Sunday Seconds -- there are books that I would really love to re-read -- if I could make the time. Sometimes books have profound impacts on one's reading experience. Sometimes you just know these books could be even greater if you could go back and read them with again better understanding and life experiences under your belt. Sometimes books don't hold up the memory the second time around -- that's the risk. Sunday Seconds will be a cataloging of that kind of wish list.
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NAKED IN DEATH by JD Robb
The first in series of 32 featuring Eve Dallas, a homicide lieutenant in futuristic New York City. Here's the plot:
Lieutenant Eve Dallas is just barely thirty years old in the NYPSD (New York Police and Security Department) Homicide division in January, 2058. Eve is suffering from bad dreams over the death of a young girl that she couldn't prevent. Eve killed the girl's father, who was the one who killed the girl, and is now awaiting Testing, a psychological and physical evaluation all police officers must undergo after utilizing maximum force (killing). Eve dreads Testing; however, it is delayed when she is called to a case: the murder of a senator's granddaughter, who was working as a licensed companion - the 2058 version of a prostitute. The murder weapon is an antique gun, a Smith and Wesson model 10, and the other detective is her former partner, Captain Ryan Feeney, of the Electronics Detection Division (EDD). This being 2058, prostitution is legal, but guns are not and only available to licensed collectors. The victim, Sharon DeBlass, had an evening appointment with Roarke, of Roarke Industries and one of the richest men on earth. He is also known for being an antique gun collector and a very proficient shot. Her first image of Roarke is his ID photo, but their first meeting is at Sharon DeBlass's funeral in the capital. Eve is observing Roarke from five pews back when he abruptly looks back and makes eye contact, which they hold until the ceremony ends. When they're outside, he's surprised to find she's a cop, internally observing that he normally avoids cops (due to his criminal background). All the leads that Eve follows point to Roarke, in murder weapon, lack of alibi, and an appointment with the first victim, but she doesn't believe it's him.
It was first published in 1995 and has approximately 314 pages.
It is well known (now) that JD Robb is a pseudonym for Nora Roberts. Not back when I actually found this series at the first book; it has all the elements I like: realistically futuristic setting, police procedural, a touch of romance, a fantastic recurring supporting cast, a touch of humor. This series is a must buy on the first day of release for me. I love the character of Eve Dallas: she has flaws, she's excellent at her job. Rourke, I've always pictured as young Pierce Brosnan. The world Robb has created is well done, even down to the slang used 50 years in the future. The supporting characters are a kick; the relationship between Dallas and Rourke is awesome and somewhat realistic as they learn their way with each other but always come back to love/support.
In the spring of 1995, J. D. Robb's first book appeared on bookshelves with very little fanfare. Robb introduced readers to New York City in the near future, 2058 to be exact, as seen through the eyes of Eve Dallas, a detective with the New York City Police and Safety Department. The Gothic Journal hailed Robb's work as "a unique blend of hard-core police drama, science fiction and passionate romance" while The Paperback Forum called it "a fantastic new detective series." Readers were taken with Eve Dallas's integrity, strength and heart and her burgeoning relationship with the mysterious Roarke.
Excerpt from Naked in Death by J. D. Robb
She woke in the dark. Through the slats on the window shades, the first murky hint of dawn slipped, slanting shadowy bars over the bed. It was like waking in a cell.
For a moment she simply lay there, shuddering, imprisoned, while the dream faded. After ten years on the force, Eve still had dreams.
Six hours before, she'd killed a man, had watched death creep into his eyes. It wasn't the first time she'd exercised maximum force, or dreamed. She'd learned to accept the action and the consequences.
But it was the child that haunted her. The child she hadn't been in time to save. The child whose screams had echoed in the dreams with her own.
All the blood, Eve thought, scrubbing sweat from her face with her hands. Such a small little girl to have had so much blood in her. And she knew it was vital that she push it aside.
Standard departmental procedure meant that she would spend the morning in Testing. Any officer whose discharge of weapon resulted in termination of life was required to undergo emotional and psychiatric clearance before resuming duty. Eve considered the tests a mild pain in the ass.
She would beat them, as she'd beaten them before.
When she rose, the overheads went automatically to low setting, lighting her way into the bath. She winced once at her reflection. Her eyes were swollen from lack of sleep, her skin nearly as pale as the corpses she'd delegated to the ME.
Rather than dwell on it, she stepped into the shower, yawning.
"Give me one oh one degrees, full force," she said and shifted so that the shower spray hit her straight in the face.
She let it steam, lathered listlessly while she played through the events of the night before. She wasn't due in Testing until nine, and would use the next three hours to settle and let the dream fade away completely.
Small doubts and little regrets were often detected and could mean a second and more intense round with the machines and the owl-eyed technicians who ran them.
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Not getting much done today other than getting Outlook going again after not being able to activate it for 2 months. On Tech Support for 1.5, 2, hours. Bah.
Another "bah": Dallas lost again.
Went to a movie last night: Salt with Angelina Jolie. It was enjoyable in a thriller-ish Energizer Bunny fashion.
Tonight on TV: Rubicon and Ice Road Truckers. Boardwalk Empire miniseries starts on HBO tonight but I'm not sure I want to get involved yet.
I didn't sleep much last night because I wanted to read dang-frickin' Nora Roberts' book. No chance of a nap today so I'm hoping for some good sleep tonight.
Oh, if you want to seek what my workspace looks like at work you should check out www.murderati.com. I submitted a photo of my cubicle for today's blog entry; it's about halfway down I think.
Okay, off you go...
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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