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Fox and O'Hare #6
The Big Kahuna
A stoner, an Instagram model, a Czech oligarch, and a missing unicorn. Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare have their work cut out for them in their weirdest, wildest adventure yet in this New York Times bestseller by Janet and Peter Evanovich.
Straight arrow FBI Agent Kate O'Hare always plays by the rules. Charming Con Man Nicholas Fox makes them up as he goes along. She thinks he's nothing but a scoundrel. He thinks she just needs to lighten up. They're working together to tackle the out-of-bounds cases ordinary FBI agents can't touch. And, their relationship? Well, there hasn't been so much explosive chemistry since Nitro was introduced to Glycerin.
Next on the docket: The mysterious disappearance of the Silicon Valley billionaire, known as the Big Kahuna. Kate's been assigned to find him but no one seems particularly keen on helping. His twenty-six year old adult actress wife-turned Instagram model wife and his shady Czech business partner are more interested in gaining control of his company. For that they need a dead body not a living Kahuna.
The only lead they have is the Kahuna's drop-out son, who's living the dream in Hawaii - if your dream is starting your day with the perfect wave and ending it with a big bowl of weed. To get close to the Kahuna's son, Kate and Nick go undercover as a married couple in the big wave, bohemian, surfer community of Paia, Maui. Living a laid back, hippy-dippy lifestyle isn't exactly in Kate's wheelhouse, but the only thing more horrifying is setting up house with Nick Fox, even if he does look pretty gnarly on a longboard. If they don't catch a break soon, waves aren't the only thing she's going to be shredding (or bedding).
Straight arrow FBI Agent Kate O'Hare always plays by the rules. Charming Con Man Nicholas Fox makes them up as he goes along. She thinks he's nothing but a scoundrel. He thinks she just needs to lighten up. They're working together to tackle the out-of-bounds cases ordinary FBI agents can't touch. And, their relationship? Well, there hasn't been so much explosive chemistry since Nitro was introduced to Glycerin.
Next on the docket: The mysterious disappearance of the Silicon Valley billionaire, known as the Big Kahuna. Kate's been assigned to find him but no one seems particularly keen on helping. His twenty-six year old adult actress wife-turned Instagram model wife and his shady Czech business partner are more interested in gaining control of his company. For that they need a dead body not a living Kahuna.
The only lead they have is the Kahuna's drop-out son, who's living the dream in Hawaii - if your dream is starting your day with the perfect wave and ending it with a big bowl of weed. To get close to the Kahuna's son, Kate and Nick go undercover as a married couple in the big wave, bohemian, surfer community of Paia, Maui. Living a laid back, hippy-dippy lifestyle isn't exactly in Kate's wheelhouse, but the only thing more horrifying is setting up house with Nick Fox, even if he does look pretty gnarly on a longboard. If they don't catch a break soon, waves aren't the only thing she's going to be shredding (or bedding).
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2019
3136 people are currently reading
7634 people want to read
About the author
Janet Evanovich
330 books41.2k followersJanet 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,737 reviews
April 26, 2020
The Big Kahuna by Janet Evanovich, Peter Evanovich is a 2019 G.P. Putnam’s Son publication.
I was afraid this 😞
There was a long hiatus between book five in the ‘Fox and O’Hare' series and this new sixth installment.
In the four years since the last book was released, there have been a few changes- most notably, the absence of Lee Goldberg, who co-authored the first five books with Janet Evanovich.
For whatever reason, Lee is no longer working on the series and so I figured it was probably dead in the water. But, now Janet’s son, Peter, has stepped in to help write the series.
Initially, I was so excited to discover that the series was going to continue, I couldn't wait to get a copy of it. But when the mixed reviews started filtering in, I got cold feet, and decided to wait until a copy was open at the library. The wait time wasn't long, so I added it to my 'currently reading' shelf. But, I let it languish there because I couldn't decide if I wanted to risk ruining my fond memories of the series, or if I should give the book a try in hopes it would be better than the reviews suggested.
Then came COVID-19...
This horrible virus made it hard to concentrate, and I desperately needed a book that was funny and light to take my mind off of everything and cheer me up a little. Not only that, I was craving the comfort of familiar characters and by all counts this book should have fit my needs perfectly- so I rolled the dice …
But sadly, my gamble didn’t pay off.
The dazzling chemistry between Kate and Nick is flat as a pancake, the plot, which is usually zany and hilarious is just plain silly and OTT. I kept reading the book, hoping that eventually things would get better, and I’ll admit, I did chuckle once or twice, but the magic is gone, gone, gone….
Somehow, I accidentally gave this book five stars before I even got the review written- I’m not sure how or why that happens sometimes, except that I do have a very sensitive touchscreen. I quickly changed it to three stars, just until I could get my thoughts in order- and I was hoping I could leave that rating in place, but...
As much as I would like to give this new writing team the benefit of the doubt, I’m just really, really so disappointed…
So, sadly, this one only gets 2 stars instead of three, I'd hoped to keep in place. (Sorry, for any confusion, if you saw the earlier ratings and are wondering why I changed it)
I was afraid this 😞
There was a long hiatus between book five in the ‘Fox and O’Hare' series and this new sixth installment.
In the four years since the last book was released, there have been a few changes- most notably, the absence of Lee Goldberg, who co-authored the first five books with Janet Evanovich.
For whatever reason, Lee is no longer working on the series and so I figured it was probably dead in the water. But, now Janet’s son, Peter, has stepped in to help write the series.
Initially, I was so excited to discover that the series was going to continue, I couldn't wait to get a copy of it. But when the mixed reviews started filtering in, I got cold feet, and decided to wait until a copy was open at the library. The wait time wasn't long, so I added it to my 'currently reading' shelf. But, I let it languish there because I couldn't decide if I wanted to risk ruining my fond memories of the series, or if I should give the book a try in hopes it would be better than the reviews suggested.
Then came COVID-19...
This horrible virus made it hard to concentrate, and I desperately needed a book that was funny and light to take my mind off of everything and cheer me up a little. Not only that, I was craving the comfort of familiar characters and by all counts this book should have fit my needs perfectly- so I rolled the dice …
But sadly, my gamble didn’t pay off.
The dazzling chemistry between Kate and Nick is flat as a pancake, the plot, which is usually zany and hilarious is just plain silly and OTT. I kept reading the book, hoping that eventually things would get better, and I’ll admit, I did chuckle once or twice, but the magic is gone, gone, gone….
Somehow, I accidentally gave this book five stars before I even got the review written- I’m not sure how or why that happens sometimes, except that I do have a very sensitive touchscreen. I quickly changed it to three stars, just until I could get my thoughts in order- and I was hoping I could leave that rating in place, but...
As much as I would like to give this new writing team the benefit of the doubt, I’m just really, really so disappointed…
So, sadly, this one only gets 2 stars instead of three, I'd hoped to keep in place. (Sorry, for any confusion, if you saw the earlier ratings and are wondering why I changed it)
February 11, 2021
Overall, a disappointing read. After a slow and monotonous, not to mention arduous (for both character and reader), trek through the Hawaiian backcountry, the story finally picks up the pace in the second half. Unfortunately, that’s just one of many disappointing aspects throughout the book. The plot lacks substance, the main characters have different personalities from the previous books, and the minor characters are supposed to provide comic relief but fall short in that regard and wind up being annoying tagalongs. The laughs are few and far between, but there is redemption in the fact that there is the usual mayhem and madness along the way. As a stand-alone book, it’s an okay and occasionally amusing mindless read, but as part of the series it’s a miss.
May 19, 2019
I have read every book in this series, and have a few questions, "what happened in the cliff hanger from book #5"? and...……….hasn't Nick and Kate's relationship progressed? This book felt like it should be #2 in the series and where was Nick's crew? Why was Cosmo added to the storyline? he was so annoying.
The upside of this story was that the usual witty banter was there and the "MacGyver......ish" method of crime fighting. I love Nick and Kate, their characters are so committed to their moral compass and the tension to break is hilarious. The plot was interesting and felt current. I love this series and hope this author brings back the method actor and the cast from the previous stories.
The upside of this story was that the usual witty banter was there and the "MacGyver......ish" method of crime fighting. I love Nick and Kate, their characters are so committed to their moral compass and the tension to break is hilarious. The plot was interesting and felt current. I love this series and hope this author brings back the method actor and the cast from the previous stories.
August 4, 2023
For some reason, I thought that the fifth book in this series would be the last one. So when I found out there would be another one, I was ecstatic. People complained about Lee Goldberg not being on the deck, but to be honest, I didn't care. I hadn't read any of his other books, so I didn't see the difference. Now I do.
Apparently, Lee Goldberg is responsible for all the brilliant humor in this series. Without him, there isn't much left here. The previous books were on the very edge of parody, and I loved it! This one, however, is more of your casual comedy. And not even a good one.
All those brilliant, intelligent, witty dialogues are completely gone. With other books in this series, I laughed out loud time after time. Here, I only smiled from time to time and giggled once or twice. But I also rolled my eyes and yawned. Nothing is left of the wonderful charm, lightness, and brightness of the previous books. The dialogues are now really uninspiring and many times just meaningless. They are there just to fill the pages. Cosmo, who is probably supposed to be funny, only annoys me. It's good we have Vicky, who is a better character and saves the show.
And let's stop for a minute and look at Kate and Nick. I can't believe I'm saying this, but they are boring. Yes, those fascinating characters with vivid personalities are actually pretty dull. For some reason, Kate is no longer your kick-ass heroine who can deal with everything; she's become some unconfident, clumsy amateur. She needs constant guidance from Nick. And he is happy to deliver, as he turns into some Chuck Norris on steroids. Now, he is an expert in all the physical activities that used to be Kate's domain. Whatever it is - swimming, climbing, parachuting - Nick is your man. Kate is a bit disposable for most of the story. And don't get me wrong, I love Nick, but even more, I love Nick AND Kate as a couple.
And speaking of that, what has happened to their relationship?! They had sex in the previous books! They were dating! And now, out of nowhere, we are back to square one. Well, not even to square one, but some odd situation where we don't really know what is going on. The temperature of their relationship is somewhere between book one and book two. Kate tolerates Nick, and he makes a pass at her from time to time, but with no heart to it. This discontinuity seriously bothers me. There was this wonderful sexual tension between them in the previous books, and now it's totally gone.
And let's talk about the plot. I would really like to know where to find one, because this book is in serious need of it. The plot-line is sparse and feeble. Kate and Nick wander between Hawaii, New Zealand, and the Czech Republic without much purpose or plan. For some reason I do not quite understand, they are engaged in searching for a missing specialist in AI. Why a world-class thief is needed for this is a mystery to me. And let's say it clearly and soundly, there is no proper con in this story. Yes, no con, if you don't count this weak attempt that barely covers two chapters and that we have already seen in the previous book. Oh, and one more thing, there is also no our well-known crew, just so you know.
One last thing, because this bothers me a lot. Seriously, what is with all these encyclopedic bits about Hawaii and New Zealand? If I was so curious, I would just read Wikipedia. The highest mountain, the area of the island, and so on... all those unnecessary and uninteresting tidbits plus constant swooning over the beauty of Hawaii/New Zealand. Were the authors paid to include those parts? Because they for sure look really forced and bizarre.
If this book wasn't the same length as the others in this series, I would think this is just an in-between novella. It seriously feels like one. There is no full cast of characters, some minor characters are given a chance, the plot is unlike the well-known pattern, and the general plot-line (like Kate and Nick's relationship) doesn't move a bit. I'm seriously disappointed. After this book, I wish the series ended with the last one. And that's saying something since I love this series!
I'm giving 2.5 stars.
Apparently, Lee Goldberg is responsible for all the brilliant humor in this series. Without him, there isn't much left here. The previous books were on the very edge of parody, and I loved it! This one, however, is more of your casual comedy. And not even a good one.
All those brilliant, intelligent, witty dialogues are completely gone. With other books in this series, I laughed out loud time after time. Here, I only smiled from time to time and giggled once or twice. But I also rolled my eyes and yawned. Nothing is left of the wonderful charm, lightness, and brightness of the previous books. The dialogues are now really uninspiring and many times just meaningless. They are there just to fill the pages. Cosmo, who is probably supposed to be funny, only annoys me. It's good we have Vicky, who is a better character and saves the show.
And let's stop for a minute and look at Kate and Nick. I can't believe I'm saying this, but they are boring. Yes, those fascinating characters with vivid personalities are actually pretty dull. For some reason, Kate is no longer your kick-ass heroine who can deal with everything; she's become some unconfident, clumsy amateur. She needs constant guidance from Nick. And he is happy to deliver, as he turns into some Chuck Norris on steroids. Now, he is an expert in all the physical activities that used to be Kate's domain. Whatever it is - swimming, climbing, parachuting - Nick is your man. Kate is a bit disposable for most of the story. And don't get me wrong, I love Nick, but even more, I love Nick AND Kate as a couple.
And speaking of that, what has happened to their relationship?! They had sex in the previous books! They were dating! And now, out of nowhere, we are back to square one. Well, not even to square one, but some odd situation where we don't really know what is going on. The temperature of their relationship is somewhere between book one and book two. Kate tolerates Nick, and he makes a pass at her from time to time, but with no heart to it. This discontinuity seriously bothers me. There was this wonderful sexual tension between them in the previous books, and now it's totally gone.
And let's talk about the plot. I would really like to know where to find one, because this book is in serious need of it. The plot-line is sparse and feeble. Kate and Nick wander between Hawaii, New Zealand, and the Czech Republic without much purpose or plan. For some reason I do not quite understand, they are engaged in searching for a missing specialist in AI. Why a world-class thief is needed for this is a mystery to me. And let's say it clearly and soundly, there is no proper con in this story. Yes, no con, if you don't count this weak attempt that barely covers two chapters and that we have already seen in the previous book. Oh, and one more thing, there is also no our well-known crew, just so you know.
One last thing, because this bothers me a lot. Seriously, what is with all these encyclopedic bits about Hawaii and New Zealand? If I was so curious, I would just read Wikipedia. The highest mountain, the area of the island, and so on... all those unnecessary and uninteresting tidbits plus constant swooning over the beauty of Hawaii/New Zealand. Were the authors paid to include those parts? Because they for sure look really forced and bizarre.
If this book wasn't the same length as the others in this series, I would think this is just an in-between novella. It seriously feels like one. There is no full cast of characters, some minor characters are given a chance, the plot is unlike the well-known pattern, and the general plot-line (like Kate and Nick's relationship) doesn't move a bit. I'm seriously disappointed. After this book, I wish the series ended with the last one. And that's saying something since I love this series!
I'm giving 2.5 stars.
May 8, 2019
*Disappointed so far*
I'm on Chapter 10 in the audiobook.
Am I missing a newsflash about the timeline or something?
Kate and Nick were in love in the last book, and now there isn't even a glimmer of that. It's like this is book 2 in the series not the latest installment. No ounce of love or affection between Kate and Nick. No comradery between Jake and Nick.
The characters turned into caricatures as if someone else entirely wrote the book. Additionally, Cosmo is soooo over the top annoying he's not even cute and funny anymore - you just want him to shut the hell up.
I feel like Annie Wilkes in "Misery"...I keep saying things like, "Do they think we've got amnesia?! They were in love! They're using money from their own undercover heists not government money! Jake and Nick are very close! ...HE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THE COCKADOODIE CAAAR!!!"
In order to restore my sanity and love for the series and audio narrator, to continue listening, I will attempt to: lighten up, lower my anticipation and expectation levels, consider it book 2 in the series, and try to focus on funny moments along the way so it doesn't feel like a complete waste of my time.
- Disappointed Fan
***UPDATE***
Can't do it. I had to stop listening by the middle of Chapter 18...I couldn't take the ridiculousness, the mindless slapstick *UN-FUNNY* bantering, the completely wrong take on the characters. These are NOT the characters from previous books. This is NOT the intricately woven con of books past. This. Is. Garbage.
And I'm sorry; I love the rest of her books.
If you can finish it, good for you. If you're cringing as each chapter goes by, just stop.
I shudder at the thought of continuing, like I'll be angry at myself for wasting my time...such as when I finished the third Hunger Games book or didn't leave the theater during Iron Man 2. Sooo...I'm out. And I feel good about it.
I'm on Chapter 10 in the audiobook.
Am I missing a newsflash about the timeline or something?
Kate and Nick were in love in the last book, and now there isn't even a glimmer of that. It's like this is book 2 in the series not the latest installment. No ounce of love or affection between Kate and Nick. No comradery between Jake and Nick.
The characters turned into caricatures as if someone else entirely wrote the book. Additionally, Cosmo is soooo over the top annoying he's not even cute and funny anymore - you just want him to shut the hell up.
I feel like Annie Wilkes in "Misery"...I keep saying things like, "Do they think we've got amnesia?! They were in love! They're using money from their own undercover heists not government money! Jake and Nick are very close! ...HE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THE COCKADOODIE CAAAR!!!"
In order to restore my sanity and love for the series and audio narrator, to continue listening, I will attempt to: lighten up, lower my anticipation and expectation levels, consider it book 2 in the series, and try to focus on funny moments along the way so it doesn't feel like a complete waste of my time.
- Disappointed Fan
***UPDATE***
Can't do it. I had to stop listening by the middle of Chapter 18...I couldn't take the ridiculousness, the mindless slapstick *UN-FUNNY* bantering, the completely wrong take on the characters. These are NOT the characters from previous books. This is NOT the intricately woven con of books past. This. Is. Garbage.
And I'm sorry; I love the rest of her books.
If you can finish it, good for you. If you're cringing as each chapter goes by, just stop.
I shudder at the thought of continuing, like I'll be angry at myself for wasting my time...such as when I finished the third Hunger Games book or didn't leave the theater during Iron Man 2. Sooo...I'm out. And I feel good about it.
eh-lost-interest
May 12, 2019FINAL UPDATE: Yeah I am gonna peace out on this one. I've read too many reviews that give credence to my initial fear that Lee Goldberg's absence translates to the book not feeling like a real Fox and O'Hare story. Maybe if he comes back I'll pick this series up again. But for now, this series stops at book five for me. And this book, I will treat it like I do The Godfather III movie-- in my world that movie doesn't exist.
--------------------------
UPDATE: Well, now Amazon has the co-author listed as Peter Evanovich. What happened to Raymond Benson? (Not that I even knew who Raymond Benson was nor ever read a word he wrote, but dammit I miss him already). Sigh.
-------
This has been tentatively downgraded from a 'MUST READ' to a 'I'll wait and see..." Not sure who Raymond Benson is, but if Lee Goldberg's absence as a co-author translates into a different 'feel' of this book from the rest, then I might have to abandon this series. Sigh.
--------------------------
UPDATE: Well, now Amazon has the co-author listed as Peter Evanovich. What happened to Raymond Benson? (Not that I even knew who Raymond Benson was nor ever read a word he wrote, but dammit I miss him already). Sigh.
-------
This has been tentatively downgraded from a 'MUST READ' to a 'I'll wait and see..." Not sure who Raymond Benson is, but if Lee Goldberg's absence as a co-author translates into a different 'feel' of this book from the rest, then I might have to abandon this series. Sigh.
May 9, 2019
What happened to Nick and Kate?!
The leads in this book are called Kate O’Hare and Nick Fox, but aside from surface characteristics (he’s handsome! She’s an FBI agent!) they have NOTHING in common with the characters I’ve grown attached to over the past five books.
“The Big Kahuna” suffers from a lack of everything that makes the previous installments good: lack of a con, lack of a crew, lack of sassy banter, lack of amusing situations, and lack of character development. I don’t know if Evanovich is tired of writing this series, but it sure reads that way. She’s so un-invested in her own characters that she resorts to tired and repetitive descriptions of their reactions to events - for example, I lost count of how many times Nick “gave a crooked smile” or Kate “rolled her eyes.” We get it; he’s adorable and she’s grumpy.
I’ve been waiting for this book for YEARS - “Nick and Kate go undercover as a married couple”!! Their relationship has always been one of the most compelling parts of the story for me: watching how they interact, how they slowly let one another into their lives and hearts. (In book 4, Nick introduced Kate to Lucie in case things ever go badly! In book 5, Kate admits she has “serious feelings for” Nick!)
What happened to the man who kissed Kate and told her she was “everything” to him?! Because he is totally absent from TBK. Same with the woman who was trying to come to terms with her commitment to her job vs her involvement with a felon. The lead characters in this book occasionally have sex, but only after long chapters with scattered references to Nick basically pestering Kate to do it and her almost continually turning him down. There’s hardly a hint that she’s even attracted to him, and definitely no hints at all as to anything deeper.
Look, we all know that the romance between them was always the “B” plot - heck, maybe even the “C” plot - but it was there, it existed, and it was progressing. Somewhere in the space of time from the end of “The Pursuit” to the start of “The Big Kahuna” both Nick and Kate had their minds wiped, at least as to their emotional connection to one another. And all these complaints are front-loaded before I confront the abysmal story.
The plot, which is usually a rollicking ride of daring risks and laugh out loud humor, reads more like passages from a Hawaiian guide book/road map. About halfway through I realized that I was bored - the only reason I bothered to finish reading was the hope that there would be something recognizable about Nick and/or Kate by the time the book ended. Alas, dear readers, there was not.
Tl;dr summary: Fox and O’Hare fans, don’t bother with this one. There’s no scam, no romance, and no crew. Any story you make up in your head about Nick and Kate will be far superior to this disappointing waste of time.
The leads in this book are called Kate O’Hare and Nick Fox, but aside from surface characteristics (he’s handsome! She’s an FBI agent!) they have NOTHING in common with the characters I’ve grown attached to over the past five books.
“The Big Kahuna” suffers from a lack of everything that makes the previous installments good: lack of a con, lack of a crew, lack of sassy banter, lack of amusing situations, and lack of character development. I don’t know if Evanovich is tired of writing this series, but it sure reads that way. She’s so un-invested in her own characters that she resorts to tired and repetitive descriptions of their reactions to events - for example, I lost count of how many times Nick “gave a crooked smile” or Kate “rolled her eyes.” We get it; he’s adorable and she’s grumpy.
I’ve been waiting for this book for YEARS - “Nick and Kate go undercover as a married couple”!! Their relationship has always been one of the most compelling parts of the story for me: watching how they interact, how they slowly let one another into their lives and hearts. (In book 4, Nick introduced Kate to Lucie in case things ever go badly! In book 5, Kate admits she has “serious feelings for” Nick!)
What happened to the man who kissed Kate and told her she was “everything” to him?! Because he is totally absent from TBK. Same with the woman who was trying to come to terms with her commitment to her job vs her involvement with a felon. The lead characters in this book occasionally have sex, but only after long chapters with scattered references to Nick basically pestering Kate to do it and her almost continually turning him down. There’s hardly a hint that she’s even attracted to him, and definitely no hints at all as to anything deeper.
Look, we all know that the romance between them was always the “B” plot - heck, maybe even the “C” plot - but it was there, it existed, and it was progressing. Somewhere in the space of time from the end of “The Pursuit” to the start of “The Big Kahuna” both Nick and Kate had their minds wiped, at least as to their emotional connection to one another. And all these complaints are front-loaded before I confront the abysmal story.
The plot, which is usually a rollicking ride of daring risks and laugh out loud humor, reads more like passages from a Hawaiian guide book/road map. About halfway through I realized that I was bored - the only reason I bothered to finish reading was the hope that there would be something recognizable about Nick and/or Kate by the time the book ended. Alas, dear readers, there was not.
Tl;dr summary: Fox and O’Hare fans, don’t bother with this one. There’s no scam, no romance, and no crew. Any story you make up in your head about Nick and Kate will be far superior to this disappointing waste of time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2019
If you have never read any of the Fox and O'Hare series you might like this. It's an easy read and if you go into it with no expectations you might find it fun, but if you are expecting a Fox and O'Hare adventure you will more than likely be saying "WHAT??!!!" and wondering what happened to the characters you fell in love with for 5 books.
My theory is Lee Goldberg did most or all of the writing on the other 5 books. I'm not sure that Peter Evanovich (or even Janet Evanovich) has read any of the other books because the continuity issues are astounding.
I don't know if they were under contract to get a 6th Fox and O'Hare book out and Mr. Goldberg wasn't available so they slapped something together but I would have been more than happy to wait a little longer for a true Fox and O'Hare adventure than this farce.
Please, I beg you, Ms. Evanovich return these characters back to Lee Goldberg. You readers deserve better.
My theory is Lee Goldberg did most or all of the writing on the other 5 books. I'm not sure that Peter Evanovich (or even Janet Evanovich) has read any of the other books because the continuity issues are astounding.
I don't know if they were under contract to get a 6th Fox and O'Hare book out and Mr. Goldberg wasn't available so they slapped something together but I would have been more than happy to wait a little longer for a true Fox and O'Hare adventure than this farce.
Please, I beg you, Ms. Evanovich return these characters back to Lee Goldberg. You readers deserve better.
May 27, 2019
Pretty dreadful, especially for anyone who has enjoyed the first five books in this series. As further proof when does Amazon ever have a lower reader rating than Goodreads? A Silicon Valley unicorn is missing, and Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare are trying to find him, enlisting the help of a stoner, an Instagram supermodel, Jake, and an FBI desk jockey, who would never be allowed out in the field. The zippy repartee is gone as is the magic between Kate and Nick although a trip to Hawaii is always a treat. Peter Evanovich cannot carry Lee Goldberg's jock strap as a writer. Shame on the publisher and on Janet.
September 6, 2021
The Big Kahuna
(Fox and O'Hare #6)
by Janet Evanovich & Peter Evanovich
This is a funny FBI with sidekick conman type adventure. The conman is a jack of all illegal trades and stays out of prison by helping the female FBI with her assignments as needed. It doesn't hurt that he is attractive.
The bad guys are deadly but but the kind of goons they end up seeing over and over and look worse ever time. Soon they are on first no bases with them!
The plot is good, plenty of humor and great characters, strange but great!
It's a good easy read when you just want to unwind and smile!
(Fox and O'Hare #6)
by Janet Evanovich & Peter Evanovich
This is a funny FBI with sidekick conman type adventure. The conman is a jack of all illegal trades and stays out of prison by helping the female FBI with her assignments as needed. It doesn't hurt that he is attractive.
The bad guys are deadly but but the kind of goons they end up seeing over and over and look worse ever time. Soon they are on first no bases with them!
The plot is good, plenty of humor and great characters, strange but great!
It's a good easy read when you just want to unwind and smile!
February 5, 2022
It has been several years since the last Fox and O'Hare was released, and what a breath of fresh air it was to go back into the their world. It is always a riot listening to them exchange quips as they incessantly bantering and flirt back and forth.
Of course, much of my esteem for this series stems from listening to narrator Scott Brick as he works his magic - giving each character a unique voice and bringing them to life for the imaginations of his listeners.
Of course, much of my esteem for this series stems from listening to narrator Scott Brick as he works his magic - giving each character a unique voice and bringing them to life for the imaginations of his listeners.
May 14, 2019
NOPE!
I need to bleach my brain and try to remove this monstrosity from my memory.
If you ask me, the Fox & O’Hare series ended with The Pursuit. Period.
The Big Kahuna is a shadow of what this series used to be: the adventures of an FBI agent tasked with keeping tabs on a world famous con-man as they plan elaborate cons to capture big criminals. The dialogues were hilarious and full of banter and humor, the cons super elaborate and the plot rich of action, the secondary characters were fascinating and funny and fully fleshed out, the budding romance between Kate and Nick was charming and real.
This book is the complete opposite: gone is the romance (seriously, I felt like I was back to book 1 with how frigid the two MCs acted), gone is the cast of colorful secondary characters (the ones that are shoved in as replacements appear as caricatures and are super annoying...even Jake’s personality took a steep dive into shit), gone are the funny dialogues (instead we get lines after lines of unfunny slapstick bantering), gone is the con plot (HOW? How can you mess up so bad and completely ignore the theme of the series?), gone is the character development of the two MCs.
I’m sad because I was highly anticipating this book, I’m sad because it left such sour taste in my mouth, I’m sad because it wasn’t supposed to go like this...and I’m angry...oh I am so fucking mad.
The characters deserved so much better, the series deserved better, the readers deserved better....I wanted to have faith in Janet Evanovich but without Lee Goldberg this series is just plain awful. I hope she will never touch this again unless the partnership is reinstalled.
For what concerns me, this book never existed and is removed from the canon.
I need to bleach my brain and try to remove this monstrosity from my memory.
If you ask me, the Fox & O’Hare series ended with The Pursuit. Period.
The Big Kahuna is a shadow of what this series used to be: the adventures of an FBI agent tasked with keeping tabs on a world famous con-man as they plan elaborate cons to capture big criminals. The dialogues were hilarious and full of banter and humor, the cons super elaborate and the plot rich of action, the secondary characters were fascinating and funny and fully fleshed out, the budding romance between Kate and Nick was charming and real.
This book is the complete opposite: gone is the romance (seriously, I felt like I was back to book 1 with how frigid the two MCs acted), gone is the cast of colorful secondary characters (the ones that are shoved in as replacements appear as caricatures and are super annoying...even Jake’s personality took a steep dive into shit), gone are the funny dialogues (instead we get lines after lines of unfunny slapstick bantering), gone is the con plot (HOW? How can you mess up so bad and completely ignore the theme of the series?), gone is the character development of the two MCs.
I’m sad because I was highly anticipating this book, I’m sad because it left such sour taste in my mouth, I’m sad because it wasn’t supposed to go like this...and I’m angry...oh I am so fucking mad.
The characters deserved so much better, the series deserved better, the readers deserved better....I wanted to have faith in Janet Evanovich but without Lee Goldberg this series is just plain awful. I hope she will never touch this again unless the partnership is reinstalled.
For what concerns me, this book never existed and is removed from the canon.
May 7, 2019
WTF ..... this book, aghhhhh. I love Janet Evanovich but without Lee Goldberg, this is not the same, the characters are totally different, they are childish and stupid. I want my old Nick and Kate beck, I want the brilliant con and badass Jack. After so much wait, total disappointment. Three stars only because I love Janet Evanovich.
July 7, 2019
This book needs to be taken out and shot. It was in no way funny just over the top.
September 4, 2019
The biggest problem? This is not a heist book. But it falls in a heist series.
In fact, it is not much of an anything book. I found it horrendously boring. The witty banter came across as forced and awkward. The innuendos made no sense in the context of the last book or two; it pretty much pretends Book #4 and #5 never happened.
Cosmo was a horridly awkward character and I bemoan his continuation in this series.
I don't know why the authors changed and I do not think it an improvement. In fact, barring the return of Lee Goldberg, I don't see myself picking up any more books even if they are written.
In fact, it is not much of an anything book. I found it horrendously boring. The witty banter came across as forced and awkward. The innuendos made no sense in the context of the last book or two; it pretty much pretends Book #4 and #5 never happened.
Cosmo was a horridly awkward character and I bemoan his continuation in this series.
I don't know why the authors changed and I do not think it an improvement. In fact, barring the return of Lee Goldberg, I don't see myself picking up any more books even if they are written.
May 22, 2019
PLEASE BRING LEE GOLDBERG BACK TO WRITING THIS SERIES!!!!!!!
I really loved the Fox and O'Hare series - even more than Stephanie Plum, until this book. Stephanie, oh wait, Kate is indecisive about who she should fall in love with - wait, there isn't a Morelli in this series. Adding in the Instagram Model was dumb and people a SELFIE is a picture that you, YOURSELF takes. If someone else takes your picture it is not a SELFIE but a picture, snapshot, or photo - you can decide which term you prefer. Nike and Kate would never have trusted Larry. The best thing about this book was Jake and even he was a was not as fun as he has been in the past. I had not read anything by Lee Goldberg, but I could identify Evanovich's input in the different books and thought they made a great pairing. Now I'm going to need to start reading Lee Goldberg. Please, if you continue this series make sure you include Mr. Goldberg this time. I'm sure you enjoyed working with your son, but create another series to write together if that is your desire.
I really loved the Fox and O'Hare series - even more than Stephanie Plum, until this book. Stephanie, oh wait, Kate is indecisive about who she should fall in love with - wait, there isn't a Morelli in this series. Adding in the Instagram Model was dumb and people a SELFIE is a picture that you, YOURSELF takes. If someone else takes your picture it is not a SELFIE but a picture, snapshot, or photo - you can decide which term you prefer. Nike and Kate would never have trusted Larry. The best thing about this book was Jake and even he was a was not as fun as he has been in the past. I had not read anything by Lee Goldberg, but I could identify Evanovich's input in the different books and thought they made a great pairing. Now I'm going to need to start reading Lee Goldberg. Please, if you continue this series make sure you include Mr. Goldberg this time. I'm sure you enjoyed working with your son, but create another series to write together if that is your desire.
December 21, 2023
3.5 Stars for The Big Kahuna: Fox and O’Hare, Book 6 (audiobook) Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich read by Scott Brick.
I’m glad that this series is continuing. It was interesting having the story set in Hawaii with some crazy characters. This isn’t my favorite story of the series, hopefully Janet Evanovich will develop the same chemistry with Peter Evanovich as she had with Lee Goldberg.
I’m glad that this series is continuing. It was interesting having the story set in Hawaii with some crazy characters. This isn’t my favorite story of the series, hopefully Janet Evanovich will develop the same chemistry with Peter Evanovich as she had with Lee Goldberg.
June 29, 2019
I found this book to be one of the most disappointing things I have read in a long time. I enjoy the Fox and O’Hare series a great deal, the previous 5 books were great. However, this book is only a shell of the rest of the series. The Big Kahuna abandoned a some major plot points, character development, and some other things from the previous books. One of the premises from the first five books is that Nick is still considered to be on the run by the FBI and the only people aware of Nick and Kate working together is Jessup and his boss. However this book has Nick openly walking around in the FBI field office like he works there and is not on the run. The previous book left off on a cliff hanger, and this one completely leaves that situation untouched. Additionally, all of the previous books were built upon running cons and heists. This book spent 50% of its duration as a man hunt and the rest a mix mash of hostage situations, kidnapping, and a theft. (Which was more on brand, I didn’t hate the second half near as much as the first.)
With all of that being said, I think the most frustrating thing about this book was how the characters were handled. Nick and Kate felt familiar, but only on a base level. I feel that the authors took a strong, empowered, and confident female lead character in Kate and toned down all of those wonderful qualities far too much. Kate took the back seat way too often in this book. In previous books she and Nick would bicker and banter over ideas and plans, in this book she frequently defers to Nick without even presenting ideas. And on the topic of Nick, why did he need to become such a macho militaristic man. In all of the previous books Nick used cunning to get out of situations. And when he had to use physicality it was referenced that he was naturally athletic. However, in this book when he does something physical it references things like being a navy seal? Did I miss that in the previous books? Their relationship took a huge hit in this book as well, the previous book left off with them professing their love. The Big Kahuna completely eliminates their relationship and the story surrounding it in exchange for some innuendos and a cheesy hookup or two. There was no passion, no camaraderie between the two like the previous books. But my issues with the characters don’t stop there, what happened to the crew? We are just going to ignore all but one of their contacts from the first five books? And the one that was brought back, Jake, didn’t feel right either. Cosmo was definitely put in this book for comedic relief... yikes. I found Cosmo to be unbearable in such a heavy dose as compared to the extremely limited appearance we saw in the previous book. I felt like Vicky was a less interesting and exciting version of Willie. Hell, if we are being honest, I think Vicky was in this book almost exclusively to pepper in innuendos and dick jokes, which got old fast.
Overall, I couldn’t have been more disappointed with this book. It took one of my favorite series and really messed it up. This book very easily could be a series killer. It hurts me to say that, but unless something drastic happens, ie. bringing back Lee Goldberg, I don’t see myself or many other fans picking up this series again. I normally don’t write reviews and rate books very highly. But I was simply too disappointed in this book to not express my frustration.
With all of that being said, I think the most frustrating thing about this book was how the characters were handled. Nick and Kate felt familiar, but only on a base level. I feel that the authors took a strong, empowered, and confident female lead character in Kate and toned down all of those wonderful qualities far too much. Kate took the back seat way too often in this book. In previous books she and Nick would bicker and banter over ideas and plans, in this book she frequently defers to Nick without even presenting ideas. And on the topic of Nick, why did he need to become such a macho militaristic man. In all of the previous books Nick used cunning to get out of situations. And when he had to use physicality it was referenced that he was naturally athletic. However, in this book when he does something physical it references things like being a navy seal? Did I miss that in the previous books? Their relationship took a huge hit in this book as well, the previous book left off with them professing their love. The Big Kahuna completely eliminates their relationship and the story surrounding it in exchange for some innuendos and a cheesy hookup or two. There was no passion, no camaraderie between the two like the previous books. But my issues with the characters don’t stop there, what happened to the crew? We are just going to ignore all but one of their contacts from the first five books? And the one that was brought back, Jake, didn’t feel right either. Cosmo was definitely put in this book for comedic relief... yikes. I found Cosmo to be unbearable in such a heavy dose as compared to the extremely limited appearance we saw in the previous book. I felt like Vicky was a less interesting and exciting version of Willie. Hell, if we are being honest, I think Vicky was in this book almost exclusively to pepper in innuendos and dick jokes, which got old fast.
Overall, I couldn’t have been more disappointed with this book. It took one of my favorite series and really messed it up. This book very easily could be a series killer. It hurts me to say that, but unless something drastic happens, ie. bringing back Lee Goldberg, I don’t see myself or many other fans picking up this series again. I normally don’t write reviews and rate books very highly. But I was simply too disappointed in this book to not express my frustration.
May 12, 2019
I have to agree with so many others. Disappointment sums up my feelings on this book. When you wait so long for a new installment in a series you love and then the author and editors release a story that reads like they have forgotten huge parts of the main character backstories, one wonders why they let themselves get hooked on the series to start with.
I have thought for some time that either the author or the publishes or both favor the Plum series and the Fox/O'Hare books are the neglected stepchildren, so to speak. The Big Kahuna is damning evidence that I have been right.
I feel sorry for Peter because this appears to be his first big break in the industry. When you google an author and the first line that appears is ...Peter is Janet's son... well, unfair is the kindest thing I can say. Peter may very well be a great writer but putting him in the number two seat of an established series after you have lost your original writing partner for whatever reason ( and I have no doubt it is a dandy reason, that us readers will never know, probably due to a combination of legalese and class on the part of both Janet and Lee) is just not fair to anyone.
The previous books did such a great job building the characters and the romance between Kate and Nick. Yes, there are a few passionate moments but there are no references to how they got to where they are or how they plan to deal with the increasing closeness they share.
For that reason alone, the shower scene was a disservice to both the characters and the readers.
The last scene was reminiscent of the genuine fondness that had built up between Kate and Nick over the course of the series but it is too little far too late.
I would love for the publisher to get its act together and find away to get The Mark (the book that was supposed to be the next in the series) completed and published by my hopes are faint after seeing what they ended up releasing.
There is plenty of action and banter but I agree with other reviews when they have said that only someone who has not read the previous books will not come away feeling cheated by this installment.
I would hate to see this series end and I think people would be forgiving if another book came out and it was back on track (meaning the series regained it's previous continuity and richness in both narrative and characterization) but I can't help feeling it already has.
I have thought for some time that either the author or the publishes or both favor the Plum series and the Fox/O'Hare books are the neglected stepchildren, so to speak. The Big Kahuna is damning evidence that I have been right.
I feel sorry for Peter because this appears to be his first big break in the industry. When you google an author and the first line that appears is ...Peter is Janet's son... well, unfair is the kindest thing I can say. Peter may very well be a great writer but putting him in the number two seat of an established series after you have lost your original writing partner for whatever reason ( and I have no doubt it is a dandy reason, that us readers will never know, probably due to a combination of legalese and class on the part of both Janet and Lee) is just not fair to anyone.
The previous books did such a great job building the characters and the romance between Kate and Nick. Yes, there are a few passionate moments but there are no references to how they got to where they are or how they plan to deal with the increasing closeness they share.
For that reason alone, the shower scene was a disservice to both the characters and the readers.
The last scene was reminiscent of the genuine fondness that had built up between Kate and Nick over the course of the series but it is too little far too late.
I would love for the publisher to get its act together and find away to get The Mark (the book that was supposed to be the next in the series) completed and published by my hopes are faint after seeing what they ended up releasing.
There is plenty of action and banter but I agree with other reviews when they have said that only someone who has not read the previous books will not come away feeling cheated by this installment.
I would hate to see this series end and I think people would be forgiving if another book came out and it was back on track (meaning the series regained it's previous continuity and richness in both narrative and characterization) but I can't help feeling it already has.
May 9, 2019
Horrible. Maybe an okay read, if you haven’t read books 1-5. Janet and Lee need to get back together and write a 6.0, claim a bad dream, like Bobby Ewing stepping out of the shower. We’ll forgive you. Fix this story line. Give us back Kate/Nick/Jake and the rest of the amazing crew. Try to remember, Nick can’t go to the police station to help fill out paperwork. This is supposed to be covert, clever. The evolution of the characters is now gone. There is no continuity in this series anymore, it was hard enough for me to look past Meagan having 2 daughters at first, then all of a sudden a boy and girl. Clearly, I’m still not over that. If you can make The Mark/Benson go away, you can have a do over on this. I believe in you Janet E. Kate and Nick is your best series yet. Please fix this.
May 29, 2019
I am very sad to give this book 2 stars. Like MANY others reviewers who are fans of the series and the characters, I was sorely disappointed in this long-awaited 6th book in the series. The continuity of character and plot was just not there. Here are my thoughts (some spoilers and a rant ahead):
1. Where is the con? This was all shoot 'em up and explosions and no nuanced, intelligent, well-planned con like I am used to from Nick. No finesse. ALL the plans just included shooting or exploding their way out of things. Boring.
2. The relationship between Nick and Kate was stilted and so "on the surface" I wanted to scream. It was as if Janet and Peter re-read the first two books in the series and thought "we got this" and just forgot about the character development in the last three. Kate shoves Nick to the sleep in the ice cream truck in the beginning of the book because she can't get involved with a con-man since she's FBI, then by page 190, they are in the shower together! It took her FOUR books to get that far before. And why, if this is supposed to be the 6th book in the series, is she kicking him to the curb in the beginning and acting as though they haven't ever been intimate when they've had sex several times in the previous books?? If this were a one-off or earlier in the series, I would be disappointed in the build-up of the romance between them. Kate seems to go from ice queen to rip-my-clothes off in no time with no real reason.
3. What about the question at the end of book 5?? No mention of that conversation AT ALL?? I've been waiting YEARS for that conversation to be finished or at least mentioned... Not cool, Janet... not cool AT ALL.
4. Did anyone else notice that all of a sudden Kate suddenly thinks Nick has had military training? Just now? WTF?
5. Cosmo? Really? Even his character was different from before. He never called her KatieBug. He didn't really try to hit on her, like he did in the past. Even he, as a secondary character, was different.
6. Can we talk about Hawaii? Kate and Nick were just there if we are to believe this book comes after the 5th. Nick had planned a super romantic rendezvous for the two of them before he was kidnapped. Yet, there is no mention of that in this book. AT ALL. No like - hey remember the last time we were here- wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Nothing. It was as though it didn't happen.
7. Overall, everything just seemed very rushed and "on the surface" to me. Kate and Nick have turned into caricatures of themselves and we rarely get in-depth looks into their thoughts like past books provided. We don't get to see Jake doing strange retirement things that I looked forward to hearing about. We don't get the rest of the team that I'm used to - although, without a con (see #1 above) they really weren't needed.
What are you doing do us, Janet?? Is this proof that Lee Goldberg did most of the writing in the previous books of the series? Did Peter even read the other books to get a sense of plot and character development? I'm disappointed that some of my favorite characters were treated so poorly. Especially having waiting so long for this one to be released. :(
1. Where is the con? This was all shoot 'em up and explosions and no nuanced, intelligent, well-planned con like I am used to from Nick. No finesse. ALL the plans just included shooting or exploding their way out of things. Boring.
2. The relationship between Nick and Kate was stilted and so "on the surface" I wanted to scream. It was as if Janet and Peter re-read the first two books in the series and thought "we got this" and just forgot about the character development in the last three. Kate shoves Nick to the sleep in the ice cream truck in the beginning of the book because she can't get involved with a con-man since she's FBI, then by page 190, they are in the shower together! It took her FOUR books to get that far before. And why, if this is supposed to be the 6th book in the series, is she kicking him to the curb in the beginning and acting as though they haven't ever been intimate when they've had sex several times in the previous books?? If this were a one-off or earlier in the series, I would be disappointed in the build-up of the romance between them. Kate seems to go from ice queen to rip-my-clothes off in no time with no real reason.
3. What about the question at the end of book 5?? No mention of that conversation AT ALL?? I've been waiting YEARS for that conversation to be finished or at least mentioned... Not cool, Janet... not cool AT ALL.
4. Did anyone else notice that all of a sudden Kate suddenly thinks Nick has had military training? Just now? WTF?
5. Cosmo? Really? Even his character was different from before. He never called her KatieBug. He didn't really try to hit on her, like he did in the past. Even he, as a secondary character, was different.
6. Can we talk about Hawaii? Kate and Nick were just there if we are to believe this book comes after the 5th. Nick had planned a super romantic rendezvous for the two of them before he was kidnapped. Yet, there is no mention of that in this book. AT ALL. No like - hey remember the last time we were here- wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Nothing. It was as though it didn't happen.
7. Overall, everything just seemed very rushed and "on the surface" to me. Kate and Nick have turned into caricatures of themselves and we rarely get in-depth looks into their thoughts like past books provided. We don't get to see Jake doing strange retirement things that I looked forward to hearing about. We don't get the rest of the team that I'm used to - although, without a con (see #1 above) they really weren't needed.
What are you doing do us, Janet?? Is this proof that Lee Goldberg did most of the writing in the previous books of the series? Did Peter even read the other books to get a sense of plot and character development? I'm disappointed that some of my favorite characters were treated so poorly. Especially having waiting so long for this one to be released. :(
June 5, 2019
Series: Fox and O’Hare #6
Publication Date: 3/26/19
Number of Pages: 320
Wow! I’m not sure where to go with this review and this rating. I enjoyed the story, the humor was good and the plot was interesting, I even enjoyed the addition of Cosmo, who gave a good bit of comic relief to the story. What has me confused is the changes in the overall series. Up until this book, Nick and Kate were a ‘couple’ and I loved the two of them together. In this book, the relationship has regressed back to about the point it was in the first book of the series. Another thing is that kick-ass Kate isn’t so kick-ass anymore. Yes, she was tough, but Nick seemed to be the one with all of the physical skills. I’m sure a lot of it is because of the new co-author, but Janet Evanovich was still there and should certainly have seen to the continuity of the series. Kate and Nick’s relationship is what made the series work and I hope that their lack of a relationship in this book doesn’t sound the death-knell for the series.
Kate and Nick are handed an assignment to find a missing Silicon Valley billionaire. Since neither Kate nor Nick are good at doing the required paperwork, another member, Cosmo, is added to their team. Most reviewers didn’t seem to appreciate Cosmo, but I did. I thought he added a good bit of comic relief – he made me think of a Tim Conway type of character.
The missing man, an excellent pilot, took off in his plane and just disappeared. His wife and business associates want him declared dead, but Nick and Kate won’t declare that until they have proof of his demise. The only clue to his location is his game-playing, weed-smoking son who lives on a farm in Hawaii. When Nick and Kate arrive at the farm, it is to find several heavily armed mercenaries approaching the farmhouse. They manage to get rid of the mercenaries and then plan to follow the son to wherever his father might be hiding.
The story is action-packed and interesting. We travel from Hawaii to New Zealand to the Czech Republic and along the way we sink boats, blow up mountains, and set fire to vineyards. We have lots of page time with Kate’s father and I liked that part, but none of Nick’s entourage appeared at all and I missed them.
So, I’m rating this a three-star because it is such a departure from the previous books in the series. Had this been the first book, perhaps I wouldn’t have been disappointed, but as it was the sixth book, it should have added to the series rather than regressing it – no matter how good the story was or wasn’t.
Publication Date: 3/26/19
Number of Pages: 320
Wow! I’m not sure where to go with this review and this rating. I enjoyed the story, the humor was good and the plot was interesting, I even enjoyed the addition of Cosmo, who gave a good bit of comic relief to the story. What has me confused is the changes in the overall series. Up until this book, Nick and Kate were a ‘couple’ and I loved the two of them together. In this book, the relationship has regressed back to about the point it was in the first book of the series. Another thing is that kick-ass Kate isn’t so kick-ass anymore. Yes, she was tough, but Nick seemed to be the one with all of the physical skills. I’m sure a lot of it is because of the new co-author, but Janet Evanovich was still there and should certainly have seen to the continuity of the series. Kate and Nick’s relationship is what made the series work and I hope that their lack of a relationship in this book doesn’t sound the death-knell for the series.
Kate and Nick are handed an assignment to find a missing Silicon Valley billionaire. Since neither Kate nor Nick are good at doing the required paperwork, another member, Cosmo, is added to their team. Most reviewers didn’t seem to appreciate Cosmo, but I did. I thought he added a good bit of comic relief – he made me think of a Tim Conway type of character.
The missing man, an excellent pilot, took off in his plane and just disappeared. His wife and business associates want him declared dead, but Nick and Kate won’t declare that until they have proof of his demise. The only clue to his location is his game-playing, weed-smoking son who lives on a farm in Hawaii. When Nick and Kate arrive at the farm, it is to find several heavily armed mercenaries approaching the farmhouse. They manage to get rid of the mercenaries and then plan to follow the son to wherever his father might be hiding.
The story is action-packed and interesting. We travel from Hawaii to New Zealand to the Czech Republic and along the way we sink boats, blow up mountains, and set fire to vineyards. We have lots of page time with Kate’s father and I liked that part, but none of Nick’s entourage appeared at all and I missed them.
So, I’m rating this a three-star because it is such a departure from the previous books in the series. Had this been the first book, perhaps I wouldn’t have been disappointed, but as it was the sixth book, it should have added to the series rather than regressing it – no matter how good the story was or wasn’t.
May 29, 2019
Unlikely duo FBI agent Kate O’Hare and former (maybe) conman Nick Fox have been asked to look for a tech billionaire known to pretty much everyone as The Big Kahuna. He disappeared a few days ago, but Kate and Nick are shocked to find that both his wife and his business partner are already hoping to have him declared dead. Kate and Nick aren’t willing to declare him dead yet; they think he might be hiding out in Hawaii. With Kate’s father and Cosmo, another FBI agent, tagging along, they set out to see if they can find him. However, it appears someone wants The Big Kahuna dead. Can they find him in time? Or will they lead the killers right to him?
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
The last book in this series was three years and a different co-author ago, and it shows. Nick and Kate are shadows of themselves, with Kate going to Nick for plans on everything instead of them working as partners. Their romantic relationship has gone back several books, too, and yet they don’t appear to be hiding the fact that they work together professionally. Kate’s dad is just a caricature now, and the new characters are one note jokes, per se, which makes spending so much time with them painful. While the plot does include a couple of small cons, it is nowhere near as elaborate and therefore fun as the previous books. Really, any group of characters could have been the stars of this plot. The pacing is uneven, especially early on when we get travelogues of Hawaii. We could have easily cut 30 pages without noticing at all, and in a book that already reads short, that is saying something. I did get hooked as I went along, but I think the flaws would have been more frustrating if I hadn’t been able to knock the book out in a couple of days. I borrowed this book from my local library, but I’m not sure even that price (free) will be enough to get me to come back if Nick and Kate have any more adventures.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
May 9, 2019
I got my wish! I wanted more Big Jake and we got more of this awesome, retired Spec Ops Operator and Kate's dad. I can see what a difference Peter Evanovich has made. He brings more action to the action scenes and the overall effect is wonderful. The banter between Nick and Kate, the way they work together to get out of tight situations is great and the subtle sexual undercurrent between them is beyond hot. I read Janet Evanovich to be entertained and this one hit the mark.
The Big Kahuna, aka billionaire Silicon Valley IT genus Richard Wylde, is missing. Why is this a case for Nick and Kate you may ask? Well, they are sorta on Carl Jessup's naughty list for a high profile incident involving a Ferrari, a fire at the Beverly Wilshire hotel and a fifty-five-million dollar watch. So, they have been assigned to find the Big Kahuna. Jessup has gifted them with a new team member, Cosmo Uno, Kate's annoying cube mate. Also looking for the Kahuna are his second, or third? wife, a Super Instagram Model, Vicky, and his Czech business investor, Olga Zellenkova. But, they are more invested in finding him dead rather than alive.
Following their only lead the team heads for Hawaii and the Kahuna's son, Hamilton a drop out surfer dude. They arrive only to find they aren't the only ones on this trail. Vicky and Olga are there too and some nasty guys with guns also. Someone seriously wants the Kahuna and anyone with him dead.
The Big Kahuna, aka billionaire Silicon Valley IT genus Richard Wylde, is missing. Why is this a case for Nick and Kate you may ask? Well, they are sorta on Carl Jessup's naughty list for a high profile incident involving a Ferrari, a fire at the Beverly Wilshire hotel and a fifty-five-million dollar watch. So, they have been assigned to find the Big Kahuna. Jessup has gifted them with a new team member, Cosmo Uno, Kate's annoying cube mate. Also looking for the Kahuna are his second, or third? wife, a Super Instagram Model, Vicky, and his Czech business investor, Olga Zellenkova. But, they are more invested in finding him dead rather than alive.
Following their only lead the team heads for Hawaii and the Kahuna's son, Hamilton a drop out surfer dude. They arrive only to find they aren't the only ones on this trail. Vicky and Olga are there too and some nasty guys with guns also. Someone seriously wants the Kahuna and anyone with him dead.
July 14, 2019
I miss Lee Goldberg! This sixth installment did not do much for character development with the exception of Jake -- the king of distractions. He was my favorite character in this book. What a total BA! Anyway, in true Evanovich fashion there is lots of action, and quirky characters. Also loved the exotic locales -- sort of made me think of the challenges from the Amazing Race at times, too. Some have been annoyed by Cosmo, but I like him as a foil for Kate and Nick. If there is a #7 I will give it a chance.
May 6, 2019
This only got a three because I love Janet Evanovich. But....yes, it was funny, yes, it entertained. However, the supporting characters we have come love were gone!! Also the con, for the last what, chapter, we had a con. But these books are fun because of the WHOLE story being a con. And what is up with Jake's character? This is not the strong man we have seen in the other books. I am so disappointed. Even Nick was just not Nick.
May 16, 2019
You know what you get with a Janet Evanovich book. An independent, pretty girl, a hunky guy (or two) to team up with, and an adventure full of mystery and silly zaniness. Solving the mystery involves visiting different locations, lots of overwhelmingly crazy characters, and comical situations throughout the adventure. There will be lots of teasing and innuendo between the pretty girl and hunky guy as they work together, but in the end the mystery will be resolved whether on purpose or by accident within 300 pages of reading.
This description pretty well describes her classic Stephanie Plum series, as well as her newer additions Fox & O’Hare and Knight & Moon. You may think it sounds fairly formula-matic, and that’s true. However, in all honesty, nobody else is better at writing this type of sarcastic humor and risqué laden banter than anyone else. Evanovich gets you to laugh out loud at least once every other page because of the downright silliness of her plots and character reactions.
“The Big kahuna” is the sixth book in her growing Fox and O’Hare series. Nicolas Fox is the charming con man and international master thief. Kate O’Hare is the tough, play-by-the-rules, FBI agent who has been forced to partner with him. And they are working together to bring down super-criminals that the law cannot stop.
An important note to mention is that the first five books in this series were co-written by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. Those books brought a certain sense of charm and humor to the characters and the stories. However, this sixth book is written by Janet and her son, Peter Evanovich (in place of Lee). Unfortunately, that change has somehow brought with it a large negative impact on the previously established and successful formula.
In this outing, Fox and O’Hare on the hunt for a Silicon Valley billionaire who guys by the name, the Big Kahuna, and has mysteriously disappeared. The funny thing is that nobody who knows him seems to want help find him. Not his hot, adult actress, trophy wife, who seems much more interested in her developing Instagram career and taking over his assets. Not his shyster Czechoslovakian business partner, who seems much more interested in taking over his company. Having a dead Kahuna seems to be more of what they want.
Then there’s the Kahuna’s college dropout of a son, who’s life living the dream in Hawaii – one that involves surfing the waves, smoking weed, and hanging out with bohemian vagabonds. Before you know it, Kate and Nick are forced to go undercover as husband and wife to infiltrate the surfer community of the Kahuna’s son to discover where the Big Kahuna is hiding and why. The big challenge will be can they find him before Kate loses her mind and goes crazy.
Having read the prior five books in this serious, I must be honest and say I found this one rather disappointing. There are several reasons why. There is a different feel, flow and style in reading this book. Rather than focusing on the wacky and madcap characters, more emphasis is spent on the locations and scenery than in any of the previous outings. At times, it creates a nice ambiance, but at other moments it really stifles the characters and their interactions with one another.
More importantly, the characters are not acting like themselves. At the end of the last book, Kate and Nick finally connected. Kate let her guard down and their continuous buildup of flirting and innuendo’s culminated in them getting together. When this book starts off, they are suddenly back to where they were before consummating their relationship, and no explanation is given whatsoever. Then, after spending the first 150 pages turning Nick down, Kate suddenly decides to get it on again, and once their done, she goes back to ignoring him again. Their unusual behaviors are very confusing to the reader.
It’s not just Kate and Nick’s relationship that comes across as odd, but Nick does not act like the suave and quick-witted con-artist like he is in previous books. Even Kate seems off her game and indecisive at times. What’s even worse is that there are really only a few laughs and chuckles throughout the whole book. Quite simply, the crazy, madcap zaniness that we’ve come to expect is just not present enough in this book. At moments, it even seems like the two Evanovich’s are trying to be serious – choosing dramatic over funny – and it's not very effective.
Overall, the Evanovich charm is missing. I cannot tell how much of it is related to switching out Lee Goldberg for Janet’s son as a co-author, but regardless, this is not the wacky and funny escape from the seriousness of real life that we consistently get from Evanovich. This is a big step backwards that needs to be corrected or this series will be in danger losing a lot of readers.
This description pretty well describes her classic Stephanie Plum series, as well as her newer additions Fox & O’Hare and Knight & Moon. You may think it sounds fairly formula-matic, and that’s true. However, in all honesty, nobody else is better at writing this type of sarcastic humor and risqué laden banter than anyone else. Evanovich gets you to laugh out loud at least once every other page because of the downright silliness of her plots and character reactions.
“The Big kahuna” is the sixth book in her growing Fox and O’Hare series. Nicolas Fox is the charming con man and international master thief. Kate O’Hare is the tough, play-by-the-rules, FBI agent who has been forced to partner with him. And they are working together to bring down super-criminals that the law cannot stop.
An important note to mention is that the first five books in this series were co-written by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. Those books brought a certain sense of charm and humor to the characters and the stories. However, this sixth book is written by Janet and her son, Peter Evanovich (in place of Lee). Unfortunately, that change has somehow brought with it a large negative impact on the previously established and successful formula.
In this outing, Fox and O’Hare on the hunt for a Silicon Valley billionaire who guys by the name, the Big Kahuna, and has mysteriously disappeared. The funny thing is that nobody who knows him seems to want help find him. Not his hot, adult actress, trophy wife, who seems much more interested in her developing Instagram career and taking over his assets. Not his shyster Czechoslovakian business partner, who seems much more interested in taking over his company. Having a dead Kahuna seems to be more of what they want.
Then there’s the Kahuna’s college dropout of a son, who’s life living the dream in Hawaii – one that involves surfing the waves, smoking weed, and hanging out with bohemian vagabonds. Before you know it, Kate and Nick are forced to go undercover as husband and wife to infiltrate the surfer community of the Kahuna’s son to discover where the Big Kahuna is hiding and why. The big challenge will be can they find him before Kate loses her mind and goes crazy.
Having read the prior five books in this serious, I must be honest and say I found this one rather disappointing. There are several reasons why. There is a different feel, flow and style in reading this book. Rather than focusing on the wacky and madcap characters, more emphasis is spent on the locations and scenery than in any of the previous outings. At times, it creates a nice ambiance, but at other moments it really stifles the characters and their interactions with one another.
More importantly, the characters are not acting like themselves. At the end of the last book, Kate and Nick finally connected. Kate let her guard down and their continuous buildup of flirting and innuendo’s culminated in them getting together. When this book starts off, they are suddenly back to where they were before consummating their relationship, and no explanation is given whatsoever. Then, after spending the first 150 pages turning Nick down, Kate suddenly decides to get it on again, and once their done, she goes back to ignoring him again. Their unusual behaviors are very confusing to the reader.
It’s not just Kate and Nick’s relationship that comes across as odd, but Nick does not act like the suave and quick-witted con-artist like he is in previous books. Even Kate seems off her game and indecisive at times. What’s even worse is that there are really only a few laughs and chuckles throughout the whole book. Quite simply, the crazy, madcap zaniness that we’ve come to expect is just not present enough in this book. At moments, it even seems like the two Evanovich’s are trying to be serious – choosing dramatic over funny – and it's not very effective.
Overall, the Evanovich charm is missing. I cannot tell how much of it is related to switching out Lee Goldberg for Janet’s son as a co-author, but regardless, this is not the wacky and funny escape from the seriousness of real life that we consistently get from Evanovich. This is a big step backwards that needs to be corrected or this series will be in danger losing a lot of readers.
May 11, 2019
Wow.....just wow. I signed up for a goodreads account just so I could write a review. I never pre-order books but I was so excited about this book I did just that. And now I feel super dumb.
I can’t even begin to talk about how disappointing this book was. Who are these people and where did our characters go? Not only were we missing the characters we know and love we got stuck with a cast that was so unbelievably annoying i wouldn’t have minded if they’d all fallen off that crawling trail.
They seem to have replaced tough as nails Willie with a alternate reality version that takes nonstop selfies. There was no central plot, no central con, and no chemistry between the “team” members. There was no team! Just people that Nick and Kate got stuck with. Which btw just seems implausible for such motivated and smart people that they couldn’t figure out a way to get rid of people they don’t want.
And why have Larry pledge his life to Nick and Kate for him to turn around and double cross them with people who literally tried to kill him the day before. Why even have him? He was so annoying, that Instagram model was so annoying, the Kahuna was so annoying, even Jake was getting on my nerves. He wasn’t the rational, sharp, leader we’ve all come to know and love. He was just the guy who wanted to blow everything up which, granted, led to fun results. But with the amount of careful planning that was put in, they could also have just chucked the detonator down the hill with similar results. And also, if the bad guys wanted the Kahuna alive, why did they spend half the book trying to kill him??? Are we really supposed to believe that highly trained bad guys thought shooting rockets at a mountain side would bring the target down safely and gently?
There’s a reason Kate continually threatened to shoot Cosmo whenever he called her. Why would you make a character that was purposefully so annoying a main character? Why?? Why would you replace smart, self-sufficient, down-to-earth people like Chet, and Willie, and Tom with these people? It made reading the book sooooo hard. I wanted to root for these characters but I just didn’t care about them; and the more they talked, the more I started to consider actively rooting against them. I kept going til the end but it was a harder trek than that climb up the mountain.
Get Lee Goldberg back. It may be imperative to the continuation of this series. It may be the only way for people to give the next book a chance.
I can’t even begin to talk about how disappointing this book was. Who are these people and where did our characters go? Not only were we missing the characters we know and love we got stuck with a cast that was so unbelievably annoying i wouldn’t have minded if they’d all fallen off that crawling trail.
They seem to have replaced tough as nails Willie with a alternate reality version that takes nonstop selfies. There was no central plot, no central con, and no chemistry between the “team” members. There was no team! Just people that Nick and Kate got stuck with. Which btw just seems implausible for such motivated and smart people that they couldn’t figure out a way to get rid of people they don’t want.
And why have Larry pledge his life to Nick and Kate for him to turn around and double cross them with people who literally tried to kill him the day before. Why even have him? He was so annoying, that Instagram model was so annoying, the Kahuna was so annoying, even Jake was getting on my nerves. He wasn’t the rational, sharp, leader we’ve all come to know and love. He was just the guy who wanted to blow everything up which, granted, led to fun results. But with the amount of careful planning that was put in, they could also have just chucked the detonator down the hill with similar results. And also, if the bad guys wanted the Kahuna alive, why did they spend half the book trying to kill him??? Are we really supposed to believe that highly trained bad guys thought shooting rockets at a mountain side would bring the target down safely and gently?
There’s a reason Kate continually threatened to shoot Cosmo whenever he called her. Why would you make a character that was purposefully so annoying a main character? Why?? Why would you replace smart, self-sufficient, down-to-earth people like Chet, and Willie, and Tom with these people? It made reading the book sooooo hard. I wanted to root for these characters but I just didn’t care about them; and the more they talked, the more I started to consider actively rooting against them. I kept going til the end but it was a harder trek than that climb up the mountain.
Get Lee Goldberg back. It may be imperative to the continuation of this series. It may be the only way for people to give the next book a chance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2019
I love this series, and was entertained with this latest installment. That being said, this book did not live up to my expectations, especially after such a looong wait.
Perhaps it was the change in co-authors, but some of the characters seemed off - most notably Nick. Gone was the suave, sophisticated con-man, and in his place was a bit of a goof. His intelligent banter with Kate was lacking, as was their overall relationship - disappointingly, that didn't seem to progress at all from the last book.
The plot was a bit sloppy. Despite action packed scenes, it didn't feel like much happened throughout the entirety of the 300+ pages. In the past it seemed as if the cons were well developed and more complex, but this time I felt the whole "mission" just meandered from point A to point B.
Furthermore, the team consisted of secondary characters that didn't really serve any purpose - Cosmo was a joke (and not a funny one). One even disappeared somewhat randomly, having been killed "off-stage".
Perhaps it was pressures behind the scenes - a change in authors, deadline changes, etc. - that led to this being my least favorite book in the series. Though I'm disappointed, I am still invested in the characters and look forward to the next book.
But please, for the love of God, bring back Lee Goldberg for the next one!!!
Perhaps it was the change in co-authors, but some of the characters seemed off - most notably Nick. Gone was the suave, sophisticated con-man, and in his place was a bit of a goof. His intelligent banter with Kate was lacking, as was their overall relationship - disappointingly, that didn't seem to progress at all from the last book.
The plot was a bit sloppy. Despite action packed scenes, it didn't feel like much happened throughout the entirety of the 300+ pages. In the past it seemed as if the cons were well developed and more complex, but this time I felt the whole "mission" just meandered from point A to point B.
Furthermore, the team consisted of secondary characters that didn't really serve any purpose - Cosmo was a joke (and not a funny one). One even disappeared somewhat randomly, having been killed "off-stage".
Perhaps it was pressures behind the scenes - a change in authors, deadline changes, etc. - that led to this being my least favorite book in the series. Though I'm disappointed, I am still invested in the characters and look forward to the next book.
But please, for the love of God, bring back Lee Goldberg for the next one!!!
June 22, 2019
The Big Kahuna is missing! Who will be in charge? Who will offer great words of wisdom? Well, that may be pushing the definition a bit since this Kahuna isn't at all wise. His leadership mainly leads to the next wave. But he is a billionaire and the FBI wants to find him. So they send our intrepid agent and her side kick, the charismatic thief.
Soon they learn that quite a few people want Kahuna dead, including his porn star wife. Our story leads us to Hawaii and the brilliant Evanovich's bring the beauty of the land to life. This story is fun and exciting with lots of things blowing up. It's Janet Evanovich, after all.
Soon they learn that quite a few people want Kahuna dead, including his porn star wife. Our story leads us to Hawaii and the brilliant Evanovich's bring the beauty of the land to life. This story is fun and exciting with lots of things blowing up. It's Janet Evanovich, after all.
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