Title: The Chase
Authors: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
Read by: Scott Brick
Category: Crime Caper
Audio published: February 25, 2014 by Random House Audio
Rating: 3½ out of 5 stars
Add: Goodreads
Purchase: Audible | Amazon | Book Depository
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.
I don’t know if I could call The Chase a “good” book, but it is fun. Kate and Nick are, of course, attracted to each other, but they keep it “purely professional” even if it’s obvious they should get together. They are good at what they do though – for Kate it’s catching bad guys, for Nick it’s running schemes, but their strengths work together well. Kate could kill you; Nick could talk or trick you into doing just about anything.
The secondary characters are great too, from Kate’s dad, who I love, and his cronies to the actor who takes himself way too seriously – he is an artiste after all- to their driver, a busty woman who can drive anything from planes to boats to cars. Yes, they’re one-dimensional, but it works.
The book is entertaining, full of funny situations, jokes, one-liners and innuendos. It made me laugh out loud – rather embarrassing when you’re wearing ear buds and no one else knows what you’re laughing at. It’s a treat for me, a light read with no real romance, just a lot of action, adventure, and entertainment. Yes, it’s a convoluted caper, but that’s why I liked it.
Scott Brick is the narrator and he also narrated the first in the series. He does a good job straddling the line between the amusing writing and the characters who take themselves seriously, sometimes in spite of what they say.
This is the second in the series, not counting the prequel novella, Pros and Cons. I’ve listened to both and enjoyed them, but they are very much the same – same characters, same comedic style. The characters don’t grow, we don’t learn more about them, the romance doesn’t progress. And I like that. In general I’m not a big fan of change and growth. If I like the first book, I want the second to be similar. Of course, I also usually get bored by the fifth, so maybe I need change eventually – just not too much too soon.
I’m looking forward to the next in the series, to see what ridiculous plan Kate and Nick hatch up.
O’Hare and Fox Series
Sometimes all you need is fun!
I just wish she could finish and end her Plum sries first
I actually don’t like the Plum series. I’ve read two and I must be missing the reason so many people enjoy them.
Hi. Just stopping by on a preview of A to Z blogs.
Thanks for stopping. I have to start planning my posts for next month. I’m a little behind this year.
Fun is good. Like you, I’m okay with no growth, but I get annoyed after a while. Exacly my problem with Evanovich’s other series.
I’ve actually never read Janet Evanovich though I once bought like the first 6 books in her most popular series thinking it would be for me. I realized while I love those types of movies, that genre in reading just doesn’t fit well with me. I’m more of a fantasy girl.
Like I said, I don’t like her Plum series. Her Lizzy and Diesel novels are more along the paranormal line. I enjoy them, too.