An Eve Dallas triumph of wit and wisecracks

J.D. Robb's "in death" series is guaranteed enjoyment. For those who like the notion of futuristic cop thrillers and haven't tackled Robb's before, the latest, Celebrity in Death (Piatkus), is perhaps not the best starting point, as some prior knowledge of Lieutenant Eve Dallas and Roarke, her mega-rich husband, would help. This is because the plot centres on a movie being made from a book about one of Dallas' major cases.

When the actress playing the lieutenant's sidekick, Peabody, is killed at a dinner party for the stars, attention naturally focuses on the who and why. The situation is freaky for Peabody, not long out of hospital after a near-fatal attack, and also for the cops around her, so all involved push the differences as they try to find the killer. It's the formula as usual, although slightly better plotted and lightened (and improved) by a trifle more humour than some of the earlier titles.