Nora Roberts & J.D. Robb: Rembember When (2003)

Edition: Piatkus, 2003
Review number: 1264

This is an extremely unusual collaboration - because J.D. Robb is Nora Roberts under a pseudonym. The reasoning behind billing the novel like this is quite simple, however: under the two names, she writes stories within different genres. Roberts is the name she uses to write romantic thrillers, and Robb is used for her science fiction detective series featuring Lieutenant Eve Dallas. The story here comes in two parts; in the first half we have a romantic thriller about a diamond robbert, and in the second Eve Dallas investigates a murder connected to a best-selling book describing the old robbery written by the grand daughter of the central characters from the first part.

Though this might sound rather like a gimmick, it actually works rather well, with a lot of the background later used in the Eve Dallas story told in the contemporary tale rather than holding up the action to explain how the earlier robbery had worked. It adds some interest to a story that would otherwise be nothing particularly special, entertaining though each part might happen to be. (Roberts is definitely a writer who produces enjoyable but not profound literature.) Each part is pretty typical of the other novels produced by Roberts under the appropriate name, and is a well written if not terribly original example of its genre.

The nature of this supposed collaboration is such that one of the little games that the reader often finds themselves playing while reading something produced by two well known authors is not possible - that is, trying to pick up clues as to who is responsible for what. But the idea of a collaboration with oneself is unusual enough and the writing good enough that this is an entertaining and most enjoyable light read.

J.D. Robb: Holiday in Death (1999)

Edition: Berkley, 1998
Review number: 1008

From almost the very start of crime fiction as a recognised genre, detective stories have been produced which bring murder into the context of Christmas festivities. There are novels by Christie and Marsh which do this, though Robb is clearly more closely following the example of Ed McBain. The homicide and suicide rates do increase around Christmas time, which is a stressful time for many people, but that isn't the only reason why such novels are produced. There is of course the obvious commercial reason, that a Christmas theme ties in to the highest sales period, but there is also some fascination in the idea of violence marring the season of goodwill. In this novel, Eve Dallas is combining the search for a serial killer dressed in a Santa suit who gives his victims jewellery with themes from the successive verses of the Twelve Days of Christmas with gearing up to celebrate her first festive season as wife of billionaire Roarke.

The Christmas theme makes Holiday in Death a bit different from the earlier novels in this enjoyable series, but generally it is the mixture as before.

J.D. Robb: Glory in Death (1995)

Edition: Hodder & Stoughton, 1996 (Buy from Amazon)
Review number: 958

The second of Robb's Eve Dallas novels is typical of the series; an enjoyable, light murder investigation in the New York of the future, with the developing relationship between Lieutenant Dallas and billionaire Roarke in the background.

The first victim in this case is a prominent lawyer, well known and liked in the NYPD, and a close social acquaintance of Eve's boss. The personal elemts in the background of the investigation coincide with massive media interest in any case with which Eve is involved, because of her relationship with Roarke. One reporter is particularly obnoxious, and Eve's reaction to this forms the basis of her special closeness to his rival, Nadine Furst, which becomes quite an important component of novels later in the series.

J.D. Robb: Vengeance in Death (1997)

Edition: Hodder & Stoughton, 1998
Review number: 741

In this Eve Dallas novel, a certain repetitiveness is shown; the plots of books in this series are a little too similar. Once again the NYPD of the future is investigating a serial killing, and once again it seems to be the case that the killings are connected in some way to Eve's rich husband Roarke. In this case, the connection is particularly obvious, as Dallas has been singled out by the killer for taunting as each death occurs, and Roarke's butler Summerset is being framed for the murders. There is really a connection, and it takes the couple to Dublin, where Roarke was born, to follow up clues there.

The novel is still enjoyable, but each volume in a series should really break at least some new ground. The appalling standard of copy editing continues - a tradition which really should be broken - the Irish police are called "Garda" not "Guarda".

J.D. Robb: Ceremony in Death (1997)

Edition: Hodder & Stoughton, 1998
Review number: 727

In this Eve Dallas novel, her investigation in the New York of the future involves her in the murky world of Satanic ritual murder. Most of the interest in the crime part of the novel lies in the confusion between one group and another, particularly between completely legitimate Wiccans and black groups masquerading as Wiccans. Without witness evidence, it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between pretence and reality, particularly for an outsider like Dallas. And when witnesses contradict each other, and get killed, it's hard for the police to know who is doing what.

While Ceremony in Death has some very unpleasant scenes, it is well written, neither seeming patronising to someone who knows a fair amount about the occult nor difficult to follow for someone who barely has heard of Wicca. The mystery is not difficult to solve; it's more interesting to work out how to prove anything. One of the best novels in an enjoyable series.

J.D. Robb: Immortal in Death (1996)

Edition: Hodder & Stoughton, 1997
Review number: 695

In the lead up to her wedding to multi-millionaire Roarke, NYPD lieutenant Eve Dallas has many things to cope with. Trying to fight attempts to get her to wear a dress competes with the murder of one of her informants, and then that of supermodel Pandora in circumstances which seem to implicate her closest friend.

Of the Eve Dallas novels I have read, this one has the best puzzle, and succeeds most as a crime story. Eve is a believable character, and this novel reveals more of her than the earlier ones, as she starts to experience recurrent nightmares of abuse by her father. The other characters are a bit sketchy. Nevertheless, Immortal in Death is as successful a piece of light reading as the others in the series.

J.D. Robb: Naked in Death (1995)

Edition: New English Library, 1996
Review number: 652

The first of J.D. Robb's Eve Dallas novels is very similar to the other one I have read from this excellent series, Rapture in Death. Naturally, they share a background - which can be criticised - of twenty first century police work, and characters, and the crime being investigated is the main difference between them. Here, Dallas is searching for a serial killer of prostitutes. Two complications make the case much more difficult: the first victim turns out to be the granddaughter of a US senator seeking to introduce a bill banning prostitution; and Dallas falls for one of her suspects, the fascinating millionaire Roarke.

As a crime novel, it is better than Rapture in Death, though there are not enough suspects to make it difficult as a puzzle. (Of course, with investigations into serial killings, where there is often no personal connection between killer and victim, or motive based on a relationship between them, it is often difficult to make a list of nameable suspects.)

J.D. Robb: Rapture in Death (1996)

Edition: New English Library, 1998
Review number: 630

How will the NYPD operate in fifty years' time? That is an interesting if unanswerable question. Robb's series featuring Eve Dallas takes most of the obvious answers - greater reliance on computers, for example - and creates traditional murder mysteries from them. In this case, a series of motiveless apparent suicides makes Dallas suspicious, particularly when it is discovered that the victims all have a mark, like a burn, in the same part of their brain. The investigation centres around the use of subliminal mood enhancement in virtual reality (a topic which has itself interested several science fiction writers), and produces a novel which is enjoyable and undemanding.

This series straddles the two genres of crime and science fiction, but there are problems with both aspects of this novel. The detection is by no means police procedural despite appearances, and is rather more intuitive (like a traditional crime novel), and the solution to the mystery is rather unconvincing.

From a science fiction point of view, the problem with Rapture in Death is that it is set as far as fifty years into the future. Much of the computer, entertainment and other technology described in the novel doesn't seem as far away as that to me; maybe ten or fifteen years. And the computer technology, in particular, is not very imaginative. I suspect that well before 2050 computers will be used far more proactively in policing than as the databanks (without voice or thought interaction despite the use of them in Robb's virtual reality machines) depicted here. (Mother of Storms, by John Barnes, is a much more convincing portrayal of the future use of computers.)

Nevertheless, an enjoyable read, best seen as a novel about the near future rather than one set fifty years from now.