Review: Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb

Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 34
Publisher: Putnam
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense
ISBN: 9780399158308
Blue Ribbon Rating: 5 out of 5
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J.D. Robb Reading Order

Dressing up and brushing elbows with the rich and famous isn’t exactly Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s idea of a good time. But Eve can’t turn down an invitation to have dinner with the most famous members of the cast and crew of The Icove Agenda, a film based on one of Eve’s cases. If having dinner with an actress who looks like she could be her sister didn’t make the evening less-than-ordinary already, having a murder occur during a party she’s attending definitely would. K.T. Harris, the actress playing Eve’s partner Peabody, was hated by almost everyone who knew her. How do you catch a killer when almost all the suspects are talented actors with a motive to off the vic? Good thing it’s Eve Dallas who’s on the case.

The glitz and glamour of the silver screen are tarnished by murder, secrets and blackmail in CELEBRITY IN DEATH. Author J.D. Robb’s writing style shines in this fast-paced and fun installment of her incredibly popular IN DEATH series. Yes, I did say “fun.” Perhaps that sounds a bit odd when talking about a murder mystery, but much of CELEBRITY IN DEATH is just that. Eve, Roarke, Peabody and the rest of the well-beloved characters meeting the actors playing them made for many a lighthearted moment in CELEBRITY IN DEATH. The death of someone playing Peabody also managed to cause a few minor shake-ups in this book. While Harris is nothing like Peabody, she does resemble her and that fact leads to some truly wonderful scenes, including one between Peabody and her boyfriend McNab.

Regarding the case itself, Ms. Robb takes readers on a journey filled with twists and turns. Even if you figure out who the killer is early on, the action and the surprises don’t stop there. With all the suspects there are, there’s a delicious amount of scandal and information that is delightful to watch Eve and Peabody go through. I actually enjoyed CELEBRITY IN DEATH more the second time I read it because I slowed down and enjoyed the journey rather than devouring it like I did on my first read through.

CELEBRITY IN DEATH is the thirty-fourth full-length book in the IN DEATH series, but readers new to the series will be able to follow along. However, since the book revolves around the movie about the Icove case, you can expect major spoilers if you haven’t yet read ORIGIN IN DEATH. There are also some spoilers, as one might expect, from the previous book, NEW YORK TO DALLAS.

There’s a wealth of things to love about CELEBRITY IN DEATH, from the characters to the case to the small moments between Eve and Roarke, Eve and Peabody, Peabody and McNab and more. Ms. Dallas makes the world of the IN DEATH series come alive in each and every book and for a long-time fan such as myself, CELEBRITY IN DEATH feels like a visit with old friends. While it’s lighter in tone than many of the other IN DEATH books, CELEBRITY IN DEATH was no less of a joy to read. Bring on the next IN DEATH book!


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.