Review: Double Mint (Davis Way, #4)

Davis Way is back to uncovering crime and engaging in hi-jinks at the Bellismo Casino. Employed as a special undercover agent at the Bellismo, Davis is expected to uncover and take down criminal operations at the casino. Those who have read the earlier volumes in this series will recall that Davis was hired by the Bellismo because she looks exactly like her boss's wife. She has married the resort's security chief, and they reside in an on-site penthouse apartment. As this volume opens Davis has been forced to take over the special events coordinator's job, after the incumbent walked out of the hotel, never to return. She has also discovered the equipment to print fake currency lodged deep in the walls of her apartment. Then there's the fridge: it doesn't work, and needs to be fixed, except it's a crazy, ugly behemoth no one has ever seen before. Then a group of security professionals show up for a conference, with entertainment consisting of high stakes slot tournaments, and platinum goes missing from the casino vault. 

The story is a bit nuts, but it's also absolutely hilarious. It's high-energy, high-action, and high-humor. Davis offers significant snarky commentary about her apartment, decorated as if a Party City barfed up a New Orleans themed issue of a decorating magazine. Nothing in this book is expected. If you think you know where there plot is going, you probably don't. I'm excited to see where this series is going to go next. 

Gretchen Archer, Double Mint (Henery Press, 2015) 

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley for purposes of review.

The final episode in the trilogy finds Lisbeth recovering from near-fatal gunshot wounds, and approaching her trial. A guilty verdict would result in long-term commitment. The secret group within the Swedish Intelligence Agency is working hard to ensure that Lisbeth will have no credibility in court. Mikael Blomkvist is working to try and uncover their activities and actions.

While this is hardly great literature, this book fulfilled all my desires for thrill and suspense. It moves at lightening speed, with a large and complicated cast of characters. As was the case with the first book, I found the journalism sub-plots to be much less interesting than the story of Lisbeth and the Section. Erika Berger's troubles at SMP struck me as an unnecessary side-note. Still, I read all 500+ pages in a single weekend. It couldn't wait to find out what happens, and I'm sorry that there won't be any more.

Stieg Larsson, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Knopf, 2010) ISBN: 030726999X