The In Death series of novels and novellas is written by Nora Roberts under her pen name J. D. Robb. It is set in a New York City from around the year 2050 and follows NYPSD ("New York City Police and Security Department") lieutenant Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke. The stories often include other characters, such as Captain Ryan Feeney, Detective Delia Peabody, Detective Ian McNab, and Dr. Charlotte Mira.

The series was first published in 1995. As of 2025, it includes more than 60 novels. Roberts has said the series will never include a child of Eve and Roarke because that would end the series.

Deaths

The following list includes all deaths—such as murder victims, murder investigations, and other deaths—that happen during the time period covered by the In Death books. Each entry includes details about the weapon used, the cause of death, and the person responsible. This list only includes deaths, not injuries or attacks that do not cause death.

Note: In the In Death books, the terms "stunner" and "laser" are used to describe the same fictional weapon carried by the NYPSD. This weapon releases a powerful electrical shock that looks like a laser. It can either disable a person or cause death.

Major characters

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Eve was discovered in an alley in Dallas, Texas, with serious injuries and signs of physical and sexual abuse. A social worker gave her the name "Eve" and placed her in a foster home. After turning 18, Eve wanted to move to New York City to become a police officer. Over time, she remembered her past through nightmares, which revealed she had experienced incest and the murder of her father, Richard Troy.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Roarke is a man in his mid-thirties from Dublin, Ireland. In New York City, he is the CEO of Roarke Industries. He owns a large mansion near Central Park that he redesigned with advanced security systems. In the book Glory in Death, he persuades Eve to move in with him and proposes to her at the end of the story.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Feeney was Eve’s former partner and the person who trained her. He no longer works in Homicide but is now the captain of the Electronics Detection Division (EDD). Feeney often wears casual clothes and enjoys working with electronics. He is a committed police officer and a devoted husband to his wife, Sheila. They have many children and grandchildren. Feeney is often seen eating candied nuts, which he sometimes shares with Eve during serious conversations about cases.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Mavis is Eve’s best friend and her first real friend. They met when Eve arrested Mavis for acting dishonestly, but they became friends afterward. Mavis is a small, pale woman who changes her appearance daily, including her hair length, style, and color, often with matching or contrasting eye colors. She has a kind and innocent personality but also has deep knowledge of street life. She is very loyal to Eve.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Summerset is the head butler of Roarke’s home and his most trusted friend (after Eve). He was once known as "Basil Kolchek" in Ireland during the 2030s. He and Eve have a conflicting relationship.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Whitney is Eve’s police commander and her direct superior. He is one of the few characters identified as Black in the series, along with the Chief of the NYPSD, Tibble. Eve respects him greatly. Whitney is a strong and skilled police officer who usually supports Eve. He has at least one daughter, a lawyer, with his wife, Anna Whitney. He tolerates the parties his wife enjoys. Surprisingly, he gets along well with Roarke, and they occasionally spend time together smoking and drinking.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Nadine is one of the victims targeted by the killer in Glory in Death, but Eve, the main investigator, saves her. Nadine is an ambitious and ethical reporter who always protects her sources. She dresses very neatly, which Eve finds unusual.

• First Appearance: Naked in Death
• Mira is the psychiatrist and profiler for the NYPSD. She has several children with her husband, Dennis, and also has grandchildren. She is a feminine and attractive woman whom Eve often consults about her cases. Eve has a strong bond with Mira, though she has not openly expressed it. Mira’s daughter once felt jealous of this relationship, but Mira’s daughter has grown to accept it. Mira has helped Eve open up more throughout the series.

• First Appearance: Glory in Death
• Temporary aide in Glory in Death and Immortal in Death
• Permanent aide from Rapture in Death through Imitation in Death
• Partner: Promoted to Detective in Imitation in Death

Although her first name is Delia, she is called "Peabody" in the books, as is common for police officers. Peabody has a close relationship with Eve. She comes from a family of "Free-Agers," a fictional version of the New Age movement from the 1980s. Her family is peaceful and avoids conflict, but Delia prefers to enforce justice through the police. She is a responsible officer who becomes more confident over time. She often teases Eve about her personal life with McNab and her romantic thoughts.

• First Appearance: Vengeance in Death
• Ian is a detective in Feeney’s Electronics Detection Division. He has strong computer skills, though not as skilled as Roarke. Ian dresses stylishly and, according to Eve, "prances" instead of walks. Feeney describes him as a known candy thief who was caught stealing candy bars from Eve’s office at least once.

• First Appearance: Vengeance in Death
• Baxter is another detective from Homicide. He enjoys teasing Eve about her relationship with Roarke and the changes it brings. Despite this, Roarke sees Baxter as a reliable and easygoing officer.

• First Appearance: Rapture in Death
• Chief Medical Examiner Morris is the medical examiner Eve requests for all her high-priority cases. He has almond-shaped eyes and a small tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his chest. He has a long black ponytail, often tied with fasteners that match his clothing. He plays the saxophone and sometimes performs at clubs. He listens to music while doing autopsies and calls Eve his top student for her quick thinking.