Best J.D. Robb Audiobooks

The best J.D. Robb audiobooks — 25 titles ranked by listening experience across Thriller, Mystery, averaging 4.62 ABR stars.

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J.D. Robb built one of the most addictive long-running series in crime fiction by doing something deceptively clever: anchoring a gritty police procedural in a near-future New York, then layering in a slow-burn romance that deepens with every installment. Detective Eve Dallas is the heart of it — blunt, damaged, relentless — and her dynamic with Roarke gives the In Death series an emotional throughline most mysteries never bother with. The writing is propulsive and sharp, moving between brutal crime scenes and character intimacy without losing momentum. Naked in Death hooks you on the premise; by Immortal in Death or Ceremony in Death, you're in for the long haul because you genuinely care what happens to these people. Readers who want procedural tension with real emotional stakes — and don't mind committing to a series — will find this deeply satisfying territory.

J.D. Robb's highest-rated audiobook in our collection is Apprentice in Death, narrated by Susan Ericksen (4.71 ABR stars). Performed by Susan Ericksen. Rankings here weight the listening experience — narrator performance and Audible ratings factor alongside reader scores.

Where to Start with J.D. Robb

  1. 1
    Apprentice in Death cover

    Apprentice in Death

    In Death • Book 43

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.71 ABR Score (34.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.45 Goodreads (27.5K) ★ 4.76 Audible (6.7K)
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    A sniper kills three random people at a Central Park ice rink, but Dallas discovers the shooter is learning from a master. Susan Ericksen's performance captures the urgency as the body count rises and the killer's skills improve.

  2. 2
    Echoes in Death cover

    Echoes in Death

    In Death • Book 44

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.66 ABR Score (35.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (27.8K) ★ 4.7 Audible (7.4K)
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    When Eve Dallas finds a naked, bloodied woman stumbling into traffic, the case leads to a killer who leaves couples barely alive to remember their terror. Susan Ericksen captures Eve's relentless drive and the victims' fragile recovery.

  3. 3
    Brotherhood in Death cover

    Brotherhood in Death

    In Death • Book 42

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.70 ABR Score (37.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (30.5K) ★ 4.75 Audible (6.6K)
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    Dennis Mira discovers his cousin secretly plans to sell their family brownstone, then wakes up with a head injury and his cousin missing. Susan Ericksen guides listeners through Eve's investigation with her trademark steady intensity.

  4. 4
    Desperation in Death cover

    Desperation in Death

    In Death • Book 55

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.84 ABR Score (31.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.57 Goodreads (26.8K) ★ 4.84 Audible (5.0K)
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    Eve discovers a nightmare academy where kidnapped girls are trained as slaves while their spirits are systematically destroyed. Dark subject matter handled with Ericksen's steady, unflinching performance.

  5. 5
    Leverage in Death cover

    Leverage in Death

    In Death • Book 47

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.64 ABR Score (30.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (24.2K) ★ 4.71 Audible (6.4K)
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    Susan Ericksen's sharp narration matches Eve Dallas investigating a Wall Street executive who strapped on explosives and walked into a board meeting.

  6. 6
    Obsession in Death cover

    Obsession in Death

    In Death • Book 40

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.65 ABR Score (33.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (27.0K) ★ 4.72 Audible (6.2K)
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    A killer murders people they believe have wronged Eve Dallas, leaving bloody love letters at each crime scene. Ericksen captures Eve's horror at becoming someone's twisted inspiration.

  7. 7
    Devoted in Death cover

    Devoted in Death

    In Death • Book 41

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.68 ABR Score (30.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (24.9K) ★ 4.75 Audible (5.6K)
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    Dallas hunts a killer couple carving hearts into their victims while traveling cross-country on a murder spree. Susan Ericksen continues her stellar work as the voice of this long-running futuristic police procedural.

  8. 8
    Secrets in Death cover

    Secrets in Death

    In Death • Book 45

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.58 ABR Score (32.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (25.9K) ★ 4.67 Audible (6.5K)
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    Eve Dallas investigates when a celebrity gossip columnist bleeds out in an upscale Manhattan bar, her secrets proving deadlier than expected. Susan Ericksen balances the procedural elements with the series' signature relationship dynamics.

  9. 9
    Dark in Death cover

    Dark in Death

    In Death • Book 46

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.57 ABR Score (31.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.31 Goodreads (25.6K) ★ 4.67 Audible (6.4K)
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    An ice pick murder during a *Psycho* screening in Times Square launches Eve Dallas into a case where someone's copying classic film murders across futuristic New York.

  10. 10
    Glory in Death cover

    Glory in Death

    In Death • Book 2

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.49 ABR Score (80.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.27 Goodreads (73.2K) ★ 4.57 Audible (7.5K)
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    Lt. Eve Dallas hunts a killer targeting successful women in 2058 New York, while navigating her complex relationship with Roarke. Ericksen captures both the futuristic crime procedural and the romantic tension perfectly.

  11. 11
    Imitation in Death cover

    Imitation in Death

    In Death • Book 17

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.71 ABR Score (37.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (32.8K) ★ 4.82 Audible (4.7K)
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    A killer studies history's most notorious serial murderers and recreates their crimes in 2059 New York, personally challenging Lieutenant Eve Dallas to a deadly game of identification.

  12. 12
    Immortal in Death cover

    Immortal in Death

    In Death • Book 3

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.56 ABR Score (68.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (62.3K) ★ 4.65 Audible (6.2K)
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    Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates a supermodel's murder with her best friend as prime suspect, forcing her to choose between friendship and justice. Susan Ericksen captures Eve's professional conflict perfectly.

  13. 13
    Survivor in Death cover

    Survivor in Death

    In Death • Book 20

    by J.D. Robb, Nora Roberts

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.75 ABR Score (40.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.42 Goodreads (35.7K) ★ 4.81 Audible (4.6K)
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    Eve Dallas investigates the military-precision murder of an entire family, but the sole survivor—a traumatized nine-year-old—may be the only witness to an impossible crime.

  14. 14
    Festive in Death cover

    Festive in Death

    In Death • Book 39

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.60 ABR Score (32.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (27.0K) ★ 4.7 Audible (5.4K)
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    Christmas shopping meets murder investigation when a narcissistic trainer ends up stabbed during holiday season. Eve juggles suspects and seasonal obligations with her trademark cynicism.

  15. 15
    Naked in Death cover

    Naked in Death

    In Death • Book 1

    by J. D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.23 ABR Score (216.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.13 Goodreads (205.1K) ★ 4.33 Audible (11.5K)
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    Set in 2058, Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates murders in a world where technology rules everything but human impulses for love and violence remain unchanged.

  16. 16
    Connections in Death cover

    Connections in Death

    In Death • Book 48

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.61 ABR Score (29.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (24.6K) ★ 4.72 Audible (5.2K)
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    Eve Dallas investigates when a social worker is murdered at the youth center she and Roarke are building. Ericksen continues to embody Dallas perfectly in this series entry about protecting vulnerable kids.

  17. 17
    Portrait in Death cover

    Portrait in Death

    In Death • Book 16

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.75 ABR Score (46.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.39 Goodreads (42.3K) ★ 4.83 Audible (4.0K)
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    A killer photographs victims after death, sending professional portraits to the media in this chilling entry where Eve Dallas hunts a murderer obsessed with capturing souls through his lens.

  18. 18
    Rapture in Death cover

    Rapture in Death

    In Death • Book 4

    by J.D. Robb, Susan Ericksen

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.56 ABR Score (60.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (55.1K) ★ 4.67 Audible (5.4K)
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    Three apparent suicides share mysterious brain burns and smiles frozen on their faces—Ericksen's performance captures Eve Dallas's suspicion that something sinister connects these deaths.

  19. 19
    Purity in Death cover

    Purity in Death

    In Death • Book 15

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.70 ABR Score (37.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (33.1K) ★ 4.82 Audible (4.0K)
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    Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates deaths caused by a computer virus that literally kills, and Susan Ericksen's narration expertly balances the procedural investigation with the futuristic tech elements.

  20. 20
    Reunion in Death cover

    Reunion in Death

    In Death • Book 14

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.72 ABR Score (36.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (32.6K) ★ 4.81 Audible (4.1K)
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    A birthday party becomes a murder scene when a mysterious woman with emerald eyes poisons the guest of honor, launching Eve Dallas into a case that resurrects dangerous ghosts from her past.

  21. 21
    Concealed in Death cover

    Concealed in Death

    In Death • Book 38

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.52 ABR Score (33.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (27.5K) ★ 4.62 Audible (5.8K)
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    Roarke's building renovation uncovers twelve murdered teenagers from decades past, pulling Dallas into a cold case that's still claiming victims. Ericksen balances the procedural investigation with the emotional weight of young lives cut short.

  22. 22
    Calculated In Death / Thankless In Death cover

    Calculated In Death / Thankless In Death

    In Death #36-37 • Book 37

    by J.D. Robb, Susan Ericksen

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.32 ABR Score (5.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.59 Goodreads (188) ★ 4.65 Audible (5.5K)
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    Susan Ericksen returns to voice two more J.D. Robb mysteries, where Lieutenant Eve Dallas faces an accountant's suspicious death and a killer targeting good Samaritans.

  23. 23
    Seduction in Death cover

    Seduction in Death

    In Death • Book 13

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.69 ABR Score (37.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.35 Goodreads (33.7K) ★ 4.8 Audible (4.0K)
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    Eve Dallas tracks a killer using rare date-rape drugs worth a quarter million dollars to murder women after elaborate romantic setups.

  24. 24
    Delusion in Death cover

    Delusion in Death

    In Death • Book 35

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.59 ABR Score (35.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.36 Goodreads (30.1K) ★ 4.66 Audible (5.2K)
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    Mass murder in a crowded bar leaves Dallas investigating an impossible crime where dozens of ordinary people suddenly turned violent and self-destructive in perfect synchronization.

  25. 25
    Vengeance in Death cover

    Vengeance in Death

    In Death • Book 6

    by J.D. Robb

    Narrated by Susan Ericksen

    4.65 ABR Score (51.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.36 Goodreads (47.3K) ★ 4.74 Audible (4.5K)
    More about this pick

    Ericksen captures the futuristic noir atmosphere as Lieutenant Eve Dallas hunts a tech-savvy killer who leaves cryptic riddles about his next victims in 2058 New York.

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →