I think any one who knows me could write my response to today’s topic for me: Favorite book series and why.
Most of the books I purchase now are on my kindle. Since I read sosososo much it makes sense from a storage capacity and cost issue. One series I still buy – not in kindle format – but in HARDBACK is J.D.Robb’s IN DEATH series.
Nora Robert’s doppelganger is 50 books in to the In Death series, the latest one, GOLDEN IN DEATH.
This series, a futuristic police procedural that is in reality a master class on writing a series romance, spoke to me from the very first book, NAKED IN DEATH, released in 1995 – that’s 25 years ago, peeps – and she’s 50 books in. That tells you she writes 2 of these massive tomes per year ( 300-400 pages each) and every one of them is a gem.
The heroine, EVE DALLAS, is an NYSPD cop who specializes in murder investigations. She has a terrible, dark past that includes rape, starvation, and torture, but she grew to a woman determined to a give a voice to the dead. In the first book she is a loner with nothing in her life but her job.
And then she meets gazillionaire Roarke.
Many writers can write heroes well. Robb, though, springs Roarke from the page.
He, too, has a terrible past so he recognizes a kindred spirit in Eve, and even though he is a murder suspect in a case she is working on, she is drawn to him. These two are opposites in every single way, and it is their differences that are so entertaining to read as they make their life together.
The first 20 books introduced new people in Eve and Roarke’s world, until now there is a fabulous cast of secondary characters that have become friends to me. I look forward to reading about the growing relationship of McNab and Peabody. I chuckle when I read about Feeney’s responses to the way Eve’s mind works. Summerset, the butler, is a man after my own OCD heart. And if they ever make a movie of this series, I’m going to petition to be cast as Dr. Charlotte Mira, the NYSPD psychiatrist and the women who is a mother figure for Eve.
Every couple of years I re-read the series from the the first book to the current one just so I can remember all the wonderful things that happens to this cast. I’m not kidding when I say reading this series is like taking a masterclass in how to write continuing books series. I highly recommend this series to everyone I know, too.
The 51st book SHADOWS IN DEATH releases in September 2020. I already have it preordered!
Let’s see what other series are favorites from the authors in this challenge: L&SR
And if you’re looking for me, I’m usually here: Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me// Triber// Book Me
Peggy Jaeger, Author 
J.D. Robb has been a popular choice this week! 🙂
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/wednesday-weekly-blogging-challenge-favourite-book-series-and-why/
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Wow, boggles the mind to do that much writing for so many years and still come up with a great story. https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/03/wednesday-challenge-040120.html
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I’ve only read the first of the In Death books, but I really enjoyed it. I’ve bought the second but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.
My post
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Can’t knock what works for you. 🙂 Good choices. 🙂
Here’s my post: https://wendizwaduk.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/favorite-book-series-with-meganslayer-books-reading/
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I definitely agree with you this week!!! My post is https://jhthomas.blogspot.com/2020/04/wednesday-weekly-blogging-challenge.html
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I agree with you! I finally finished Naked in Death and bought two more. I’m hooked. Thanks for sharing. Here’s mine. https://www.tenastetler.com/lsrs-wednesdays-blog-challenge-4-1-20-favorite-books-series-why/
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I am so, so very overdue to read the In Death books. I wouldn’t even have to buy them, I could just borrow them from Beautiful Wife. It’ll have to be after I finish my current one, though.
My answer is here.
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I’ve never read a JD Robb, but I believe I need to. Is JD a distinct voice from Nora? The last Nora novel I read just didn’t do it for me and I’ve wondered if her JD works are written with a totally different voice.
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Dixie – that’s a valid question. And yes, the JDRobb voice is grittier, and I feel, funnier! She makes the character of Eve Dallas not only a tough as nails murder cop. but since she doesn’t suffer fools and has no use for puns, some of the things she says are hysterical – and very thoughtful.
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Oohhh…I am even more intrigued now. That’s good intel and Eve Dallas sounds like a gal I can get behind. Awesome! Thanks.
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“there is a fabulous cast of secondary characters that have become friends to me” I always love a series where the “side characters” come alive. Yes, tell the main story– in my case the romance. In the case of the books you talk about, the mystery, I guess. But often I get so fond of the side characters that I have to write a book about them also. That’s how I keep ending up writing another series, when all I intended to do was to write one book! And when I fall in love with secondary characters in another author’s books, I’ll read everything else in the series, because, yes, they become friends of min. Great post!
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I must be one of the few people who couldn’t get into this series. It’s so strange (not the series, I mean me not getting excited about it). Everyone else seems to adore it. I can’t help feeling I missed something!
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