She Treads Softly: The King's Ransom

Sunday, October 26, 2025

The King's Ransom

The King's Ransom by Janet Evanovich
11/11/25; 352 pages
Atria Books
The Recovery Agent #2

The King's Ransom by Janet Evanovich is a highly recommended action thriller. This is the second novel featuring Gabriela Rose, following The Recovery Agent, and just as in the first, expect plenty of action, laughs, and escapism.

Investigator Gabriela Rose is a recovery agent, or insurance fraud investigator, it all depends upon the job. She has no problem hunting down just about anything and is hired to find lost heirlooms, treasures, or any missing asset. When her ex-husband Rafer Jones and his cousin, Harley, show up at her place needing her help recovering missing artifacts, how can she say no? The three grew up knowing each other in Scoon, S.C..

Harley was the president of a bank and, at the urging of his board, he authorized insuring some priceless artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone, a solid gold sarcophagus, and two Van Gogh paintings, among other items. Once insured, the pieces started going missing. If they can't be recovered, Harley may be headed to jail as nothing connects the board to his authorization of the insurance policies.

This fast-paced, entertaining action thriller sends Gabriela, along with Rafer and hapless, but charming Harley, to London, Egypt, and Italy to uncover clues and information to find the missing artifacts, along with uncovering massive corruption and a conspiracy. There are twists, danger, and surprises to keep you focused, which are accompanied by plenty of humor to entertained you. This is a perfect read for escapism, humor, suspense, and a bit of romance. Featuring excellent writing, the plot gallops at a fast pace and keeps racing right to the conclusion.

Gabriela Rose is witty, intelligent, reliable, cool under pressure, able to think on her feet, and well trained in weapons of all types. There is a bit more character development in this second novel in the series, but really the focus is the action, humor, and entertainment. Personally, I did grow a bit tired of reading about her designer wardrobe this time. Admittedly, you have to set disbelief aside, but that would be expected with a protagonist who can do everything she sets her mine to do.

The King's Ransom is a get choice for anyone who enjoy thrillers with action, adventure and humor. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.