Janet Evanovich

Curious Minds is the first book in Janet Evanovich’s Knight and Moon series, and it delivers exactly what her fans have come to expect—fast-paced fun, quirky characters, and a good dose of humor mixed into a light mystery.

Riley Moon, a smart and ambitious recent Harvard grad, lands her dream job at a prestigious financial firm—only to find herself assigned to eccentric billionaire Emerson Knight. Emerson is brilliant, socially awkward, and prone to unusual habits (like keeping a live show more zebra on his estate). When a client’s gold goes missing, the unlikely pair are drawn into a conspiracy that reaches much further than either expected.

The chemistry between Riley and Emerson is the highlight of the book. Their personalities clash in all the right ways, and their banter gives the story its energy. The mystery itself isn’t overly complex, but the plot moves quickly and keeps the pages turning. It’s more about the ride than the destination, and Evanovich makes the ride entertaining.

Readers who enjoy the Stephanie Plum books will feel right at home here, though this series leans a bit more toward adventure and less toward slapstick. Curious Minds is a light, amusing read—perfect for when you want something clever and fun without being too heavy. show less

The main character, Stephanie Plum, characterizes herself: "I couldn't even categorize myself as incompetent. I had to go with pathetically stupid" (page 170). She's not wrong. This series has become completely formulaic. Oh look, put Stephanie in an odd, messy situation! Have not one, but at least two cars blow up around her! Have a dribble of sexual tension with Ranger, but never, never (except that once) do they have sex. Have Stephanie be beyond incompetent at her job. Add "humor" to the show more mix by having many comments about Lulu's size and eating habits. Drizzle on at the end of the book, Stephanie "reconciling" with Morelli. Throw in one funeral attended by Grandma Mazur, a heaping tablespoon of Ranger doing Stephanie's job (again), a smidge of long-suffering parents, and be sure not to add any mystery to speak of, and you have a Stephanie Plum novel. Go, now, and write your own. show less

The Pursuit by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg is a 2016 Bantam publication.

I knew I was going to love this series right from the start, but I didn’t know I would like it this much! My only complaint is that the last book left poor Nick in limbo and it seems as though I’ve had to cool my heels awaiting word on his fate for entirely too long… nearly a year, in fact!! GAW!

But, the wait is finally over, and thankfully, my favorite, sexy, con artist, is alive, but has jumped from the show more fire into the frying pan.

Nick is enlisted by ex-Serbian military officer, Dragon Kovic to pull off a smash and grab diamond heist, is then double crossed, leaving Kate with the task of helping him escape the authorities. They learn that Kovic has not only stolen diamonds, but something much more dangerous, something he intends to make billions of dollars from while taking great delight in killing Americans in the process.

So, once more Kate and Nick must put their heads together to device a con that will fool Kovic, retrieve his delicate cargo, and stay alive. While all the jobs they have worked together on have been dangerous, this case is one for the record books.

There are capers and cons which are entertaining with art or diamonds at stake, along with big money, but when the threat is terroristic in nature, the fun and games are over and Nick suddenly finds himself in a position of saving lives other than his own, which is a sobering thought!

This story took me on quite a globe-trotting adventure, and it was one wild ride! As always, the characters are zany, and the plot has that madcap, screwball feel to it, but is quite ingenious. Nick and Kate are really finding a groove as a team, as Kate steps over into the dark side a little more with each installment. Nick, is still Nick, but I did see a little glimpse of a more serious side of him this time around.

Overall, I enjoyed this book from start to finish, and frankly, I need books like this one from time to time. I stepped into a Nick and Kate’s world and all the stress and depressing news of the world went away for a while. It was nearly cathartic. I got a few belly laughs, spent time with the charming Nick Fox, and enjoyed the crafty ‘seat of your pants’ con game competition, and the chillingly high stakes they were playing for.

Overall, this is another solid, entertaining addition to the series. I hope we don’t have to wait quite so long for the next installment!!

4 stars show less

Hubby and I love to listen to the audiobook versions of the adventures of Stephanie Plum. Her madcap escapades as a somewhat competent bounty hunter for her uncle's bail bond company delight us. We laugh and laugh at Evanovich's zany situations for Stephanie to muddle her way through. How many exploded cars in this one? Buildings? Houses, apartments, businesses, funeral homes? Did I say cars? OK, I exaggerate. A little. How in the world does Evanovich come up with these ideas?! Lula remains show more a constant delight. We have some serious revelations as Stephanie locates Ranger's mancave. The funiest part was when the idea was floated to kidnap a suspect and torture him into telling all. And how did that go? Don't drink liquids or eat food while you read that part. show less