The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

I love this series. Stephanie and her misfit crew are hilarious to me. They are great for a quick pick-me up. I'm currely reading Hot Six and I can't decide between Ranger and Morelli either. They're both so hot!

Has anyone else read this series?

I love the series, but I haven't been a fan of the between-the-numbers books (well, not until Plum Spooky came out). I'm eagerly awaiting book 15 to come out next week. It took me a while to decide, but I've realized that I'm a Ranger fan, and Twelve Sharp is my favorite of the series thus far. You're lucky to have so many Plum books to look forward to, Jackie!

I love Grandma Mazur and her visits to funerals. She cracks me up. I wish Evanovich would write more funerals for her to attend.

Also -- I'm a Ranger babe!

Grandma is a hoot, and you can't help but feel for her mother, dealing with Stefanie and what an Italian mother wouldn't want for her daughter, strange people stopping by all the time, the way she hopes that joe will become a perment member at THOSE family dinners and then her trips to the kitchen for her special drinks LOL

I just started and I can't find number 2!! I love it though.

well...I think perhaps Morelli would be better long term...but I still want her to have some more "fun" with Ranger along the way ;)

I'm excited for 15 next week too, hope my library gets it immediately!

I agree Morelli would be better long term but she needs more fun with Ranger.

So far my favorite is #4 with Sally Sweets- the straight man drag queen. The scenes with him just had me dying. I also love Grandma Mazur and Lula.

Jackie wrote: "I agree Morelli would be better long term but she needs more fun with Ranger.

So far my favorite is #4 with Sally Sweets- the straight man drag queen. The scenes with him just had me dying. I a..."

That is one of my favorite characters, But I love the dog

I read the first three and wasn't too impressed at the beginning. I couldn't mix crime and funny in the beginning. I don't think they are great but I am starting to enjoy them much more now.

I just put them in the caterogy of this is a fun read and 90% of what happens to Stef wouldn't happen to a normal person or she just has very bad luck. I mean look at how many cars are demolished, burned etc when she has them. There are many parts where you got to shake your head, but for a really fun read this is it. I think the fact they come out in June means it is a good summer read but no depth to the story.

You beat me to it! lol. I just saw your message in input. Thanks Tweety!

WOOHOO the new one comes out tomorrow :)

Finally!!! 15!! I'm pumped!!!

Has Evanovich said when she's stopping?

Nevermind. I went to her website and answered my own question:

How many more Plum books does Janet intend to write?
She doesn't know. She is currently contracted through book sixteen, and doesn't have any plans to stop writing about Stephanie and the gang. She's having too much fun!

I hope she never stops.. well unless they get really bad. they are pretty predictable.. You know whats going to happen but its just a ton of fun to read!

I still have four and five to read from the library.

When does Ranger really come into the picture? He hasn't been a huge part of the story in the first two. But I do think Morelli is HOT! And I love Grandma Mazur too! I would be horribly embarrassed to be related to her, but she's fun to read about!

JG, I remember reading up to book #5 before I really fell for Ranger. Until then I preferred Morelli. My sister (who I addicted to the series, thank you very much) said the same. So keep with it and be patient. You'll be a Ranger babe yet!

I went out today armed with a $5 off coupon at Borders intending to get the new book. But I couldn't believe it when I saw it was $28! I've seen higher prices on large or thick books, but this is the first time I've seen something that high on a normal hardcover. It's $2-$3 more than similar books. I was so annoyed I bought another books instead. At that price I'll wait until I find it at Half Price Books.

It's about $15 on Amazon. That's even cheaper than the 40% off coupon B&N sent me.

I am going to start number three now.

Starting Three To Get Deadlymade me remember something I always have in her books. How slow time in her stories go while it feels a long period. Like now, I am reading he third book and I would have thought at least a year, maybe two had passed. But she just mentions that she was a bounty-hunter for only five months....

After the first couple books I think Ranger plays a bigger part...book 8 is the book for Ranger fans.

I have high hopes for 15 too, I have it on hold at the library.

15 is out right? but not on kindle :(

I think I saw on their website that they expect it to be out on Kindle by the 7th of July.

Thanks much!

SPOILER (kind of,small spoiler)

Stefanie plum has been married in the past????? In the third book a lawyer is mentioned and she says ex-husband..... has this been mentioned before? Don't remember anything of it if it has.

Yes it was quite short lived, he was unfaithful with Joyce Barnhart I believe and she handled it in typical Stef style.

woohoo I'm first on the hold list for #15 at the library now :D

Teresa wrote: "Yes it was quite short lived, he was unfaithful with Joyce Barnhart I believe and she handled it in typical Stef style. "

I find it weird that it never came up and wouldn't have imagined it like something for her. But then the american-italian image the give has this marrying thing.

Its kind of important because if she wasn't ever married she wouldn't hate joyce as much and shes reclutant to marry morelli bc of it too. Dickie has a big role in one of the books.. I can't remember which now. I always think it hilarious when she goes to his office!!

it was kind of funny when she went in and he completely got scared.

After reading through this thread, I got the first one from the library yesterday, finished it today and went back and got the next three...

Jeane wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Yes it was quite short lived, he was unfaithful with Joyce Barnhart I believe and she handled it in typical Stef style. "

I find it weird that it never came up and wouldn't have ..."

It doesn't take up much plot and is mentioned briefly in other stories, more of a sentence or two instead of a paragraph

ooo I think JG read The Woods recently, maybe she'll see your post!

Well, it took a few days, but here I am! I did read The Woods a little while ago. It was a page turner and took a lot of twists and turns, but, having read several of Coben's other books, it felt a little formulaic to me. If you haven't read much of his other stuff, I think you won't be able to put it down.

And you obviously can't go wrong with the Stephanie Plum books. :-)

Just finished the latest Plum, "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" and thought it was good. Was it just me or did this one seem a little raunchier than normal? I am glad they brought Joyce back again. She's such a great antagonist to Stephanie.

Dorie wrote: "Just finished the latest Plum, "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" and thought it was good. Was it just me or did this one seem a little raunchier than normal? I am glad they brought Joyce back again. She'..."

I laughed at the fart humor so hard...it was like I was about 5.

I just wish the books would GO SOMEWHERE...they all have basically the same plot.

I wish Stephanie would sleep with Ranger again. It's tough for us Ranger fans. As many times as she's been with Morelli, she's only been with Ranger ONCE! Not fair at all. Now if it were me...

I know it :( I had high hopes for 15 too

IT will be interesting to see where book 16 takes us, she is only on contract through that book.

I don't expect much depth from the Plum series, but the laughs are gone.

Just finished book 15 and while I've been disappointed that the "mystery" plots of the books have gone steadily downhill over the years, I always find myself laughing out loud at the Grandma Mazur and Lula scenes... which is why I'll keep reading them (plus being partially a Jersey girl with an Italian family on one side, I just love all the crazy characters).

And although I guess I'm a Morelli chick, I definitely agree that the whole book was one big long Ranger tease... even I wanted her to let her towel down once.

Anyone else feel like it ended more abruptly than usual?

I've recently read through book 4 and perhaps I read them without enough time between, but I kind of feel like the books have fallen into a similar pattern for each. For those who have read on, do they all seem like that? I mean there are definitely things I enjoy about them. I love some of the characters, and also being from Jersey and going to college on the outskirts of Trenton, I can relate.

I totally agree Vicki... I think they're more fun to read spaced out... otherwise they are a rerun of each other... especially the farther along it goes... still I love a good Lula fashion disaster!

I had the fifth one from the library but decided to wait a bit. I figured they'd be good relief when I go back to teaching and I want something lighter to read. And I definitely feel I need more time. I read the first 4 within a months time.

I really like the Stephanie Plum series also. Two of my favorite characters are Grandma Mazur and Sally Sweet. Grandma's "hobby", going to funeral home viewings, is a hoot - and her "reviews" of the proceedings are hilarious. And I love the bigger than life cross-dressing singer Sally Sweet, who's always ready and willing to help Stephanie.

Oh does Sally Sweet come back after the fourth book? I enjoy Grandma Mazur also and Lula of course!

I think Sally Sweet shows up in books 10, 11, and 12. Always a hoot!

Barbara wrote: "I think Sally Sweet shows up in books 10, 11, and 12. Always a hoot!"

Oh yay! I loved Sally Sweet. I think the first one where "she" shows up (possibly 4) is the one I cracked up the most on.


I currently left off on 7. I did not find 7 that funny. It had it's moments but it was lacking. Allison tells me 8 is her fav but unfortunately I have to take it back to the library unread because I'm past my the allowed checkout times. :(

I've read all the Plum books. I enjoy them and find myself laughing out loud. The characters are great. Especially Grandma and Lula. However, I really think this series needs a shake up. I feel like I have been reading the same plot for the last 4 books! How many times can Stephanie's car go up in flames? How many times can she go work for Ranger? Break up with Morelli? It's starting to get redundant.