Out of This World    by J. D. Robb, Laurell K. Hamilton & Susan Krinard Order:  USA  Can Jove, 2002 (2001) Hardcover, Paperback     Reviewed by Martina Bexte Futuristic cops solving murders off planet, telepaths fighting for the same cause, reincarnated witches, werewolves, vampires and vampires hunters - these are the characters found between the covers of this entertaining anthology and the creations of four of today's most popular and talented romance authors. In Interlude in Death, J.D. Robb takes us off-planet, tagging along on another murder investigation with her popular husband and wife team, Eve Dallas and Roarke. This unplanned mini-case crops up while Eve is attending a police conference and discovers that an esteemed Commander who's gained the status of hero in cop circles, has it in for her husband Roarke. The Commander is determined to expose Roarke as a criminal mastermind, even if he has to commit murder to do it. The second offering is The Kinsman, as told by consummate word smith, Susan Krinard. She's created another complex world and set of main characters in Jonas VelArhan, a Kinsman and a telepath, and Kori Challinor. They struggle to find a missing space ship and stop a war. It's an intriguing story and one that begs a full length novel. Immortality is by Maggie Shayne, an author well established in both category and mainstream fiction that often include paranormal themes. She spotlights Puabi, a dark and powerful witch come to right the wrongs done her centuries before. And finally, Laurell K. Hamilton's story, Magic Like Heat Across My Skin, features Anita Blake and the two men in her life - her vampire lover, Jean-Claude, and the werewolf, Richard, along with the usual host of intriguing, otherworldly and often dangerous creatures. For readers who've never sampled any of Hamilton's previous Anita Blake novels, this short tale will either confuse, or whet the appetite for more. Romance readers who enjoy their stories spiced with a generous dash of the paranormal or the fantastic, won't be disappointed in Out of This World. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews