Book Review: "Wicked Business"

"Wicked Business" by Janet Evanovich
First published in 2012
My rating: 4 out of 5
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The second installment of Janet Evanovich's Lizzy and Diesel series was a quick, fun read, but it didn't quite have me busting up with giggles like "Wicked Appetite" did. Instead, "Wicked Business" is more of a race to uncover and follow historical clues scattered across Boston and the Northeast, kind of like a lite, more cheerful, less pressure-filled version of "National Treasure" or "The DaVinci Code" with some potty humor thrown in.

In the first book of the series, "Wicked Appetite," readers are introduced to the story of the SALIGA stones -- ancient stones representing each of the seven deadly sins that, if united in the wrong hands, can spell disaster for mankind. Diesel, whom readers may know from Evanovich's between-the-numbers Stephanie Plum books, has been tasked by the supernatural powers-that-be to find the stones and to protect Lizzy, a cupcake baker from Salem who happens to be one of a very small number of people who can sense magical or "empowered" objects. But Lizzy and Diesel aren't the only people after the stones and, as usual, mayhem ensues as they hunt for the lust stone.

And speaking of lust? Lizzy and Diesel are totally hot for each other, but it's been said that if two people with "enhanced abilities" sleep together one of them will lose all their power, and there's no telling which partner that would be. So there's plenty of sexual tension mixed in with the race for clues and the fart jokes.

Fans of Janet Evanovich's bestselling Stephanie Plum series will love the "Wicked" novels, which are fresh and original with a quirky supernatural theme but still carry Evanovich's signature witty, funny, light-hearted writing.

Happy reading! (Oh, and a small disclaimer: You WILL be craving cupcakes after you read this novel!)