Review: The Heist by Janet Evanovich

The Heist is a new series by Janet Evanovich, co-authored with Lee Goldberg. As a huge fan of the Stephanie Plum series, I was interested to see what would come out of this. Let's just say that is was all that and the entire chip factory!  If was like a cross between Leverage, Ocean's Eleven and White Collar with a female as the good guy. I literally devoured it in one sitting. I was so caught up in the by play between Kate and Nick and his outrageous plans, that I completely forgot what time it was and stayed up waaaayyyy too late reading.

Kate O'Hare is the icon of the new generation woman. She is a former Navy Seal turned FBI. She doesn't wait to be rescued. She saves herself and the others with her. Kate is my hero! The picture of her in my mind was a cross between Sandra Bullock in The Heat and Robin Tunney in the Mentalist. No nonsense, heavily armed and comfortable in her own skin. But best of all, is her dad. OMG! I love Kate's dad. After all, who won't love a dad who's idea of a care package includes... whoops, spoiler alert. Sorry!

Nick Fox is the charming scoundrel who uses his wits and brains to outsmart his opponents.  And who are his opponents? Everyone from those he has stolen from to the law enforcement who are trying to track him down. His plans are bold, daring and he has way too much fun planning and executing them. I saw Nick as a cross between Gary Grant in To Catch a Thief and Matt Bomer from White Collar.  Nick Fox has style to spare, prefers the Good Life and is always plotting 3 steps ahead.

This was a fantastic first book in a new series and I can totally see this being made into a successful movie. Maybe that aspect comes from Lee Goldbert, as a television writer, I don't know.  All I can say is that this book totally did it for me.  Great action sequences, fantastic and exotic locales, an ass kicking female, the smooth criminal and plenty of sneaky sneaky going on. This was totally a 5 star read!

From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.

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.

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