Greetings,
There is something extremely comforting about an author that you can trust. Like, when you pick up one of their books, you know what you're going to get, from the quality to the kind of story to how it makes you feel. One writer who fits this description quite well is Janet Evanovich. I've been reading her books for years and I know that I'm always going to have a good time with them.
On occasion, Evanovich has teamed up with other writers. Just last year, I read several installments of the Fox and O'Hare series that she writes with Lee Goldberg, which I love and must get around to reviewing someday. And a couple of years ago, she started another one with Phoef Sutton, the Knight and Moon series. And the first book is the one I'll be discussing today, Curious Minds. And before I forget to mention it, Phoef Sutton? Possibly the best name ever. Moving on.
Curious Minds was released in 2016, and the sub-titular characters are Emerson Knight and Riley Moon. Emerson is a very rich young man, who, in addition to having no shortage of money, has no shortage of eccentricities, who is not exactly tactful when it comes to interacting with people and who is, of course, very handsome. Riley is a graduate of Harvard Law and Business schools, who just started working at a prestigious bank and also has just been charged with checking up on one of their clients. Namely, Emerson.
Right off the bat, Riley is a bit put off by Emerson and his strangeness. But remember, he's handsome, so she also takes notice of that, as well as the way that he likes to have poke a lot of fun at her personality, which runs very much counter to his. Before we know it, we're in the middle of a pretty elaborate plot, with missing gold and missing people, and murder, and conspiracy theories. There's so much . . . stuff, but it's okay, because you just go along for the ride. And it is kind of a crazy ride, helped along by the cast of odd characters that Emerson and Riley come across as they are forced to team up, Scooby Gang style, to solve a pretty big mystery. Oh, and there's also an armadillo. Don't ask. Just read.
I went into this book with high expectations of having a lot of fun, because, as I said, I trust Janet Evanovich. And I certainly did enjoy this book. Especially the characters. Especially Emerson. Yeah, it's official. Much like with the Fox and O'Hare series, the Knight and Moon series has given me yet another book boyfriend. Like I needed another one.
Now, I'd like to talk about how this book is different from others I've read by Evanovich, due to, I think, the collaboration aspect. When I pick up a book by Janet Evanovich, I expect fun. I expect to laugh. I expect something lighthearted but very good. With this series, I got all those things, though not quite as much. The Knight and Moon series, again, much like its predecessor, is a bit more serious than what I expect from this author. Don't get me wrong. She has not done a 180, but there are a few more dark moments and the whole thing is heavier. This is not a bad thing. In fact, I think that all of these aspects put together give the book a very nice balance. So, you're gonna have fun, but you'll also get some tense moments. All of it makes for a pretty entertaining story.
Look, I don't think I have to recommend any books by Janet Evanovich to her fan base and those who haven't read her stuff would probably want to start with the Plum novels. But if you wanna give this one a glance, it's definitely worth it. As of right now, there's only one other book in the series, and I intend to check that one out as well. Hopefully, this is the start of another great literary relationship.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer.
