started these novels and blew through them in an amazingly short period of time. The main characters and even some of the smaller secondary ones stay with you long after you've finished the book.

J. D. Robb is an excellent author! This book would be good anyway but I highly suggest reading the previous books in the series in order to get the full effect. If you like murder mystery with a bit of romance you won't be disappointed!

I've read the whole series, and for me, this book is one of the standouts.

Some reviewers have criticized the lack of physical action in this story, but I found that I didn't miss it. The mystery was enough, and the deeper development of some of the supporting characters was a wonderful bonus. There's a scene between Peabody and McNab that is worth the price of the book, just by itself.

I'm a huge fan of J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts but didn't think this book lived up to the others. I found it a bit slow with very little suspense. If you haven't read the previous books the referrals to The Icove would be confusing.
I also missed the ususal interplay between my favorite characters.
Will still look forward to the next book.

Any book written by JD Robb featuring the formidable Eve Dallas and her super sexy husband Roake, is a great read.
I have thoroughly enjoyed every single "In Death" series novel. I cannot wait for the next or the next.
At times I am disappointed that they end so soon - it's just that I read them from start to finish without stopping!
Riveting and entertaining.

I fell in love with this series years ago. Just can't get enough. I listen to them, as well as read them. Most of the books I've read more than once, sometimes three time. I was not disappointed at all with this one!

I have been a die hard J.D. Robb fan for a long time. Have most of the death series in hardback. I was able to get this one very quickly at the library, and was thrilled. Same great cast of characters, but really no interaction. We have brief peeks at Mavis and Leonardo, even Sommerset didn't appear much. it mostly revolves around Dallas, and Peabody. The two murdered people actually seemed like they deserved it! Just not my favorite. I will certainly look carefully at the next "Death" offering.

Another great book by J.D. Robb! I actually didn't guess the right killer! I love the relationship of Roark and Dallas, and always will. True love, sacrifice, and respect is a wonderful combination.

I am a huge fan of the 'In Death' series. The previous book was a stunningly emotional roller coaster for all involved including the reader as well as the characters. I was thankful that this next installment in the series was a bit lighter read, but I was also slightly disappointed in how light the book actually was. I found the writing in this one to be a tiny bit predictable and the plot not twisty enough. A few of the other books in the series have also been more 'filler' type books and I fully expect the next one after 'Celebrity' will be back on full throttle. Overall it was a very enjoyable read with several moments that made me laugh out loud. As always, looking forward to the next book!

After reading some of the negative reviews, I was pleasantly surprised that I found it so interesting! Even with the lack of "action" and stress, the book totally kept my attention and interest...The entire "suspect" list and their questioning, took most of the book and it was very good dialog..Lots of interesting characters, lots of the familiar characters, still enough of Eve and Roarke to keep it going at a pretty good pace..Definately another good read and another good edition to the series!

Main character is awesome! Enjoying the personal growth of Eve. Really enjoy reading about Eve's perceptions of her past as well as her current cases. Didn't dislike a things. Anyone would likes crime stories would likes these.

The latest in the in Death series by JD Robb and certainly up to her usual high standard. I've never been able to pick the culprit in any of these books until it is revealed. Dallas and Roarke are old friends in our household. A thoroughly recommended read.

Eve & Roarke. Peabody & McNabb. Whitney, etc portrayed in a movie and then have to solve a crime when Peabody's fictional self is murdered. A great twist in the series. I loved seeing how the character's dealt with the murder and with the slew of suspects.

The characters really come to life as you read about them in the books . When are they going to make a movie based on this series. Mila jovovich would make a great eve and channing tatum would do Roarke proud!

LOVE THIS SERIES! PEABODY AND DALLAS ARE MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS!! THE STORY IS A PAGE TURNER AND I LOOK FOWARD TO THE NEXT IN THE SERIES OF "IN DEATH". FEELS VERY MODERN AND THE DETAILS BRING THIS TO LIFE!!

In Death series is my favorite to read, usually I finish in one evening, but with Celebrity in Death, it took a week and I read other things between. Had to make myself finish it. Nora Roberts is trying to take over J D Robb's side of this duel personality.

I love these books and loved this character. I cant wait until I get the others in the series to read more. While waiting I have to read Revenge And Blood Sacrifice, so excited!!

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is again up to her knees in blood when trying to solve who killed an actress who played her aid Peabody in a film. She does not like parties but she does like to solve mysteries, crimes, and murders. All the usual characters were again in this story, and if you like the Dallas series, then you will like this book, too.

I've read all of the books in this series, and loved them all. This is a huge disappointment with which to end the series, since I feel burned by the author's half hearted attempt in writing this book. The delightful characters of previous books that made for laughter, intrigue and general overall interest, moved across this book like zombies.
The author is definitely resting on her laurels in this book. It is one thing to be a mediocre author trying one's best, and yet another to be an outstanding author not trying at all. I will not be purchasing her next effort.

Always good (In Death Series), but this one felt a little like a hamster on a wheel- no real mystery and suddenly just hopped to who did it. I also like more character development than this one offered. It almost felt like an expanded novella- the should could have been shorter and probably been better without all the repetition.

I love this series. We know this. These characters are charming, witty and marvelous to spend time with. I very much wish that I wasn't now caught up with the series, as now I'm left with no more books to dive into (for now).

This ebook finally came down in price so I snatched it right up. Everything you love about the in death series is here. Eve working hard for her vic(s). All of the romantic connections you love between her and Roarke. All of the other characters are here. The main case is one I didn't figure out right away and there were times when you got to see her being LT with her other officers. Very Satisfying!

Found book boring. It's wasn't a very gripping mystery and there was no depth to the characters. I haven't read any of the rest of the series so perhaps I might have liked it better if I had. But this book, to me anyway, was a big waste of time.

I really enjoyed how this book intertwined the Icove story and the NY to Dallas thriller. The dialog was excellent...by enhancing Eve and Roarkes relationship. How can it get any better?

The characters just get better and better.

I love her books but this one missed the marker by about a mile! it wai horrible. i have checked out this book 4 x at the library and have returned it 4x due to the fact of how stupid it was. hope her newest book was thiter then this set. and i have been reading these books for a long time and this one was bad!!!

I just started this book and am so confused. There are way too many characters to keep track of and she keeps calling them by different names. I have not read any of the other books in this series, I wasn't exactly sure that it was part of other books. I'm not sure that I can finish it. Very disappointed.

This is a very disappointing book. I have read (and saved) all the J. D. Robb "Death" series and until this one could not put them down. But I am on page 202 and am forcing myself to finish the book and if it doesn't get better soon, I may NOT finish it. Slow......very slow and the characters, even Eve and Roark, seem very stiff to me.

Robb is excellent yet again with the stubborn but intelligent Lt Eve Dallas and her sexy hacker husband Roark. A great storyline that keeps you guessing as to who the bad guy really is, and how Eve and her smartass snarky attitude will beat them. Love this series!

just finished this (before I read any reviews). Looks like I'm on track with most in that the excitement wasn't here this time. Am I looking forward to the next book - Oh YEAH! but this could have been a short story or a side story in a more fleshed out story.