To The Nines

To The Nines
by Janet Evanovich

Just like your favorite sweet or crunchy snack, it’s impossible to sample just one Stephanie Plum mystery. After finishing Hard Eight last week I immediately rummaged through my bookshelves in hope that I had the follow-up stashed somewhere. *phew* To the Nines was successfully located and promptly devoured.

This title has Stephanie chasing after a South Asian technology worker who has skipped his work visa bond. Of course there are all sorts of twists and mishaps along the way and the requisite amount of one-liners (Lulu starts the Atkins’ diet and takes to carrying meat around in her handbag) but this story is less slapstick than previous ones. Ranger and Joe Morelli figure prominently as they attempt to protect Stephanie from the psychopath who is behind the worker’s disappearance and the closing chapters are reminiscent of one of the more horrifying scenes from Silence of the Lambs. The major downside to this story was my lack of surprise when the identity of the criminal was revealed – I thought it was pretty obvious right from the start. Time to put the Stephanie Plum snack away and move on to another book.