"Naked in Death (In Death #1)" by J.D. Robb

I don't know about you, but I tend to have little trust in the writing skills of popular authors. The more books a certain writer has written and sold well, the more I suspicious I feel about them- I guess that is why I seldom pick up any books by James Patterson or Dan Brown (also, I tend to dislike thrillers). So when I saw this in my invisible-pile with the name Nora Roberts on it, my eyes went very narrow- why would I pick up a romance book with thriller in the title, even if it has sci-fi, if it's written by such a popular *narrows eyes even more* writer?

Let me tell you- I was wrong. This book is a gem of sci-fi romance that even I (the notoriously picky about romance reader) can enjoy, even with my thriller-aversion. It's always interesting to read a book set in a future time when a lot of time has passed since its publication, but somehow this one doesn't seem at all far fetched (this was published in 1995, 22 years ago). There are some elements that are a more than a tad off track (they say because prostitution is legalized, rape is very uncommon. I doubt that X1000), but in 1995, I was three years old and considered dirt a delicacy. Needless to say, things have changed.

The Plot (As Seen on Goodreads):
'In a world of danger and deception, she walks the line--between seductive passion and scandalous murder... Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all--and knows her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire--and a suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about--except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.'

J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts manages to portray Eve Dallas in a beautifully complex manner. She is a survivor of childhood sex abuse who has made her job into her life when in steps Roarke. I wasn't too sure the author would be able to make me like him at first- he's overbearing and a billionaire (I don't find wealth that attractive, thanks very much), but the way he cares for Eve won me over. This is written in the third-person omniscient perspective, which means there are jumps in point of view during the same scene from character to character. It's hard to believe, but it actually works in this book's favor- if I never saw the book from Roarke's end of things in certain moments, I would've never liked him.

Although this book is set in a sci-fi future, it is a romance, the steam of which may not suit all readers. With most books with this level of steam, I can usually label it mainly a romance, but without the murder mystery and sci-fi elements this book probably wouldn't work- Eve's job is essential to her character, and the sadistic sexual aspects of the murders seem to break down her barriers. You should definitely skip this one if you find those types of things in books distasteful because although it isn't as bad as many other books I've read, it's still on the gruesome side.

Naked in Death is a futuristic romantic thriller with a heroine who can cry and still kick your ass ten seconds (or less) later. I was more than thrilled to find that this one breached the four star barrier, something that has been difficult for many other books I've read in the past few months to do. If you like the lighter side of sci-fi with romance, murder, and a heroine to cheer for, you should pick up Naked in Death for your next read.

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars for an excellent sci-fi romance that kept me guessing!

Age Advisory: Ages 18+ for violence during sexual situations, murder, and sexual assault.

Page Count: 316 pages