"The Job" by Janet Evanovich

Book Information

"The Job"  (Fox and O'Hare #3)

Written by: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Note: this ebook was generously provided to me by the Random House Publishing Group - Bantam Dell, via Net Galley, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Why this Review Took so Long

First, I have to come clean about something in regard to this book... This was the first book that I requested via NetGalley, because I am a huge Janet Evanovich fan (because of the Plum series). I received my copy of this ebook on 1 November, and was unable to get around to reading it immediately, because of my obligations with school. It was only this past week that I finally was able to finish reading "The Job", since I decided to read the other novels and novellas in the series first. So, yes, the review is over a month late, and for that I apologize.

Series Background

There are two novels ("The Heist" and "The Chase") and two novellas ("Pros & Cons" and "The Shell Game") that precede "The Job" in the Fox and O'Hare series. All of them center around the same characters (Kate O'Hare and Nicolas Fox) with a different "con" as the focus of each book.

The Story

FBI Special Agent Kate O'Hare secretly teams up (again) with charming con artist Nicolas Fox to bring another villain to justice - this time, their mark is the leader of a worldwide drug empire, whose new identity and appearance are unknown. 
Kate is hauled out of her peaceful Los Angeles office to investigate a Fox-like crime, which Nick swears he didn't commit. The trail leads her to Nashville, Istanbul, Cologne, then to Orleans, chasing her Fox-a-like criminal, who turns out to be Nick's former associate, Serena.

When Kate takes Serena down, with Nick's help, the duo learn of a bigger plot which they definitely need to work together in order to resolve.
In Lisbon, Kate and Nick reassemble their band of merry misfits (from the previous books, including old favorites Willie and Boyd, and of course, Kate's fearless father, and new additions, like an award winning special effects designer and a Somali pirate) to bring the international drug lord formerly known as Menendez behind bars.

On this adventure, the crew encounters a Fado playing Portugese enforcer, who takes advice from a head preserved in formaldehyde, and a psychotic female body guard, intent on harming Kate.
This con is the most elaborate one they've pulled so far, but if anyone can get the job done, it's Kate O'Hare and Nick Fox, assisted by their motley crew of friends.

My Thoughts

As I mentioned before, I am a huge Janet Evanovich fan. I have read all the Stephanie Plum novels to date, and had to catch up on the Fox & O'Hare series when I got approved to read "The Job" on NetGalley. Each book in the series is essentially a standalone, and there's no annoying cliffhanger at the end. This series, and particularly this book, do not disappoint.

The chemistry between Kate and Nick is fun and exciting, without getting in the way of the development of the storyline. The banter between these two is witty and light, and fun to imagine. The love angle is significantly less pronounced than the Morelli-Ranger-Plum love triangle, for sure, and sort of seems like a bonus point of interest, rather than the central focus of the story.

The plot development is quick, and keeps those pages turning at a constant rate, in an effort to find out what crazy thing happens next. There are no slow, dragging bits. The pace is fast throughout, but doesn't compromise any of the important details. 

There is a distinctly Evanovich mix of suspense, mystery, action, romance, comedy and high-octane fun in this book that makes it such an enjoyable read, and leaves you waiting impatiently for another installment in the series.

This book's villain, Menendez, is well-crafted and interesting his background makes him seem worthy of a Fox and O'Hare takedown. Nick's ploy to smoke him out, and how it works is so simple and crazy that you think there isn't any way it will work, but it does... Although the detail and planning here is sorely lacking and feels rushed (not like Nick Fox at all).

Menendez's character is perhaps only slightly outdone by his psycho bodyguard, Reyna, who is both intense and insane... and intensely insane, too.

The takedown is, as always, explosive and entertaining, but sadly doesn't involve Kate's dad, or the merry misfits, who depart immediately following the con, which leads to the takedown, but isn't actually part of it.

The wrap up of the Serena issue at the end of the book feels like it's just tacked on there, and may have been better left out.

Taken together, the positives of the book far outweigh the negatives, and I am waiting with bated breath for the next installment in the series. As always, Evanovich knocks it out of the park!

Overall Rating

4.5 stars

Highly recommended