To everyone who knows me, I follow the In Death series by J.D. Robb religiously….This is book 61!

Review
Framed in Death by JD Robb
4.5 stars

Framed in Death brings forth a pretentious killer who kills for the name sparking passion in their art. In this book, we get POVs from the killer's end where the readers know who the killer is. This also makes it an interesting read because the killer would prop his victims up to represent famous classic paintings such as “The Lady with the Pearl Earring” and it is a race against time with the killer going for one victim every night before Eve and her team caught him.

| “With rank, comes bullshit” Even to Jenkinson, her second in command on the bs of paperwork |

As always, the book prioritizes the interpersonal relationships that Eve has such as one with her partner where their house of dreams is completed and Eve and Roarke were invited for dinner. It’s great to finally see a project over the course of several books completed. The relationships that Eve has with her crew of cops is great to see especially how they leaned to her case due to time constraints.

|”I do enjoy your bullpen, Lieutenant. I enjoyed it very much. It’s never dull” Roarke to Eve during his visit to her work place|

My favourite moments are always Eve’s interactions with Roake. The understanding and love they have for each other just grows - such as the marriage rules note with Eve always giving a heads up to Roarke if she is late, the money lending where Eve will always pay Roarke back to the formidable outfits Roarke always picks out for her. And their moments with Galahad, their cat where he sneaks up during breakfast time to get himself some and to a point that Roarke would banish him out of the bedroom and bring the used dishes to the closet to lock them in.

It is always fascinating to see Eve’s mind works and in this case, there were a lot of chipping aways and circumstantial moments before finally apprehending the killer. We also get to see how sometimes the law can make things more lenient when money can buy anything and how Eve and her team outsmarts the killer here.

It was a fun and riveting read for me. I would always recommend this series, as it features a strong female lead, police investigative elements thrown in, touchpoints of love, friendships, found family, and murder mystery elements.

J.D. Robb delivers another fast-paced, tightly plotted entry in her In Death series with Framed in Death. Once again, we find Lieutenant Eve Dallas pulling at a thread that unravels into something much larger and more dangerous than it first appears. What starts as a simple case — a murder staged to look like a natural death — quickly twists into a deeper conspiracy, and Eve’s relentless pursuit of justice keeps the pages turning.

Robb’s signature blend of gritty procedural detail, sharp dialogue, and layered character development is on full display. Eve’s relationship with Roarke continues to add emotional depth without ever slowing the action, and familiar faces from the NYPSD team — Peabody, McNab, and others — provide humor and heart along the way.

Framed in Death is a satisfying mix of mystery, character-driven storytelling, and just enough future tech to make it feel fresh without overshadowing the very human motivations behind the crimes. Longtime fans will appreciate how Robb manages to keep the series feeling alive and energized, even this deep into the lineup, while newcomers could easily jump in without feeling lost.

If you love smart mysteries with strong heroines, dynamic supporting characters, and a splash of romance, Framed in Death

"Framed in Death" is another great installment in the long-running series about Lieutenant Eve Dallas, her billionaire husband Roarke, and the various friends who have become their found family. Here, Eve is trying to track down a killer who believes he is breathing new life into classic paintings through murder. It is not a who done it, but a how does she catch him and even better, how does she outsmart him. Like other more recent books in the series, we get a good mix of Eve's professional and personal spheres and Eve and Roarke's banter continues to entertain. I am already looking forward to the next installment.

4 stars. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

5/5 stars! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in two sittings. Framed in Death is book 61 in the In Death series. I have read numerous books in the series and have enjoyed them all and this one did not disappoint. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Framed in Death is releasing September 2, 2025. Thank you to J.D. Robb and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.