I suppose the majority of the people who read these books have read many, if not all, of the previous books. I guess I keep reading them because they remind me of my Aunt Soni, my friend Bethany, and Jersey. Plus, they are pretty funny.
The main character, Stephanie, is a bounty hunter based out of Trenton, New Jersey (woo-woo!). She happened across the job out of desperation in book one through her shady cousin Vinny. She continues to bumble through this job in book twenty-three. In between catching FTAs, Stephanie is working with Ranger - her job is undercover employee at an ice cream factory where there’s been a murder and they are trying to tighten up security. Stephanie, as usual, bumbles her way right into the middle of everything.
What I like About these books: There is a comforting familiarity with the characters and their habits. It’s a good lesson in character building for my students too. Stephanie Plum, her bare kitchen, gun-she-never-loads-or-uses in the cookie jar, her hamster Rex, her stress eating habits, her penchant for comical accidents during apprehensions due to lack of skill and dogged determination. Her sidekick Lula, a large, loud, and confident former ‘ho. How Lula always has big ideas, crazy logic, and over confidence that helps her bulldoze any situation with attitude. I’m sure everyone loves the mysterious Ranger and the tough guy Morelli, her crazy Grandma, and classic Jersey suburban parents. And so on, the characters - there quirkiness and their mannerisms that are the same in each book - it sets it up like a television action/comedy series.
What I don’t Like: I like to see characters go through cathartic changes. For the same reason I like the book for its comforting familiarity, I would also like to see character growth. Like in a television series that strings you along, there is never resolution. I understand that’s half of the draw - the Ranger/Morelli tension - but 23 books of it is, to say the least, repetitive. (Although, if she ever does settle down, I’m not sure how the author could keep the story going).
What I’d like to see: Stephanie become better at her job. Open her own business. Get married, have kids - keep up the adventure alongside of real life… maybe.
Quotes:
“You ran over Eddie Gazarra’s cop car,” my mother said. “He’s married to your cousin Shirley. You grew up with Eddie. What were you thinking?”
“It was an accident!” … “I wasn’t even driving the truck,” I said. “Lula was driving the truck, and she miscalculated the brakes.”
“It was stolen,” my mother said. “You stole an ice cream truck!”
“Actually Larry Virbgil stole it. Lula and I sort of commandeered it.”
“You watch this long enough and you get to wishing he’d take a poop.” (Lula commenting on their FTA’s mime routine, and the reason he was originally arrested - for pooping as a show of mime art).
“I like your friend. She gives a good head butt.”
Rex came out of his can and looked at me, whiskers twitching.
“I’m okay,” I said. “I’m fine.”
Rex thought about it and went back into his can.
Animals have instincts, I thought. They know when people are okay. Rex decided I was okay, so I must be okay.
“Ignore me. I’ll be fine. Pretend I’m not here.” (Connie lying on her back in the floor of her office because she threw her back out.)
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