People often talk about “falling into a story” when they read a book that captures them with a powerful setting and multifaceted characters. This reviewer definitely fell into DARK IN DEATH, staying up well into the wee hours to find out who did it.

This is the 46th book in J. D. Robb’s futuristic thriller series, starring the indomitable Lieutenant Eve Dallas and a cast of beloved supporting characters. From Lieutenant Peabody to Dr. Mira, Captain Feeney and even Roarke’s majordomo, Robb has created a familiar community that readers have to come to love.

It is late February 2061 in New York City. Eve and her team of experts are called in to investigate the death of Chanel Rylan, a 32-year-old actress with no known enemies. Her friends and colleagues describe her as very well-liked and a good friend. Although there is no clear motive, it is obvious to Eve that the murder was carefully planned and executed.

"Robb is a first-rate storyteller, consistently recreating an ensemble cast of characters with interpersonal relationships that enhance the reading experience and a complex storyline that keeps you engaged right through to the last page."

When the crime becomes public knowledge, Eve is contacted by news reporter Nadine Furst, a longtime friend, who has some information that may be important to the case. A bestselling writer of police thrillers has recognized some similarities between her books and the real-life murder, and has come forward. The author turns over all of her correspondence, concerned that a fan, a disgruntled reader or even a jealous writer could be involved somehow. Is the author and her family in danger as well?

When Eve discovers that an earlier death also appears to be tied to the fictional thriller series, she begins to wonder if these novels are being used as a template for murder. Worse yet, is a new murder being plotted from another book in the series? Eve and her husband, Roarke, decide to read the books in hopes of finding a pattern or some other hints about the case. Eve begins to suspect that the perpetrator might be trying to live out the stories, replicating the murders in order to make sense of some delusion playing out in his or her head.

Before the team can get ahead of the killer, another person dies. Eve inserts herself into the case, hoping to change the murderer’s storyline. He or she is crafty and clever, taking on the role of the villain in each story, but Eve is determined to solve the case, even if means putting herself in danger.

J. D. Robb’s world of intrigue never lets up, keeping you reading to find about how this villain tries to outwit Eve and her team. Robb is a first-rate storyteller, consistently recreating an ensemble cast of characters with interpersonal relationships that enhance the reading experience and a complex storyline that keeps you engaged right through to the last page. This reviewer particularly enjoyed the interplay between fantasy and reality. Does life imitate art, or does art imitate life? In this case, the truth might be stranger than the fiction.