Lean Mean Thirteen

I read this book last week, and already all the details are becoming slightly hazy to me. I remember this is the thirteenth book in the Stephanie Plum series (well, duh!).

I do remember Stephanie wrecking at least one car in the course of this novel. She is still vacillating between her long-time boyfriend Joe Morelli and tempting co-worker Ranger. And she has one embarrassing incident after another while she is trying to catch people who have skipped on their bail. And, of course, Grandma Mazur is back in the dating pool once again.

The only difference in this book is the appearance and later disappearance of her ex-husband. Stephanie and Ranger are trying to trace him because he may be the missing link in a case of money laundering. After a bunch of adventures, all’s well that ends well in the Jersey burg.

If you didn’t quite get what I am rambling on here, you better start reading up on the Stephanie Plum series. The first few books in the series are hilarious, drop-dead, laughter-inducing. Now that I am onto the 13th book, I am finding too much replication in the scene settings and the situational humor.

Some plot/character/scene suggestions that Janet Evanovich could consider incorporating in her later novels:

• Move the scene from Trenton to another place. Put Stephanie in less familiar situations. Bring some change.
• Provide some newness to the romantic angle. Have a new suitor, or a break-up, or something. The current situation is beyond stale.
• Give Grandma Mazur and Lula a rest. Introduce some newer, more fun partners.

After all this cribbing, you would think this is quite a bad book. Not at all; I actually had a fun couple of hours reading it. I love Evanovich’s writing style, and I plan to check out her other non-Plum books (any recommendations?). Unfortunately, I feel this series needs some resolution and fast.

I am sure many of you have already read the later books in this series. Does it feel as stale as this one? Or, do things perk up a bit?

And how many of you are looking forward to the upcoming Stephanie Plum movie? I heard that Sandra Bullock was in the running to play Plum, but in the end, Katherine Heigl from Grey’s Anatomy got the part. I am not sure how I feel about that…Sandra seems perfect (a little on the older side, though) for the role. Any idea who plays Morelli and Ranger?

I did not really envision Stephanie looking quite so pretty and girly as Heigl, though.