It was a stab in the dark.

On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan’s neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel’s best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel’s blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional.

Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime—from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn’t think it’s coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else’s imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series.

The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer’s deranged private drama—and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong.

* from Goodreads

Hott Review:

You know those days when you do something and then feel like a complete idiot? Well, it was a holiday weekend and I received an email from NetGalley offering two JD Robb books to review. I eagerly accepted, only to realize I had already read and owned both copies… in ebook and hardcover. Talk about embarrassing!

But I did realize that I had never actually reviewed either of them, so it wasn’t a total idiot moment, thankfully!

I had extremely high hopes for “Dark in Death,” combining two of my favorite things – Hitchcock and JD Robb. While it didn’t quite meet my unreasonably high expectations, I did enjoy the solid entertainment of ot as a police procedural.

I particularly loved seeing the characters growth and change of the characters. It was interesting to revisit them and see how much they had evolved. Despite my initial rating, I eventually adjusted it upward as I gained new perspectives.

My absolute favorite part of reading “Dark in Death” was that it was Eve’s take on the publishing world, authors, writers, fans, and crazies. It made me wonder, even more, about the crazy things authors and writers experience and what they must think. And… I wonder how much of Eve’s thoughts mirror those of her writer

I initially gave this book a B, but upon revisiting it years later, I bumped it up. I guess good things really do come with age, including my taste in books!

More…

Author: J.D. Robb (AKA Nora Roberts)
Source: NetGalley… but Kindle & My Shelf
Publisher & Date:
Genre: January 30, 2018 by St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 9781250161536 (ISBN10: 1250161533)
Pages: 372
Grade: B
Ages: 16+
Steam: Adult – language & marital bliss
Setting: NYC February 2028
Series: In Death #46

Do you like my reviews? If you do, please, stop by and rate them at one of the bookstores or review sites.

** Many of the books I review are Advance Review Copies. These books are loaned to me for my review. I am in no way compensated for my time nor am I asked to give anything but my honest review. If you have further questions, please, review my FTC Disclaimer on my homepage.