Review: The Chase

The Chase is the second book in the Fox and O'Hare series by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg and it did not disappoint.  It is a fun, action packed ride and something refreshingly different from Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
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.

My Review: 
This book is just plain fun.  It begins when the first book, The Heist, leaves off and immediately puts Fox and O'Hare together again.  I love these characters.  They are a perfect team and yet total opposites.  Kate is determined to follow the law if at all possible and Nick has more "creative" ideas about how to accomplish their missions.  The romantic undertones are evident between these two characters but the author hasn't brought them together yet.  I found this to also be refreshing because it gives the reader something to look forward to rather than just throwing the male and female leads together right from the start.

The plot is paced perfectly and the action scenes are plentiful.  Kate and Nick hatch some pretty elaborate plans and get into more than a few sticky situations both together and on their own.  Kate's dad, Willie, Joe, and Boyd all add their special talents to the pot as they portray the quirky sidekicks in the story. I also thought that there was just the right amount of humor in the story.  I found myself smiling on many occasions, usually due to the drama or antics of all of the sidekicks, or just at Kate and Nick's consistent use of flirtatious sarcasm.

This book isn't deep in any way and it isn't meant to be.  It would be a great beach read or book to travel with.  The reader doesn't need to over think and can just enjoy the book for what it is; a well-written, action packed story with lively characters and an thoroughly enjoyable plot.  Don't forget to start at the beginning with The Heist.