Book ~ "Dirty Thirty" (2023) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Stephanie Plum, Trenton’s hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered a freelance assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds out of his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day.

With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Stephanie is taking care of Bob, Morelli’s giant orange dog who will devour anything, from Stephanie’s stray donuts to the upholstery in her car. Morelli’s absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie’s life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there.

To complicate matters, her best friend Lula is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie’s mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions.

As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won’t be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It’s a good thing Stephanie isn’t afraid of getting a little dirty, too.

Stephanie works for Vince, her bail bondsman cousin, and Lulu, a former 'ho, works with her. They have people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date, including Duncan who was arrested for robbing a jewelry store and has disappeared. Coincidentally, Stephanie is hired by the owner of the jewelry store to find Andy, an ex-employee, who he is accusing of stealing more jewelry during the confusion of the first robbery. During this, Morelli, her longtime boyfriend who is a police officer, is out of town and she's taking care of Bob, his huge dog. So she has to depend on Ranger, her former colleague, who is more than happy to help her ... but is she willing to pay the price?

This is the 30th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all. They are mindless familiar quick reads. As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Though dating long time boyfriend, Morelli, she is lusting after both Joe and Ranger ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and eating lots ... check
• Lulu gets mad when people insult her about her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her ... check
• Stephanie's car explodes or gets totalled ... check
• Lulu says "on account of" about a million times ... check

This book was okay.  I would have liked it better without Lulu thinking she is being tormented by an ogre, which was a ridiculous side story.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  Stephanie is still torn between Morelli and Ranger ... she feels that she loves both Morelli and Ranger and there appears to be the possibility of a resolution at the end of the book (a cliffhanger?). As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Going Rogue: Rise and Shine Twenty-Nine" (2022) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Monday mornings aren’t supposed to be fun but they should be predictable. However, on this particular Monday, Stephanie Plum knows that something is amiss when she turns up for work at Vinnie’s Bail Bonds to find that longtime office manager, Connie Rosolli, who is as reliable as the tides in Atlantic City, hasn’t shown up.

Stephanie’s worst fears are confirmed when she gets a call from Connie’s abductor. He says he will only release her in exchange for a mysterious coin that a recently murdered man left as collateral for his bail. Unfortunately, this coin, which should be in the office - just like Connie - is nowhere to be found.

The quest to discover the coin, learn its value and save Connie will require the help of Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur, her best pal Lula, her boyfriend Morelli, and hunky security expert Ranger. As they get closer to unraveling the reasons behind Connie’s kidnapping, Connie’s captor grows more threatening and soon Stephanie has no choice but to throw caution to the wind, follow her instincts, and go rogue.

Stephanie works for Vince, her bail bondsman cousin, and Lulu, a former 'ho, works with her. When Stephanie and Lulu show up to work on morning, the doors are locked and the lights are out, which is very unusual because Connie, the office manager, is always there ahead of time. After looking around town for her, they get a call that she has been kidnapped and her ransom is collector's coin that was given to Vince as collateral when he bonded someone out of jail. Vince, though, has lost the coin and Stephanie and Lulu start hunting it down so they can save their friend and co-worker.

As usual, Stephanie and Lulu have a couple people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date, including her boyfriend, Joe's evil grandmother, Bella, who puts the evil eye on everyone. 

This is the 29th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all. As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Though dating long time boyfriend, Joe, she is lusting after both Joe and Ranger ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and eating lots ... check
• Lulu gets mad when people insult her about her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment ... check
• Stephanie's car explodes ... check
• Lulu says "on account of" about a million times ... check

This book was okay. It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  Stephanie is still torn between Joe and Ranger which is tiresome ... she says she loves Joe but is still attracted to Ranger, which Ranger encourages. I found it surprising that she has marriage in her mind so much in this book considering she's cheating on Joe with Ranger. I don't know why she's even with Joe since they don't seem to spend quality time together ... they eat pizza, watch a hockey game and/or have sex. Ranger looks out for her more than Joe does.

Since it's basically the same story over and over, though, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library. It's a mindless familiar quick read. As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "The Recovery Agent" (2022) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Lost something? Gabriela Rose knows how to get it back. As a recovery agent, she’s hired by individuals and companies seeking lost treasures, stolen heirlooms, or missing assets of any kind. She’s reliable, cool under pressure, and well trained in weapons of all types. But Gabriela’s latest job isn’t for some bamboozled billionaire, it’s for her own family, whose home is going to be wiped off the map if they can’t come up with a lot of money fast.

Inspired by an old family legend, Gabriela sets off for the jungles of Peru in pursuit of the Ring of Solomon and the lost treasure of Cortez. But this particular job comes with a huge problem attached to it - Gabriela’s ex-husband, Rafer. It’s Rafer who has the map that possibly points the way to the treasure and he’s not about to let Gabriela find it without him.

Rafer is as relaxed as Gabriela is driven, and he has a lifetime’s experience getting under his ex-wife’s skin. But when they aren’t bickering about old times the two make a formidable team, and it’s going to take a team to defeat the vicious drug lord who has also been searching for the fabled ring. A drug lord who doesn’t mind leaving a large body count behind him to get it.

Gabriela is a recovery agent ... she is an expert at finding missing items and will use any means possible for a big financial payoff.  A hurricane devastated her hometown and unless she comes up with $15 million to repair it, developers are swooping in and buying up properties because the residents can't afford the repairs.  

Fanny, Gabriela's grandmother, tells her that Annie, the ghost of her ancestor (supposedly Blackbeard's mistress), told her there are maps in a chest that will lead to enough treasure to pay for the repairs.  The problem is the chest is hidden in her late great aunt Margareet's house in St. Vincent ... the same house Margareet had left to Gabriela when she passed away but Gabriela gave up in a divorce from her ex-husband, Rafer.  Rafer lives there and runs a dive shop and he and Gabriela didn't split up on good terms.

When Gabriela heads to St. Vincent and sneaks into the house, she is caught by Rafer as she is searching for the chest.  Rafer doesn't buy her story that it's just family mementos and wants half of whatever she's after (since the chest is in what's now his house) so tags along on her adventures.  They are looking for the Seal of Solomon ring but so is a religious nut who willing to kill to get the ring.

I've read many book by this author and this is the first in the Gabriela Rose series.  While I liked the writing style (it's reminiscent of her other books), treasure hunts through the jungle don't interest me nor do ghost stories.  Gabriela seemed a bit cold but I liked the quirky other characters, even Rafer.  I found it unbelievable that they were able to take off to the jungles of Peru and Costa Rica, to California and more just like that.  And Rafer is a nice lazy dude who runs a dive shop but didn't think twice about taking off with Gabriela with no reaction to the danger they were in.

I'll keep an eye out for the next one in the series ... hopefully it won't be as farfetched as this one.

Book ~ "Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight" (2021) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ When Stephanie Plum is woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of footsteps in her apartment, she wishes she didn’t keep her gun in the cookie jar in her kitchen. And when she finds out the intruder is fellow apprehension agent Diesel, six feet of hard muscle and bad attitude who she hasn’t seen in more than two years, she still thinks the gun might come in handy.

Turns out Diesel and Stephanie are on the trail of the same fugitive: Oswald Wednesday, an international computer hacker as brilliant as he is ruthless. Stephanie may not be the most technologically savvy sleuth but she more than makes up for that with her dogged determination, her understanding of human nature, and her willingness to do just about anything to bring a fugitive to justice. Unsure if Diesel is her partner or her competition in this case, she’ll need to watch her back every step of the way as she sets the stage to draw Wednesday out from behind his computer and into the real world.

Stephanie works for her bail bondsman cousin and Lulu, a former 'ho, works with her. As usual, they have a couple people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date. Stephanie and Joe, a police officer, are still together but Diesel is back in the picture after two years.  They are both looking for a dangerous hacker named Oswald.  With nowhere to stay, Diesel crashes at Stephanie's.

This is the 28th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all. As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Though dating long time boyfriend, Joe, she is lusting after both Joe and Ranger (and now Diesel) ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and eating lots ... check
• Lulu gets mad when people insult her about her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment ... check
• Stephanie's car explodes ... check

This book was okay ... I found the hacker storyline a bit boring.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  Since it's basically the same story over and over, though, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library. It's a mindless familiar read.

Book ~ "The Bounty" (2021) Janet Evanovich and Steve Hamilton

From Goodreads ~ Straight as an arrow special agent Kate O’Hare and international con man Nick Fox have brought down some of the biggest criminals out there. But now they face their most dangerous foe yet - a vast, shadowy international organization known only as the Brotherhood.

Directly descended from the Vatican Bank priests who served Hitler during World War II, the Brotherhood is on a frantic search for a lost train loaded with $30 billion in Nazi gold, untouched for over seventy-five years somewhere in the mountains of Eastern Europe.

Kate and Nick know that there is only one man who can find the fortune and bring down the Brotherhood - the same man who taught Nick everything he knows - his father, Quentin. As the stakes get higher, they must also rely on Kate’s own father, Jake, who shares his daughter’s grit and stubbornness. Too bad they can never agree on anything.

From a remote monastery in the Swiss Alps to the lawless desert of the Western Sahara, Kate, Nick, and the two men who made them who they are today must crisscross the world in a desperate scramble to stop their deadliest foe in the biggest adventure of their lives.

Everyone thinks Nick is a con man and thief and Kate, an FBI agent, is trying to catch him.  But in reality, Nick had been caught and is now secretly working with Kate and the FBI.  Only a handful of people are aware of this.

There is going to be a robbery at the Vatican and Kate and Nick are dispatched to roam to be part of the team to stop it.  Imagine their surprise when the robber doesn't seem what they thought he was going to steal AND it turns out to be Nick's father, Quentin.  Nick protects his father and in turn, Kate protects Nick.  It seems that Quentin was stealing part of a map that would lead to $30 million dollars in old Nazi gold.  There are different pieces of the map which takes Kate, Nick, Quentin, Jake (Kate's father) and a professor all over Europe to find them because they land in the wrong hands, a group called the Brotherhood.

This is the seventh in the Fox and O'Hare series ... I've them read all and liked them but I didn't like this one.  It was very far-fetched and had Nick climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Kate climbing to the top of a castle, Nick and Quentin searching a polar bear exhibit, the team climbing a rugged mountain and more ... with hardly a scratch.  All the while fighting off the bad guys.  I've liked Kate and Nick and their interactions and banters in the past but in this book there weren't many.  It was more action-packed and cold, perhaps due to the change in the second writer.  I hope the next one in the series is better.

Book ~ "Fortune and Glory" (2020) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur's new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair … and the keys to a life-changing fortune.

But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way - along with a new adversary who’s even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She’s also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts - and someone who’s about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Stephanie may be in over her head but she’s got two things that Gabriela doesn’t: an unbreakable bond with her family and a stubborn streak that will never let her quit.

She’ll need both to survive because this search for “fortune and glory” will turn into a desperate race against time with more on the line than ever before. Because even as she searches for the treasure and fights to protect her Grandma Mazur, her own deepest feelings will be tested - as Stephanie could finally be forced to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger.

Stephanie works for her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, and with Lulu, a former 'ho. They have a few people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date and, as usual, they have a problem catching them. There are some bad guys after Stephanie's grandmother because they think Grandma as the keys to her late husband's treasure (they had been married briefly in the last book and he passed away on their honeymoon).  So not only is Stephanie trying to catch the guys who skipped their court date so she can pay her bills but she is also trying to protect Grandma.  

Stephanie and her on again/off again boyfriend, Joe, a police officer, have broken up and she is spending more time with Ranger, her former colleague.

This is the 27th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all ... I liked this book better than the last few, though.  It felt like it was written by someone other than Evanovich while sticking to the usual Stephanie Plum formula.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view. There seemed to be more swearing than in the past.

Book ~ "The Big Kahuna" (2019) Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Straight arrow FBI Agent Kate O'Hare always plays by the rules. Charming con man Nicholas Fox makes them up as he goes along. She thinks he's nothing but a scoundrel. He thinks she just needs to lighten up. They're working together to tackle the out-of-bounds cases ordinary FBI agents can't touch. And, their relationship? Well, there hasn't been so much explosive chemistry since Nitro was introduced to Glycerin. 

Next on the docket: The mysterious disappearance of the Silicon Valley billionaire, known as the Big Kahuna. Kate's been assigned to find him but no one seems particularly keen on helping. His twenty-six year old adult actress wife-turned Instagram model wife and his shady Czech business partner are more interested in gaining control of his company. For that they need a dead body not a living Kahuna. 

The only lead they have is the Kahuna's drop-out son, who's living the dream in Hawaii - if your dream is starting your day with the perfect wave and ending it with a big bowl of weed. To get close to the Kahuna's son, Kate and Nick go undercover as an engaged couple in the big wave, bohemian, surfer community of Paia, Maui. Living a laid back, hippy-dippy lifestyle isn't exactly in Kate's wheelhouse but the only thing more horrifying is setting up house with Nick Fox, even if he does look pretty gnarly on a longboard. If they don't catch a break soon, waves aren't the only thing she's going to be shredding (or bedding). 

Everyone thinks Nick is a con man and thief and Kate, an FBI agent, is trying to catch him.  But in reality, Nick had been caught and is now secretly working with Kate and the FBI.  Only a handful of people are aware of this.

A billionaire businessman nicknamed the Big Kahuna has disappeared while flying solo over the ocean.  His young wife wants him declared dead so she can access his money.  His business partner wants him declared dead so she can take control of his business.  Kate and Nick don't think he's dead so head out to Hawaii, where his adult son lives, to see if he's hiding there.

This is the sixth in the Fox and O'Hare series ... I've them read all and liked them.  I liked the writing style and thought the story was okay.  It's far-fetched at times so I had to leave my sense of belief at the door and go with it.  I liked Kate and Nick and liked their interactions and banters.  I liked the other supporting characters like Kate's dad, Jake, and her colleague, Cosmo ... they were fun and quirky.  One thing annoyed me, though, was the use of "on account of" ... it is an awkward phrase so it stood out to me and is used five times.  Lulu in Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum series uses it a lot too.

Book ~ "Twisted Twenty-Six" (2019) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Grandma Mazur is a widow ... again. This time her marriage lasted a whole 45 minutes. The unlucky groom was one Jimmy Rosolli, local gangster, lothario (senior division) and heart attack waiting to happen ... well, the waiting's over.

It's a sad day but if she can't have Jimmy at least Grandma can have all the attention she wants as the dutiful widow. But some kinds of attention are not welcomed, particularly when Jimmy's former "business partners" are convinced that his widow is keeping the keys to their financial success for herself.

As someone who has spent an entire career finding bad guys, a set of missing keys should be no challenge for Stephanie Plum. Problem is, the facts are as twisted as a boardwalk pretzel with mustard.

Stephanie's grandmother has just gotten married to a mobster named Jimmy, who passes away 45 minutes later in a casino. His ex-wife isn't happy because now she's been cut out of the will. His mobster friends aren't happy because he had the keys to a fortune and they figure he had given them to Grandma. What keys?! But he didn't but that doesn't stop everyone from coming after Grandma to get them.

Stephanie works for her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, and is questioning her life.  Lulu is a former 'ho who works with her. As usual, they have a couple people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date. Stephanie and Joe, a police officer, are still together and Ranger, her former colleague, is still hot and lusting after Stephanie, which is tempting her.

This is the 26th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all. As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and talks about going on a diet ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment ... check
• Ranger has his employees tail Stephanie to keep her out of trouble ... check
• Something happens to Stephanie's car so Ranger lends her a nice one ... check

I liked this book better than the last few.  It was nice to see Stephanie's dad do more than just grunt, eat, watch TV and want to kill Grandma.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view. There is some swearing and adult situations.  Since it's basically the same story over and over, though, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library. It's a mindless familiar read.

Book ~ "Look Alive Twenty-Five" (2018) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ There's nothing like a good deli and the Red River Deli in Trenton is one of the best. World famous for its pastrami, cole slaw and for its disappearing managers. Over the last month, three have vanished from the face of the earth, the only clue in each case is one shoe that's been left behind. 

The police are baffled. Lula is convinced that it's a case of alien abduction. Whatever it is, they'd better figure out what's going on before they lose their new manager, Ms. Stephanie Plum. 

Stephanie works for her bail bondsman cousin, Vinnie, and Lulu is a former 'ho who works with her.  As usual, they have a couple people they have to track down who didn't show up for their court date.  In the meantime, Vinnie's boss has ended up with a deli when someone defaulted and Vinnie convinces Stephanie and Lula to run it.  Unfortunately the last three managers have disappeared while taking out the garbage ... all that's left behind is a shoe.  Lula suspects it's aliens that are taking them.

Wulf, a magical character, is somehow involved.  He is a cousin of Diesel, another mystical man who keeps popping in and out of Stephanie's life (I find the Diesel and Wulf storylines dumb).  The Wulf character could have been deleted and the story would have ended the same way.

Stephanie and Joe, the police officer, are still together and seem to be in a committed relationship.  Ranger, her former colleague, is still hot and lusting after Stephanie and she doesn't act very committed to Joe around him, which is tiring.  By now, Stephanie should have picked one or the other ... but why should she when all both seem to want to do is get her into bed (neither takes her out on dates)?  And why does Joe trust Ranger around Stephanie when she can't trust herself?!

This is the 25th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all.  I liked this one better than the last few.  As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and gets offended when someone refers to her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check 
• Morelli just wants to have sex with Stephanie ... check 
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment  ... check 
• Ranger has one of his employees tail Stephanie to keep her out of trouble ... check

Having Stephanie and Lula work in the deli was amusing.  There wasn't a lot of Grandma Mazur or Stephanie's parents in this one which was a nice change.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  I thought the ending was pretty convoluted.  There is some swearing and adult situations.

Since it's basically the same story over and over, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library.  It's a mindless familiar read.

Book ~ "Hardcore Twenty-four" (2017) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Trouble comes in bunches for Stephanie Plum. First, professional grave robber and semi-professional loon, Simon Diggery, won’t let her take him in until she agrees to care for his boa constrictor, Ethel. Stephanie’s main qualification for babysitting an extremely large snake is that she owns a stun gun - whether that’s for use on the wandering serpent or the petrified neighbors remains to be seen.

Events take a dark turn when headless bodies start appearing across town. At first, it’s just corpses from a funeral home and the morgue that have had the heads removed. But when a homeless man is murdered and dumped behind a church Stephanie knows that she’s the only one with a prayer of catching this killer.

If all that’s not enough, Diesel’s back in town. The 6-foot-tall, blonde-haired hunk is a man who accepts no limits - that includes locked doors, closed windows and underwear. Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli isn’t pleased at this unexpected arrival nor is Ranger, the high-powered security consultant who has his own plans for Stephanie.

As usual Jersey’s favorite bounty hunter is stuck in the middle with more questions than answers. What’s the deal with Grandma Mazur’s latest online paramour? Who is behind the startling epidemic of mutilated corpses? And is the enigmatic Diesel’s sudden appearance a coincidence or the cause of recent deadly events?

Zombies are running wild in Trenton, NJ, and bodies are turning up with no heads.  Stephanie works for her bail bondsman cousin and Lulu is a former 'ho who works with her.  They have to take grave robber Diggery in because he missed his court date.  He has no problem with this as he figures he'll be safer in jail away from the zombies but he makes Stephanie promise that she will take care of his snake, Ethel, while he is gone.  Among the other cases she has, she's also looking for Slick Zero, an amateur videographer and blogger, who is hoping to catch the zombies on film. 

Diesel, a mysterious man who pops in and out of Stephanie's life and the author has spun off into another series, arrives and is staying at her place and, as usual, is putting the moves on her and she's having a hard time resisting.

Stephanie and Joe, the police officer, are still together and this relationship is still drifting.  Ranger, her former colleague, is still hot and lusting after Stephanie and she doesn't act very committed to Joe around him.

This is the 24th in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all.  As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Stephanie's mom's nerves are shot so drinks and irons/cooks ... check
• Grandma Masur is outrageous and checking out the viewings at the funeral home ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time and gets offended when someone refers to her weight ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check 
• Morelli calls Stephanie "Cupcake" and just wants to have sex with her ... check 
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment  ... check 
• Stephanie borrows Ranger's vehicles and destroys them ... check

I'm not into zombies so didn't find the storyline or the whodunnit exciting or interesting.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  There is some swearing and some adult situations.

Since it's basically the same story over and over, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library.  It's a mindless familiar read, though I didn't find I enjoyed this one much at all.

Book ~ "Turbo Twenty-Three" (2016) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ In the heart of Trenton, N.J., a killer is out to make sure someone gets his just desserts.

Larry Virgil skipped out on his latest court date after he was arrested for hijacking an eighteen-wheeler full of premium bourbon. Fortunately for bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, Larry is just stupid enough to attempt almost the exact same crime again. Only this time he flees the scene, leaving behind a freezer truck loaded with Bogart ice cream and a dead body - frozen solid and covered in chocolate and chopped pecans.

As fate would have it, Stephanie’s mentor and occasional employer, Ranger, needs her to go undercover at the Bogart factory to find out who’s putting their employees on ice and sabotaging the business. It’s going to be hard for Stephanie to keep her hands off all that ice cream and even harder for her to keep her hands off Ranger. It’s also going to be hard to explain to Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, why she is spending late nights with Ranger, late nights with Lula and Randy Briggs - who are naked and afraid - and late nights keeping tabs on Grandma Mazur and her new fella. Stephanie Plum has a lot on her plate but for a girl who claims to have “virtually no marketable skills,” these are the kinds of sweet assignments she does best.

Stephanie works for her cousin, who is a bail bondsman.  Lulu is a former 'ho and works with her.  One night they are chasing after Larry, a fella who had skipped his court date.  Larry is driving a stolen ice cream delivery truck and they discover a dead guy in the back, frozen and covered in nuts.  Ranger, Stephanie's former colleague who has his own security company, has been hired by the ice cream company to increase their security.  She goes undercover in the ice cream company in various jobs to see what she can find out.

Lulu and her buddy, Randy, are making a demo in hopes of getting their own reality TV show.  They premise is they are naked and wandering around Trenton, NJ.  Stephanie's grandmother has a new beau who is a bartender and drives a motorcycle.

This is the 23rd in the Stephanie Plum series and I've read them all.  As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Stephanie's mom's nerves are shot so drinks and irons ... check
• Grandma Masur is outrageous and checking out the viewings at the funeral home ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check 
• Morelli calls Stephanie "Cupcake" and just wants to have sex with her ... check 
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment ... check 

Stephanie and Joe are back together ... they are "engaged to be engaged".  This relationship is still drifting.  Ranger is still lusting after Stephanie and she is allowing it, even encouraging it.  For a person who is supposed to be engaged to be engaged, she doesn't act very committed to Joe.  If she doesn't see a future with Joe, she should make the break once and for all and move on.

I didn't find the storyline or the whodunnit overly exciting.  It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  There is some swearing and some adult situations.

Since it's basically the same story over and over, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library.  It's a mindless familiar read and there is some amusement.

Book ~ "The Pursuit" (2016) Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

From Goodreads ~ Nicolas Fox, international con man, thief and one of the top ten fugitives on the FBI’s most-wanted list, has been kidnapped from a beachfront retreat in Hawaii. What the kidnapper doesn’t know is that Nick Fox has been secretly working for the FBI. It isn’t long before Nick’s covert partner, Special Agent Kate O’Hare, is in hot pursuit of the crook who stole her con man. 

The trail leads to Belgium, France and Italy, and pits Nick and Kate against their deadliest adversary yet: Dragan Kovic, an ex–Serbian military officer. He’s plotting a crime that will net him billions ... and cost thousands of American lives. 

Nick and Kate have to mount the most daring, risky and audacious con they’ve ever attempted to save a major U.S. city from a catastrophe of epic proportions. Luckily they have the help of an eccentric out-of-work actor, a bandit who does his best work in the sewers, and Kate’s dad, Jake. The pressure’s on for Nick and Kate to make this work - even if they have to lay their lives on the line.

Everyone thinks Nick is a con man and thief and Kate, an FBI agent, is trying to catch him.  But in reality, Nick had been caught and is now secretly working with Kate and the FBI.  Only a handful of people are aware of this.  In addition, Kate and Nick are now in a relationship.

Nick had been kidnapped at the end of the last book, The Scam, by a Serbian named Dragan.  Dragan needs Nick to help him break into a vault full of diamonds.  He double crosses Nick, though, after the theft.  Nick and Kate realize what Dragan was really after and they appear to join forces with him in order to bring him down.

Nick and Kate puts together their team which includes Kate's father, an actor who takes his parts too seriously, a dad who build treehouses, a buxom redneck who wants to drive anything (regardless whether she's had training or not) and an awarding winning special effects artist.

This is the fifth in the Fox and O'Hare series ... I've them read all and enjoyed them.  I liked the writing style and thought this story was just okay.  It got a bit boring when it read like a travel guide and/or history book describing places like when they were in France.  Yes, it's far-fetched at times so I had to leave my sense of belief at the door and go with it.  I liked Kate and Nick and enjoyed their interactions and banters.  I liked the other supporting characters.  They were fun and quirky.

Book ~ "Curious Minds" (2016) Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton

From Goodreads ~ Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little to no sense of social etiquette. Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich, and (some people might say) handsome, or he’d probably be homeless. Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Business and Harvard Law. Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped her land her dream job as a junior analyst with mega-bank Blane-Grunwald. At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job, until she is given her first assignment: babysitting Emerson Knight. 

What starts off as an inquiry about missing bank funds in the Knight account leads to inquiries about a missing man, missing gold, and a life-and-death race across the country. Through the streets of Washington, D.C., and down into the underground vault of the Federal Reserve in New York City, an evil plan is exposed. A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon can stop it. 

Riley has recently graduated from university and has landed a job at a large bank.  Her first major assignment is to touch base with young eccentric millionaire, Emerson, and discuss his recent inheritance.  A large portion of Emerson's wealth is in gold and he wants Riley to take him to the bank so he can see it.  When they get to the bank, he discovers that his former contact at the bank has disappeared and Emerson has volunteered to find him.  He asks Riley's boss to let her help him and against her will, she does.  What they stumble upon is a possible theft of billions of dollars in gold and Emerson is determine to find it.

I've read many books by Janet Evanovich over the years (I especially enjoy her Fox and O'Hare series) and this is a new series she is starting with writer Phoef Sutton.  I liked the writing style ... I found it flowed well and was a quick read.  The story was a bit crazy but I went with it.  It is written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action was.  As a head's up, there was a bit of swearing.

I liked Riley and Emerson.  Both are intelligent but Emerson is a bit out there whereas Riley has had real world experiences (she grew up in Texas as the daughter of a sheriff).  Emerson doesn't really catch on to sarcasm.  I doubt he's had much experience with women.  I liked the interaction between them and it was humorous at times.  I liked the supporting characters (Emerson's aunt and cousin, etc.).

I look forward to reading future books in the series.

Book ~ "Tricky Twenty-Two" (2015) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Something big is brewing in Trenton, N.J., and it could blow at any minute.

Stephanie Plum might not be the world's greatest bounty hunter but she knows when she's being played. Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), hailed as the Supreme Exalted Zookeeper of the animal house known as Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College. Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding. People have seen him on campus but no one will talk. Things just aren't adding up, and Stephanie can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college - and it's not just Zeta fraternity pranks.

As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken. When Linken is gunned down in his backyard it's good riddance and the list of possible murder suspects is long. The only people who care about finding Linken's killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve. 

Stephanie is ready to say "yes" to Joe's proposal .... and she's surprised and shocked when he breaks up with her because he has to find himself.  Yet he keeps turning up and flirting with her.  And Ranger is still dogging after her and she's allowing it, even though she is heartbroken that Joe had dumped her.

Stephanie along with Lulu, a former 'ho, have a few people they have to find who have skipped bail.  Gobbles was accused of beating up the dean of students.  And then the dean and his business partner are found murdered.  This point of this storyline was dumb.  Stephanie and Lulu also have to track down Billy Bacon, who had slathered his body with body grease and slip down a chimney to rob someone, and a fella who kidnaps and rapes women and then cuts them up to feed to his cats.

This is the 22nd in the series and I've read them all.  As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Stephanie's mom's nerves are shot so drinks and irons ... check
• Grandma Masur is outrageous and checking out the viewings at the funeral home ... check
• Lulu talks about food all the time ... check
• Stephanie needs a car and Ranger lends her his ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check 
• Morelli calls Stephanie "Cupcake" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment

Since it's basically the same story over and over, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library.  It's a mindless familiar read and there is some amusement.

It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  There is some swearing (like the "F-bomb") and some adult situations.

Book ~ "The Scam" (2015) Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

From Goodreads ~ Nicolas Fox is a charming con man and master thief on the run. Kate O’Hare is the FBI agent who is hot on his trail. At least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality, Fox and O’Hare are secretly working together to bring down super-criminals the law can’t touch. Criminals like brutal casino magnate Evan Trace.

Evan Trace is running a money-laundering operation through his casino in Macau. Some of his best customers are mobsters, dictators and global terrorists. Nick and Kate will have to go deep undercover as high-stakes gamblers, wagering millions of dollars - and their lives - in an attempt to topple Trace’s empire.

It’s a scam that will take Fox and O’Hare from the Las Vegas strip, to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu’s North Shore and into the dark back alleys of Macau. Their only backup - a self-absorbed actor, a Somali pirate and Kate’s father, an ex-soldier who believes a rocket launcher is the best way to solve every problem. What could possibly go wrong? 

Everyone thinks Nick is a con man and thief and Kate, an FBI agent, is trying to catch him.  But in reality, Nick had been caught and is now secretly working with Kate and the FBI.  Only a handful of people are aware of this.

Their latest case has them trying to bring down Evan Trace, who runs a money-laundering operation through his casinos.  But then Kate gets a call from her father, Jake, that his friend in Hawaii has been attacked and his food truck blown up by Olika, the major drug distributor for a Japanese crime syndicate.  Jake wants revenge so Nick and Kate decide to readjust their plan to including also bringing down Olika.

Nick and Kate put together their team which includes Jake, a former Somali pirate, an actor who takes his parts too seriously, a dad who build treehouses, a buxom redneck who wants to drive anything (regardless whether she's had training or not) and an awarding winning special effects artist.

This is the latest in the Fox and O'Hare series ... I've them read all and enjoyed them.  I liked this book and the story ... it was interesting to see how they pulled this scam together.  Yes, it's far-fetched at times so I had to leave my sense of belief at the door and go with it ... and I was okay with that.  I liked the writing style and thought it flowed well and found it amusing.  It ends with a cliffhanger.

I liked Kate and Nick and enjoyed their interactions and banters.  I liked the other supporting characters.  They were fun and quirky.

I hope they continue with this series.

Book ~ "The Shell Game" (2014) Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

From Goodreads ~ Con man Nick Fox is after Garson Klepper’s golden Peruvian relics. For Fox, convincing Klepper to hire him as security for the relocation of the relics to the Getty museum in L.A. was easy. 

Problem is, Fox wasn’t planning on Klepper also enlisting the help of the FBI. Fox also wasn’t planning on being paired up with rookie special agent Kate O’Hare. She’s smart, she’s tenacious and when she’s conned, she holds a grudge.

This is a short story and the prequel to the Fox and O'Hare series ... we find out how FBI Special agent Kate O'Hare and con artist Nicolas Fox first meet.

Nick Fox poses as security to ensure that some Peruvian relics aren't stolen ... when he's actually planning on stealing them.  The owners of relics asks the FBI for help and Kate O'Hare is assigned. It's her first case and she's determined that nothing is going to happen.  But it does.

I liked the writing style and it's a quick read.  I've read all in this series and enjoyed them.

Book ~ "The Job" (2014) Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

From Goodreads ~ He’s a charming con man and she’s a dedicated FBI agent, and they’re about to drive each other crazy ... again!

The FBI had one demand when they secretly teamed up Special Agent Kate O’Hare with charming con man Nicolas Fox - bring down the world’s most-wanted and untouchable felons. This time it’s the brutal leader of a global drug-smuggling empire. The FBI doesn’t know what their target looks like, where he is or how to find him but Nick Fox has a few tricks up his sleeve to roust this particular Knipschildt chocolate–loving drug lord. 

 From the streets of Nashville to the back alleys of Lisbon, from the rooftops of Istanbul to the middle of the Thames, Nick and Kate chase their mark. When they find themselves pitted against a psychopathic bodyguard and a Portuguese enforcer who gets advice from a pickled head, they decide it’s time to enlist some special talent - talent like a machete-wielding Somali pirate, a self-absorbed actor, an Oscar-winning special effects artist and Kate’s father Jake, a retired Special Forces operative. Together they could help make this Fox and O’Hare’s biggest win yet ... if they survive.

Nick is a former con man who is supposed to be working with Kate, an FBI agent, to help the FBI catch the most-wanted criminals.  But evidence shows that he has been back to his old tricks again ... or has he? This leads Nick and Kate on a quest to capture a sadistic drug lord who has disappeared off the face of the earth.

Nick and Kate put together their team which includes Jake, Kate's dad, along with his elderly cronies, an actor who takes his parts too seriously, a dad who build treehouses and an awarding winning special effects artist who is on the brink of bankruptcy.  Can they pull it off?

This is the third in the Fox and O'Hare series ... I've read all three plus a novella and enjoyed them.  I liked this book and the story ... it was interesting to see how they pulled this scam together.  Yes, it's far-fetched at times so I had to leave my sense of belief at the door and go with it ... and I was okay with that.  I liked the writing style and thought it flowed well and found it amusing.

I liked Kate and Nick and enjoyed their interactions and banters.  I also enjoyed the interactions between Kate and Jake, her dad..  The supporting characters were likeable too such as Willie (the big-busted redneck) and Boyd (the actor who really gets into his roles).

I'd recommend this book.

Book ~ "Top Secret Twenty-One" (2014) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ Trenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger - resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation - has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Stephanie is a bounty hunter and she's looking for Jimmy Poletti, a used car salesman who was dealing in more than just cars.  Her cousin (and boss), Vinnie, posted his bond and Jimmy missed his court date.  Someone is trying to kill Randy Briggs, Jimmy's accountant ... Randy looks to Stephanie for protection and Stephanie uses him as bait to try and flush out Jimmy.

In the meantime, someone is trying to kill Ranger and the plan backfired.  It turns out it is a one-eyed tattooed Russian from his past who is seeking revenge.  Ranger asks Stephanie for her help in tracking this guy down.

This is the 21st in the series and I've read them all.  As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Stephanie's mom's nerves are shot so drinks and irons ... check
• Grandma Masur is outrageous and checking out the viewings at the funeral home ... check
• Lulu is eating all the time and gets mad when someone calls her fat ... check
• Stephanie needs a car and Ranger lends her his (which gets blown up) ... check
• Stephanie's apartment gets damaged ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check 
• Bob, Morelli's dog, eats something and barfs it up ... check
• Morelli calls Stephanie "Cupcake" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment
• Ranger calls Stephanie "Babe" and just wants to have sex with her with no commitment

Since it's basically the same story over and over, I stopped buying these books a long time ago and now borrow them from the library.  It's a mindless familiar read and there is some amusement.

It's written in first person perspective from Stephanie's point of view.  There is some swearing (like the "F-bomb") and some adult situations.

Book ~ "Takedown Twenty" (2013) Janet Evanovich

From Goodreads ~ New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum knows better than to mess with family. But when powerful mobster Salvatore “Uncle Sunny” Sunucchi goes on the lam in Trenton, it’s up to Stephanie to find him. Uncle Sunny is charged with murder for running over a guy (twice) and nobody wants to turn him in - not his poker buddies, not his bimbo girlfriend, not his two right-hand men, Shorty and Moe. Even Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, has skin in the game, because - just Stephanie’s luck - the godfather is his actual godfather. And while Morelli understands that the law is the law, his old-world grandmother, Bella, is doing everything she can to throw Stephanie off the trail. 

It’s not just Uncle Sunny giving Stephanie the run-around. Security specialist Ranger needs her help to solve the bizarre death of a top client’s mother, a woman who happened to play bingo with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur. Before Stephanie knows it, she’s working side by side with Ranger and Grandma at the senior center, trying to catch a killer on the loose - and the bingo balls are not rolling in their favor. 

With bullet holes in her car, henchmen on her tail, and a giraffe named Kevin running wild in the streets of Trenton, Stephanie will have to up her game for the ultimate takedown.

Stephanie has to track down is Uncle Sunny, who was charged with murder.  Not only does everyone in the 'hood love Uncle Sunny but he's also Morelli's godfather and his grandmother's nephew.  Plus Uncle Sunny always has his right-hand men with him and they don't kindly to Stephanie pursuing him.

Older women are getting killed and thrown in dumpsters.  One of Ranger's clients mom was a victim so he hires Ranger to investigate and Stephanie helps him out.  This takes her around to various businesses in the 'hood and even to bingo to figure out what the women had in common so they can track down the killer.  She gets to the point where she considers taking her mother's advice to find another career.

Plus there is a giraffe (who Lulu names Kevin) running loose around the 'hood and no one seems to think it's strange.

As in previous books, Evanovich continues to follow her formula:

• Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check
• Stephanie's mom's nerves are shot so drinks and irons ... check
• Grandma Masur is outrageous ... check
• Lulu is eating all the time and gets mad when someone calls her fat ... check
• Stephanie's cars get stolen or shot at and Ranger keeps lending her his ... check
• Stephanie goes home to mooch meals from her parents ... check 
• Morelli's grandmother, Bella, is putting the evil eye on Stephanie ... check

Stephanie is still attracted to both Morelli and Ranger.  She's supposed to be Morelli's girlfriend (they are almost engaged) yet she still thinks about Ranger in ways she shouldn't and she lets him put the moves on her.  The majority of conversations she has with Morelli aren't deep and he talks to her like she's a 'ho and the only time he wants to spend with her is to get it on.  Same old, same old.  Speaking of 'hos, Lulu is still Lulu.  In this book, though, she considers going back on the street so she can make some money to buy a designer purse.  Really?

I thought the ending came together rather quickly and conveniently and I wasn't buying who the killer was and why.

These books have become mindless quick at times amusing reads.  You know what you are going to get and you go along for the familiar ride.

Book ~ "Pros and Cons" (2013) Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

From Goodreads ~ FBI special agent Kate O’Hare has made it her mission to nail international con artist Nicolas Fox. When she discovers his plot to plunder a venture capitalist’s twentieth-story Chicago penthouse of all its cash and treasures at the same time that the self-proclaimed “King of Hostile Takeovers” is getting married, Kate is 85% - okay maybe 92% - sure that she’s finally going to bag Nick Fox.

Problem is, first Kate has to convince her boss, building security, and maybe even herself, that wedding planner Merrill Stubing is actually Nicolas Fox. Second, she has to figure out how to corner and capture him without disrupting the event of the year. And third, what’s going to happen once O’Hare finally gets her hands on Fox? It’s going take a pro to catch a con before the fireworks over Lake Michigan go off.

This is a short story and the prequel to The Heist, which I'd read a couple weeks ago.

Kate O'Hare is an FBI agent on the hunt for Nick Fox, who is a con artist.  She tracks him to Chicago where he is posing as wedding planner Merrill Stubing (he takes his aliases from TV characters).  He is hoping the bride-to-be's flimsy wedding dress and fireworks will be enough distractions so he can rob the rich older groom-to-be, Milton.

I've read the next two in the series (the latest one will be out this year) and enjoyed them.  Had I read this one first, it would have piqued my interest to read get into the series.  I liked the writing style and it's a quick read.