Book Review: Dangerous Minds (Knight & Moon #2) by Janet Evanovich

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,

Dangerous Minds is written by Janet Evanovich and is published by Bantam Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Buddhist monk Wayan Bagus has a dilemma: the island that he has been living on has disappeared. The little man explains to Emerson Knight and Riley Moon that he was drugged, kidnapped, and when he woke up, his home had vanished. The eccentric billionaire and his assistant listen to the monk's story with wonder and puzzlement. How could an entire island vanish off the map? Emerson consoles the monk and promises to help him find his home. To do so he will need Riley's help once more. After her last "mission" with Emerson, Riley does not want to be a part of the shenanigans. The sexual tension between her and Emerson is growing and he also drives her insane with his weird ways. But with some convincing, she agrees to once again be his amanuensis.

Traveling with Vernon, Emerson's cousin, the group arrives in Washington, D.C. to investigate the island's disappearance. What they discover is a series of missing persons reports at national parks around the United States. They are soon greeted by an assassin dubbed "Tin Man" (he carries hatchets in his coat), who buries a hatchet in the hood of Riley's car. She realizes that her little band of investigators has stumbled onto something big that needs to be kept quiet. A secret society that will stop at nothing to retain their deadly plans. Will Emerson and Riley triumph over those with dangerous minds?

Dangerous Minds was a zany and often precarious journey for the players involved. With the novel taking place in Washington, D.C., Yosemite National Park, and Hawaii, this book traveled far and quick. I enjoyed the quirky monk Wayan Bagus and his assimilation attempts into modern ways. He was a fun addition to the team and provided much of the story's comedic moments. But Emerson and Riley's sexual banter came at some inopportune moments and at times pulled me out of the mystery. The villains were my favorite part of the story. They played like James Bond adversaries with a diabolical plan that often carried the story forward better than the protagonists did. The finale played out well, with a great payoff at the end. I have to say I was surprised several times as the book came to a close.

I read this novel in part with the skillful narration of actress, Lorelei King. My readers know how much I love it when a book is narrated by King. She delivered a fun presentation of this book, which made the story come to life in the best way. Her Wayan Bagus was hysterical with an almost dead-pan delivery. Wonderful work!

Dangerous Minds was a three-star read for me. The mystery and Bond-like villains served the novel well. It is very fun at times and delivered an excellent finale.

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