Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7342 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-20
• Released on: 2006-06-20
• Format: Bargain Price
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

From Publishers Weekly
The mixture of slapstick and gunplay that has put Evanovich's series about a sassy, less than competent New Jersey bounty hunter at the top of bestseller lists once again works its magic in Stephanie Plum's latest caper (after 2005's Eleven on Top). Stephanie, who freely admits her failings as a hunter of fugitives, faces a growing work backlog that threatens the continued existence of her job. Her clumsy efforts to clear some cases, along with the help of her outrageous colleague, Lula, result only in their adding another sad sack to the office payroll—a forlorn shoe salesman who's talked off a ledge by Stephanie's offer of a position as file clerk. Stephanie's ambivalence toward the two men in her life becomes harder to maintain when one of them, the mysterious Ranger, is accused of kidnapping his own daughter. Countless over-the-top scenes, including one at a funeral parlor, will delight longtime fans.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* In a manner almost elegant in its offhandedness, Stephanie Plum gets us up to speed on her life as a bounty hunter in Trenton, NJ; her ever-eccentric family; and her fellows in her cousin's bail-bond office. It doesn't take more than a few pages. Then someone who is mistaken for Ranger--one of the two men in and out of Stephanie's life (the other is Morelli the cop)--is accused of kidnapping his daughter. Evanovich uses all of her considerable arsenal here: wisecracking humor and set pieces about cars, neighborhoods, family matters, and the funeral parlor (now with new directors straight out of Queer Eye for the Burg Guy). Then, at one point, both Morelli and Ranger are living out of Stephanie's apartment (she flees to her childhood bedroom). Evanovich also deftly uses celebrity stalking and identity theft to sketch a quite scary bad guy, and she creates in Ranger's daughter, Julie, a spirited 10-year-old version of her mesmerizing father. The ending is downright terrifying, but the coda is soothing and features a cake with icing roses. Kids? Cupcakes? What could possibly be next? GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Customer Reviews

Vintage Plum
Is it funny? Yes.

Does it have a lot of romantic tension? Yes.

Does it have a good villain? Yes.

Is the mystery interesting? Yes.

Are the characters still fun? Yes.

What more do you want out of a summer beach book?

I've heard some reviewers bemoan Ms. Plum's lack of dynamic character development throughout the series. They would like to see Stephanie grow, or change, or mature, or develop, or choose between Ranger and Joe, or become a monk and move to Tibet, or join the Galactic Alliance and fight the Mucus Monsters of Planet Nostril.

I disagree. I think the formula is perfect. It's fun, fast-paced, and always good for some laughs.

You wouldn't ask Walt Disney to make Mickey Mouse more grown-up. Especially since Disney has been dead for several decades.

You shouldn't ask Janet Evanovich to change Stephanie, either. Both Stephanie, and Janet, are perfect the way they are, and I hope they stay that way for many more books.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat
There's no denying that the Stephanie Plum books are a humorous, light read. However, I'm amazed at the repetitious nature of each book. If you're a fan of the series, think through previous books and tell me if they don't all include the following plot lines:

FAMILY LIFE:
(Plot Line 1): Stephanie attends at least one dinner at her parent's house in which: a) Grandma Mazur makes an off-color reference about something sexual in nature; b) Grandma Mazur tells the family of her plans to attend a funeral; c) Stephanie's dad grunts or rolls his eyes at Grandma Mazur but doesn't say much else; d) Stephanie's mother begs her to keep an eye on Grandma Mazur at the aforementioned funeral; or, e) all of the above.
(Plot Line 2): Grandma Mazur attends at least one funeral and attempts to open the lid of a casket. Stephanie has to remove Grandma Mazur from the premises and apologize to the funeral director.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE:
(Plot Line 3): Stephanie makes at least one unsuccessful attempt to apprehend an FTA.
(Plot Line 4): Lula accompanies Stephanie on one or more FTA busts; on at least one such excursion they stop to eat fattening food or go shopping.

PERSONAL SAFETY:
(Plot Line 5): One or more bad guys are stalking Stephanie, attempting to do her bodily harm, or attempting to kill her.
(Plot Line 6): Stephanie, even though her life is in danger (see item above), decides to disregard all safety precautions or advice provided by Joe and/or Ranger and therefore: a) drives to her parent's home, thus endangering their lives; b) drives to her apartment unarmed and alone; c) drives to a convenience store to satisfy a food craving; d) conducts her daily activities unprotected, as if no danger exists; or, e) all of the above.
(Plot Line 7): Stephanie, immediately after being: a) captured by a bad guy; b) assaulted by a bad guy; c) tortured by a bad guy; d) shot at by a bad guy; or e) all of the above, ponders telling Joe or Ranger about the incident but decides against doing so because she doesn't want them to think she's incompetent.
(Plot Line 8): Because of Stephanie's actions in the above plot lines, Joe and/or Ranger spend time looking for and worrying about Stephanie.
(Plot Line 9): Stephanie finds at least one dead body.

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
(Plot Line 10): Stephanie spends time with Joe but also either kisses, fondles, or fantasizes about Ranger.
(Plot Line 11): Stephanie lies, sometimes through omission, to Joe about her relationship with Ranger.
(Plot Line 12): Stephanie spends time pondering whether she wants to be with Joe or Ranger.

Write a scene for each of these tried-and-true plot lines, intersperse them with a central mystery that involves a murder, an abduction, a missing person, or an FTA and you've got a Stephanie Plum book.

READERS, YOU SHOULD DEMAND MORE.

sub-par
This 12th edition of the often hilarious Plum exploits, was simply not as strong as prior efforts by the very capable Janet E. The dinner scenes at Stephanie's parents have become predictable, her infatuation with Ranger is becoming a sophmoric fantasy. The constant carnage thrust upon Plum is becoming predictable as well. I read the book in one sitting as is my habit, I was entertained but only mildly. I felt as if Janet E. had a deadline and rushed to meet it. She left out her sister and her sisters neurotic lawyer husband who are generally good for a few laughs. Her interaction with her hamster and her eating habits need to be notched up to a more sophisticated level. I will buy the next Plum novel, I only hope Janet E. puts a little more punch into it.