Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.
Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list.
Short on time to find evidence proving the killer’s identity, Stephanie faces further complications when her family and friends decide that it’s time for her to choose between her longtime off-again-on-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom is encouraging Stephanie to dump them both and choose a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, is encouraging Stephanie to have a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Grandma Bella, Morelli’s old-world grandmother, is encouraging Stephanie to move to a new state when she puts “the eye” on Stephanie.
With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.
The hardcover edition of Smokin’ Seventeen contains two smokin’ hot stickers inside!
My Thoughts:
As always, Stephanie finds herself in an odd situation at the beginning of book 17 in the Stephanie Plum Series. At the end of the last book, we found the bail bond building destroyed and now bodies are showing up in what remains of the grounds. She also finds herself face with another set up from her mother and tracking down a man who thinks he is a vampire. Don’t worry there are plenty of appearances by both Ranger and Morelli.
This series has always made me laugh out loud the situations that Stephanie finds herself are crazy and just down right funny. I will say that for me this book was not as funny as some of the previous. Okay, I take that back the 2nd half of the book was not as funny. I know that it must be very difficult to keep the same level of banter between family members and situations going through such a long series. My favorite part of ever book is wondering when Ranger is going to show up out of the blue with all of his hotness! This man is almost too much for me. I love the bad body. Don’t get me wrong Morelli and his dog are nice too but I love the mystery that is Ranger. And as always some awesome car end up being destroyed when Ranger lends them to Stephanie because as always something happens to hers.
I have been waiting for a “vampire” to show up in one of these novels and I think that Janet Evanovich did a great job creating a way to bring this popular culture into The Plum Series.
I was a bit frustrated with this story because it just seemed so predictable from the very beginning but I know that I know this author writing style well and what comes with that is knowing where the story will head.
All in all, this was worth the read and I will be waiting for the next one to come out.
My Rating:
1/23 and 1/2 Penguins. Good story but could have been a bit stronger in my opinion with more mystery
*I purchased this book. All opinions are my own.
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