J.D. Robb delivers again with Framed in Death—a gripping, emotionally rich addition to the In Death series that blends suspense, heart, and razor-sharp dialogue. Eve Dallas is at her best here: relentless, intuitive, and as compelling as ever. The plot twists kept me hooked from start to finish, and the balance of gritty police work with personal moments made this one of the most satisfying installments yet.

The audiobook narration by Susan Ericksen is nothing short of stellar. Her performance brings every character to life—each voice distinct, full of personality, and perfectly in sync with the tone of the story. She is Eve Dallas at this point, and her ability to embody Roarke, Peabody, and the rest of the cast only enhances the immersive experience.

If you're a fan of the series, this is a must-listen. And if you're new to Eve Dallas, prepare to be pulled into a world of high-stakes crime solving with characters you’ll never want to leave. Highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this recording. This is my honest review.

Framed in Death is the 61st book in J.D. Robb's In Death series. JD Robb keeps the books fresh even on the 61st book. While it can be read as a stand alone it's helpful to start at the beginning. From the opening scene, I was invested in the story, Eve and Peabody are a force, and sometimes the interactions between them provide some comic relief.
Also—Susan Ericksen is the voice of Eve Dallas for me. She is one of the best audiobook narrators, doing some really great accents.
If you’re an old—or new—fan of the In Death series, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb is the 61st (!!) in the In Death Series and it amazes me that the author still has fresh ideas, keeps the characters engaging, and has me looking forward to the next in the series before I'm even finished with the one I'm currently reading.

In Framed in Death Eve Dallas and her detective squad with help from Roarke and the usual team of friends ,solve the mystery and live their lives as normally as possible WHILE solving the crime. A murderer is killing people and posing them like famous works of art and it's up to Dallas and her team to solve the crime.

Each book is like visiting old friends and Eve and Roarke's relationship is goals, respect, love, and a bit of lust thrown in along with genuine admiration for each other - that never gets old to read about/listen to. Peabody and McNabb are in their new home and are starting to settle down in their own way. They always seem to me what Dallas and Roarke could have been if their early years had been different - they are the light to the older couples dark.

I had the pleasure of listening to this book as an ARC from the publisher and Susan Eriksen is superb, as always. She epitomizes Dallas in my mind and she loses herself in the characters and gives each of them such a distinct voice. I know any book she narrates will be excellent and this is no different.

If this is your first J.D. Robb book, you will be hooked. If it's your 61st book, you'll love it. You don't have to read the others to enjoy this, but why not read them all?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a really solid and engaging read. While there were definitely parts that felt like they dragged a bit, I was still fully invested the entire time. The mystery was creative and creepy in all the right ways, and I loved how everything came together at the end—it was clever and satisfying. The narrator did a good job overall, though their voice made the main character sound older than expected. If the pacing had been a little more consistent throughout, this would’ve been a perfect 5-star read. Still, a great book and well worth the listen!

This was another fantastic read! The idea of someone making art out of death, a bit from causing that death, is pretty horrifying, especially when we got the killer's perspective, and their analysis of their talent. I was really looking forward to the interrogation when they break!

I will note, this is the first time that I'd consumed this series in audiobook format. So while I know, for example, that Roark has an Irish accent, it was so weird to hear it, because when I read, I don't really remember accents. If I have access to an audiobook in the future first, I will read it that way, whichever method lets me read the book sooner!

One thing that I really enjoyed about this one was that it was a bit like a one two punch, where we got to see a bit of the court part of the proceeding after Eve and co. catches the bad guy, which if we have seen before (and I can't remember if we have, but I don't think so) which was really interesting to read!

Plus this book has one major update-the house project is about finished, and they move in! So I really enjoyed the house tour, seeing how everything came together, that was such a delightful update! These characters are really dear after all these books and I always want them to be happy!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for whatever comes next in the series!

Loved reading and listening to the engaging and amazing story. When a serial killer uses LC's on his canvas, Eve and her husband, Roarke, Peabody, and the NYPD work together to solve the case before a fourth person is murdered. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of suspense and mystery, and another must read riveting stories by the phenomenal author, J.D. Robb.

Art and murder, I will take it! This book was great from start to finish! The characters are well developed and even though it is a large series that I hadn’t read I was able to be right in place like it was a stand alone book!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. My opinions my own

Author: J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts)

Genres: Fiction/Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Summary: In Manhattan’s flashy art world, one overlooked artist vows to make the city notice him. By morning, a young woman is found dead, posed like a figure from a Dutch painting. Now, Lt. Eve Dallas must uncover the killer behind the chilling display.

Tropes & Themes: hunt for a serial killer, revenge, using killing as artistry, enabling behavior, entitlement, justice and morality, privilege of life, and impact of scientific technology.

Character: Why is Roarke so smart? He is very knowledgeable, and he is always able to provide resources for Detective Eve's cases. He really brings a good balance to the book.

Thoughts: I really loved this book. I was able to request the ARC audio from NetGalley. I was truly not and will never be disappointed with the "In Death" series. First, the narrator was amazing, and I loved the way that she was able to distinguish each character's voices. I appreciate the appropriate tone and mood of the narration, which really brought the book to life.

Second, J.D. Robb is just an amazing writer when it comes to this series. She knows how to keep one turning the pages and this is one book that I would love to purchase when it is released. One of the themes that resonated with me is as parents, often times we can and will enable certain behaviors in children. The killer really had an entitled mindset due to his mother's enabling. Obviously, he grew up not being held accountable for his actions in which his parents just used money to make problems go away or make things happen. In the end, I was shocked when his mother knowingly enabled behavior. Money cannot fix everything! Overall, it was definitely a five-star read for me.

I don't know how she does it. Book #61 and as fresh as the first. The love of the characters really comes through in this book. Eve is mellowing and her circle of friends is tight. Roark is his wonderful self and I think he has moved to my top 5 heroes.
This was a terrific audiobook, the narrator does an excellent job. There is a lot of description of clothes and furniture that I probably skim when I read, but appreciated as I listened.
The murders were not as gruesome as usual, but the aftermaths were a little visually weird. The villain was someone you can cheerfully hate, and what Eve does to him was very satisfying.
The plot is about a rich, mediocre painter who believes is is great and nobody appreciates him, so he decides to recreate some masters (Vermeer, Gainsborough and others) down to the authentic costumes, which proves to be his downfall.
A very exciting ending and Eve proves her brilliance again.
I presume no one is going to start with the first book out of 61, although that is what I did about 20 in, because the relationships build through the years. The first book came out in 1995 and was the year 2058,and I began reading in 2013. The year is now about 2061, and Robb has slowly been updating the technology. It truly is brilliantly done. I highly recommend this futuristic detective genre, with several wonderful l9ve stories thrown in. There is a lot of humor, some beautifully described love making and great mysteries.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. These are my honest opinions. Read these books!

This is quite possibly my favorite series. I have loved watching the characters grow, and I think all the relationships are awesome. The case this time was interesting, but not my favorite. It was a procedural rather than a mystery. The killer is a POV character, he’s despicable and therefore, not fun to read. I would not suggest starting here if this is your first introduction to JD Robb. The first book, Naked in Death is the way to go. The narrator is fantastic!

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb read by Susan Erickson (In Death #61) 5 stars

With this book, we leave behind international intrigue, terrorists and celebrities. We have a psychopath serial killer on tap and a classic police procedural which showcases the mundane and tedious day to day work of the police. We have countless witness interviews, requests for information and the elimination of suspects. Throughout it all, Susan Erickson shines with the voices of the main characters and the distinct voices of all the witnesses and informants. I really enjoyed this audiobook and look forward to Stolen In Death (In Death #62) next year.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC.

I love this amazing, well crafted, just complicated enough, engaging and thought provoking story.
It’s amazing to me that these stories continue to rise to the highest levels and are always something
I Look forward to with excitement.
This story has some highlights to mention: Peabody and McNab finally move into their home,
which I mention only because Delia is an art&crafts person, and her knowledge is helpful to
the case.
This story features an entitled, pampered, failed artist who decides that he has a way to be on
the way to fame and fortune. His methods are simply horrible, taking advantage of the street
workers (the LC’s who are licensed to provide sex in the City) with money and lies of fame and
fortune.
The “artist” provides what turn out to be life saving clues about his materials and the team
hunt all,over the world to match the fabrics as paints to him, and limit the murders to 3.
The other suspect will be the mother of the murderer, as he is a child of privilege and
is living in luxury and his mother is taken in and not having any pesky NYPSD folks after
her son,. She’s shocked to find herself in enough trouble as well.q
I recommend this book to everyone. Now, having read the entire series, I feel comfortable
suggesting it’s just as good as a standalone. You miss the decades of history, but the plot
lines are strong and it’s easy to understand, so it should be fine.
My copy,of,the book is an audible one, and it’s about 13 hrs, which is the usual. I find it
to be just perfect.
My thanks to Macmillan Audio audio for the download copy of the book for review purposes.

Another In Death with wonderful characters and twisted murders

J.D. Robb delivers another stunning whodunnit in Framed in Death. The main character, Lieutenant Eve Dallas, is a homicide cop in New York City in 2061. She is married to the fabulously wealthy Irish-born entrepreneur Roarke. Eve leads the homicide unit and has close relationships with her squad and colleagues at Cop Central. To her chagrin, she is accumulating more and more friends both within the NYPSD and outside it. In Framed in Death, she faces a formidable foe who has recreated a scene from a famous painting as a murder tableau. Framed in Death is a stellar entry in the series.

I have read all the In Death series and devour the books. This is the first time I have listened to one as an audiobook. To my surprise, I find that I laugh more listening to Eve’s snark than I do reading it. Susan Ericksen is masterful at making each of these wonderful characters sound different. The only one that was jarring to me was Rourke. It may be that nobody could make him sound like the fantasy that lives in my head.

The audio format is such a fantastic way to enjoy this book. I spent 3 straight hours listening while I planted my garden. Then I didn’t get to sleep until the middle of the night because I couldn’t let the story go. I highly recommend the Framed in Death audiobook. As a caution, perhaps don’t listen where others can hear you, as the cackling will make them wonder about you.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy!

An interesting plot idea for what could easily become a fairly repetitive series. Further, we get quite a bit of the take down/litigation as well as the crime solving, which I think is a nice, broad way of covering bases.

Framed is another strong entry in the Dallas & Rourke futuristic police procedural. I enjoyed following Eve across NYC as she tracks the many threads leading to the artist turned killer. The regular fun is all here - a confounding wardrobe, Galahad the cat’s food-driven antics, Peabody gushing, Jenkinson wearing horrible ties, and the sweet thief still outwitting Eve. The narrator is, as always, excellent, her accents and pacing adding to the experience and enjoyment of the story. Sure to be in high demand.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a review audio. All opinions expressed are my own.

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb is another killer entry—literally and figuratively—in the long-running In Death series. Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ARC and audiobook. As a lifelong fan of Nora Roberts and her J.D. Robb persona, I had high expectations—and I wasn’t disappointed.

This is book 61, and the energy is still electric. A body is found posed like Girl with a Pearl Earring outside an art gallery. The killer? A delusional narcissist convinced he’s elevating murder into art by recreating iconic paintings with his victims. There’s no mystery about who he is—we see inside his twisted mind from early on. The tension comes from watching Lieutenant Eve Dallas close in, trying to stop him before his next “masterpiece.”

What makes this series work isn’t just the investigation—it’s the people. Eve’s hard-edged determination is balanced by her deepening connections with her found family. Roarke remains one of the best romantic partners in crime fiction: smart, stylish, and always in her corner. From quiet breakfast moments with their cat Galahad to unspoken marriage “rules,” their bond continues to grow.

The supporting cast shines too. Peabody and McNab, Jenkinson, and even Harvo all get their moments. Jenkinson’s dream house finally finished and celebrated with Eve and Roarke? A perfect nod to the long arc payoff that fans appreciate.

The case unfolds with strong pacing, snappy dialogue, and clever detail. It’s not about whodunit—it’s about how justice is served when power and ego try to bury it. Eve never lets that happen.

On audio, Susan Ericksen once again delivers a pitch-perfect narration. Her ability to embody the full cast—from Eve’s steel-edged sarcasm to Roarke’s Irish charm—adds so much to the experience. Ericksen’s consistent performance across 60+ books is no small feat, and in Framed in Death, she brings every moment of tension, warmth, and wit to life. Whether it’s a tense interview, a quiet moment between Eve and Roarke, or Peabody cracking a joke, Ericksen nails it. If you’ve followed the series on audio, you already know: she is these characters.

Framed in Death proves this series isn’t just surviving—it’s still evolving. Fast, sharp, emotionally grounded, and always entertaining.

4.5/5 stars

What is there to be said about this title? The continuation of Eve and Roarke's story is one of my favorites. I'm ready for Mavis to have #2! This one was just as good as the rest and Susan Erikson is the BEST. I read until I listened to HER read to me and now I'll wait on the audio every time. This was the perfect blend of all the best things about this series and I can't wait for the next one.

I had a really hard time with the narrator, I have read many 'In Death' novels by J.D. Robb and love them but the narrator and her voices really ruined this for me. As far as the story (once I sped it up) it's an engaging Dallas/Rouke solve the crime story, with these you know what you get, and this one is a good one. Recommend for easy reads! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Yes! Yes! Yes and more Yes! This is how a mystery is written! I have absolutely no idea how the author continues to make the characters, storylines and mysteries feel so fresh when she has surpassed 60 books in the series, but each book is better than the last and this one definitely hits it off the charts! Fabulous characters that are so well developed, although I do recommend starting with book 1 and going in order so you get to know the characters more fully. If you read the series in order the characters definitely get more fully fleshed out. The interactions, witty banter and relationships between the characters are always outstanding, but this book takes them to the next level. The mystery is woven throughout the personal stories of the characters as they rush to solve the mystery before another murder is committed making the story have more depth than a lot of stories. This series is a must listen series as the audio narrator makes each character unique and recognizable whether the author has written their name in or not. This makes the story even more impactful and breathes an extra layer of life into each book. I'll be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for an advanced peek at JDRobb’s next In Death series book, FRAMED IN DEATH.
The saying ‘art imitating life’ is turned on its ear in September of 2061. Someone is killing LCs ( Licensed Companions), dressing them up as famous paintings and depositing them on gallery-adjacent properties. The reader learns pretty fast the killer artist is a trust fund baby with ego and narcissism issues who thinks he’s the next best thing ever.
Eve Dallas and her team are called in to investigate the first death, which rapidly accelerates to three victims in three days. Through non-stop investigative work and with everyone on the team from ME Morris down to New Detective Truheart, with ADA Reo and even Nadine Furst thrown in, the story quickly unfolds until a name is assigned to the killer.
For the first time that I can remember in an IN DEATH book, the story doesn’t end with the typical “get themin the box and get a confession” scene. For the first time, we are taken into the arraignment hearing. I admit, I liked this. I liked Eve not getting a slam dunk out of the box.
IYKYK that she will eventually, but the trip toward it is perfection.
As always, these books just keep getting better and better and everytime a new one is released I am thrilled to revisit old friends. The shared house of Mavis/Leonardo and Peabody./McNab is finally finished and getting to visit with Bella is just perfection. Since Summerset was such a big facto in the previous book, Bonded in Death, he is only featured in one scene in this book and that was fine. The full story surrounded the police team and I’m glad we got to spend so much time with them.
Another 5 star story from the Queen of Fiction.