Review: Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evonovich
Well, here we are again with Stephanie Plum for the umpteenth time. I must say I have enjoyed this series for many years, and that Evanovich is a funny writer. If you enjoyed the other twenty Plum novels, you’ll enjoy this one. However, I feel it is time for Stephanie to be moving on … or at least moving forward in time from 1990.
Vinnie, Stephanie’s boss, is in trouble deep. He has run up a gambling debt with Bobby Sunflower and has been kidnapped until the money is paid in full. Vinnie’s wife and father-in-law have washed their hands of him, so it’s up to Stephanie, Connie and Lula to save Vinnie and the bail bonds business.
So here we are with a new mystery, new skips to track and some pretty interesting characters. I just wish I didn’t have this feeling of déjà vu. It’s all because Stephanie is stuck in time, and not in a good way. Hmmm, still trying to decide between hunky Joe Morelli and mysterious Ranger, Lula is still a plus-size former ‘ho, Grandma Mazur still is still a funeral parlor aficionado, and they are still eating at Cluck-in-a-Bucket.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a funny adventure and lots of action and bizarre escapades abound. There is one revelation on the romance front which I will not spoil, but it does not change Stephanie’s commitment issues. I guess if Stephanie chooses we will have Team Ranger and Team Morelli bitterness – and that will be the end of the series. But honestly, is that a bad thing? Evanovich is a talented writer – I think she can move Stephanie into the 2010’s and keep it interesting!
I give this book 3 STACKS!
See you in the STACKS
Nancy – who owns How I Write by J.E., a great book for aspiring writers
I am SO with you here.
It’s not that the story isn’t interesting, it’s just that I’ve read it 15 times before. I’d like to see some character growth if we’re going to continue this series, yanno?
My family has read them all and laughed through each and every one until now. When I read it and didn’t laugh at all, I wasn’t sure if it was the book or me. My daughter finished reading it and she said the same thing, “it just didn’t make me laugh”. With the others, we would laugh so louldy that we would have to leave the room so that others could hear the television. I hope that when #17 comes out next year (if it does) that the pace will pick up and the laughs will continue. This was such a disappointment.
I just saw this post in the sidebar of your blog. I feel the same way. After reading a series like Charlaine Harris writes (Sookie/True Blood) where the characters move on and develop in every book, I just cannot deal with the same love triangle going on for 16 books. I’m not sure why Steph Plum doesn’t get married to Joe, it would be a funny book to detail the wedding planning and family hijinks. You’re right that she’s frozen in time. It can work for awhile but I don’t think it works anymore.