Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her team from the Homicide Division of the New York City Police and Security Department return in this 62nd installment of J. D. Robb’s popular futuristic thriller series.

STOLEN IN DEATH takes readers into the world of high-stakes theft. Eve’s husband, Roarke, knows this universe well, given his long-abandoned criminal past. Multibillionaire Nathan Barrister is found murdered in his home, next to a vault containing a trove of stolen paintings, jewels and other priceless treasures. His family had been debating how to return the property without bringing unwanted attention to their name and business.

However, it appears that none of them, including Nathan, were involved in the robberies. They didn’t even know the vault existed before it was discovered during a recent home remodeling project. By all accounts, the hidden stash was a secret held close by Nathan’s father.

"STOLEN IN DEATH will have readers captivated from beginning to end.... [It is] one of the best books in the series to date."

Not only is there a murder to solve, the team now must delve into another dimension of the crime. It turns out that the famous set of emerald jewelry is all that is missing. When Roarke recognizes the jewels from his own past, he and Eve realize that the case is going to be a challenge for them, both professionally and personally.

Eve and her investigators begin interviewing the family, the staff, and the past four wives of Nathan’s father, who continued to enjoy the companionship of much younger women even as his health declined. Eve wonders if the timing of the murder and theft is important, and she begins to suspect that there may be more than one perpetrator. According to everyone involved, no one outside the family knew about the vault. But Eve isn’t so sure about that. When a failed attempt on her life forces her and Roarke to reckon with the past, the case becomes far more complex than anyone expected.

Drawing on his personal experience, Roarke suggests to Eve that it is likely there is a black-market broker with knowledge of the heists and underground auctions dealing in stolen goods. Tension and suspense build for Eve and the team, who plan to infiltrate the illicit auction as they learn when and where it will take place.

STOLEN IN DEATH will have readers captivated from beginning to end. As always, the interrogations conducted by Eve Dallas are not only riveting, but also dramatic moments where key pieces of the investigation come together. This story puts Eve and Roarke’s relationship front and center and their reputations at risk. How they work to bring the guilty party to justice creates a well-written subplot that ties into the main story’s themes of betrayal, revenge and love. This makes it one of the best books in the series to date.