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veraann's review against another edition
4.0
It was a nice follow up to the intensity in New York to Dallas. It was great to be back to the normal characters being around. Wasn't my favorite, didn't really keep me on the edge of my seat, but it did keep me guessing whodunit.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Thirty-fourth in the In Death futuristic romantic suspense series revolving around Eve Dallas and Roarke...yum… This one is about the Icove case being made into a movie.
My Take
It was good. I also think of it as a bridge novel in that it carries on from Nadine having written the true crime book about the Icove case (see Origin in Death and we are in on the shenanigans behind filming the movie. We still have its world premiere coming up---hence my designation as a bridge.
Could be the kiss of death---I sure hope it ain't!---but Eve is getting mighty comfy with Roarke buying all those yummmy dresses, boots, clothes, etc. for her. It's sweet and about time even if it does take some of the edge out of their interaction. I do enjoy how they tease each other. Even her nightmares are calming down more. It was pretty funny how icked-out Eve was with seeing "herself" playing a detective, though!
Eve's investigation provides a backstage peek at the sniping, bickering, and manipulations on a movie set. There's not so much of the glamorous side in this so much as a look at the real people behind the masks with their weaknesses and true emotions. And the actors discover just how down and dirty a cop will get to dig up the truth.
And McNab pops a question...
The Story
It's a dinner party where the book's main characters meet the actors playing them for the film. It's bittersweet as some of the movie people just rub people the wrong way. One goes just a bit too far and ends up dead.
The possibilities are almost endless for this victim has made it a mission in life to hurt, humiliate, and destroy wherever possible. Even Peabody wants this actor alive again just so she can have a punch up!
The Characters
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a kick-ass police officer in New York City in 2060. She can't be bought and she always gets her man. The bad guy always gets caught and sent to jail. The good guy, she gets to go home to. Roarke---no last name---is, in Eve's words, "an Irish gazillionaire" who gets her. He knows just what kind of "because" present to buy his wife. He knows how to soothe her through her nightmares. And she's the one woman this man wants just as he is the only one for her.
Detective Delia Peabody is her partner. She-body is from a New Ager background and makes a softer counterpart to the hard-edged Dallas. Roarke brought back a gift for her from their trip to Dallas (see New York to Dallas) and Peabody has decided it is now her signature---you can imagine how excited that makes Dallas, LOL. Peabody's life partner is the brighter-than-life Ian McNab, an E detective and a whiz on the computer.
Nadine Furst is a TV personality who wrote a bestselling book on the Icove case; now she's doing the screenplay for the movie. She's also good friends with Dallas and Peabody. Kyung Beaverton is the latest in a long line of media liaisons with whom Eve has worked. He seems to have gotten it right as Eve lets Roarke know "he's not an asshole".
The movie people include:
The strong-willed, dominating Mason Roundtree is the director; Connie Burkette, is his peacemaking wife; Marlo Durn is playing Eve in the movie and seems to have really done her homework about Eve while the bitchy K.T. Harris is playing Peabody; the unassuming Preston Stykes is the assistant director; the sweet Matthew Zank is playing McNab; Mavis is playing herself while potty mouth Andrea Smythe is playing Doctor Mira; Julian Cross plays Roarke and never met a woman he didn't want to tup; and, Joel Steinburger is the very successful producer with the ever-obsequious Valerie Xaviar in charge of publicity.
A.A. Asner is the private detective who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. Barbie is his dippy, but sweet secretary. Robert Willoughby is an attorney and Asner's neighbor. I suspect we may be seeing more of him. Brice Van Horn is K.T.'s brother and he couldn't be more day to her night.
There is very little of Feeney, Whitney, Dr. Mira, Dr. Morris, Summerset, Mavis, Leonardo, and Bella and almost nothing of Trina or Dallas' men.
The Cover
The cover is a bit confusing with its middle strip of diamondplate overshadowing the very busy bottom collage of fishnet, a clapboard, a length of leopard print and handcuffs while the almost two-thirds top strip is a royal blue. Somehow, I just never equated diamondplate with Hollywood…
The title is too true for it is a Celebrity in Death in this installment.
My Take
It was good. I also think of it as a bridge novel in that it carries on from Nadine having written the true crime book about the Icove case (see Origin in Death and we are in on the shenanigans behind filming the movie. We still have its world premiere coming up---hence my designation as a bridge.
Could be the kiss of death---I sure hope it ain't!---but Eve is getting mighty comfy with Roarke buying all those yummmy dresses, boots, clothes, etc. for her. It's sweet and about time even if it does take some of the edge out of their interaction. I do enjoy how they tease each other. Even her nightmares are calming down more. It was pretty funny how icked-out Eve was with seeing "herself" playing a detective, though!
Eve's investigation provides a backstage peek at the sniping, bickering, and manipulations on a movie set. There's not so much of the glamorous side in this so much as a look at the real people behind the masks with their weaknesses and true emotions. And the actors discover just how down and dirty a cop will get to dig up the truth.
And McNab pops a question...
The Story
It's a dinner party where the book's main characters meet the actors playing them for the film. It's bittersweet as some of the movie people just rub people the wrong way. One goes just a bit too far and ends up dead.
The possibilities are almost endless for this victim has made it a mission in life to hurt, humiliate, and destroy wherever possible. Even Peabody wants this actor alive again just so she can have a punch up!
The Characters
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is a kick-ass police officer in New York City in 2060. She can't be bought and she always gets her man. The bad guy always gets caught and sent to jail. The good guy, she gets to go home to. Roarke---no last name---is, in Eve's words, "an Irish gazillionaire" who gets her. He knows just what kind of "because" present to buy his wife. He knows how to soothe her through her nightmares. And she's the one woman this man wants just as he is the only one for her.
Detective Delia Peabody is her partner. She-body is from a New Ager background and makes a softer counterpart to the hard-edged Dallas. Roarke brought back a gift for her from their trip to Dallas (see New York to Dallas) and Peabody has decided it is now her signature---you can imagine how excited that makes Dallas, LOL. Peabody's life partner is the brighter-than-life Ian McNab, an E detective and a whiz on the computer.
Nadine Furst is a TV personality who wrote a bestselling book on the Icove case; now she's doing the screenplay for the movie. She's also good friends with Dallas and Peabody. Kyung Beaverton is the latest in a long line of media liaisons with whom Eve has worked. He seems to have gotten it right as Eve lets Roarke know "he's not an asshole".
The movie people include:
The strong-willed, dominating Mason Roundtree is the director; Connie Burkette, is his peacemaking wife; Marlo Durn is playing Eve in the movie and seems to have really done her homework about Eve while the bitchy K.T. Harris is playing Peabody; the unassuming Preston Stykes is the assistant director; the sweet Matthew Zank is playing McNab; Mavis is playing herself while potty mouth Andrea Smythe is playing Doctor Mira; Julian Cross plays Roarke and never met a woman he didn't want to tup; and, Joel Steinburger is the very successful producer with the ever-obsequious Valerie Xaviar in charge of publicity.
A.A. Asner is the private detective who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. Barbie is his dippy, but sweet secretary. Robert Willoughby is an attorney and Asner's neighbor. I suspect we may be seeing more of him. Brice Van Horn is K.T.'s brother and he couldn't be more day to her night.
There is very little of Feeney, Whitney, Dr. Mira, Dr. Morris, Summerset, Mavis, Leonardo, and Bella and almost nothing of Trina or Dallas' men.
The Cover
The cover is a bit confusing with its middle strip of diamondplate overshadowing the very busy bottom collage of fishnet, a clapboard, a length of leopard print and handcuffs while the almost two-thirds top strip is a royal blue. Somehow, I just never equated diamondplate with Hollywood…
The title is too true for it is a Celebrity in Death in this installment.
adrienne_g's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
bitchie's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this one, being back in New York, but still dealing a bit with the fallout from Dallas. I did feel that the tension was missing in this one. I never felt any real emotion at all, towards the victim, towards the killer, not even any tension or stress between Eve and Roarke. I mean, it's nice they're good, but I missed that extra element. No one was even at any personal risk this time, everything just felt like it was tied up so easily. I guess I missed the blood and the danger this time around.
I'd give this one more of a 3-3.5, but bumped it to 4 because it's Eve and Roarke, it was a good story, and it still kept me engaged to the end.
I'd give this one more of a 3-3.5, but bumped it to 4 because it's Eve and Roarke, it was a good story, and it still kept me engaged to the end.
katyanaish's review against another edition
4.0
A celebrity whodunit, and for a minute I thought it was going to go the Murder on the Orient Express route - as in, everyone had a hand in the murder - because the "victim" was such a spectacular asshole that literally everyone had a good reason to kill her (and I wasn't sad to see her die, she was a wonderful example of a garbage human being).
Not much Roarke in this one, but it was fun nonetheless.
Not much Roarke in this one, but it was fun nonetheless.
jamie515's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
racheljade100's review against another edition
5.0
Lt Dallas investigates the death of an actress during a party celebrating the production of the film based on Nadine's book on the Icove case. All the key members of the film are suspect, as none liked the actress and motive could be found for each of them. Dallas eventually discovers that the producer of the film has been killing people in his way for over 40 years, including this actress.