This episode of the In Death series goes back to a sort of basic mystery and had less of the emotional intensity the New York to Dallas. It was a sort of a breather both for Eve and for us as readers. Eve is learning to cope with the events of the previous book and is having some lucid dreams that have her relive part of the experience. Roarke is worried about her and treating her more carefully than usual which is actually worrying Eve more than the dreams. The murder of an actress that no one liked is the focus of this story. Adding to the tension is that the murder occurred at a dinner party which brought together the cast of the movie with their real-life counterparts incuding Eve and Roarke, Peabody and McNab, Dr. Mira and her husband, and Nadine Furst. The victim who was portraying Peabody in the movie was a very unpleasant person. She was a prime manipulator who liked to have inside knowledge of the other cast members that would let her get some advantage from them. Many of the actors at the party had good reason to want her dead. Eve uses her skills to interview all of the suspects and uncovers something that makes her even more eager to stand up for the victim. This story was more in the lines of a police procedural than many of her more recent cases. But even though the focus was the case, it was still good to see the relationships Eve has with the people around her. I liked her relationship with Peabody as they work the case. They both have a strong respect for each other and respect each others skills but Peabody feels comfortable enough with Eve to tease her on occasion. I liked the relationship with Nadine in this one. Again there is strong respect in each of them for the other and a deep friendship.I especially liked seeing her relationship with Roarke. The love and support that each has for the other is just such a backbone of this series. But it is not anything either of them take for granted. Both are willing to work hard to keep their relationship strong. I love the way Roarke keeps surprising Eve with gifts and how uncomfortable this makes Eve. I love the way Eve constantly teases Roarke about his business. This was an excellent addition to the In Death series. I recommend it for mystery lovers and romance lovers.
