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JD Robb Books in Order: The Complete In Death Series Guide

JD Robb Books in Order

JD Robb Books in Order

Sixty-three novels. Ten novellas. One cop who refuses to quit. Eve Dallas has been solving murders in a future New York since 1995, and she shows no sign of slowing down. If you want to read the JD Robb books in order, you are looking at one of the longest-running crime series in print.

That size scares some readers off. It shouldn’t. The series is easy to follow once you have a clean list, and that is what this guide gives you. Below you will find every novel and novella in order, a quick look at who’s who, and some tips for getting through it all without burning out.

Who Is J.D. Robb?

J.D. Robb is the pen name of Nora Roberts, one of the best-selling authors alive. She started the In Death books as a side project to write something grittier than her romance novels. The “J.D.” comes from her sons, Jason and Dan, and “Robb” is a short form of Roberts.

Roberts writes two In Death novels a year, one in early spring and one in late summer or fall. That steady pace is why the list is so long.

What the In Death Series Is About

The books take place in New York City in the 2060s. Lieutenant Eve Dallas works homicide for the NYPSD. She is tough, blunt, and haunted by a brutal childhood. In the first book she meets Roarke, a billionaire with a shady past, and the two end up married.

Each book has its own murder case, so you get a full story every time. But the characters grow from book to book. Friendships form, people get promoted, and Eve slowly works through her past. That growth is the reason most fans read the series in order.

Key characters you will meet early:

  • Eve Dallas: The lead. Brilliant, prickly, and driven.
  • Roarke: Her husband, a former thief turned tech mogul.
  • Delia Peabody: Eve’s partner, who starts as a uniformed officer.
  • Ian McNab: A flashy cop in the Electronic Detectives Division.
  • Mavis Freestone: Eve’s oldest friend, a pop singer with wild hair.
  • Summerset: Roarke’s butler, and Eve’s favorite person to fight with.

JD Robb Books in Order: The Full In Death List

Here is the full J.D. Robb In Death series in order. Novellas carry a “.5” number and first appeared in group anthologies. You can skip them, but they add small moments with the main cast.

1995 to 2003

  1. Naked in Death (1995)
  2. Glory in Death (1995)
  3. Immortal in Death (1996)
  4. Rapture in Death (1996)
  5. Ceremony in Death (1997)
  6. Vengeance in Death (1997)
  7. Holiday in Death (1998) 7.5. Midnight in Death (1998, novella)
  8. Conspiracy in Death (1999)
  9. Loyalty in Death (1999)
  10. Witness in Death (2000)
  11. Judgment in Death (2000)
  12. Betrayal in Death (2001) 12.5. Interlude in Death (2001, novella)
  13. Seduction in Death (2001)
  14. Reunion in Death (2002)
  15. Purity in Death (2002)
  16. Portrait in Death (2003)
  17. Imitation in Death (2003) 17.5. Remember When (2003, half Nora Roberts, half In Death)

2004 to 2013

  1. Divided in Death (2004)
  2. Visions in Death (2004)
  3. Survivor in Death (2005)
  4. Origin in Death (2005)
  5. Memory in Death (2006) 22.5. Haunted in Death (2006, novella)
  6. Born in Death (2006)
  7. Innocent in Death (2007) 24.5. Eternity in Death (2007, novella)
  8. Creation in Death (2007)
  9. Strangers in Death (2008)
  10. Salvation in Death (2008) 27.5. Ritual in Death (2008, novella)
  11. Promises in Death (2009)
  12. Kindred in Death (2009) 29.5. Missing in Death (2009, novella)
  13. Fantasy in Death (2010)
  14. Indulgence in Death (2010) 31.5. Possession in Death (2010, novella)
  15. Treachery in Death (2011)
  16. New York to Dallas (2011) 33.5. Chaos in Death (2011, novella)
  17. Celebrity in Death (2012)
  18. Delusion in Death (2012)
  19. Calculated in Death (2013)
  20. Thankless in Death (2013) 37.5. Taken in Death (2013, novella)

2014 to 2027

  1. Concealed in Death (2014)
  2. Festive in Death (2014)
  3. Obsession in Death (2015)
  4. Devoted in Death (2015) 41.5. Wonderment in Death (2015, novella)
  5. Brotherhood in Death (2016)
  6. Apprentice in Death (2016)
  7. Echoes in Death (2017)
  8. Secrets in Death (2017)
  9. Dark in Death (2018)
  10. Leverage in Death (2018)
  11. Connections in Death (2019)
  12. Vendetta in Death (2019)
  13. Golden in Death (2020)
  14. Shadows in Death (2020)
  15. Faithless in Death (2021)
  16. Forgotten in Death (2021)
  17. Abandoned in Death (2022)
  18. Desperation in Death (2022)
  19. Encore in Death (2023)
  20. Payback in Death (2023)
  21. Random in Death (2024)
  22. Passions in Death (2024)
  23. Bonded in Death (2025)
  24. Framed in Death (2025)
  25. Stolen in Death (2026)
  26. Fury in Death (2026)
  27. Perfect in Death (coming February 2, 2027)

The Newest In Death Books

The two 2026 releases show the series is still fresh after three decades.

  • Stolen in Death (February 2026): A billionaire turns up dead, and Eve finds a hidden vault full of stolen art and jewels. The case hits close to home because of Roarke’s own past as a thief.
  • Fury in Death (September 2026): A biotech executive is beaten to death inside his secure home. The killer seems driven by pure rage, and more victims follow.
  • Perfect in Death (February 2027): The next book on the schedule. Details are still light.

Do You Need to Read the JD Robb Books in Order?

Short answer: no, but you will enjoy it more if you do.

Every book solves its own case, so you never get lost on the plot. What you miss by jumping around is the slow build of relationships. In the early books, Eve has almost no friends and doesn’t trust Roarke. By book 20, she has a whole found family around her. Reading out of order spoils some of those big moments, like Peabody’s promotion or the reveal of Eve’s past.

Here is a quick way to think about it:

Approach Best For Downside
Strict order, novellas included Completists who want every detail Novellas can be hard to find
Strict order, novellas skipped Most readers You miss a few small scenes
Start with a recent book Readers testing the waters Some character history will feel thin
Pick favorites by case Rereaders Not ideal for a first read

Where to Start if 64 Books Feels Like Too Much

Start with Naked in Death. It sets up Eve, Roarke, and the world in a way later books assume you know. If you finish it and want more, keep going in order.

If you want to test the series with a stronger entry first, try Glory in Death or Immortal in Death. The writing tightens fast after the first book, and both are classic early cases.

Many fans name these as series highlights:

  • New York to Dallas (#33): Eve faces the man who abused her as a child.
  • Origin in Death (#21): A plastic surgeon’s murder leads to a dark cloning plot.
  • Vengeance in Death (#6): A killer targets people tied to Roarke’s past.
  • Brotherhood in Death (#42): A political case with heavy ties to Roarke’s world.

Tips for Reading the Whole Series

  • Read in chunks. Many fans read five or six books, take a break with something else, and come back.
  • Try the audiobooks. Susan Ericksen narrates the series, and her voices for Eve and Roarke have a big following.
  • Track the novellas. They live in anthologies like Silent Night and Out of This World. Your library may have them as separate e-books.
  • Mix in other long series. If you like cases that build over many books, a thriller set like the Mitch Rapp Books in Order list makes a good break with a different tone.

Common Questions About JD Robb Books in Order

How long does it take to read every In Death book? Most books run 350 to 450 pages. At one book a week, you would need well over a year to finish the novels alone.

Are the JD Robb books in order the same as the Nora Roberts books? No. Nora Roberts writes romance under her own name. The In Death books are only published under J.D. Robb, so keep the two lists apart.

Is there romance in the In Death series? Yes. Eve and Roarke’s marriage is a big part of the story, and the books include some steamy scenes. The main focus stays on the murder case, though.

Can I start with the newest book? You can, and Roberts writes each one so a new reader can follow the case. Still, the JD Robb books in order give you the full payoff, so most fans suggest going back to book one once you are hooked.

Final Thoughts

The JD Robb books in order run from Naked in Death in 1995 to Fury in Death in 2026, with Perfect in Death next on deck for February 2027. Each book stands on its own, but the real reward comes from watching Eve Dallas grow over decades. Start at the beginning, skip the novellas if you need to, and save this list of JD Robb books in order so you always know what comes next.

Key Takeaways

  • J.D. Robb is the pen name of Nora Roberts. The In Death series follows homicide detective Eve Dallas in 2060s New York.
  • There are 63 numbered In Death novels so far, plus ten novellas and one hybrid book, Remember When.
  • The series starts with Naked in Death (1995). The newest release is Fury in Death (September 2026).
  • Perfect in Death, book 64, is set for February 2, 2027.
  • Each book has a standalone case, but reading in order shows how Eve, Roarke, Peabody, and the rest grow over time.
  • Novellas carry “.5” numbers and first appeared in anthologies. You can skip them without losing the main story.
  • Roberts releases two In Death books a year, one in early spring and one in late summer or fall.
  • Susan Ericksen narrates the audiobooks, which many fans prefer for long binges.

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