A review by Nalini Haynes
Lizzie is a pastry chef whose world was turned upside down when she discovered she has paranormal abilities. Diesel is a paranormal investigator who deals with problems in paranormal circles, and is ‘sex on legs’. Lizzie has a cat with character while Diesel has a monkey who is supernaturally intelligent but also, at times, wicked to the point of torturing Diesel and Lizzie. Lizzie and Diesel are searching for seven stones linked to the seven deadly sins, but so is Wulf, Diesel’s possibly evil cousin, who fascinates Lizzie to the point that she wonders if she’s in love or lust with him.
Wicked Business follows the same formula as the incredibly popular Stephanie Plum series, the primary differences being the introduction of a paranormal sub-culture to our world and the animals who double as comic side-kicks and plot devices. This is the third in this new series; I haven’t read the first two but Wicked Business was a good jumping-in point. There were recaps explaining what has gone before. By not reading the first two novels in this series, the reader misses Lizzie’s introduction to the paranormal world, getting established in her new job with new friends including her introduction to Diesel and his monkey, and the foundation for Lizzie and Wulf’s relationship. While it’s usually best to begin at the beginning of a series, it is possible to jump in here and follow the story easily.
I think of Janet Evanovich’s novels as being a bit like chocolate: a guilty pleasure, light reading for a change of pace. Wicked Business isn’t as funny and sassy as the very best Stephanie Plum books but Evanovich is still establishing this world and developing the characters. I have hopes that Lizzie and the lust stone will have issues in the future. Wicked Business definitely holds its own, and is recommended for Evanovich fans and fans of sassy fun detective romps.
