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Kat Makris #12

Safari Crime

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In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the liars sleep tonight …

Kat Makris is back and drowning in misery. It’s been two weeks since Xander went missing, and the only news is no news. But her fortunes change when she discovers her father is about to launch a one-man expedition to Africa in search of the delicious (and useful) henchman.

Kat's not about to let her dad go alone—or at all. After a touch of skullduggery, and for excellent reasons (in Kat’s mind), she’s the one hurtling toward Mogadishu in a flying tin can. Unfortunately, she’s bringing along an unwanted sidekick: Dina, her father’s ex, who is sticking to Kat like glue.

Once again, nothing goes to plan, and Kat finds herself on an unexpected goose chase, spiraling across the globe and into the path of a crazy singing general, her least favorite relatives, and a monkey with a penchant for wigs.

Kat’s starting to suspect she’s cursed, or possibly just Greek.

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2021

60 people are currently reading
24 people want to read

About the author

Alex A. King

44 books207 followers

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5 stars
192 (61%)
4 stars
79 (25%)
3 stars
34 (10%)
2 stars
4 (1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Kristi Gladden.
52 reviews1 follower
April 23, 2021
One of my fav series of all time!!

Usually, I love a series but there comes a time when it becomes obvious that the author is trying too hard to stretch the characters and their story lines past their prime. NOT SO with the Kat Makris series - I will be extremely sad if King EVER stops writing about Kat, her grandmother, Aunt Rita, her dad, and the rest of the gang. King “Greek Mafia” characters are all brilliantly distinct individuals and are numerous enough that she can concentrate on a few in one, and a different few in another, then mix all of them up for the next book.
In Safari Mafia, Xander is missing and no one seems to know where he may be, even Baboulas, which is scary for everyone. Add in two random trips to Africa, Uncle Kostas, and new found relatives, and once again, it’s a hilarious ride all the way around - except no one still knows where is Xander.....or so they????
Profile Image for Kat Cloaked.
43 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2021
Have you read the previous Kat Makris books? Did you like them? If so, just go ahead and buy this!

As usual, Kat lands herself squarely in shenanigans with good intentions. Xander remains MIA ftom the end of the prior book, and Kat is beside herself with worry. As she takes it upon herself to try to find him, her search moves from wild goose chase to hot water, with some family secrets revealed along the way.

In series progression news, Kat’s emotions remain constant. She still finds Melas attractive and views him as a good person, but her feelings for Xander are definitely closer to Love, even if she’s not ready to face that word yet.

Also, we have more hints that the Crooked Noses owner BangBang is closer to Kat than he has let on. (My money is on BB = X.)

Plus a new character arrives — maybe someone who could steal Melas’s heart down the line? (I mean, we want everyone to have a happy ending, right?)

This group of characters has so much kookiness that i think there is ample opportunity to see a future engagement, wedding, pregnancy and parenting and all the ensuing hilarity in forthcoming books!

I can’t wait for the next book, and I bet I’ll feel the same after reading it!
Profile Image for Eden.
2,252 reviews
August 2, 2022
2022 bk 218. The madcap antics of Kat Makris and her Greek Mafia family are back. Xander is missing. Uncle Kostas is lying through his teeth. Kat's father is prepared to go to Africa to search for both - but Kat circumvents his going - and goes herself. A quick return to Greece results in an abduction - of Kat and that gang. Another fun book in the series.
Profile Image for Abi.
2,286 reviews
April 22, 2021
I liked but didn't love this installment. Maybe because Xander wasn't here. That said, it was still hilarious and entertaining, with the usual wild hijinks. We met two new members of the Makris family - Uncle Kostas's ex (one night stand?) and her daughter Cathy, who's 23. Will she steal Kat's position as the next head of the family? Lol, not that Kat cares, and she's not the eldest anyway, but I had a moment while I was reading. Anyway, I enjoyed reading Safari Crime and I look forward to the next installment in the series! 4 stars.
Profile Image for Tonya OK.
551 reviews2 followers
May 7, 2021
As much as I love this series, perhaps it’s time to wind down. While there’s still plenty of truly hilarious moments and banter, the stories are becoming too contrived and excessively ridiculous (which is saying something). King seems to be working way too hard for laughs, which is completely unnecessary given her wicked sense of humour m, and comes across as forced. This may partly reflect an attempt to cover for the fact that she is running out of interesting plots. I am not actually 100% sure what this story was even about. What was the point? This series has crossed the threshold of “too much of a good thing.”
1 review
May 4, 2021
Another fun foray into Kat’s mad life

Another one of a kind Kat adventure, only she could manage to get kidnapped (Again!!) this time by a singing Warlord and end up with another animal for her ever growing menagerie. I love these books, they do make you laugh unexpectedly. They are most definitely not suitable for children given the violent deaths but if you’ve read the rest you know this and if you haven’t read them then go read them now! I hope in the next book Kat isn’t confined to hat wearing still and is maybe looking into opening a small zoo, but whatever her fate I for one can’t wait to read about it.
Profile Image for Dallass.
2,329 reviews
April 26, 2021
All hands on deck for another crazy adventure.

This book was non stop, full steam ahead adventure. Xander is m.i.a and even Grandma is getting a little worried about Mr. Tall, Dark and Silent. A bit of sneaky shenanigans sees Kat jetting off in the first leg of her adventure, and unfortunately for her some old familiar faces make an appearance. So not only is Kat worried about Xander, but Melas is giving her the cold shoulder treatment (not that he made much of an appearance this time round). Things go from bad to worse - Marika is still pregnant - which adds even more to the screwball comedy that is Kat’s life.

I’d say expect the unexpected, but even then I hadn’t anticipated some of the things that went down in this book. Can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.

4.5 stars ⭐️
Profile Image for Laura.
465 reviews54 followers
April 26, 2021
This time around Kat is looking for Xander and having all kinds of crazy adventures on the way. Kat takes a trip or two to Africa with her father's ex girlfriend at her side. Uncle Kostas remains a dangerous thorn in everybody's sides. Things keep happening to Kat as a result of her good and bad decisions, but some of the decisions seem smarter. There isn't much growth in the characters in this one, but there is a little. We see some small changes in Marika, Donk, and Gus in their brief appearances, for example. There are some new family members as well.

Overall I give this book 4/5 stars. Definite must read if you've been reading the series, but not a standalone. And I was a little disappointed in the ending. It seems like a bit of a cliffhanger. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment though. I love Kat and her family.
Profile Image for Nathalie.
25 reviews
May 3, 2021
Sarcastic and satiric. Excellent book. Just funny in a different way. Play on word are delightful. Wasn't to thrill about no point to the book still can't wait for the next one
70 reviews
May 2, 2021
Enjoyed this series

I love all of Alex's books. Especially appreciate the glossary at the end of Safari Crime. You need to write faster😁
Profile Image for warren l derflinger.
78 reviews
May 1, 2021
Plum fans will love!

This humorous series has me addicted, flying through the pages. Kat collection of animals is percious. Bring on the next book. Gimme, gimme
Profile Image for Missy.
40 reviews
April 28, 2021
Lovable and funny Greek crime family

I really like the characters and that each story/book has most all of them in it. It was funny story lines that you can't help but follow and try to figure them out. Can't wait for the next book, Family Crime.
Profile Image for Selma Martinez.
33 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2021
Great read

Amazing like always. One of those books you just can out down. Now for the impatient wait for the next one
7 reviews
April 23, 2021
Kat always gets in trouble

Another fun filled trainwreck of adventure! But I think Kat is actually getting smarter. We will have to see what she does next!
649 reviews
April 21, 2021
As always a great laugh

Kat is at it again albeit not with Xander. She misses him hell we all miss Xander. Meals is giving Kat the cold shoulder and Kat is sitting vigil for Her a of all people. Life is never boring but bring Xander back please!!
182 reviews3 followers
April 22, 2021
Excellent fun read

I am such a fan of this series, always a completely random plot with well rounded characters that I feel I know.
Profile Image for Sarah.
697 reviews1 follower
April 26, 2022
2*

This is a series that I always enjoy and tend to have a lot of fun with. Unfortunately, it looks like I may be the ‘odd man out’ when it comes to my review of this book though, because my rating is far from the 4 and 5 stars everyone else seems to be tossing out.

Safari Crime (book #12) left me wanting so much more throughout its entirety. There were large portions of this novel that just made me feel…bored. The antics in this story were overly dramatic and grossly unrealistic. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying everything else within this series always seemed completely legitimate either, but there was something about this book that just rubbed me a bit wrong this time around.

A huge part of my disappointment lies with the over-the-top ridiculous ploltline (which especially pertains to the beginning of the novel and the gang getting kidnapped by General Macanay).

When we finally got back out of Africa for the second time, and the plot picks up and follows Uncle Kostas more, I didn’t mind it as much and my overall enjoyment of the novel picked up. It was still a bit crazy, but vastly improved from the beginning storyline.

If I remember correctly, there has been at least one other book where Xander (or Melas) wasn’t featured enough for my tastes, which affected my overall enjoyment. Whenever the love interest is gone, I think the spark and tension that King does such a good job building disappears, which counts for a good chunk of my draw to the story overall. Xander has been MIA for 2 weeks and even with Kat’s best efforts, no one seems to make any progress at all with finding out what happened to him and where he either snuck off to or is being held hostage. I loved seeing Kat’s loyalty, worry, and persistence where he was concerned but a lot of the witty and amusing banter the two of them bring to the story together didn’t occur at all, which was sad.

Now, there have been hints that the Crooked Noses owner (BangBang) may be Xander but, even with the ending, nothing has yet been confirmed, so that’s just my theory at this point. Either way, it’s a bit frustrating to me that throughout this book, this never crossed Kat’s mind. It was awfully convenient that Xander and BangBang disappeared at the same time…. I wish she’d at least questioned this at some point.

I think another thing that has really thrown me with this novel is the fact that I found very little of it actually funny/amusing. Usually, I’m cracking up at the jokes, banter, and shenanigans that Kat and the gang get up to. Safari Crime (book #12) only made me laugh ONCE (toward the end). The humor that I’ve come to expect with this series simply didn’t make much of an appearance in this novel.

With all of the complaints out of the way (and despite my contrary rating), I’m still enjoying the series as a whole. While I can’t say that this has been my favorite book, I’m still very invested in the characters and all of their crazy antics. The fact that King has been able to keep me this hooked throughout such a long series (with no end in sight) is impressive and I wholly appreciate the world and the characters that she has created.

Additionally I liked how Kat’s feeling toward Melas were explained as well. That felt very authentic. I liked seeing the struggle and even the confusion regarding her feelings (despite staying fully loyal to Xander). It was very believable.

This book left us with a small cliffhanger which just makes me itch to reach the next book.
Profile Image for Cecilia.
104 reviews2 followers
May 13, 2021
This is the least favorite book of the whole series. I’m a fan, I like the series but this book was pointless. A whole book just to find out Katerina has a cousin? And to see how bad is Uncle Kostas? Really???!!!
It felt like the plot was a mix of all the characters and all the annoying things they usually do, specially Marika and Dina. I like them but they went too far. I’m tired of Marika only thinking about food and not listen to anything else that is not food related and that Katerina seems like can’t even go to the bathroom without her accompanying. Same with Dina and the obsession with Kat’s father. And what’s with Katerina collecting animals? That’s too much too. It was funny with some animals but now it seems that in every book she has to add another animal to the collection. I’m thankful that this time the bullying from Takis was way less than usual, because that’s annoying too. How come baboulas hasn’t punished him yet? I think I know who BangBang is.
If you’re reading the book you can read the first chapters and then skip to chapter 22 or even 23 and you’ll get everything that’s important in the book. Seriously. The rest contains almost nothing new. It took me 5 days to finish the book when it usually takes me 1 maximum 2 days to read a book in the series. I didn’t what to pick it up because I was so annoyed with Dina and Marika.
I don’t know what to expect in the next book and I do hope the author takes time to read the all the reviews. Less bullying from Takis, less stupidity from Marika, Dina and Hera and more main plot related action. Which this book didn’t have.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kat Lebo.
858 reviews16 followers
October 8, 2021
𝑺𝒂𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒊 𝑪𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆, a Kat Makris Greek Mafia mystery
by Alex A. King

While this is one of my favorite series, there are things about it that make me crazy. In this novel, my biggest complaint is the ending is a form of cliffhanger. You know, not necessarily a steep cliff, but certainly more than leaving the literary door open for another adventure. My standard take away is one star. This author also falls down a bit on the proofreading scale. Now, I know proofreading one's own work is difficult. That's what beta readers and editors are for.

Here is a list of some errors that stopped my progress long enough to highlight.

At location 760: "Dad loved Mom. He loved her still. And I had no doubts that they'd still been together if cancer hadn't ripped her out of our lives."

At 1276: "Although I was crammed full of waffles, the mention of souvlaki made my stomach grow. Stupid stomach."

At 1807: "I am going to I look for that monkey..."

At 2430: "So I'd promised to take Dina wig once we'd recovered from our African adventure."

At 2518: "Grandma called me to apartment early the next morning."

So, another star off for the proofreading errors.

Other than those, this was an entertaining book. Maybe not the best of the 12 existing books, but with quips like this one at 314 on my Kindle, it is a fun read: "Grandma isn't overweight, per se, it's just that gravity used her for a good time and now she's too short for her weight."

So, yes, I'll read the next book when it comes out. But I will still complain, especially when I'm paying full price, rather waiting till it shows up on one of my low cost lists.
Profile Image for Myra Ball.
649 reviews
September 15, 2021
Humor & Mystery

Humorous mysteries just can't get better than Alex King. I've read both of the author's mystery series and they are top-notch for their mysteries as well. This group of characters are varied yet likeable even the worst have an odd likability at times. I'm excited for the next story to hurry up and publish.
Profile Image for Jeanine.
133 reviews
March 29, 2022
Not as good as others in the series, but still enjoyable

A ok continuation of the story. The book got annoying when Kat’s lisp went on for way too long; it wasn’t even consistent, which was frustrating. Not a lot happened in this book, I kept waiting for more and it never came to pass. Definitely not up to the high standards I hold for this series but still worth reading.
Profile Image for Elaine Mestas.
9 reviews
May 28, 2021
Laugh out loud

This is a great installment to the series. Makes me want to renew my passport and visit Greece. For me it’s all Kat’s sidekicks that add to her situation making it even more hysterical.
Profile Image for Tracy.
112 reviews1 follower
July 21, 2021
Back on track

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made me laugh out loud a lot which was great as the last couple of Kat Makris stories didn't. And...what a cliffhanger ending. I need the next book NOW!!!!!!!!!!
8 reviews1 follower
September 20, 2021
Love

I fell in love with this family in the first book and my love for them and these stories has grown by leaps and bounds with each new book. Kat Makris and her crazy crew never disappoint.
2 reviews
January 25, 2022
Funny and crime story with a Greek wrapper

Big fat Greek wedding meeting the godfather, minus the wedding. Funny read with fast paced dialogue, monologue and an increasing list of pets
Profile Image for Mary Corso.
1,150 reviews
May 20, 2021
The story continues

Xander is still missing, uncle still a butthead, Melos still sad, Hera still a bitch, and dad’s girlfriend is still crazy.
21 reviews1 follower
June 15, 2021
Fast paced fun

As usual a fast ride like a roller coaster. Left many unanswered questions which means waiting for the next book.
3 reviews
August 5, 2021
I love this series. Most fun I've had reading. I've read all 12 books and now I'm waiting for #13. Alex King can't write fast enough for me.
Profile Image for Mary.
152 reviews5 followers
September 14, 2021
I enjoyed this book but felt that something was missing.
Profile Image for SusanR.
131 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2021
Wow

This went places I didn't expect. A fun crazy read that you will laugh and laugh some more. Love Kat with an s. And everyone else.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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