Nora Roberts (post 3) writes over forty novels in which both protagonists—Eve Dallas and Roarke—are survivors of child abuse and don’t know their own names.

“Eve Dallas” is a pseudonym. It is the name she was given at age eight when she was found in Dallas and had amnesia. Roarke does not know his first name (and there is no record of his ever having one). Nora Roberts—already a pseudonym for Eleanor Robertson—writes this series as J. D. Robb. Both Eve Dallas and Roarke had been abused in childhood by their fathers.

The only psychological condition that is defined by its having identity issues as a result childhood trauma is multiple personality, which is mentioned only once (so far) in this “romantic suspense,” police detective, series. It is mentioned in Seduction in Death (1), but the way it is mentioned is peculiar, because, seemingly, there is no good reason to raise the issue.

In the course of trying to find out who murdered several women, the question arises as to whether it was one man, more then one man, or one man with multiple personality. Roarke raises the possibility that the murderer might have “different personalities” (1, p. 95). The police psychologist says it is possible: “While multiple personality syndrome is rare, except in fiction, it does exist.” Eve Dallas says, “I don’t think this is MPS. I read up on it last night” (1, p. 133).

But the reader knows it was two men. And it seems very unlikely that the police would consider something they think of as such a remote possibility. So why, if it is not used as a red herring for the reader, and is implausible to the police, is multiple personality brought up by Roarke, confirmed to exist by the psychologist, and read up about by Eve Dallas?

J. D. Robb must be telling the reader something about these characters, perhaps also about herself.

Note added later the same day: In a previous post, I quoted the author, at a book-signing, referring to J. D. Robb as a bitch. But elsewhere she has said that the J and D stand for the names of her two sons, Jason and Dan, so it is not clear whether the J. D. Robb pseudonym—or, in my terminology, NAP (narrative alternate personality)—is female or male.

1. J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts). Seduction in Death. New York, Berkley Books, 2001.