Sizzling Sixteen (Stephanie Plum Series #16), by Janet Evanovich

• Pub. Date: June 2010
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Pages: 309

• Series: Stephanie Plum Series , #16

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Synopsis

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, he didn’t specify if it brought good luck or bad luck!

Publishers Weekly

In this tepid Stephanie Plum adventure from Evanovich (Finger Lickin' Fifteen, etc.), a personal case distracts the Trenton, N.J., bondswoman from tracking the usual group of eccentric skips--the kidnapping of her cousin, Vinnie, who's being held for ransom in the high six figures. As Stephanie, sidekick Lula, and office manager Connie soon realize, Vincent Plum Bail Bonds is seriously in the red due to Vinnie's gambling. Vinnie's also gotten caught up with local mobster Bobby Sunflower in a complicated scheme. Even though her sleazy cousin isn't her favorite person and chasing oddball felons isn't her ideal career, Stephanie knows family loyalty counts for something, plus she owes him for giving her a job all those years ago. So with Lula and Connie in tow--and romantic interests Morelli and Ranger lurking in the background-- Stephanie must save the day once again. Evanovich is at her best spinning the bizarre subplots involving Stephanie's bail jumpers, but the larger story simply recycles elements from previous installments. 

Review 
If you haven't taken the opportunity to read anything by Janet Evanovich, shame on you. Her Stephanie Plum series is ridiculously good - how else can there possibly be a mass following of a series with SEVENTEEN (and going) installments? In my opinion, this would make a great TV show. Her characters are colorful and this is one of the only authors I know that has the ability to make me laugh out loud while reading (literally). It takes serious wit and description to do that.

So as of this point - those of you who've not read 1-15, there are spoilers!!! - Stephanie, an accidental bounty hunter, is not with Ranger, the seriously stealth, black-ops hunk of awesomeness, or Joe Morelli, the cop-next-door/boy-of-our-dreams. She's gone back and forth and I've come to the conclusion that she's just teasing me....just keep "dating" them both and everyone's happy (except maybe Joe and Ranger).

In addition to that, she and Lula track down Bobby Sunflower and bunch of other goons to rescue he Uncle Vinny. Slime of creation that he is, they both need the job and no one else cares enough to save his hide.

I have to say the reason this story is so appealing is because it's not unrealistic, superhero stuff - I mean, Stephanie is kind of like Mr. Bean - and at least a handful of things (cars, buildings, etc.) get blown up every hundred pages or so (in all 16 books). AND it's really funny. Evanovich does not disappoint.