Here is my fan letter to kick things off. Going first is a mite intimidating and I had a few panic attacks, rough drafts, and author qualms. There are so many favorites, how to choose just one? Do I stick to ebooks or go into favorite print books? Decisions! I went with instinct on this one and here is my contribution:
Dear JD Robb,
A little over 2 months ago you released the 30th book in the IN DEATH series. I bought it and read it on the release day and unfortunately my love affair with the series is coming to an end. Through no real fault of your own, I’m slowly ready to move on. However I wanted to write to tell you that over the course of 15 years and 30 books, your series remains one of my all time favorites. I’d save this series in a fire before I saved my gaming console! (But don’t it I said that).
I started on the series when it came out with the first book in 1995 and have been hooked ever since. And by hooked I mean I almost always bought the books immediately and read them without pause. I also would re-read most of the older books before release, until the book count became too high (then all I’d be reading is In Death constantly .. hmm idea). Anyway, each book was a beloved revisit to Eve, Roarke, Peabody, and the cast of characters that never failed to delight, entertain, and move me. The books never failed to engage and it’s a series I cherish greatly.
One of the things I loved about the series as a whole is that it felt like it had no boundaries. Sure the characters probably weren’t going to die but there were almost no limits to what could happen. Maybe someone would lose a limb or be emotionally crushed. Maybe closing the case isn’t enough to save the day. The mysteries and issues brought up felt imaginative, creative, and just different from most mystery series. Each book rode that delicate balance of familiar and entirely fresh, keeping me coming back again and again for more. The romance mixed with a futuristic urban setting produced an unforgettable series, but no doubt you’ve heard that many times before.
While I may no longer be hooked like I once was, the series is one I continue to completely adore and love, always on the tip of my tongue when talking about beloved favorites. Even if I never pick up another book of yours again, you will forever remain in a place of honor on my bookshelf.
Thank you,
A fan
Please head over to Tam @ Tam reads for the next letter tomorrow!
ο»Ώ
three am 
Very nice letter Kassa. I have to say I’ve not read any of this author’s work or the series but it obviously holds a special place in your reading heart.
Oh, I am nervous about going second as well. LOL Not sure what others are going to do and don’t want to be “lame”. π
Seriously welcome to my angst! *dies*.. I’m sure I’ll be the lamest of the group but at least I managed to offer a heartfelt thank you (for what thats worth).
Thanks for reading! Good luck!
Roarke has ruined me for all other men. I hope Robb is proud of that fact.
I think he’s the prototype for all men now…. or perhaps that’s just my fantasy talking.
Nice letter and props to you for going first!!
I’ve read a couple of books by this author quite a while back. Not in this series though. And wow, 30 books in 15 years. Amazing.
Thanks! Going first is daunting and scary. No doubt the letters will get better and better the more people do it so I can’t wait.
I’ve read a lot of Nora Roberts and she was fine when I was into early m/f romance. I moved away from that pretty quickly but this series is one I hung on to forever. I still love it …
“Each book rode that delicate balance of familiar and entirely fresh, keeping me coming back again and again for more.”
I love that line. So true with this series!!! Lovely fan letter π
Thank you! This is a series I adore so much that I frankly don’t care if it has flaws (don’t want to hear it!). It’s not like the BDB crack that I love, it has an entirely different addictive feel.
π
Great letter! I havent read any of the books in this series yet tho they are in my library waiting for me…
Re: π
Thank you! If you start with the first one it’s kind of funny because you can tell it’s the first book – if that makes sense. It’s somewhat dated (even being futuristic) and its a bit of a jumbled mess trying too hard to fit everything in but eventually in a few books it really hits the stride that carries it over the course of the series.
I am another one who has never Robb’s work – but I can understand just wanting to move on from a long running series..
kudos to you for saying it as eloquently as you did and I hope you have found something else to fill the gap.
E.H>
Thank you! Well I haven’t found another long time series but that’s ok. This was one of those extremely rare instances that worked for as many books as it did. I tried the Christine Feehan vamp series, no good. That went bad after a couple books and so on. It’s another reason this one stands out for me at least.
Thank you for the compliment!
I love this series. I’m pretty sure that at least half of my table stack are my copies of all of the books. LOL.
Great kick off to the blog crawl, Kassa. π
And then they started coming in hard back…. I have most of the later ones in hard back too ! Going to suck to move …
So… are you to the point that you think the series should be tied up? Or? I enjoy this one, too, although I only own a few, randomly acquired at the thrift store.
More so that I’m just personally a little tired of it. Part of the problem is that the subplot about Eve’s childhood trauma is wearing thin. I realize only a few years have passed in timeline of the characters.. but for 20+ books now, I’m getting tired of Eve’s screaming nightmares and how her issues always have some connection to the mystery cases.
When the tie in first happened, I really enjoyed it. Now however many books later it’s a little old for me is all. I will miss the characters but the books were starting to feel a little predictable. I couldn’t guess the mysteries but I could guess a lot of the scenes that would happen. So no wrap up, just me bowing out I think.
Great letter Kassa! I love how honest you were.
Part of the problem is that the subplot about Eve’s childhood trauma is wearing thin.
I agree. I just finished reading Missing In Death (novella) and…I’m all but over how every case seems to relate back to Eve’s childhood…it’s frustrating. I’m also (and I know this is probably sacrilege) over how brilliant Roarke is at everything. In the last book he was hacking into various agencies (FBI, Homeland Security, MI5, Interpol, etc.) – of course no one even noticed that he was hacking…they wouldn’t, because he is Roarke. And of course, he is always involved with whatever the case is. /rant.
Yikes! I have a month to write my letter. Where to start?