In this episode of Podcast in Death, AJ and Tara tackle the good, the bad, and the absolutely unhinged reviews of Framed in Death. Along the way, they prove that the heart of this series has always been about one thing: watching Eve Dallas grow. An Eve-olution, if you will.

Sure, there’s murder, mayhem, and Roarke looking fine in another expensive suit, but beneath it all, the In Death series is about Eve slowly evolving as she learns to trust, to breathe, to connect, and to let herself be human. Every book adds another small layer of that change, and AJ and Tara are here for all of it (even if some reviewers clearly aren’t).

Meanwhile, the reviews are... a lot. From readers who think trials make good fiction (they don’t), to those who insist Nora Roberts is secretly powered by AI (she’s not), this episode is part roast, part therapy session, and all entertainment.

• “Give me a trial!” said no one who’s ever sat through one.

• AJ turns into a one-woman legal team to prove Eve did not break the law.

• Tara defends Bella’s baby talk like a champion: “She’s TWO. Calm down.”

• Reviewers who want Eve to “get pregnant” or “adopt a puppy” get the roasting they deserve.

• AJ and Tara remind everyone (again): This is a police procedural, not a mystery series.

• Nora Roberts: still writing better dialogue before breakfast than AI ever will.

• And through it all, Eve continues her quiet transformation — learning empathy, balance, and what it means to have a family of choice.

• Eve’s Mantra Mug: “Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck this.”

• Penny Pig Glassware — because whiskey just tastes better in a shot glass with a logo.
  Find it all at https://podcast-in-death-merch.printify.me/

This week on Podcast in Death, AJ and Tara stay up way past their bedtimes to tackle a surprisingly deep (and surprisingly hilarious) question:

If you could read one “In Death” book entirely from a supporting character’s point of view, whose would it be, and which book?

What starts as mild confusion on AJ's part (“I have absolutely no idea what you’re saying”) quickly turns into one of the best discussions yet. Because let’s face it, that’s just how we roll.

• Roarke: Which book would we love from his POV? AJ wants Divided, Tara says New York to Dallas, and both agree that whatever he’s thinking, he’s wrong but hot.

• Feeney: Gotta be Ceremony. Also: flashback series where he trains Rookie Eve? YES PLEASE.

• Galahad: Justice for Galahad! Promised caviar, got kibble. His villain origin story begins in Naked.

• Jenkinson: Picking out ties specifically to offend Eve is honestly, king behavior.

• McNabb: AJ wants Purity (for angst), Tara wants Vengeance (for chaos). Both involve Peabody, obviously.

• Dr. Mira: Sassy Mira appreciation hour. Also, she’s got excellent legs in case you forgot.

• Morris: Promises in Death = sad but inevitable. Bring tissues.

• Summerset: Bonded, Vengeance, Innocent...basically, if he’s being snarky and emotionally damaged, we’re in.

• Trueheart: Our own baby cop deserves protection. And probably therapy.

• Whitney: We’d read Purity from his POV, but also: give us an Urban Wars Era buddy cop book with he and Feeney as partners. "The Adventures of Lightning & Hound" Anyone?

Plus: AJ and Tara go off about Yahoo Search conspiracies, how Peabody haters clearly need more friends, and the eternal struggle of recording when your brain has hit “low battery mode.”

Highlights:

This week on Podcast in Death, AJ and Tara dive into Nora’s latest, Framed in Death. Spoiler: the killer is basically an overgrown toddler with a trust fund, a mommy who thinks he poops gold, and a portfolio that belongs in the “Shit Universe,” as Peabody so eloquently put it.

We discuss:

• Eve’s Softer Side™: Apparently, wanting a cookout doesn’t cancel out her “kick-ass” status. Growth, people.

• Pathetic Killer Vibes: He’s rich, entitled, and thinks rejection is a hate crime. Also, no one cares about your sad paintbrush collection, Jonathan.

• Peabody the Secret Art Nerd: Who knew she could name-drop Vermeer and whip out a sketchbook like Bob Ross in a murder investigation?

• Candy Conspiracies: Eve’s eternal war with the bullpen candy thief escalates—complete with googly eyes and thoughts of laxative revenge. Protect and serve? Maybe. Protect and snack? Definitely.

• Nepo Babies, Theater Mommies, and Disney Daddies: Somehow, we connect this wannabe artist’s tantrums to nepotism at Disneyland and Drew Barrymore. You’re welcome.

• Pageant of the Masters: Nora may have taken inspiration from Laguna Beach’s “living paintings” event… except, you know, without the corpses.

Also featuring:

• A random lady who assaults her husband with a frying pan because he demanded breakfast (iconic).

• Galahad’s ongoing bacon entitlement.

• Rourke casually “reacquiring” a $400 million Vermeer because crime, but make it classy.

• Bella demanding everyone wear ribbons in their hair, because toddler dictatorship is real.

By the end, Eve’s planning a wholesome backyard barbecue while Jonathan Harper Eversole is sulking in a cell, writing his autobiography about how nobody understands his genius. Spoiler: we do understand. It’s just trash.