Janet Evanovich - Plum Spoky

Publisher: St Martin's Press

ISBN: 978-0-312-38334-3

My rating:  3 / 5


A Between-the-Numbers Novel
Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey.

According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys.
Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He's chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he's chosen the Barrens as his new playground.
Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He's now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn't made it out of the boys' department at Macy's. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn't met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree.
Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel.
Diesel pops in and out of Plum's life like birthday cake - delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He's an uber bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He's after Grimoire, and now he's also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn't mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs.
Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys. (www.evanovich.com)


My thoughts

I'm not really sure what to think. This was actually a more unusual Plum story because the background of the actual crime seemed to me to have some oomph. So short version is: the start was boring, then I got confused with all the side stories and then it actually got interesting - in a Plum-in-between-kinda-way.
Personally, Diesel is getting to much like Ranger so his character is not really growing on me, but he has his good moments. Morelli gets neglected in a side-plot - not sure why that was included. But there's a bit of Ranger - AND THAT I LIKE !

It's the best in-between so far I reckon though I'm still not convinced - next on the list is "Wicked" !

Janet Evanovich - Plum Lucky

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 9780312377649

My rating: 3/5



A Between-the-Numbers Novel
Looking to get lucky?

Stephanie Plum is back "between-the-numbers" and she's looking to get lucky in an Atlantic City hotel room, in a Winnebago and with a brown-eyed stud who has stolen her heart.
Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck... and mystery men. And no one is more mysterious than the unmentionable Diesel. He's back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who's lost a giant bag of money. Problem is the money isn't exactly lost. Stephanie's Grandma Mazur has found it, and like any good Jersey senior citizen she's high-tailed it in a Winnebago to Atlantic City and hit the slots. With Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie attempts to bring Grandma home. But the luck of the Irish is rubbing off on everyone. Lula's found a job modeling plus size lingerie. Connie's found a guy. Diesel's found Stephanie. And Stephanie has found herself in over her head with a caper involving thrice stolen money, a racehorse, a car chase and a bad case of hives. PLUM LUCKY is an all-you-can-eat buffet of thrills, chills, shrimp cocktail, plus-size underwear and scorching hot men. It's a "between the numbers" treat no Evanovich fan will want to miss! (evanovich.com)



My thoughts

Another quick in-between Plum read for a rainy day. This one was much better than the previous one. Funnier! Though still not a Stephanie Plum, but I had quite a few good giggles.

Grandma Mazur is missing and Stephanie Plum, with the help of Diesel, Lula and Connie tracks her down in Atlantic City, where she's been gambling with what turns out to be a Lou Delvina's money (a mob guy). Add Snuggy O’Connor who thinks he's a leprechaun and Doug, the horse and you have a group that is guaranteed to not only cause chaos, but get the job done as well - in their own special way.

I liked it and if you a fan of Evanovich, I'd definitely recommend this one as the best of the in-betweens so far.

Janet Evanovich - Plum Lovin'

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 9780312306342

My rating: 2/5

A Between-the-Numbers Novel
A Stephanie Plum novel that takes adventure, action, suspense (and maybe even true love?) to new heights...
WATCH YOUR BACK  ... LOOK BOTH WAYS  ...  BECAUSE LOVE IS IN THE AIR  ...  AND THAT MEANS BIG TROUBLE!
Mysterious men have a way of showing up in Stephanie Plum's apartment. When the shadowy Diesel appears, he has a task for Stephanie-and he's not taking no for an answer. Annie Hart is a "relationship expert" who is wanted for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. Stephanie needs to find her, fast. Diesel knows where she is. So they make a deal: he'll help her get Annie if Stephanie plays matchmaker to several of Annie's most difficult clients. But someone wants to find Annie even more than Diesel and Stephanie. Someone with a nasty temper. And someone with "unmentionable" skills. Does Diesel know more than he's saying about Annie Hart? Does Diesel have secrets he's keeping about Stephanie and the two men in her life-Ranger and Morelli? With Stephanie Plum in over her head, things are sure to get a little dicey and a little explosive, Jersey style! (http://www.evanovich.com/)

My thoughts

Not much I can say or want to say .... nice read as an inbetween BUT you do need to love love love Evenovich, if not, give it a miss. The storyline is far fetched and not even funny, it's hectic, it's .... I don't know .... an inbetweener that says it all !!!

Janet Evanovic - Visions of Sugar Plum

Publisher: St Martin's Paperback

ISBN: 978-0312947040

My rating: 2/5


A Between-the-Numbers Novel

A holiday treat from #1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich--spicier than gingerbread, with more nuts than a fruitcake--it's Visions of Sugar Plums
It's four days before Christmas and things are not looking merry for fugitive apprehension agent Stephanie Plum. She hasn't got a tree. She hasn't bought any presents. The malls are jam-packed with staggering shoppers. There's not a twinkle light anywhere to be seen in her apartment.
And there's a strange man in her kitchen.
Sure, this has happened to Stephanie Plum before. Strangers, weirdos, felons, creeps, and lunatics are always finding their way to her front door. But this guy is different. This guy is mysterious, sexy--and he has his own agenda. His name is Diesel and he is a man on a mission. Diesel is unlike anyone Stephanie has ever met before in her life. The question is, What does he want with her? Can he help her find a little old toy maker who has skipped out on his bail right before Christmas? Can he survive the Plum family holiday dinner? Can he get Stephanie a tree that doesn't look like it was grown next to a nuclear power plant? These questions and more are keeping Stephanie awake at night. Not to mention the fact that she needs to find a bunch of nasty elves, her sister Valerie has a Christmas "surprise" for the Plums, her niece Mary Alice doesn't believe in Santa anymore, and Grandma Mazur has a new stud muffin. So bring out the plastic reindeer, strap on your jingle bells, and get ready to celebrate the holidays--Jersey style. Visions of Sugar Plums--the world of Plum has never been merrier! (www.evanovich.com)

 
My thoughts
 
It felt really good to have a Stephanie Plum book in my hand, though this one was .... hmmmm .... different.

So, it’s just before Christmas and Steph wakes up one morning with some handsome guy named Diesel in her kitchen. She’s got no idea, how he got in, what he wants or even worse, how to get rid of him. She pushes him in front of the door, but magically he can make the way back int! But to my surprise, Steph doesn’t ring anybody for help ...

After a while Steph leaves to find her FTA, Sandy Claws – with Diesel in tow. And that’s about the story, we have a bit of Plum family, Morelli pops up a few times, not majorly concerned about the strange man on Steph’s side.

Admittedly, it’s an “in-between”, but it was quite a disappointment I’ve got to say. A story packed into a mere 190-something pages – it was fast paced, too fast and rushed though, with scenes and characters not properly developed. Especially the ending! Hang on, was there an ending?

I thought a few days about whether I liked it or not and I hate to say it, but I wouldn’t recommend this one ....