Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

July 13, 2010 · Filed under Book Reviews · Tagged Janet Evanovich, Sizzling Sixteen, Stephanie Plum

What do a cattle stampede, a loose alligator, and a group of vengeful Hobbits have in common?  Stephanie Plum.  At 16+ titles in the series, Evanovich still knows how to write madcap well.  This time around, Stephanie’s boss has been kidnapped.  His gambling debts and his schemes to cover those debts have resulted in an ultimatum—someone needs to pay up or Vinnie’s execution will serve as a warning to everyone else.  Can Stephanie, Lula and Connie save the day?

Despite some predictability, Sizzling Sixteen is a quick, fun read.  Yes, Stephanie is still tempted by both Ranger and Morelli but that’s part of the appeal of the Plum universe: it’s an escape into a world where calories don’t seem to count and the hot guys still pursue you even if your eyebrows have just been singed off by the inexplicable car or building fire.  Rex the Hamster never dies, Grandma Mazur is still feisty, Lula is still Lula, capture plans go awry, and the occasional series irregular makes another appearance (Mooner’s back, dude!)

I was pleased that Evanovich let go of some of the crasser humor she’s leaned on recently and focused on the mayhem—I’m not fond of the crass, but I do love the mayhem.