Plum Lucky

Stephanie Plum #13.5

by Janet Evanovich

genre: mystery

Synopsis from Goodreads

Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck . . . and mystery men. And no one is more mysterious than the unmentionable Diesel. He’s back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who’s lost a giant bag of money. Problem is, the money isn’t exactly lost. Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur has found it, and like any good Jersey senior citizen, she’s hightailed it in a Winnebago to Atlantic City and hit the slots. With Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie attempts to bring Grandma home, but the luck of the Irish is rubbing off on everyone: Lula’s found a job modeling plus-size lingerie. Connie’s found a guy. Diesel’s found Stephanie. And Stephanie has found herself in over her head with a caper involving thrice-stolen money, a racehorse, a car chase, and a bad case of hives.

Review

Not one of the better Stephanie Plum novels, this one did not capture my attention as well as some of the numbered novels. I find it incredibly discouraging that several the characters are in almost the exact same place in their lives as they were in book one. While it did have some interesting twists, overall it just fell flat.

This is turning out to be a series you really have to read in order. Janet Evanovich gives enough recap that you understand how Stephanie, a clumsy woman whose impatience and luck get her in and out of trouble more trouble than most people could see in five lifetimes, went from lingerie buyer at Macey’s to a mediocre bail enforcement agent. However, she does not give enough detail for me to feel invested in the relationships. The tension and dynamic between the characters is much of what I love about the Stephanie Plum novels, but without the consistent storyline from one novel to the next, I’m just not as invested.

The one thing this book has going for it is that it really makes me want to visit Trenton where there is obviously no shortage of attractive muscular men with wits and a protective nature.

I hate to say it, but I really didn’t like this novel.

2 out of 5 stars