Fantasy in Death

I was thrilled to learn a new J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts) In Death title was due out today; Fantasy in Death is the 30th novel in the series! I remember doing inventory in a store in West Virginia, bored and desparate for something to read I found Naked in Death in the mall's Walden Books (now Borders) store. The next day, I was back for another in the series and I have each of them in my personal collection.



An excerpt of Fantasy in Death is available on Nora's web site. I got my copy after work today ...

So, I'm curious

My personal library contains hardcover and paperback titles I read, read, and read again. There are very few books in the collection with only a single read to their credit. Case in point, after galloping through the most recent Jayne Castle book, Obsidian Prey, I proceeded to read and enjoy it a second and third time. A rough estimate of the pile of new books on my nightstand is upwards of five; yet, I am currently reading and enjoying my collection of J.D. Robb titles.

Today's title is Witness in Death, by my count the tenth book in the series. Not quite half through the book, Lt. Eve Dallas has made her first trip to the chief medical examiner's office meeting with Dr. Morse (p. 130) regarding a suspicious death. I will digress for a minute; the latest book in this series is Promises in Death. Though I happily admit the book I am reading is usually my favorite, Promises is one of the best entries in the series. It features one of my favorite secondary characters, chief medical examiner Dr. Morris and the murder of his lover.

It has been some time since I perused the paperbacks in the series, so as I was reading Witness, I initially thought the introduction of Dr. Morse was a typo. Continuing through the chapter, he continues to be Dr. Morse - not Dr. Morris. Now I am curious. Are there two medical examiners in the series? If not, when did Dr. Morse become Morris? Guess I will have to move through the next few and solve the mystery.

New J.D. Robb!

Saturday's trip to a not-so-local Target bagged not only a new Linda Fairsten book, but also alerted me that I'd missed the latest J.D. Robb ... In Death title announcement. Due out next Tuesday, February 24th - my birthday no less, is Promises in Death.

Here's the publisher's description from Amazon:

A Amarylis Coltraine may have recently transferred to the New York City police force from Atlanta, but she’s been a cop long enough to know how to defend herself against an assailant. When she’s taken down just steps away from her apartment, killed with her own weapon, for Eve the victim isn’t just “one of us.”

Dallas’s friend Chief Medical Examiner Morris and Coltraine had started a serious relationship, and from all accounts the two were headed for a happy future together. But someone has put an end to all that. After breaking the news to Morris, Eve starts questioning everyone from Coltraine’s squad, informants, and neighbors, while Eve’s husband, Roarke, digs into computer data on Coltraine’s life back in Atlanta. To their shock, they discover a connection between this case and their own painful, shadowy pasts.

The truth will need to be uncovered one layer at a time, starting with the box that arrives at Cop Central addressed to Eve containing Coltraine’s guns, badge, and a note from her killer: “You can have them back. Maybe someday soon, I’ll be sending yours to somebody else.”

But Eve Dallas doesn’t take too kindly to personal threats, and she is going to break this case, whatever it takes. And that’s a promise.

Morris is one of my favorites and I'll admit to a bad feeling about the blonde ... Anyway, read an excerpt from Nora's web site: Promises in Death.

J.D. Robb: Not one, but two!

Paying for my early morning snacking transgression, sampling candy while filling treat bags for student workers, means I am currently at my desk paying penance with a salad. This is exactly the reason why I buy candy I do not like for the trick-or-treaters. But, I digress.

A Nora's News email permeated my self-induced sugar for with information that two, count them, two new J.D. Robb titles will be released on November 4th; Salvation in Death and Suite 606 (a novella).

"As Salvation in Death opens, the priest at a Catholic funeral mass brings the chalice to his lips--and falls over dead. Eve is determined to solve the murder of Father Miguel Flores, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. It's not the bodegas and pawnshops of East Harlem that bother her, it's all that holiness flying around at St. Christobal's that makes her uneasy. The autopsy reveals that the priest may not have been the man his parishioners had thought. As Eve pieces together clues that hint at gang connections and a deeply personal act of revenge, she believes she's making progress on the case. Until a second murder--in front of an even larger crowd of worshippers--knocks the whole investigation sideways. And Eve is left to figure out who committed these unholy acts--and why."

"Ritual in Death" for Suite 606 was a great deal of fun to write because I worked again with my good pals Ruth Ryan Langan, Mary Blayney and Mary Kay McComas. In this case, as with the ones in "Haunted in Death" and "Eternity in Death," pragmatic, practical Eve brushes up against the supernatural. This time she must pull together what appear to be some very disparate threads in the aftermath of a ritualistic murder." -- Nora's News, 10/27/08

For those who can not wait, myself included, there is a Salvation in Death excerpt on Nora Roberts web site.

In brief: Recreational reading

I have been seriously remiss concerning posting both juvenile book reviews and discussing recreational reading materials. With the focus at work on web pages and Meebo, I have not opened a new juvenile book in what seems like forever; this is something I hope to change in the upcoming weeks. A few titles have been added to my recreational reading shelf, three of them are:

First on the list is J.D. Robb's newest "In Death" entry, Strangers in Death. I know I complained profusely about not being able to get this title at the stupid Wal-Mart locally, they had shelves of Grisham, King, and Patterson but no J.D. Robb or Jayne Ann Krentz. Why? I was, however, able to purchase it easily at a Giant Eagle outside of Pittsburgh (thank you very much). Interested in learning more? There is a excerpt of Strangers in Death on the J.D. Robb website.

I have recently finished Linda Fairstein's newest Alexandra Cooper thriller, Killer Heat. I enjoyed this one much more than the previous title (I have yet to finish). Interested in more?

Check out Fairstein's web site; choose Killer Heat from the novel menu and listen to and/or read the first chapter. Additionally, there is a podcast where readers can listen to Fairstein discuss her novels and utilize a reading guide complete with discussion questions.

A few days ago I started reading Lady Killer, by Lisa Scottoline. This title returns to the all female Philadelphia law firm and features fan favorite Mary DiNunzio. I am having some trouble immersing myself with this title, but will be happy to see how Judy and Bennie are as I move along through the story. The first chapter of Lady Killer is available on Scottoline's web site.

I noticed this afternoon that a new Jonathan Kellerman novel has arrived for the library's recreational reading section. Still in the box and wrapper it is difficult to determine what the title may be, but if Amazon is to be believed it is Compulsion, an Alex Delaware novel.

Time will tell. More about these titles on another post ... if I remember!

Quiet! I'm reading

Jayne Ann Krentz's newest novel, Sizzle and Burn, hit stores on Tuesday, January 29th. With a spring in my step and umbrella in hand, I rushed out to buy it and found only displays of Grisham and King. How could that be? On the off chance that some hapless shelf stocker had not yet pulled them from the back, I tried again on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday after work to no avail. Today I went to Target and gleefully picked up my copy of Sizzle and Burn from the shelf (and yes, I paid for it).

Be it fate, dumb luck, or serendipity, I noticed Target's new book display banner featuring books to be released in the upcoming weeks. There it was, prominently displayed with two other titles that escape me now, a new J.D. Robb, title Strangers in Death. I don't know how the publication of the newest "In Death" entry escaped my notice, there is an excerpt on Nora's site, but had I not gone into Target today I may have missed it!

Sorry, no cover images to endorse the titles ... blame it on Blogger.

Lunchtime: Nora News

It's lunch time, I just now finished reading Nora News, and am happy to report November is a good month for Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb Fans:

• New J.D. Robb Web site
• Creation in Death excerpt
• Creation in Death due in stores 11/6
• Dead of Night anthology, in stores now!
• Sign of 7 Trilogy in stores 11/27
• Sign of 7 Trilogy excerpt

What fun!

Tags: Nora Roberts, J.D. Robb, Creation in Death, "In Death" series

Innocent in Death

It is hard to believe this series has been in print since 1995. I remember stumbling across the first, Naked in Death, while on a store set up in Charleston, West Virginia. Desperate for a new book to read I was excited to find a new paperback by a favorite author (recent editions of the series have been published in hardback first). It did not take me long to become enthralled with the idea of a series; being able to follow these characters into subsequent books is a rare treat. Something, it seems, that Ms. Robb was aware of her readers wanting:

"One of the things I wanted to do was develop those characters over many books rather than tying it all up in one,” she says. “I wanted to explore these people and peel the layers off book by book. Eve and Roarke have given me the opportunity to explore a marriage, as well. Each book resolved the particular crime or mystery that drives it, but the character development, the growth and the changes, the tone of the relationships go more slowly. I'm enjoying that tremendously." (Nora Roberts, Meet J.D. Robb)

Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb, latest installment of her futuristic in-death series is Innocent in Death. Lieutenant Eve Dallas and her partner Detective Delia Peabody are called to a prestigious private school, Sarah Child, when a teacher is found dead in his classroom. The victim is a new teacher, recently married, and a favorite with faculty and students alike. His death is ruled a homicide, ricin poisoning in his hot chocolate, and Dallas and Peabody investigate. As the case progresses a second teacher, their prime suspect, is murdered in the school natatorium. Eve's murder board presents a suspect, but it is one so distasteful no one wants to believe. Her objectivity is questioned and the probable killer's identity causes disbelief among her superiors.

From Mavis and Summerset to Dr. Mira and Commander Whtiney, fans of the series will recognize the well developed cast of characters. But it is Eve's husband Roarke, and the undercurrents of marital discord, that bring a certain richness to this particular installment. An old girlfriend, in itself nothing new, arrives on scene. Roarke is blinded to the nature of his former paramour and the basic foundations of their marriage are tested. Vital and complex characters intersperced with a solid police mystery make Innocent in Death a strong entry to the continuing In Death series not to be missed.

Throughtout the series I found myself liking some books more than others; and while I very much enjoy the growing relationships between returning cast of characters it has seemed to me Eve and Roarke's marital issues often are portrayed as Eve's "fault." Marriage is a partnership and these characters, who are a complicated, enjoyable, mess, needed to be more rounded in that regard. Having Roarke be the one with blinders and Summerset becoming an unlikey source of comfort to Eve, went a long way to enriching the story. The policy mystery element of each story has been solid, but I faithfully follow the characters.

Tags: Nora Roberts, J.D. Robb, Innocent in Death, Fiction, Recreational reading

Haphazard brain flashes

Welcome to Friday afternoon! A word of caution ... there really is no rhyme, reason, or cohesiveness to this post. I am a bit brain dead and the thoughts are flitting about looking for somewhere to land.

After listing to Bon Jovi's Have a Nice Day CD in the car I continue to hear echo's of Welcome to Wherever You Are in my head, hence the beginning of this post. A country music afficianado, I continue to have a Bon Jovi soft spot from my youth and there are several great tunes on this CD; including the duet with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Who Says You Can't Go Home . Also in the CD player today was a favorite, Brooks & Dunn's latest, Hillbilly Deluxe (get this CD!).

I have just returned from a meeting in Columbus and, as usual, ponder how it takes 1/2 hour less returning from Columbus than it takes to get there in the morning. The meeting was informative and the gossip intersperced entertaining; best of all was the chat accompanying my ceasar chicken sandwhich at Wolfgang Puck Express (Lane Avenue, near the OSU campus).

This evening I plan to curl up on my sofa, covered with a lovely green throw, and read Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb, aka Nora Roberts. I admit reading the blurbs about this one causing me some reader angst:

"Eve knows all too well that innocence can be a facade. Keeping that in mind may help her to solve this case at last. But it may also tear apart her marriage." (Jacket flap, Innocent in Death)

What! I am an end of the book reader, though not usually with authors I trust to end the book in way that makes me a happy girl, I opened the book to the last few pages to satisfy my curiosity. Naturally I could not let things go at that and hunted through the book for other key points. I am now able to read the book this evening with a secure heart. I will babble gleefully about this book after finishing it, at least once.

After spending yesterday working with changing over a collaborative library blog to the "new" blogger, I started looking at the way I'm using LibraryThing here for my recreational reading books. It did not take me long to enter in close to the 200 minimum titles for a free account, but now I have no room for recent reads. I have a complete list of my library somewhere. What I focus on here are current titles, both recreational and work related, I am considering deleting my existing library and adding in books as I read them. Naturally, I will also have to change the widget (I can not leave well enough alone) and fiddle with the blog side bar again.

Earlier this week I answered a call for articles for a new book being published about libraries. I sent in two ideas that were of interest to me and Thursday received an email welcoming the submissions for consideration. Now I have to write.

Tags: Recreational Reading, Nora Roberts, J.D. Robb, Innocent in Death, Country music

Books or movies?

I love Nora Roberts and have been reading her books for close to 20 years. The first book I read was a Silhouette novel, part of her Irish Hearts series, Irish Rose (1988). I followed with glee and anticipation when she moved into lengthier novels such as Sacred Sins (1987) and Brazen Virtues (1988). And when she began writing futuristic novels as J.D. Robb with Naked in Death (1995), I had another favorite. Quite simply, in my humble opinion, Nora is a gifted storyteller.

Well written books, especially ones with strong characters, may make great movies. I am a big fan of various popular culture flicks such as Harry Potter and the Pelican Brief. Who can argue with the classics Gone with the Wind, The Color Purple, or even to some extent Ordinary People? Some books are made into TV mini-series with success; case in point, Roots, North and South, and The Thornbirds. I do, however, have reservations concerning books being made into TV movies. Condensing a well crafted 300+ page novel into a two hour TV movie, not counting time for commercials, is a daunting task not often done well.

It was with some trepidation I began following Lifetime television's promotions of four Nora Roberts books being made into TV movies. After CBS's disappointing treatment of Sanctuary several years ago, I turned on the television last evening to watch Angels Fall with skepticism. The cast was talented, the cinematography and location beautiful, and the story was cohesive. It was not a bad movie, but I could not stop myself from comparisons with the book. In my estimation, the movie fell short. Three more of Nora's novels, Blue Smoke, Montana Sky, and Carolina Moon, will be shown on Lifetime in the upcoming weeks. Time will tell.

Book alert! Nora has an excerpt from her upcoming J.D. Robb release, Innocent in Death, on her website. It's publication date is February 20th. I've printed it out and will be reading the first chapter at lunch today.

Tags: Nora Roberts, Lifetime movies, Angel Falls, Books & TV movies

Ooooh, oooh, I'm a happy girl

It's a good day. I have my very own copy of the newest J.D. Robb, aka Nora Robert's, book Born in Death (which I will savor regardless of the lackluster review by Publishers Weekly posted on Amazon), my very own copy of the new Sugarland CD, Enjoy the Ride, and a small bag of Ghiradelli caramel filled chocolate squares.

The chocolate is fleeting, but was a tasty snack while watching Dancing with the Stars.

Waiting, reading & workshops

I'm waiting for a reading class to finish, they are in the library doing language arts textbook evaluations because I have finally convinced faculty it's easier to drag the kids to the books than drag the books to the kids, and doing some computer updates up before heading out to a pre-conference marketing workshop. (pause) Now that everyone has left, in addition to reshelving the curriculum books I had to drag chairs back to their homes and reset tables. While doing so, I'm reminded of a book I read some time ago, All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten, by Robert Fulgham. I have the book at home somewhere and can not quote specifics, but I know for sure one of the things was "put things back where you found them."

It brought to mind a post I read yesterday on Read Roger, Ten Rules to Live By. He discussed "The Rights of the Reader" by Daniel Pennac andpointed readers to a downloadable PDF poster of these rights illustrated by Quentin Blake. Last night I picked up the third book of the new Nora Roberts trilogy, Valley of Silence, and used rule #2, the right to skip. Why? As many readers, I get invested with characters in a trilogy and want to know what happens. I am secure in the knowledge that Nora will provide either a happy ending or an ending to make me happy. This particular trilogy has a main character who is a vampire (not a fan of that), so I wanted to make sure his "after" was what I wanted for him. Note, I didn't say what might be right for the character, but what I wanted for the character. While not being a fan of the increasing vampire genre in romance fiction, Nora Roberts is a wonderful storyteller who draws me in regardless. Luckily, in this instance they ended up being one in the same. I was 95% sure they would be since the foreshadowing and the storyteller were indicating as much, but I didn't want to be disappointed.

No, reading the end of the book does not ruin the book. No matter how it ends, the journey to get there will be quality and I'll finish. That is unless, of course, I am looking at Pennac's rule #3, "The right not to finish a book." I have pretty much broken myself of the habit, but sometimes I just have to peek. As to Valley of Silence, Nora still has to finish off the bad guys, let good triumph over evil (yes!), and bring the story full circle. Something to look forward to later this evening.

Only another week until Born in Death hits the shelves. After reading the excerpt from Nora's web site, I'm chomping at the bit to have it in my hot little hands. I just finished re-reading Memories in Death for the umpteenth time and am more than ready for more of Eve and Roarke's story.

Tags: Valley of Silence, Nora Roberts, Born in Death, JD Robb, Read Roger