ARC Review: The Job by Janet Evanovichand Lee Goldberg

Title: The Job Series: Fox and O'Hare #3 Author: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg Published: November 18, 2014 by Bantam (Random House) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: He’s a charming con man and she’s a dedicated FBI agent, and they’re about to drive each other crazy . . . again!  The FBI had one demand when they secretly teamed up Special Agent Kate O’Hare with charming con man Nicolas Fox—bring down the world’s most-wanted and untouchable felons. This time it’s the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what their target looks like, where he is, or how to find him, but Nick Fox has a few tricks up his sleeve to roust this particular Knipschildt chocolate–loving drug lord. From the streets of Nashville to the back alleys of Lisbon, from the rooftops of Istanbul to the middle of the Thames, Nick and Kate chase their mark. When they find themselves pitted against a psychopathic bodyguard and a Portuguese enforcer who gets advice from a pickled head, they decide it’s time to enlist some special talent—talent like a machete-wielding Somali pirate, a self-absorbed actor, an Oscar-winning special effects artist, and Kate’s father Jake, a retired Special Forces operative. Together they could help make this Fox and O’Hare’s biggest win yet . . . if they survive

*** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This fact has not changed my opinion of the book ***

I really enjoyed the last book in this series that I read The Chase, and when I was pre-approved for this next book I immediately added it to my schedule for this month and I was not at all disappointed. The Job was refreshing change of pace for me and I loved continuing with the story of these character and their shenanigans.

And that's exactly what they were, shenanigans. The whole plot of this book was to take down a notorious drug kingpin in disguise by conning him into believing he was buying billions in the treasure from a shipwreck that has been lost for centuries. It was quite an enjoyable globe-trotting adventure that had me wishing I could tag along on their trips to Turkey and Portugal. I'm used to Janet Evanovich for her mysteries but this is not really a mystery here. It's not about solving something. It's about not solving something, or rather, convincing the antagonist not to solve something. But this joy in this series is watching the characters attempt to pull=off their cons. There were moments where I thought that they weren't going to succeed, and it definitely added an unexpected level of suspense, but I forgot how complicated these schemes tend to be. On the whole The Job was full of adventure, humor, and suspense.

But the con is only part of the fun. These characters are seriously quirky and delightful. Our main characters of Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare may be your stereotypical unlikely duo but some tropes exist for a reason. Kate is the tough as nails FBI investigator while Nick is the suave and devious con man. I love every interaction that the two of them have. They have such spectacular banter and the perfect amount of sexual tension. They both have have such charm and I'm totally into it. But Nick and Kate are just he tip of the iceberg. With each passing book their crew of accomplises is growing and they are such a ragtag group. In this one we are once again joined by Kate's father the ex-Marine who packs an arsenal of firepower and Boyd, the terrible method actor who does some of the most hilarious over-acting I have ever seen. But we also added a former Somali pirate and a computer graphic designer who added quite a few laughs. All that plus some interesting and quite devious antagonists to the mix. The characters in this series are very over-the-top but that's what makes them enjoyable.

The Job was the perfect change of pace after spending so much of my reading time with complicated thrillers, supernatural adventures, and fantastical world that were messing with my mind. It was a quick and fun read with quirky characters and lots of adventure that had me hooked until the very end. I raced through it and finished it in just a few days, but I enjoyed every second of it. I recently saw a post by Jamie at The Perpectual Page Turner about "Sacrificial Lamb Books." And I now understand why those can be important. It was the perfect shift in genre to cleanse the palate and get me excited for my next read. Perhaps I should try something like this more often.

I give The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg a 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a fan of Janet Evanovich looking for something different from her usual or if you like stories about cons ala Ocean's Eleven and Blue Collar then definitely check this series out and grab on your next trip to the bookstore. If you are a fan of mysteries or contemporary romances and/or want to try something fun and different pick this series up on your next library run.

Have you read The Job? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!