STOLEN IN DEATH

5 stars out of 5

Since I started my book blog in 2013, I’ve logged 16 reviews of books in this series. This is the 62^nd, and I’m certain I’ve read most of them since it’s one of my favorites. Well, make that a favorite character for sure; the somewhat mysterious, hunky Irish Roarke, husband of police lieutenant Eve Dallas, has long ranked No. 4 on my list of Top 10 all-time favorite book heroes (No. 1, if anyone cares, is Israeli spy Gabriel Allon (by Daniel Silva), followed by Boston private investigator Spenser (originally by the late Robert B. Parker), and British 007 agent James Bond (Ian Fleming).

To be sure, Roarke has mellowed over the years (in his younger days, he was an ace thief, a fact that plays a major role in this book). And for a time, he stomped on my feminist nerves when he crossed over the line just a titch from loving to controlling. But now he’s back – and the two lovers are still lovers; instead of looking for treasures to steal, Roarke already owns far more than his share and serves as a consultant for the New York City police department at which Eve is considered a superstar. The story takes place in 2061 – one of the reasons I love the series, in fact. It’s close enough to the present  that some of the intriguing gadgets that pop up – like AutoChef machines that spit out coffee and fancy meals just by programming in what you want, pills for instant sobering up or killing pain and cars that can “go vertical” when necessary - are believable (and fun to dream about).

While attending a charity gala (dressing to the nines is far from Eve’s comfort wheelhouse, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do), she gets called to a murder scene. The victim, Nathan Barrister, is an ultra-wealthy guy (we’re talking billions here, folks) who’s been bashed in the head with one of his works of art. The atrocity happened in a room that has a secret vault – the door to which now inexplicably stands open to reveal an eye-popping display of priceless works of art. Problem is, all of them are stolen goods. The goodies, Eve learns, belong to the victim’s late father, a known womanizer – and now a confirmed buyer of stolen trinkets, much to his family’s chagrin. But only one is missing – and whoops, it’s one that, very early on, was a treasure originally stolen by none other than Roarke.

The victim’s family claim to have zero knowledge of not only the treasures, but the room itself, until quite recently; since then, they’ve been quietly working to return them to the original owners. Early-on investigation by Eve and her team confirm that to be true. Still, how could anyone but an insider know exactly what was in the vault, and why was only one item taken? The even bigger question, of course, is who is the thief and killer? And are they, in fact, the same person?

Everything seems to center on the dead guy’s proclivity for young, beautiful women – one in particular. Problem is, no one knows who or where she is. Until, that is, they do – and that brings up an even bigger problem that could shake Eve’s marriage – and Roarke’s future – to the very core. It’s nonstop action, bolstered by colorful characters loyal readers know and love (and let’s not forget all those futuristic gizmos). All told, it’s an engrossing tale that can stand proudly among its predecessors in this highly entertaining series.

Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb (St. Martin’s Press, February 2026); 368 pp.