Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 18 February 2020
5 things I learned from binge-reading a 50-book crime series

By SOPHIA ROSENBAUM As- ber band and marked with
sociated Press my initials. I would some-
The “In Death” series is far times giggle when I placed
from light reading. It cen- a stack of 10 books on the
ters around the life of Eve scanner and it somehow
Dallas, a no-nonsense New correctly checked out all
York City police lieuten- the right titles.
ant. She’s a homicide cop, I only bought one book,
so there is murder in every in a moment of weakness
book. over Labor Day weekend
J.D. Robb is the pen name when I realized the library
for the prolific romance was going to be closed for
writer Nora Roberts, who four days and I hadn’t or-
started writing the series in dered the next few books
1995 and releases at least in time.
two new titles a year. After that, I ordered them
In the very first book, “Na- five or 10 at a time at the
ked in Death,” we are library.
introduced to a slew of It turns out I’m not the only
what become recurring one who loves the library.
characters: Eve’s former A recent Gallup poll found
partner and trainer, who that Americans visited the
becomes a father figure; library more frequently than
the esteemed police com- the movie theater in 2019.
mander; the maternal staff I AM NOT A COP, BUT I FELT
psychiatrist; Eve’s criminal- LIKE I STARTED THINKING
turned-singer bestie; and LIKE ONE
most importantly, Roarke. This combination of book cover images shows 50 volumes of the "In Death" crime series written by When you spend hours a
The sexual tension leaps off J.D. Robb, a pseudonym used by author Nora Roberts. Robb's latest book, "Golden in Death," was day reading police pro-
the page when Eve meets released on February 4. (Berkley/St. Martin's Press via AP) cedurals, you start thinking
Roarke, who is rich, hand- like a cop, or at least how I
some and happens to be I learned: book, podcast — once I’m was in the middle of read- imagine a cop thinks. I be-
her prime suspect. Eve’s THERE’S NOTHING LIKE ES- hooked, I need to know ing when I said to my part- gan paying more attention
moral code is black and CAPING INTO A GOOD everything. Like that time ner, “I can’t figure out why to details.
white, which causes fric- BOOK ... OR 50 I watched the entirety my pinky hurts so much.” He Looking at people on the
tion throughout the series I lost touch with reading for of “Gilmore Girls” in two casually suggested it might subway, I would think about
with Roarke, who becomes a good chunk of my 20s. I months. have something to do with how I would describe them
her husband by the fourth blamed it on school, and I read these books every- my new reading obsession, if I were called as a witness
book. then on my job. But getting where I went, using pe- but I shot that down, feel- — their dimensions, physi-
Roberts spends a lot of time back into a reading routine ripheral vision as I walked ing defensive. cal attributes, clothing, ten-
building layer upon layer of has done wonders for my through the corridor to my I did notice, however, that dencies — and then test
intimacy into their relation- life, and my brain. Reading office every morning, nar- I was holding the book like myself when I got home to
ship, so their partnership is requires undivided atten- rowly avoiding running into a martini glass, pinky out. see if I remembered.
believable while still being tion. You can’t really read people. I would sneak in Within days of changing my I’d pay attention to license
the epitome of #couple- a book while you’re tex- five minutes when the sub- grip, the pain went away. plates of passing cars,
goals. Their relationship is ting someone or scrolling way was delayed. I’d curl Then, toward the end of though I never was able to
one of the things I loved through Instagram or par- up on the couch with my the book series, my right remember those.
most about the series, and ticipating in any bad habits cat on a rainy afternoon, eye started twitching for FICTION IS NOT REALITY
miss most now that I’m you’re trying to kick. fall asleep most nights with about a week and a half. Over the summer, a home-
caught up. About 10 books in, when a book in my hand, read I was embarrassed, and less man killed four people
So what happens when I noticed I was starting to on the beach on vacation. Googled what might be as they slept on the streets
you plunge into a 50-book rip through a book a day, After meeting a colleague the cause. Sure, I drank the of New York City. Telling my
series? Here are five things I started wondering: Was for the first time recently, occasional caffeinated partner about it, I started
reading this much another she said, “You’re the book tea, I probably could have describing what would
bad habit? woman. It’s so good to fi- gotten more sleep and I happen if this was Eve’s
Nervously, I asked my ther- nally meet you.” am almost always stressed. case. “I think you have a
apist about this obsession, Crazy book lady, at your But about two days after I problem,” he replied.
admitting that most of my service. finished book No. 50, my There was a particularly
free time was spent escap- YOU CAN, IN FACT, READ eye twitch went away. meta moment when I was
ing into Eve’s world. My TOO MUCH LIBRARIES ARE CANDY reading a book that fea-
therapist said something At 29, I’m not old, but I SHOPS FOR ADULTS tured characters going
like, “Of the compulsive somewhat comically in- Rediscovering the library to the Oscars because a
habits to have, this seems jured myself at least twice has been one of my favor- movie about one of Eve’s
relatively harmless, and while reading the “In ite things about reading cases was nominated. Lat-
maybe you really need it. Death” series. this series. I can’t explain er that evening, I tuned into
It’s only a problem if you The first happened about the excitement I would feel the Golden Globes and
start turning down social 10 books in, when I got the when I got an email notify- couldn’t help but make
interactions or find it is inter- strangest pain in my left pin- ing me that my books had comparisons between
fering with your daily life.” ky. It was particularly pres- come in and were ready fiction and reality. If only
I’ve always been inclined ent when I would type; it for pickup. I loved going to “The Icove Agenda’’ (from
to binge. The medium felt like my finger had done get them and finding them Robb’s “Origin in Death”)
doesn’t matter — TV show, one too many crunches. I bound together with a rub- won instead of “1917” q