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This is essentially a police procedural, but I've classified it under SF, rather than general fiction, because it's set about 50 years in the future.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas of the NYPSD is called in to a brutal murder of a powerful senator's granddaughter. It starts off looking like a political crime. But then other murders start happening. Maybe it's a serial killer. Whatever, Dallas is being pressured on all sides: to close the case, but in a way that doesn't embarrass the senator.

As a police procedural, this is fine. It's not a terribly complex plot: who the murderer is is reasonably obvious, but the interest is in how Dallas cracks the case. As SF, it is rather less successful. The future setting is all in the background -- historical references, better computers (but not advanced nearly enough), robot drones, holograms, mentions of space stations -- but these have very little impact on the foreground, or the plot. It could have been set in the present day with only cosmetic changes. A better integration of SF and detective stories is given by Lee Killough's Brill and Maxwell trilogy. But I'll probably keep reading this series, anyway, as mind candy.

This time Lieutenant Eve Dallas is called in to investigate the murder of a close friend of her boss. The victim is a successful Prosecuting Attorney, so it looks fairly straightforward revenge killing, until another unconnected woman is murdered the same way. Unconnected except via Eve's boyfriend Roarke, that is. Dallas knows it's not him, however, and sets herself up as live bait, to be a third victim. But things don't go as planned.

Another reasonable police procedural, again with the SF element firmly in the background, as frosting, rather than integral to the plot. But the pacing is fast, and the investigation interesting, so it's a good page turner.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is about to get married, and has to shop for a wedding dress, much to her dismay. Her friend Mavis introduces her to an up-and-coming designer, but then disaster strikes. The designer's business backer and ex-lover is found brutally murdered in his salon, discovered by Mavis herself, who had an excellent motive to kill her. So Dallas finds herself investigating a murder with her best friend as prime suspect.

Yet again, this is a decent police procedural, with twists and clues, with a light dusting of an SFnal background. However, I have a feeling that the SF part is beginning to become a little more important. Fingers crossed!

Newly married Lieutenant Eve Dallas ends her honeymoon investigating an apparently motivelss suicide. When she comes across a second such suicide, she gets suspicious, and begins to investigate further. Forensics reveals a minute burn in the victims' brains, indicating there may be foul play at work. Investigating with her usual dogged persistence, she discovers her new husband may be a potential vicitm.

Yet another decent police procedural. The SFnal background is indeed beginning to become a little more prominent; VR plays an important role in this tale. But I feel much of the tech is nowhere near the supposed 50 years in the future, while other is just "magic".

When a well-respected cop dies of a heart attack, it looks like natural causes. But Captain Whitney calls in Lieutenant Eve Dallas, telling her there were suspicious circumstances, that Feeney may be implicated, and he wants Dallas to investigate. As she does, it looks less like a corrupt cop, and more like a case of war between the local Wiccans and Satanists.

Mainly of interest for the insights into Officer Peabody's background, this has rather less SFnal content than the preceding in the series. Still a decent page-turner, though.

Eve Dallas gets a phone call, from a ranting religious riddler, and follows it up to discover a body brutally tortured to death. Then there is a second call, and a second body. It soon becomes clear the link is Roarke, and the chief suspect is Summerset. But things are never that simple around Eve. She must race against time to catch the killer before he kills again, all the time knowing that eventually Roarke will be the target.

Another good page turner, with rather more plot (but still not very SFnal), and fortunately rather less sex, than some of the earlier ones. And even though I now know the algorithm for spotting the bad guy, I still didn't spot them until very near the end, dammit.

Eve Dallas is still not fully recovered from the injuries that she took at the end of her last case, but she's desperate to get off her desk job. So she answers an "all units" call, and finds herself in the middle of a Christmas serial rape/killer. She has to act fast, but will her strength hold up?

Even less SFnal content than most (just some minor forensics), but still a good page turner. There's enough background being built up in the series that interaction and events concerning Eve's friends and colleagues can happen without the need for too much explanation.

This is a full blown Eve Dallas story, condensed into a 90 page novella. It starts a mere six hours after the events in Holiday in Death. On Christmas Day the body of a judge is found, complete with a list of all the other people the escaped serial killer is after. Eve's name is last on the list, but, more worrying for her, Dr Mira's is there too. Eve knows who the bad guy is, so the race is on to find him before he works his way through his Christmas list.

Being condensed into a novella, much of what gets lost is the character interaction, leaving a rather straightforward chase after the killer. But there are some good moments along the way.

A bunch of homeless dropouts are found dead, with various organs sliced out by a top class surgeon. But organ-legging has been obsolete for decades, what with cheaper, better, artificial replacements. So what is the motive? Eve Dallas is soon on the scene, which leads her deep into high-level conspiracy, and the potential destruction of her career.

A bit more SFnal this time, with discussion of artificial organ transplants and advanced medical procedures. But it's still really a detective story set in a not too plausible future (the world-building is mostly restricted to the things needed for the plot). This one isn't even a particularly tricky piece of detection -- there are no real red herrings. It does provide a good piece of character development for Eve, though -- we know how much her job means to her, so how will she handle suspension and the possible end of her career?

In a murder mystery, you usually need more than one murder, to keep the tension going. Sometimes the extra murders can be as a result of the investigation, with the killer ever more desperately trying to cover their tracks, leading to an interesting moral dilemma. But usually, they are the work of a serial killer. So, with multiple books, we end up with a series of serial killers, stretching one's willing suspension of disbelief somewhat (and over such a short timespan too -- this is the 9th book in the series, yet covering only a year of elapsed time). Here the killers are deranged terrorists, too.

The plot is mainly interesting for a small amount of backstory worldbuilding (remember, these books are ostensibly set about 50 years in the future), and some character development around secondary characters. There aren't really as many detecting red herrings as earlier books -- it soon becomes pretty clear who the bad guys are, and all the effort is in stopping them. There are a couple of large coincidences, but they are used for pragmatic reasons to reduce the number of characters and speed up the plot, rather than drive it in an otherwise unnatural direction, and so I don't mind that too much.

This book was written after the Oklahoma bombing, and reads like an appalled reaction to that (at the time) ultimate outrage. But it was written before September 11; I doubt if it would be the same if written now.

A pleasant change of pace from the usual deranged serial killers: here we have an interesting homage to the more genteel style of Agatha Christie. A murder is committed during a showing of a new run of "Witness for the Prosecution", in front of thousands of witnesses, including Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

As in most Christie-esque murder mysteries, in order for everyone to have a motive, the victim has to be entirely detestable, and so you end up sympathising more with the killer. Robb plays with this, especially the effect it has on Dallas, quite well. And there's even a plausible explanation for holding that set-piece denouement!

Dallas investigates the murder of a cop who might have been dirty. As her case proceeds, more corrupt cops are found murdered, and Ricker, a dangerous gangster, and old-time enemy of Roarke, seems to be involved. Eve must stop the cop killer, and dissuade Roarke from protecting her against Ricker.

Another good page-turner, as Dallas makes more powerful enemies, and cuts her way through a swathe of bad guys. Virtually no SFnal content, though.

A chambermaid in one of Roarke's hotels is brutally murdered by an international hit-man. When a second Roarke employee is murdered the same way, the real target becomes clear. Dallas must race to find the killer, and his employer, before more people die, maybe even Roarke himself. But she is hampered by a bungling FBI team.

There is a little SFnal content: mainly the usual computer hacking to get the data needed to move the plot along, an under-used hologram (maybe in preparation for later stories), and the bizarre fact that by 2059 Cornwall has somehow moved to the north of Britain.

Roarke is away in Ireland, tidying up the aftermath of Eve Dallas' last case, and she's suffering increasingly bad nightmares in his absence. But soon she's called onto another case -- a dead woman and what seems to be the result of a botched date-rape crime. This time we know who the murderers are, and the tension is to see if Dallas can stop them before they get a taste for killing.

Events from previous stories play out some consequences here, giving more depth to Eve's life. Most of the SFnal background is just the improved forensics that allows the case to proceed at top speed.

One of Eve Dallas's first cases as a detective was to help put away Julianna Dunne for the serial murder of three rich husbands. Now Julianna is out again, and looking forward to revenge on Eve. The bodies start piling up, and Eve realises that Roarke is the ultimate target. But part of her investigation leads her to Dallas -- can she overcome her fear of that place?

More fun detection. We get to see Peabody's parents, one of whom is a "sensitive", so maybe that counts as the nod towards a SFnal content this time.

People are dying in berserk rages, seemingly brought about by a computer virus infecting them. A terrorist group claim they are targetting those the justice system has failed to stop. Dallas needs to stop them before more innocents get caught in the crossfire. The tension stays high as the stakes keep rising.

Fortunately, Robb doesn't even try to explain how the virus leaps from machine to brain, beyond the most minimal techno-babble, so suspension of disbelief can remain willing. Another good page-turner.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is happy -- Summerset is about to go off on a three week vacation. But that doesn't go as planned, and then the latest crazed serial killer to hit New York turns up, posing and photographing his victims after death. Eve needs to stop him, but she doesn't get as much help as usual from Roarke, who's off in Ireland tracking down some unsettling news about his past. One of the main characters there is called Siobhan (pronounced "Shi-VAWN") -- but disconcertingly this is nearly always spelled "Siobahn" (pronounced who can tell how? "Shi-BARN"?? Makes you wonder about the rest of the Gaelic).

Another good page turner, but still very little overtly SFnal content.

There's a serial killer on the loose, copy-catting older killers, and challenging Lieutenant Eve Dallas to catch him. Analysing the pattern of his murders, it's clear he's got her tagged as a victim down the line. As usual, the race is on to stop him before he kills again. But Peabody is a bit distracted by her imminent Detective's exam. And Eve is distracted by a new nightmare, of her mother.

One has to wonder at the number of serial killers haunting New York -- only a few weeks have elapsed since the previous case, and only a couple of years since the series started. There's a little self-mocking here, too, as one of the suspects is a writer who has studied up on serial killers, and Eve isn't sure that's a healthy occupation.

All the "In Death" Eve Dallas stories have the author on the cover: "Nora Roberts writing as J. D. Robb". This one has "Nora Roberts and J. D. Robb". Not since John Wyndham and Lucas Parkes wrote The Outward Urge have I read a book by two authors who are in fact the same person. The reason here is simple: this is a book of two halves. The first, set in contemporary small-town America, revolves around a $28M diamond heist, insurance investigator Max Gannon, and antique shop owner Laine Tavish, who just happens to be the estranged daughter of one of the thieves. The second half is set 50 years later in Lt Eve Dallas' New York, where murder strikes again as clues to the lost diamonds' whereabouts begin to appear.

Roberts' story of Max and Laine sets the scene for Robb's Dallas story. Although the events are linked through time, each half reads like a separate short novel. And quite clearly written by the same person: Roberts doesn't use a pseudonym to signal a change in writing style, but rather to label a particular series, it seems.

One of Roarke's senior employees is prime suspect for a gruesome double murder, but Eve realises she was set up. The reason appears to have something to do with the high security project she was working on, and shadowy government agencies are implicated. Roarke discovers a link with Eve's past, and what he plans to do about it threatens to shatter their marriage.

Virtually no SFnal content at all, but the digs at certain government agencies make it worthwhile.

A sick vicious serial killer is on the loose in New York. All in a day's work for Lt Eve Dallas, except this time a psychic has come forward with information on the murders. Initially skeptical and suspicious, Eve has to come to terms with the fact the psychic is genuine. But will it be visions, or good old fashioned police legwork, that cracks the case?

Still very little SFnal content, but an interesting step forward in Dallas' relationship with Peabody.

A family has been brutally murdered in their own home, but the 9-year-old daughter, by a miracle, has escaped. Lt Eve Dallas has to take her into protective custody as a crucial eye-witness -- and her own house is the safest place around. But dealing with a traumatised child brings her own past back to haunt her.

A few references back to earlier books (including an incident I haven't seen, so I presume it's in one of the novellas) help to link this into the series. But there seems to be less arc development in this one; it's all just police procedural and good old fashioned legwork.

A well-loved doctor is professionally murdered in his consulting room. Lt Eve Dallas suspects that no-one can be as perfect as he seemed, so she starts to dig deeper. And uncovers evidence of a horrifying long-concealed plot.

A bit more SFnal than many in this series, with the underlying plot requiring a development of present day medical technology, and the usual discussion of the importance of the relative importance of nature and nurture that underlies most of these books.

Lt Eve Dallas receives a surprising, and unwelcome, visit from her first foster mother, a sadistic women who mistreated all her charges. Her real reason for visiting New York is to blackmail Roarke, but soon she is found murdered. Eve takes charge of the case, despite, this time, feeling nothing for the victim.

A good entry in the series, despite basically zero SFnal content, with some questioning about the morality of murdering such an evil person.

Lt Eve Dallas is called in to solve a double murder at an accountancy, which appears to point to some possible shady financial dealings. Just the thing for her financially-savvy husband Roarke to help out with, but he's incensed by NYPSD implications that he would use the data so gained to his own advantage. Meanwhile, Eve is preparing a baby shower for Mavis, or rather, Peabody is bullying her into it -- then one of Mavis' friends goes missing, and Mavis implores Eve to look for her. Eve hopes that the missing person case won't turn into another murder case.

This is a little lack-lustre on the detection front, especially as one knows that the missing person case is going to turn out connected to the murders, so it is obvious what the underlying plot device is. And it's not a convincing plot device 50 years in the future.

A popular teacher has been poisoned, and Lt Eve Dallas is having difficulty in discovering a motive, let alone a suspect. And she is distracted by an old flame of Roarke's who wants to start up where she left off many years ago, and Roarke seems blind to the danger.

Some straightforward detection, and little SFnal content. But it's a good plot, and a chilling denouement.

The Groom, a serial torturer and killer that Feeney and Dallas failed to catch nine years ago, is back. This time Dallas is primary on the case, and desperate to catch him before he kills again. There are extra clues: this time he is targetting Roarke's employees. Then they realise, he is setting himself up for his grand finale: Lt Eve Dallas herself.

A bit more detecting, and less personal interactions, than there has been for some time, although there is some tension between Dallas and Feeney due to their guilt over their failure the previous time around. And we get a bit of background into the Urban Wars.

A popular businessman has been found dead in an apparently compromising position. Lt Eve Dallas needs to find out who wanted to kill him in a way that embarrasses the rest of the family too.

Here the twist is that Eve is certain she knows who the killer is, despite their rock-solid alibi: it's a "howdunnit", rather than a "whodunnit".

During the funeral of a well-respected local man, the officiating priest is poisoned by cyanide in the communion wine. Lt Eve Dallas investigates. The priest appears to have been popular and well-respected, but as Dallas digs deeper, she finds clues indicating he was not who he seemed to be. Then a TV preacher is poisoned on air: should she instead be looking for a serial religious killer?

Good solid investigation here, although I'm not convinced the priest could have carried off his double life in quite the way indicated -- just how did he manage to be so likeable? Also, not much progression of the various "private life" subplots: merely some amusing minor angsting about a bridal shower for Louise.

And Piatkus have changed their cover design -- dontcha just hate it when they do that?

Lt Eve Dallas is horrified to discover that her latest murder case is a fellow detective. And things get worse as she digs into the background, and find close connections with friends and herself. But the biggest horror is the upcoming bridal shower for Louise that she has to host.

Some good detection, and some more rather heavy-handed moralising on whether genetics determines us. And I wonder what's going to replace all those wrangles with Maintenance?

The teenage daughter of a respected police Captain is found brutally murdered, and Eve Dallas is called in to investigate. As her team home in on the ruthless killer, there's another murder, and a pattern emerges...

I know it's necessary to demonstrate how evil murder is, but I felt this one lingered rather too much on the gruesome details, and not enough on the detection, or the various relationships Eve has with her team. Essentially no SF, either, except for a peculiar form of holo-conferencing.

Lt Eve Dallas has a puzzle on her hands when a computer games company director is found dead in his locked holo room. No-one could have got in, so how was he killed? Eve will find she has to use her own holo-game skills before the case is closed.

This neatly avoids the "futuristic detective" novel problem of pulling a piece of never-before-seen tech out of thin air in the denouement. That tech is firmly in place from the start, and the reader knows how the murder was done, just leaving us to work out who while Eve struggles with the how as well.

Lt Eve Dallas is barely back from holiday with Roarke's new-found family in Ireland when a pair of bizarre murders land on her desk. She very quickly identifies the killers, but they are clever, and she has to race to find the evidence before they kill again.

The fun in the detection here is how Eve has to work to gather the evidence, piece by piece as the killers make small mistakes. There's not so much interaction with the rest of the characters (no Nadine, very little Summerset), but there is a barbecue to come.

Peabody overhears two corrupt cops talking of murder. The problem is, one of them is the daughter of the sainted Commander Oberman, so Dallas is going to have to be extremely careful in bringing her down.

Nice to see Dallas after a cop -- and having to work with IAD. And there's an interesting little bit at the end, where she advises her boss on how to handle the media fallout -- she's showing promotion potential!

When Lt Eve Dallas was a rookie police officer, she caught Isaac McQueen, a notorious paedophile. Now McQueen has escaped from jail, gone to Dallas, and taken hostages, determined to lure Eve to her death at his hands. Of course, Eve has issues of her own with her namesake city. Isolated from her usual team, with memories of her past resurfacing, can she catch McQueen before he rapes and kills again?

It's interesting to see Dallas working with a different team, having to win their respect from scratch. And it's good to fill in a bit of the backstory of her early years as a cop. A good, fast-paced entry in the series.

I bought this to get the Eve Dallas "Interlude in Death" novella (which was originally been advertised as being published separately, but never materialised). The theme of the collection is SFnal love stories. The Eve Dallas story, part of a long series, here concentrates more on the police procedural aspects, and probably makes sense only if you've read the others; the Laurell Hamilton is merely an excerpt from a full Anita Blake novel, and probably doesn't make sense even if you've read the rest. The other two novellas are complete in their own right (that is, a beginning, a middle, and an end, all occuring within the published story).