Smokin' Seventeen

Stephanie and Lula are back!  In Smokin' Seventeen, somebody is dumping bodies in the bail bonds office lot.  A couple of them even have a note for Stephanie.  Between trying to capture FTA's, deciding between Ranger and Morelli, avoiding at least 2 people who have threatened to kill her, and trying to get rid of the latest guy her mom set her up with, Stephanie is trying to keep her sanity.

I was quite entertained by this latest installment, although it could be a fairly predictable at times.  I also didn't really care for the Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger story line in this book.  I think it's time for Ms. Plum to make her choice and stick with it, instead of turning her into a floozy. Lula and Grandma Mazur are still the same wacky women that provide quite a bit of comic relief. 

Like the previous 16 books in the series, I found the book to be an easy, quick, and entertaining read.  If you're looking for a laugh, and have enjoyed the series so far, you'll enjoy this book, too.

 

Sizzling Sixteen

She's back! In Sizzling Sixteen, Stephanie has to rescue her cousin, and boss, from a most unpleasant fate.  With the help of Connie and Lula (and with Ranger stepping in when she gets in over her head), Stephanie manages to save Vinnie twice by coming up with some crazy schemes.

I have mixed emotions about this book.  While I still enjoyed it very much and it was nice to see more of Vinnie and Connie, I do think that it's time for Evanovich to bring Stephanie into the 21st century.  I could have done with a little less Lula (I love her, but sometimes she can be too much) and a little more Morelli.

As always, this series had me laughing almost all the way through, even (perhaps especially?) with the crazy alligator and hobbit appearances.  If you're looking for a fast, easy, and fun read, this is a good option.

Up Next: Sarah's Key

Stephanie Plum Series: Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Book 15)

Lula is running late for work so while she's trying to drive and put her make-up on at the same time, she misses her turn, and watches a man get beheaded. It turns out, the man who lost his head is a celebrity chef who is in town for the local BBQ Cook Off.

Not only did Lula see the murderers, but the murderers also saw Lula. Lula's life is in danger, and the murderers find her at her house, so she decides to move into Stephanie's apartment, which sends Stephanie to Ranger's apartment.

Stephanie is working overtime trying to keep up with her FTA's, finding the men who are after Lula, and trying to help Ranger with a problem he has at his securtiy business. There's plenty of laughs and explosions in Finger Lickin' Fifteen, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Up Next: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Stephanie Plum Series: Fearless Fourteen (Book 14)

It's just another fugitive pick-up for Stephanie when she stops to get single mother, Loretta Rizzi. Loretta has a boy that needs to be picked up from school, and doesn't want to go in to get rebonded until she finds someone to take care of him till she's able to get back home. Stephanie agrees to pick him up, and ends up having the spitting image of Joe Morelli living with her and her boyfriend for longer than expected.

In Fearless Fourteen, it's not just Stephanie that's getting threats, Joe is getting them, too.  Loretta's brother, Dom, robbed nine million dollars from a bank, stashed it somewhere, served his time, and now that he's out, he and his partners want their money.  The money's hiding place has something to do with the house that Aunt Rose left to Joe, and Loretta has been kidnapped.

While trying to find the money so the crazy men will release Loretta, Ranger has also hired Stephanie to do some bodyguard work for a celebrity who comes to town.  The extra work forces Stephanie to hire Mooner, and the celebrity's stalker, to watch over the house and Loretta's son.

Fourteen books into the series, and Janet Evanovich is still able to keep things quite entertaining!

Up Next: Finger Lickin' Fifteen

Stephanie Plum Series: Lean Mean Thirteen (Book 13)

Stephanie was married for about 15 minutes to a jerk named Dickie Orr.  In Lean Mean Thirteen, she's doing a favor for Ranger, and needs to plant a bug on Dickie.  She goes into his office, and the conversation starts out civil enough.  Then Stephanie sees a picture that sets her off and she begins threatening to kill Dickie and Lula points a gun at him, and there are witnesses.

When Dickie disappears and blood is found in his house, Stephanie is the prime suspect.  Her archenemies, Joyce Barnhardt, who is involved with Dickie when he disappears, also thinks Stephanie is guilty, so she does what she can to make all of Trenton turn against Stephanie. 

The two main men involved in Stephanie's life believe in her innocence, and work to keep her out of jail.  Not only does Stephanie find out a few surprising things about Dickie, but she also finds out that Joe Morelli has been keeping a big secret from her.

Up Next: Fearless Fourteen

Stephanie Plum Series: Twelve Sharp (Book 12)

In Twelve Sharp, Stephanie is back to working for Vinnie. Ranger has left town to take care of some "bad business" in Miami. While he's gone, Stephanie is approached and shot at by Carmen Manoso, Ranger's wife.

While Ranger is gone, the news reaches Trenton that Ranger's daughter is missing, and he is wanted for her kidnapping.  He comes back and convinces Stephanie to help him find his daughter and the madman who is responsible.

After agreeing to not only help Ranger, Stephanie also invites him to hide out at her apartment.  Her boyfriend, Joe Morelli, is also on the case, and when he finds out about the sleeping arrangement, he decides to move in to her apartment, too.

As always, Janet Evanovich keeps things interesting on all different levels, and it's hard to put the book down once you start it!

Up Next: Lean Mean Thirteen

Stephanie Plum Series: Eleven on Top (Book 11)

Stephanie has had it with being shot at, bombed, and having her apartment broken into. In Eleven on Top, she quits her job as a bail enforcement agent, thinking that her life could finally regain some normalcy.

After trying out a few different jobs, and receiving threats, including a couple of bombs, she agrees to go to work for Ranger.  When Ranger has to go out of town for a couple of weeks, he gives Stephanie the keys to his truck, and she uses the GPS system to find his Bat Cave.

Stephanie is in a difficult position...she can't stay at her apartment because she's not safe there, and she doesn't want to endanger Joe or her family.  So, she decides that since Ranger is out of town, she may as well crash at his place while she hunts for her stalker.

When Ranger returns and finds Stephanie sleeping in his bed, he agrees to help her.  What they find is a surprise to them all.

Up Next: Twelve Sharp

Stephanie Plum Series: Ten Big Ones (Book 10)

Ten Big Ones makes in painfully obvious how big of a trouble magnet Stephanie is. She and Lula are on a nacho run when the deli-mart is help up. The molotov cocktail that is meant for the store winds up hitting Stephanie's car, and yep. Her most recent car is destroyed. She also becomes the only one who sees the face of the Red Devil.

When a rumor is spread about Stephanie wanting to take on a local gang, she becomes a target.  The gang has hired a thug from LA to take her out.  She decides that she needs to go into hiding, but is going to do it her own way, and finds herself not only driving Ranger's truck, but also sleeping in his bed.

As with the other books in the series, Ten Big Ones has equal parts mystery, romance, suspense, and comedy.  This series is definitely on my "Books wanted" list.

Up Next: Water for Elephants

Stephanie Plum Series: To the Nines (Book 9)

Stephanie is back, and in To the Nines, she is on the case of illegal immigrant, Samuel Singh. This is a high profile case for Vinnie, and he does not want to look like an idiot.

Singh seems to have disappeared from the Trenton area, so when Stephanie gets a lucky tip that he's in Vegas, she hops on a plane (along with Connie and Lula)  as soon as it's possible.  She is shocked when her stalker finds her in Vegas, and finds out Samuel Singh has been murdered.

When she gets back to Jersey, she uncovers the secret, deadly, game that Singh was playing and is horrified to find out that she is the prize.

Up Next: Ten Big Ones

Stephanie Plum Series: Hard Eight (Book 8)

Hard Eight is the eighth installment of the Stephanie Plum series, and just like the previous seven books, this one is just as fun.

This time, Stephanie main focus isn't a fugitive assigned by Vinnie, but is recruited by her parents' neighbor to find a little girl, Annie, and her mother, Evelyn, who has violated a custody bond.  Stephanie isn't the only one looking for Annie and Evelyn.  Jeanne Ellen Burrows works for the man who wrote the custody bond, and she's the female equivalent of Ranger.

Then, there's Eddie Abruzzi, a very dangerous man who is after Evelyn because she has something that he wants.  He also hates Stephanie because he owned Benito Ramirez, and blames her for Ramirez's death.

It's a good thing Stephanie has Morelli and Ranger on her side, especially when it's her life on the line.

Up Next: To the Nines

Stephanie Plum Series: Seven Up (Book 7)

In Seven Up, Stephanie is assigned to pick up semi-retired mob guy Eddie DeChooch. He's an old guy who can barely see or hear, and he's living in the burg, so how hard can it be?

Just like everything else with Stephanie, nothing is as it seems.  A couple of Stephanie's former classmates have inadvertently become involved with Eddie DeChooch, and when they both go missing, she decides she needs help, and turns to Ranger.  He agrees to help, if she's willing to pay the price.  Given that she is kind of engaged to be engaged to Joe Morelli, Ranger's asking price could get her into trouble.  He wants one night with Stephanie, from dusk till dawn.

Up Next: Hard Eight

Stephanie Plum Series: Hot Six (Book 6)

When Stephanie stops by the office to pick up her new list of fugitives, she is given a file that she never expected, and never wanted.

In Hot Six, Ranger, Stephanie's mentor, is the one being hunted.  He is accused of murdering a man, then setting fire to the building to cover up the crime.  There's a lot that just doesn't feel right about this case, and Stephanie definitely has her work cut out, especially when Vinnie also assigns Joyce Barnhardt to the case.

As if Stephanie didn't already have enough on her plate, Grandma Mazur decides she's moving into the apartment with Steph, which seriously affects her alone time with Joe Morelli.

Up Next: Seven Up

Stephanie Plum Series: High Five (Book 5)

In High Five, Uncle Fred has gone missing, and Stephanie's family asks for her help in finding him.  As the body count rises, and as more and more cars get blown up, she begins to think this is more than just a missing person case.

On top of trying to find her uncle, Stephanie still has a list of FTA's to apprehend.  One of those fugitives is a small person, and when the door to his apartment is destroyed during the apprehension, Stephanie finds herself with a new roommate.


And, just to throw in yet another complication, Benito Ramirez has been released and has a score to settle with Stephanie.

Up Next: Hot Six

Stephanie Plum Series: Four to Score (Book 4)

It's easy to fly through a series of such entertaining books. I'm going to have to get to the library soon, so I can get the next few books in the series!

In Four to Score, Stephanie is searching for Maxine, a woman who just got mixed up with the wrong man.  Stephanie makes a new ally while searching for her latest FTA, but she also makes some new enemies.  By the time this case is over, our favorite bounty hunter has been shot at, stabbed at, and held at gunpoint.  Two people are missing fingers, one is missing a scalp, and two more people are dead.  More vehicles and homes are blown up, and Stephanie starts looking for a suplimental income.

As always, this book had me laughing all the way through, and I look forward to the next in the series!

Up Next:  High Five

Stephanie Plum Series: Three to Get Deadly (Book 3)

I really do enjoy these books. The third installment of the Stephanie Plum series, Three to Get Deadly, took me less than a day to read. I started it around 7pm, and finished around midnight. I kept thinking about putting it down, but it was just too entertaining!

This time around, Stephanie is hired to find Uncle Mo and bring him in.  Uncle Mo is an older man who has run an ice cream shop/penny candy store in the burg since 1958.  Everyone loves Uncle Mo.  Uncle Mo can do no wrong.  When the bodies start piling up in what appeared to be an easy, quick case, Stephanie's life is put in danger, and she turns to Morelli for comfort.  Grandma Mazur and Lula are there to provide quite a bit of comic relief, and I laughed when Stephanie tackled a chicken!

Up Next: Four to Score

Stephanie Plum Series: Two for the Dough (Book 2)

Stephanie, Grandma Mazur, and Morelli are all back for this second book of the series. In Two for the Dough, Stephanie is chasing down Kenny Mancuso, who also happens to be Joe Morelli's cousin.  Kenny is a crazy and violent man, who sets his sights on Stephanie when he finds out she's learning a little too much about his secret.  Not only does he attack Stephanie, but he goes after Grandma Mazur, too.

To cover her expenses until she can catch Kenny, Stephanie agrees to do a side job for one of the local morticians, Spiro.  He seems to have lost 24 caskets, and eventually hires her as his bodyguard when he begins to fear for his safety.  As Stephanie (and Morelli) start putting the pieces together, they realize that the missing caskets are also linked to Kenny's disappearance.

I had stopped reading mysteries because I could usually guess the ending.  Author Janet Evanovich throws in enough twists and turns that you may only figure out part of the mystery.  And, even if you do figure out the mystery, Evanovich keeps you interested enough in Grandma Mazur and the possible romance budding between Stephanie and Morelli to make you want to finish the book.

Up Next: The Help

Stephanie Plum Series: One For The Money (Book 1)

I admit, I almost took this series off my list. I mean, really.  A 30-year-old woman bounty hunter from Trenton, New Jersey?  Give me a break.  I could not find anything appealing about the way this series was described to me.  O. M. G.  (Yes, I think this is the first time I've ever "OMG'd", but you don't have to worry about it becoming a regular thing!)  This book is great!

One for the Money is the first in a series of books about 30-year-old Stephanie Plum.  Six months after losing her job, her car is repossessed, and she has sold almost all of her belongings to cover her food, rent, and a new (to her) car.  She's desperate for a job when she hears that her cousin Vinnie is looking for a new filing clerk at his bail bonds business.

Stephanie shows up just in time to find out that the filing position has been filled, so Vinnie's secretary suggests that Stephanie ask Vinnie for a position as a recovery agent.  One of the agents is out for a while, Stephanie is desperate for a job, and they need someone to cover the extra files.  After blackmailing Vinnie, he decides to give her one week to apprehend a man who is out on a $100,000 bond.

The man she is looking for is Joseph Morelli, a former "bad boy" from her childhood neighborhood, and a former cop who is accused of murdering and unarmed man.  The deeper she gets into the hunt, the more dangerous it becomes, until Morelli ends up protecting her from a crazy boxing champ, and she helps to clear his name.

I strongly recommend reading this book.  Even if the main plot doesn't sound appealing, Stephanie's Grandma Mazur appearances will make the book worth your time.  I. Love. Her.

Up Next: Two for the Dough