Review of METRO GIRL by Janet Evanovich (see her website)

HarperCollins, November 2004

Alexandra "Barney" Barnaby's life is turned upside down when her always-in-trouble little brother, Bill, disappears. Alex goes to Miami to look for him, only to discover his apartment trashed and a scary character searching for him--and not averse to using violence. Alexandra's search leads her to the Marina and the corporate yacht where Bill worked. There's been a murder, and another boat is missing--a sixty-five-foot Hatteras belonging to NASCAR driver and celebrity Sam Hooker.

Naturally Sam and Alex must join forces. The hung leads them on a trail down to the Keys and ultimately to Cuban waters, where a lost shipment of Castro's gold has been lost--along with a deadly chemical weapon that some very nasty characters would like to find. Along the way they must dodge hitmen, but they have some engaging allies--like the ladies from the cigar factory and the fruit stand, and some charming and brave gay guys.

I had mixed feelings when I started this book. I was hoping for something similar to Evanovich's acclaimed Stephanie Plum series, but I didn't immediately find the characters as engaging or the writing as funny. But the farther along I got, the more I got sucked in. It's a different kind of story than I'm used to from this author--more of a pure romantic suspense with an intricate, well-designed plot and plenty of action.

See more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Janet Evanovich.

Three Stars

Reviewed 11/20/04

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