Twelve Sharp

It's been a while, so I have a stack of books to review. In memory of my mother-in-law who introduced me to so many great reads, the next few reviews will be authors from her stash. Thank you, Jo. I will miss your gentle wisdom!

Twelve Sharp is another winner from Evanovich. Ranger's jealous wife is after Stephanie. The bail bond's office is short-handed, Stephanie is working overtime to clear up the backlog of fugitives from justice, and Ranger's daughter has been kidnapped. And speaking of Ranger, where the heck is he? As Stephanie works desperately to find Ranger's daughter, she learns much about this man of mystery. Still she's torn between Joe and Ranger. The whole gang is here, Grandma, Sally, Lula, and Connie, along with some new additions. More laugh-out-loud humor. Four out of four bookworms.

Certain Prey by John Sandford

My second John Sandford read was another fast-paced adventure. Clara Rinker is a successful hit woman. Carmel Loan is a successful criminal defense lawyer. Carmel has fallen for a married man. Enter Clara, whom Carmel hires to dispense with the wife. One hit leads to another and another and another and another and another and another. (There may be more, but I lost count.) Will they ever clean up the mess they’ve made, or will Lucas Davenport stop them before dying himself . . . of boredom while serving on the Equality Commission?

I hate to say this, but Sandford makes murder sooo satisfying. I loved Clara, despised Carmel. My only problem was that Clara was so smart up to her involvement with Carmel. She got stupid and sloppy with Carmel. Still, the relationship that developed between the two women intrigued me. This Lucas Davenport story centers more on Clara and Carmel than Lucas. Fast-paced and fun. Three out of four bookworms.

Shadow Prey by John Sandford

Thanks to my mother-in-law, I have discovered John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series. My mother-in-law reads different types of books than I do, so reading her cast-offs is a great way for me to learn about authors I normally wouldn’t read. She introduced me to Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, which I love.

Shadow Prey is apparently the second Davenport book. Men across the United States are dying in what looks like ritual slayings. As Davenport soon learns, these killings are a statement. Two Mdewakanton Sioux, Aaron and Sam Crow, are protesting the treatment of Native Americans in the United States by ordering the killings of men known to prey on Native Americans. Their goal is to lure in bigger prey, a prominent politician with a penchant for underage girls. However, the Crows soon lose control of the protest when their son decides to help things along. Davenport loses control as well when the FBI becomes involved and really screws things up. In the end, law enforcement never truly understands what was going on, even after the killings stop. Fortunately, the reader gets both sides of the story. For this reason, I found myself rooting for the “villains” in this novel. I don’t know if I was supposed to root for them. Maybe this is a Sandford trademark. I suppose I’ll find out after reading more of his books. All in all, a fascinating read. Four out of four bookworms.

Stephanie Plum Rides Again

Can’t wait for the paperback release of Lean Mean Thirteen? Can’t wait until it hits the used book store? Can’t wait until your name pops up on the waiting list at your local library? Yesterday, I picked up the hardback at Target for $20.00 ($19.56) AND received a $5.00 Target gift card with my purchase, effectively bringing the price down to $15.00 ($14.56). Amazon.com has Lean Mean Thirteen for $16.77, a good deal if you buy enough ($25.00 in qualified purchases) to qualify for free shipping, but if you have to pay for shipping . . . . I also picked up the paperback of Twelve Sharp for $5.99, a two dollar discount. I’m sure that longtime Plum fans have already read the hardback of Twelve Sharp. But if you’ve just recently discovered this tenacious bond enforcement agent, this is a good deal on a new book.

I haven't read either, yet. I'm trying to save them for vacation. I love summer!!!

Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich

Okay, so it was a really bad week, and I couldn’t stop at just one Stephanie Plum novel. I read right into Eleven on Top. I’m glad I did. Stephanie quits her job as a fugitive apprehension agent--much to her mother’s delight. Joe’s happy about it, too. Stephanie figures once she finds a normal job, people will stop trying to kill her. Yeah, right! Can Stephanie survive Kan Klean Dry Cleaners and Cluck-in-a-Bucket? More accurately, can those stellar businesses survive Stephanie? Can her relationship with Joe survive her job with Ranger? This is another fast-paced winner from Janet Evanovich. Now, I can get some work done because Twelve Sharp isn’t on my bookshelf, yet, and likely won’t be until it comes out in paperback. Four out of four bookworms.

Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

Last week was a really bad week. First, it was my oldest daughter’s birthday. She would have been 13 years old, but she died when she was five. Every year we celebrate her birthday. I don’t know if that’s considered morbid or not. Every year, I ask my kids if they still want to celebrate her birthday, and every year they say yes. So I make her favorite cake and prepare her favorite meal. I’d just gotten the pizza in the oven when I heard a pop and an “Uh oh!” I figured my son had electrocuted himself. He’s always playing with electricity.
I yelled, “What happened?”
He said, “This can’t be good.”
I yelled again, “What happened,” and started for the computer room.
My son made it to the kitchen before I got to the computer room. He was holding a very bloody thumb. I ran water over it to check the depth of the cut. He needed stitches. So we headed for the ER where he spent the next seven and a half hours—most of that time in the waiting area. Sooo, we didn’t celebrate my daughter’s birthday until the following day.
After such a lousy week, I needed some fun. I needed Stephanie Plum. I got just what I needed in Ten Big Ones. This time, Stephanie is standing outside the local deli with Lula when trouble finds her in the form of the notorious Red Devil robber. Her life is seriously on the line, and the only place she feels safe is Ranger’s bat cave. Yes, folks, we finally get a peek inside Ranger’s private life. One of my favorite characters, Sally Sweet, returns, so you know this is gonna be good. Four out of four bookworms.

To the Nines by Janet Evanovich

I needed a fun book for a road trip last weekend, so picked up To the Nines. Stephanie Plum never disappoints me. This book was no exception. When Stephanie tries to track down a visa bond violator, she becomes the target in a deadly game. Even Ranger’s tough guys can’t keep her safe. In fact, they can’t even keep themselves safe. A little slow to start, but soon I was riding the Stephanie Plum roller coaster at full speed. And I enjoyed the change of scenery when Stephanie and the gang headed to Vegas. Three out of four bookworms.

Bertie and the Seven Bodies by Peter Lovesey

This has been my “car book” for the last two months. Why did it take me so long to finish it? Because I really didn’t care if I finished it or not. Spoiler!!! The plot is reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, even down to planting a child’s nursery rhyme with the victims. However, Lovesey’s characters are shallow and obnoxious, so I really didn’t care if they all died. In fact, I prayed they would and quickly! Bertie is the Prince of Wales who fancies himself a brilliant detective. When guests at a country shooting party begin dying, he tries to solve the mystery himself and puts everyone at risk by not calling in the proper authorities. If you want to read a good mystery, read or reread And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Skip Bertie and the Seven Bodies. One out of four bookworms.

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich

I needed some fun this week, so I picked up Hard Eight. Of course, once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Stephanie agrees to do a favor for her mother’s neighbor and track down the neighbor’s daughter who has run off with the granddaughter. It looks like a case of child abduction, but looks can be deceiving. Stephanie runs into big trouble—this time in the form of Eddie Abruzzi—and soon finds herself running for her life. The rest of the gang is there to help—Ranger, Joe, Lula, and Grandma Mazur. Even Vinnie and Stephanie’s mom get in on the act. Some reviews say this book isn’t as funny as the rest of the series, but it sure tickled my funny bone. A fast read and a good time. My only complaint is that the ending was a little abrupt. Four out of four bookworms.

Seven Up by Janet Evanovich

This Stephanie Plum novel felt more serious to me than the others. Is it the pressure that Ranger and Joe are putting on Stephanie? Is it Stephanie’s childhood memories of her Grandma Mazur providing a haven? Is it Stephanie’s mom’s revelation and her surprising decision at the end of the book? I have to admit, that while I read this series because of Stephanie, I probably relate better to her mom, and in this book, Evanovich really develops her character beyond the two-dimensional caricature.

Yes, this book is still funny—not as funny as the previous six. It’s different—more thoughtful, more poignant. I’m anxious to get started on Hard Eight to see where Evanovich is going with the series and to find out if Ranger called in his debt.

Four out of four bookworms.

Hot Six by Janet Evanovich

I just finished a two-day Stephanie Plum indulge-myself marathon. I read Hot Six and Seven Up. Nothing gets done when I’m reading about the world’s most innocent bounty hunter. Well, almost nothing. I get my daughter to school, and I eat . . . a little. Just when I think Evanovich can’t get any funnier, she proves me wrong. Hot Six is the funniest Plum novel, yet. I laughed until I cried. Grandma Mazur moves in with Stephanie. Stephanie tries to help Ranger clear his name. Morelli’s on the case, too. There’s even a Star Trek convention! Most importantly, we find out whether Joe or Ranger was about to get invited into Stephanie’s bedroom at the end of High Five. I have to say, that revelation disappointed me. Four out of four bookworms.

Tomorrow: Seven Up

High Five by Janet Evanovich

High Five is the fifth novel in the Stephanie Plum series. Just when I think this series can’t get any funnier, it does! This book had me laughing so much, my husband couldn’t concentrate on his book. Stephanie’s Uncle Fred is missing, and Stephanie is determined to find him. As usual, her clues have her crossing paths with Joe Morelli. Things are finally heating up with Ranger, and I say it’s about time. Joe definitely needs a wake-up call. Of course, there are the usual exploding cars and some new quirky characters. I couldn’t put this one down. Four our of four bookworms!

Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum Series

I’ve only read the first four books in the Stephanie Plum series, but I’m looking forward to the next eight. These books are laugh-out-loud funny. This is another series that I didn’t start with the first book. I started with the fourth, then the third, then the first and second. Don’t do what I did! Start with the first book, One for the Money! Evanovich’s strength is her wacky characters and the equally wacky situations in which they find themselves. The mystery is good, but the characters keep me coming back. Four out of four bookworms for the first four books in the series.

One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to Get Deadly
Four to Score


I’ve tried reading some of Evanovich’s other books, as well as a couple penned with her sometime-writing-partner Charlotte Hughes, but none worth recommending.