97) The Scam by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Blurb :

Nicolas Fox is a charming con man and master thief on the run. Kate O’Hare is the FBI agent who is hot on his trail. At least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality, Fox and O’Hare are secretly working together to bring down super-criminals the law can’t touch. Criminals like brutal casino magnate Evan Trace.

Evan Trace is running a money-laundering operation through his casino in Macau. Some of his best customers are mobsters, dictators, and global terrorists. Nick and Kate will have to go deep undercover as high-stakes gamblers, wagering millions of dollars—and their lives—in an attempt to topple Trace’s empire.

It’s a scam that will take Fox and O’Hare from the Las Vegas strip, to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu’s North Shore, and into the dark back alleys of Macau. Their only backup—a self-absorbed actor, a Somali pirate, and Kate’s father, and an ex-soldier who believes a rocket launcher is the best way to solve every problem. What could possibly go wrong?

My Thoughts :

The fourth installment in the Fox & O'Hare series was one of the better ones.  Maybe I am just used to the characters now or maybe I understand the con better with each experience, whatever the reason, I liked The Scam more than I thought I would.

My other experiences with this series have also been good but I was a little curious about how the series would continue and if it could continue to have that spark that was there in the first couple of books.  I also wasn't sure if I could put up with Evanovich's usual style of 'should she or shouldn't she' with Fox & O'Hare's relationship.  However it may turn out that Goldberg is a good influence on her or is just writing more of the book than she is.

The con this time around was as elaborate as the previous ones with a personal aspect slipped in to keep things interesting.  Once again the con takes the reader around the world and shows them a side of life that is usually reserved for mobsters and terrorists.  If the side the authors are showing is a true picture of what really goes on is not for me to comment on but it makes for great reading and comes across as realistic.

While this series could sound serious and more thriller than cozy mystery, it does have that air of mystery and definitely has the humour and hint of romance that a cozy usually has.  While the humour isn't the constant laugh out loud kind it is a subtle giggle kind.  The romance is part of the humour and isn't too in your face but very present and underlying.

I like the characters and enjoy the situations they get themselves into.  Over the last four books I have gotten to know them all pretty well and look forward to meeting up with them again.  Especially after the cliffhanger ending that the book left me peering over hoping to find at least one more chapter.  It seems the authors have some good ideas that will keep this series from getting boring and will have the readers coming back for more.

148) The Job by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Blurb :

Charming con man Nicolas Fox and dedicated FBI agent Kate O'Hare secretly take down world’s most-wanted and untouchable felons, next job Violante, the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what he looks like, where he is, or how to find him, but Nick knows his tastes in gourmet chocolate.

From Nashville to Lisbon back alleys, from Istanbul rooftops to Thames, they chase clues to lookalike thefts. Pitted against a psychopathic bodyguard Reyna holding Kate hostage and a Portuguese enforcer getting advice from an ancestor's pickled head, they again call driver Willie for ship, actor Boyd for one-eyed Captain Bridger, special effects carpenter Tom, her father Jake - retired Special Forces, and his talent - machete-wielding Somali pirate Billy Dee. This could be their biggest job - if they survive.

My Thoughts :

The Fox & O'Hare series had been on my wishlist for a while when I came across The Job on Netgalley.  I had already read the novellas in the series and decided to pick this one up and rush read the first in the series to be all caught up to read this one.  However my plans got a little messed up when I realised that the The Job is the third installment and I needed to read not one but two books to catch up and be able to read this one.

I decided to listen to the first two installments and really enjoyed them.  The banter and heat between Nick and Kate is fun to read and the cons they get involved in and the reasons behind them are interesting and exciting.  I really enjoyed listening to the first two books and couldn't wait to read this third book.

However this third part was a little bit of a disappointment compared to the other Fox & O'Hare stories.  There was still the banter and con but somehow it felt a little flat and boring in comparison.  Maybe it was because this job wasn't as over the top as the previous ones or maybe it was due to reading and not listening to this third part but I didn't enjoy it as much as the other adventures.

The series will stay on my reading list because it is a great concept and the writers have come up with some great stories.  The locations are worldwide and the authors obviously do a lot of research because it shows in the details.   Also they must have visited the places they include or know people who have because that also shows in the stories.

Well worth checking out this series if you are an Evanovich fan.  It isn't completely her usual style but the heat and comedy are there but more subtle.  This is more of a mix between James Bond and The Mentalist with some craziness mixed in to liven things up.  I will definitely be listening to the next books in the series instead of reading them though!

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133) The Chase by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Blurb :

Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals.

Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back.

Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills if their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad. A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.

My Thoughts :

So I am playing catch-up with this series and listened to book one last week and moved on to book two this week.  The narrator is good it is nice to listen to a male speaker for a change, even if I did expect a female.  Janet Evanovich is known for her fun and outrageous Stephanie Plum series but this is something different.  A crime/mystery and thriller with a little hint of romance.  It is a great combination and I am loving it.

Book two in the O'Hare & Fox series was even better than the first one.  The con is more complicated, more dangerous and has some thrilling consequences that open the floor to another more elaborate con and then another one.  The plot is a roller coaster ride with some amazing moments and a few shocking ones.  I laughed, I giggled but most of all I enjoyed it.

The relationship between Fox & O'Hare continues with some moments of 'Oh they are gonna get together' and 'When will the get together?'.  It would be a complicated romance just as their work relationship together is getting stranger and harder for Kate.  It will be interesting to see how things develop in the next book and where the authors really decide to take things.

Now I move on to book three!  I have the Kindle copy to review but I may hold out and get the third book on Audio.  Now I have started the series via Audible it would be strange to read the next installment.

This is a series worth trying out if you have ever read anything by either of the authors.  It is different, exciting and a lot of fun while being somewhat serious.  I can recommend the audio version if you like listening to books.  The narrator does a great job of bringing the characters and the story to life.

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129) The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Blurb :

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts :

The O'Hare and Fox series has been on my radar for a while and I even read the two novellas that accompany this series.  However I hadn't managed to read any of the full length novels and still decided to request to review the latest release.  I will admit that I thought the new release was the second book in the series and I only needed to catch up on one book....turns out it is the third and now I am having a bit of a O'Hare & Fox marathon!

To start off I have to say I'm glad I decided to visit this series via Audio.  At first I was put off by the male narrator because I am so used to female voices but after a couple of chapters it was obvious that he was the man for the job.  I like his style and he does some great voices for the characters.

The concept it fresh and interesting.  Within a few chapters I was hooked and I was really enjoying the 'cons' and general shenanigans. The characters were very likable and even the ones on the sidelines were worth getting to know.  The plot was maybe a little over the top at times but such an elaborate plan couldn't work without some crazy ideas.  What really impressed me was the background and research the authors obviously did for the book.  They took the time to check out the places they used and there was some interesting stuff in there.  Some of it had me checking Wikipedia for more details.

I would class this one as a mystery but it is also a Thriller and a romance with some humour. However Evanovich fans need to know, this isn't a Morelli vs. Ranger romance.  The flirting is more subtle and not too in your face.  The banter is fun and fits into the story without over powering it.  There are no crazy Stephanie and Lula scenarios but more grown-up and FBI moments.  Actually I don't feel much of Evanovich in the story and it makes me wonder how much each author contributed and how they wrote this together.  How did the process work? In the same room?  Passed the book back and forth?  

After just one book I would, of course, like to see Fox & O'Hare become a couple at some point and it is obvious that eventually things will go that way.  Right now the idea is hanging out in the background with some flirty comments thrown in here and there.  It isn't the main focus and that is fine with me.  Kate isn't the kind of woman who would just give in to Nick straight away.  There will be some time and effort exerted before something really happens.

All in all I really enjoyed this one and I am already listening to book two.  Actually I would like to listen to book three as well but I have a Kindle copy....which will be weird after listening to the first two books.  Anyway, great read, nice story and plot, interesting, thrilling and well worth checking out.   Expect my review of book two within a couple of days!

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120) The Shell Game by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Blurb :

Con man Nick Fox is after Garson Klepper’s golden Peruvian relics. For Fox, convincing Klepper to hire him as security for the relocation of the relics to the Getty museum in L.A. was easy. Problem is, Fox wasn’t planning on Klepper also enlisting the help of the FBI. Fox also wasn’t planning on being paired up with rookie special agent Kate O’Hare. She’s smart, she’s tenacious, and when she’s conned, she holds a grudge. Life for Fox and O’Hare will never be the same again.

My Thoughts :

A nice pre-quel novella to the series, that I have yet to start. There isn't much to say about it except that it gives you a good introduction to the series. The layout of the concept is easy to see and the characters are introduced. There is some humour in there but this is no Stephanie Plum.  This is more of a serious crime/mystery with what I expect will feature quite a bit of romance.

Certainly a good place to start if you haven't tried the series yet and definitely a must read for anyone who has already read the series and wants to get some more background on Fox & O'Hare. Reading this short story has made me even more eager to try the first full length novel in the series.  I actually plan on listening to the audio version sometimes soon.

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84) Pros & Cons by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Blurb :

FBI special agent Kate O’Hare has made it her mission to nail international con artist Nicolas Fox. When she discovers his plot to plunder a venture capitalist’s twentieth-story Chicago penthouse of all its cash and treasures at the same time that the self-proclaimed “King of Hostile Takeovers” is getting married, Kate is 85 percent—okay maybe 92 percent—sure that she’s finally going to bag Nick Fox.

Problem is, first Kate has to convince her boss, building security, and maybe even herself, that wedding planner Merrill Stubing is actually Nicolas Fox. Second, she has to figure out how to corner and capture him without disrupting the event of the year. And third, what’s going to happen once O’Hare finally gets her hands on Fox? It’s going take a pro to catch a con before the fireworks over Lake Michigan go off.

My Thoughts :

Pros & Cons is a short story that introduces a new series by Janet Evanovich.  Teaming up with Lee Goldberg, this O'Hare & Fox prequel shows that the authors are well suited to each other.  The idea is fun and well written and I have to say that I enjoyed this short story.   It made me laugh and giggle in all the righ places and it also left me excited about what could come next.

The title compliments the book plot by showing us the 'pro' and the 'con'.  The name of the series O'Hare and Fox is actually quite amusing when you have read this novella and think about it.  I think the authors have put a lot of work into this concept and it could actually be a hit.

There is a sneek peek of the debut first novel in the series, The Heist, but I decided not to check it out.  I will definitely be getting a copy of the book soon due to this great introduction but I know if I read the sneek peek that I won't be able to stop myself buying The Heist right now.  I know that is the point...but I am not being sucked in to that ploy! ;)

If you are an Evanovich fan then you will really want to check this series out and Pros & Cons is a great way to see what the series will involve.  I believe it is a free ebook (In Europe we don't get the free stuff...) but that doesn't really matter.  The small price of this read is worth the fun, mystery and mayhem that takes place in the short story.



 

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