Rating: 
Summary: J.D Robb's Fans will enjoy spending more time "In Death"
Review: "Portait in Death" is the lastest offering by J.D. Robb and this is one of her better books. Unlike of book in this series, Ms. Robb spending most of her time focusing on Eve and Roarke. It was really great to see more of Roarke's background. It gave readers a better understanding of his character and its also allow the character to develop. I'm sorry that I waited so long to read "Portait in Death" because it is great!
Rating: 
Summary: SO ..... DID I MISS SOMETHING? ...
Review: "Portrait in Death" is the first book I have read by this writer. I selected it and another one, "Witness in Death" because I love a good thriller/mystery that I just can't put down. However, "Portrait in Death" was a book that I had to force myself to pick up and finish.
The story line has great potential but could have been developed more. I found there was too much text devoted to Eve and Rourke's sexual romps and at times read like some cheesy teen love novel. And what does Rourke's discovery about his mother have to do with anything? Oh, one more question, I may have missed it, but why does Peabody address Lt. Eve Dallas as "Sir?"
As to the character, Eve Dallas. Well ... jeeze... what's with the "tough babe" image. The coarse language, overly agressive behaviors, and inability to separate her personal from her professional life. This character really seems to have an axe to grind and I am not sure why. She is not like any detective I have ever known. The old adage, "you get more bees with honey than with vinegar" certainly applies to this situation. The character Lt. Dallas is not at realistic to the law enforcement profession, be it in 2059 or present day. Perhaps the author should have researched this a bit more.
As mentioned previously, at the time I purchased this book I also selected another from this series. I will attempt to read that book with an open mind and hope to find it to be "one that I cannot put down." However, based on my first exposure to Nora Roberts writings, my expectations at this point are less than grand.
Rating:
Summary: J.D Robb's Fans will enjoy spending more time "In Death"
Review: "Portait in Death" is the lastest offering by J.D. Robb and this is one of her better books. Unlike of book in this series, Ms. Robb spending most of her time focusing on Eve and Roarke. It was really great to see more of Roarke's background. It gave readers a better understanding of his character and its also allow the character to develop. I'm sorry that I waited so long to read "Portait in Death" because it is great!
Rating:
Summary: KEPT ME IN SUSPENSE TILL THE END!!!!!!
Review: All I can say is FANTASTIC!!!!!! I am never bored with J.D. Robb. Once again she has written a storyline that kept me guessing and guessing. I am happy to see Nadine Furst in the fore front of the story. While searching for a serial killer, who photographs his victims; Roarke has problems of his own and refuses to discuss the situation with Eve.
Rating: 
Summary: A very good story, but not for the new reader
Review: All of the books in the "...In Death" series are a combination of futuristic murder mystery and serial romance. The murder mystery set in the summer of 2059 and pits Lieutenant Eve Dallas against a serial killer who targets and professionally photographs young people...after they are dead. The serial romance is characterized by a major role reversal; the usually ultra-controlled Roarke is unbalanced by Summerset's injury and new information regarding his birth mother which places Eve in the unusual roles of caregiver and peacemaker. While each book in the "...In Death" series can stand alone as a murder mystery (and this is a good one), to truly enjoy the stories the entire series needs be read in order. The characters are what makes me buy each book as soon as it comes out and after sixteen books there is quite a cast of characters, all of whom are interesting and have complex histories. In each book, Ms. Robb (Nora Roberts) tries to supply enough information so that a reader can understand why the characters react the way they do, but if Portrait in Death was a reader's first "...In Death" book I don't think he/she would read another. In summary, a very good story, but not for the new reader.
Rating: 
Summary: unbearable
Review: All the elements in this book is overplayed. This is the first book I've seen in the series and it will be the last. The conversations made me want to gag. It got to a point where I couldn't read beyond a few more paragraphs, and indeed I only read up to page 62. The storyline was not very interesting either.
Rating:
Summary: Very good, but not excellent ...
Review: Did I like this book? Yes. Do I think I did the right thing purchasing it? Yes, because it's entertaining and certainly a keeper. The plot was good, and Eve and Roarke are, as always, a wonderful couple. But was this book outstanding? No, because some of the other books in the "In death Series" are much better. Anyway, for those who are fans of J.D.Robb(like me), this book (number 16 in the series) will be a welcome addition to your library. It brings quite a strange role reversal: in this opportunity is Eve who takes care of Roarke while he tries to come to terms with some revelations regarding his past (more specifically his mother). There is also a good crime story, about a killer who chooses his victims due to their beauty, follows them and murders them, never forgetting to photograph them just after he slays them, believing that by doing that he'll own their beauty and innocence forever (isn't that sick?). So, if you have already read some of J.D. Robb's books I recommend you to buy "Portrait in death", because you'll like it. However, if you are new to the series and want to read your first book, I'd recommend you to "do 1st things 1st", and start by the beginning: "Naked in death" (1st in the series). By doing so, you'll be able to get to know better the main characters and will be able to concentrate on the story (instead of getting confused with how many of them you are already supposed to know by now in this book, the 16th). I hope I helped you :) Good reading !!!!
Rating:
Summary: I was wrong! (WAS "Love the characters, where's the heart?)
Review: I don't know what to say about this book. I love the characters, and I enjoy the continued growth in Eve's acceptance of her role as friend and wife. (In my mind, the "mystery" is always secondary to the continuing saga of Roarke and Eve!) I also enjoyed the attempt to make Roarke more "real" and less the typical "beautiful-and-rich-ex-bad-boy-with-a-heart". But I couldn't help but feel that Nora Robert's heart wasn't in this one. Eve and Roarke, Peabody and McNab, Mavis and Nadine and Feeney - they're all there, but they seem 2-dimensional and the conversations seemed forced and stilted. If I wasn't already so attached to the characters, I'd probably have given the book a 3-star rating, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I truly enjoyed it anyway.
***I did a re-read of the entire series recently, and I have to recant my previous negative comments. The secondary characters didn't get as much focus, but I now think it had more to do with giving us a much-more-human Roarke, than any lack of "heart" by the author. I think I'd grown accumstomed to Eve's brusque and heated personality, so as she swapped roles with Roarke (nurturing him, with him pushing her away), I originally felt it was missing "heat". On a second read, though, I found plenty of heart in Roarke's family revelations and Eve's stepping into the nurturing role.
Rating:
Summary: not quite a masterpiece
Review: I have to say, without a doubt, the best part about Portrait is finding out more about our favorite husband, Roarke. The insights into his past were entertaining and just on the edge of frustrating because we want to know more, more more! The case had a nice twist at the end, I was honestly surprised at the killer. In true, J. D. Robb fashion, the story unweaved itself at an easy pace and had plenty of extras to keep you interested further.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the Series
Review: I've read a few in the series -- I quickly got tired of Eve being so cold and rude to everyone and they all forgive her because they understand she has such a soft heart. I don't think that excuses her brutal personality. Roarke also is more than a little whimpy around her, to be such a towering example of masculinity. This one book was a little easier to accept, but I don't think I'll be finishing the series. Too much of the same, over and over again.
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