The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg- A Book Review

  Nicolas Fox is a charming con man and master thief on the run. Kate O’Hare is the FBI agent who is hot on his trail. At least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality, Fox and O’Hare are secretly working together to bring down super-criminals the law can’t touch. Criminals like brutal casino magnate Evan Trace.
Evan Trace is running a money-laundering operation through his casino in Macau. Some of his best customers are mobsters, dictators, and global terrorists. Nick and Kate will have to go deep undercover as high-stakes gamblers, wagering millions of dollars—and their lives—in an attempt to topple Trace’s empire.
It’s a scam that will take Fox and O’Hare from the Las Vegas strip, to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu’s North Shore, and into the dark back alleys of Macau. Their only backup—a self-absorbed actor, a Somali pirate, and Kate’s father, and an ex-soldier who believes a rocket launcher is the best way to solve every problem. What could possibly go wrong?  
MY REVIEW:


The Scam by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Scam by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg is a 2015 Bantam publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
At long last, I am finally reunited with my favorite anti-hero- Nick Fox! It seems like it's been a long time since we last touched base with Nick and Kate, but some things are worth the wait.
Our favorite dynamic duo has been assigned a most interesting and unusual case that will have them traveling to Las Vegas, Oahu, and Macau in order to infiltrate a casino magnate whose money laundering network could have ties to some of the most unsavory and dangerous people in the world, such as the mob, ISIS, or foreign dictators.

This may be one of the riskiest and most dangerous jobs the couple had been assigned up to this point, but Nick seems right in his element, as he plays high stakes games and bask in all the luxuries the casinos have to offer for high rollers.
But forget baccarat, the couple has placed their most important wager on their plan to take down super villain Evan Trace, but what they thought was a sure bet, might actually leave them in a real bind, with only Kate's dad and a Somalian pirate as back up.

On a more personal note, Kate is finding it harder to resist the charming Nick Fox as their attraction to one another grows stronger and their chemistry becomes more potent. Kate is becoming more addicted to the intoxicating and exciting world Nick has drawn her into.
The last book was a caper style novel, very slick and polished, so I wondered how on earth this amazing writing duo was going to top it. Well, there is still a con, but it's more like a 'sting' operation or as the apt title suggests… a scam.
Kate and Nick slide seamlessly into the world of high stakes gambling, ritzy casinos, luxury hotels, and high class travel all over the globe, by setting themselves up as high rollers throwing away millions of dollars in one night. They are just the type of people Evan Trace loves to see in his
casinos… so let the games begin!

I love Nick Fox to death, even though he's not exactly a 'good guy' in the strictest meaning of the term. I am envious of his boldness, his ability to take risks, to act first- think later, and his overall confidence and optimism.
Kate, of course, still has to behave professionally, her job being to keep Nick under control , but she's beginning to see things Nick's way more often than not.
“ I'm feeling 'lucky' today,” Nick said, looking out at the surf. “Let's go swimming.”
“How does 'lucky' equate to swimming?”
“You would put on a little bikini, and we'd go into the water together, and then I'd get even luckier.”
“That's a fantasy”.
“True, but I plan to make it a reality.”
“Not gonna happen.”
“It's inevitable. I always thought we'd eventually get together,” Nick said.
“Well, so did I , but I imagined it would be in an interrogation room, courtroom, or your jail cell.”
“This is better.”
“I suppose, but it was fun when I hit you with a bus.”
“Yeah, and I enjoyed crashing into you with the armored car.” He moved close and kissed her just below the ear. “Thinking about it gets me feeling romantic.”
“Listen, mister, there's no romance.”
“Okay,” he said, “no romance. Just hot, sweaty sex.”
“No!”
“Just a little.”
“No!”
“A kiss.”
“Maybe a kiss.”

Needless to say, this is a fun, exciting, fast paced story, with a lot action, suspense, danger and a little bit of romance too. Once again, the plotting is tight, the dialog snappy, smart- witted, and the characters continue to evolve as time moves on.
Yes, this story was certainly worth the wait, however… with the heart racing set up for the next installment, these fabulous authors had better be brainstorming and those word processors better be burning hot right now, because I don't know how long I can stand the suspense!
I love this series and highly recommend it to mystery, suspense, thriller fans, romantic suspense fans will like this one too. These stories are rated PG-13- so everyone should be able to enjoy them.


GET YOUR COPY HERE:
http://www.amazon.com/Scam-Fox-OHare-Novel-ebook/dp/B00XSSMKF4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1442965396&sr=1-1&keywords=the+scam
 
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:  LEE GOLDBERG:
New York Times Bestselling author Lee Goldberg is a two-time Edgar Award and two-time Shamus Award nominee whose many TV writing and/or producing credits include "Martial Law," "SeaQuest," "Diagnosis Murder,""Hunter," "Spenser: For Hire," "Nero Wolfe," "Missing." "Monk" and "The Glades." He's also the author of the Fox & O'Hare series with Janet Evanovich (The Heist, The Chase, The Job), "The Walk," "Watch Me Die," "King City," the "Dead Man" series, as well as the "Diagnosis Murder" and "Monk" series of original mystery novels.
JANET EVANOVICH:
Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O'Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.