Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Copyright Date: 2008
Print Date: June 2008 (BC Edition)
ISBN: 9780312349516
Pages: 310
Series: Including the one short story and the Between-the-Number books, this is the 18th Stephanie Plum book.
Book Description (from dust jacket):
Personal vendettas, hidden treasure, and a monkey named Carl will send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most explosive adventure yet.
THE CRIME: Armed robbery to the tune of nine million dollars
Dom Rizzi robbed a bank, stashed the money, and did the time. His family couldn't be more proud. He always was the smart one.
THE COUSIN: Joe Morelli
Joe Morelli, Dom Rizzi, and Dom's sister, Loretta, are cousins. Morelli is a cop, Rizzi robs banks, and Loretta is a single mother waiting tables at the firehouse. The all-American family.
THE COMPLICATIONS: Murder, kidnapping, destruction of personal property, and acid reflux
Less than a week after Dom's release from prison, Joe Morelli has shadowy figures breaking into his house and dying in his basement. He's getting threatening messages, Loretta is kidnapped, and Dom is missing.
THE CATASTROPHE: Moonman
Morelli hires Walter "Mooner" Dunphy, stoner and "inventor" turned crime fighter, to protect his house. Morelli can't afford a lot on a cop's salary, and Mooner will work for potatoes.
THE CUPCAKE: Stephanie Plum
Stephanie and Morelli have a long-standing relationship that involves sex, affection, and driving each other nuts. She's a bond enforcement agent with more luck than talent, and she's involved in this bank-robbery-gone-bad disaster from day one.
THE CRISIS: A favor for Ranger
Security expert Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, has a job for Stephanie that will involve night work. Morelli has his own ideas regarding Stephanie's evening activities.
THE CONCLUSION: Only the fearless should read Fourteen.
Thrills, chills, and incontinence may result.
Comments:
I enjoy the Evanovich books for their humor and the way Stephanie collects friends - usually misfits and often crazy - but friends that stick around (maybe more than she likes). The books have come a ways from the beeper and car phone days, but they remain fun, light reads. Fearless Fourteen did not fail to keep me smiling. And there was less of the hard language than usual (possibly because Sally Sweet didn't make any appearances), which is a plus from my perspective.
I've 'heard' others say the Plum books have become more predictable, but that isn't the sort of thing I tend to pay much (if any) attention to...or at least not in the middle of a series or with a familiar author. (Just like I've heard of some people who have trouble reading several books from the same series, by the same author, or even of the same genre in a row. That will never be a problem I have.)
Revisiting Stephanie, Morelli, Bob and Rex, Ranger, Grandma Mazur, Lula and Tank, and Mooner as well as meeting Gary and Zook was a pleasure. One I'm looking forward to enjoying again when I read Plum Spooky.
I can't wait for your thoughts on the next book. I have heard so many negative things. Mostly like you said here, being predictable. I am like you, that's not necessarily a negative in my book.s
ReplyDeleteI've only read one of her books and would love to read more. Love the characters.
ReplyDeleteJ. Kaye - I'd go so far as to say I'm a fan of predictable. (Which, I might add, is different than boring.) Not that I have anything against some changes and suprises, but...
ReplyDeleteNatalie - The characters are, by far, the best part of Evanovich's books (in my experience, I haven't read any of her romances yet). They are sooo much fun.
Jo, I totally agree. There are books I select just for that reason.
ReplyDelete