How many books does it take before a series narrator becomes the definitive voice of a character? For Susan Ericksen and Eve Dallas, that question was answered about forty books ago.
Look, I came to the In Death series late. Embarrassingly late. A buddy from my old unit kept telling me I'd like Eve Dallas - tough cop, no-nonsense attitude, doesn't suffer fools. He wasn't wrong. That same buddy also pushed Camp of the Dog on me - different kind of mystery, but same instinct for what I'd appreciate. Started listening during a consulting gig that had me driving between Houston and Dallas twice a week. Ranger's heard probably fifteen of these books now, and he perks up when he hears Ericksen's voice come through the speakers. Pavlovian response to good crime fiction, I guess.
The Case That Plays Out Like a Real Investigation
Here's what Robb - or Roberts, if we're being technical - gets right that a lot of thriller writers miss: investigations are messy. They don't follow a neat three-act structure. You interview a dozen people, half of them are lying about something (even if it's not the murder), and you spend way too much time chasing leads that go nowhere.
Brant Fitzhugh drops dead at his own party after drinking champagne meant for his wife. Classic misdirection setup, and yeah, you've seen variations of this before. But the execution - pun intended - is solid. Eve's got to sort through Hollywood egos, Broadway rivalries, and the usual circus that comes with celebrity murders. The suspect pool includes a fired assistant, a jealous rival, and an obsessed fan. Standard fare, but Robb knows how to make standard feel fresh.
What I appreciate is that Eve doesn't have supernatural instincts. She works the case. Interviews, evidence, cross-referencing alibis. It's procedural in the best way - not boring procedural, but realistic procedural. I've worked with enough investigators to know the difference.
Ericksen's New York Accent: Feature, Not Bug
Let me cut to the chase on the narrator situation. Susan Ericksen has that New York accent dialed up, and she uses it for everything. Not just dialogue - the narration too. Some folks find this irritating. I get it. Thirteen hours of consistent accent can wear on you.
But here's the thing - it works for this world. Eve Dallas is New York through and through. The city is practically a character in these books. Having a narrator who sounds like she's actually from there? That's not a bug, it's a feature. Ericksen's been doing this for decades and she knows these characters better than most actors know their own roles. Her Roarke is distinct from her Eve is distinct from her Peabody. That kind of differentiation over a 50+ book series isn't easy.
The pacing matches the story's intensity. When Eve's running down a lead, Ericksen picks up the tempo. When there's a quiet moment between Eve and Roarke - and yeah, there are plenty of those - she slows down appropriately. Clean production, no audio issues. Mission accomplished on the technical front.
Who Should Queue This Up (And Who Should Stand Down)
If you're already invested in the series, this is a solid entry. Not the best Eve Dallas book I've listened to, but far from the worst. The mystery has enough twists to keep you engaged, and the Hollywood setting gives Robb some fun material to work with.
New to the series? This probably isn't your entry point. There's a lot of relationship history between Eve and the recurring cast that you'll miss. Start earlier - maybe book one, or at least somewhere in the first twenty. And if you're sensitive to strong regional accents in narration, sample first. Seriously. Listen to a few minutes before committing to nearly fourteen hours. Some listeners bounced hard off Ericksen's style, and that's a legitimate concern.
I listened at 1.25x - my usual speed - and it worked fine. The pacing felt natural, dialogue still landed properly. If you're a 1x listener, you might find some sections drag a bit, but nothing egregious.
Ranger's Verdict
Worth your time if you're already a fan. The investigation is solid, the character work is consistent, and Ericksen delivers exactly what you'd expect from her at this point. Not groundbreaking, but reliable. Sometimes that's exactly what you need on a long drive.
Ranger approved this one. Though he did fall asleep during the third act. In his defense, so did I - but that was the 2 AM start time, not the book's fault.
