Title: The Scam
Authors: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
Series: Fox and O’Hare #4
Intelligent, fast-paced, hilarious, intriguing–what more could you want? 🙂 Evanovich at the top of her game
Evanovich is on a role so far this year, in my opinion. I loved Wicked Charms, the third fun and mostly silly installment in her Lizzie and Diesel series, and I loved this fast-paced, intriguing installment in the Kate O’Hare and Nick Fox series. Last but not least this year will be the latest Stephanie Plum book in November.
To be honest, I like the Kate and Nick series more and more with each book, and I think I like it more than the other two series right now. What’s the difference? All her series books, alone or co-authored, have fast-paced action sequences, tricky plots, and engaging, lovable, memorable characters. In my review of Wicked Charms, I pointed out how she’s mirroring her writing formula from the Plums in the Wickeds, and while there are still classic Evanovich elements in the Kate and Nick books, such as eccentric sidekicks and explosions, the Kate and Nick books come across to me as more mature. I don’t mean her other books are juvenile, not at all, but the Kate and Nick books are toned down and a tad more serious, great for readers who think her other work is a little too over-the-top. In this series, every single character takes his or her job very seriously, something only one or two of the characters in her series seem to do. The witty banter is present, but it’s tastefully slipped in as testament to a character’s personality. Jake, Kate’s dad, laments the lack of rocket launchers in a plan. Nick comes on to Kate with flirty–and randy–charm. Kate keeps Nick in place with well-aimed reminders of the fact that he’s a criminal free only by the good grace of the US government. Nothing outrageous that screams, “Look at me, I can write funny stuff!” I don’t know if that’s Goldberg’s influence, or just the tone they wanted to take with the series, but I like it.
However, they’re not serious enough to show a whole lot of character development–everyone just is what he or she is, and done–but that’s Evanovich’s MO, it works for her, and that’s what I expect–and enjoy–from her. No Jodi Picoult or Nicholas Sparks soul-searching tear-jerkers here. The only exception, arguably, is Kate and Nick’s falling in love and forming a romantic relationship. I say “arguably” because, on one hand, this is book four and we’ve watched Kate and Nick flirt and smolder and work seamlessly as a team for a little while now, and they’ve have a reasonable amount of time to reach that level of regard for each other, so it’s the logical and inevitable end result and we don’t question it, right? Sure. But on the other hand, ninety percent of any development that went on was behind the scenes, because Evanovich books have strong, jump-in-with-both-feet plots, but lack bumbling-through-the-wilderness-of-my-emotions character insight. We see the story unfold from several characters’ point of views but only go deep enough to grasp motivations and fill in gaps in plot progression. We get enough mood indicators to give us accurate mental images of facial expressions and vocal tones, but not a whole lot else. Another Evanovich MO is he said–she said–said, said, said–with some ask and the occasional whisper or shout, but it amounts to the same–enough indication to scratch the surface and present a mental image. So while we accept that Kate and Nick have fallen in love, we–or at least I–don’t feel like I witnessed the fall. One minute Nick’s telling her, “You look amazing in that dress,” and the next he’s all, “You are my EVERYTHING.” But I can’t really complain about it, because the romance is very, very much a subplot, so of course it wasn’t front and center. Still, my heart yearns… ;P
But I have to say, despite the lack of insight, I am so, so glad Kate and Nick got together (romance is my genre, so yes, that’s what I naturally focus on), and I really hope their romantic subplot progresses into serious commitment and doesn’t just hover in the we’re-going-to-date-for-ten-years-first range, because I think it would be really unique, endearing, and entertaining to watch those two pull off elaborate schemes for “work” and stumble their way through domesticity in their down time, as it were. That doesn’t mean they have to get married, settle in the ‘burbs, and pop out a set of twins within the first year–please no!–but I think Evanovich could have a heyday with portraying that kind of relationship. LOTS of comedy potential. Also, it’s refreshing and so, SO satisfying to see one of these series couples GET TOGETHER! I love the Plum books, but I am getting really sick of Stephanie’s indecision regarding her two (of a fashion) suitors. We’re on book twenty-two, for heaven’s sake! I hope she picks one soon, I don’t even care which anymore. Lizzie and Diesel got together in Wicked Charms, if I remember correctly, but I felt it was more Diesel taking physical advantage of Lizzie’s attraction to him–even though I know better. Evanovich wouldn’t allow him to be quite that shallow.
But anyway! This was really good book. An intelligent, gripping plot that never lags, hilarious and compelling characters who have big, individual personalities, and the setting is consistently well-described and realized, taking you all over the world. To places I’ve never heard of, actually, but I think they’re real. Evanovich usually uses real places. Kate’s a bad*ss FBI agent and Nick’s a beguiling con man, love them both. It’s a light, quick read if you need to relax or pass the time on a plane, you’ll do nothing but smile. 🙂
