Quote-Tastic: The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

The Scam

Fox and O'Hare, #4
Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Bantam
Date of Publication: September 15, 2015
Number of pages: 304
Cover Artist: Carlos Beltran

Available at the following retailers:
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Review: The Job by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

The Job

Fox and O'Hare, #3
Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Bantam
Date of Publication: November 18, 2014
Number of pages: 304

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     Kobo     OmniLit

Review: The Chase by Janet Evanovich

This is the second book in the Fox and O'Hare series by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. When I saw that Netgalley had it available, I immediately jumped at the chance to get it. And I am thrilled that I got the chance. This book proved to me that the first one, The Heist, wasn't just a one off. I know it totally goes against the typical book vs movie argument, but I so want to see this on the big screen.

This book starts off a couple of months after The Heist.  The book opens on the middle of a bank heist in downtown Los Angeles.  At first you are taking everything at face value, and then once Nicolas Fox shows up, and leads Kate on a daring cross county chase, you realize the whole thing was a cover for something else entirely.

As with any good con, this is a story of plots within plots and twists and turns that keep you guessing right up to the end. I could not believe some of the things that Nick and Kate got into. But as with the first book, whenever Kate's Dad was in the scene, I swear he stole it.  And this time he brought more buddies along. I know it's wrong, but I just kept getting images from the movie Red in my head. And I loved that movie.

Is this serious, thought provoking Lit-era-ture (pronounced with a snooty upper crust accent)? Eh, probably not.  But I had a great time reading it. I was right there when Nick and Kate were running their cons and sneaking around China. They kept me amused and entertained and made me laugh out loud at Nick's antics and Kate's aggravation. I liked seeing Kate be a kick ass heroine, not needing a man to save her. Nick is smooth, charming and has just a touch of the cad in him. Overall I am totally loving this series and can't wait for another episode.This was another 5 star read.

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling authors of The Heist, return in this action-packed, exciting adventure featuring master con artist Nicolas Fox and die-hard FBI agent Kate O’Hare. And this time around, things go from hot to nuclear when government secrets are on the line.

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 of 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.

Available at the following retailers:
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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.

Available at the following retailers:
Amazon     BN     Kobo     OmniLit