“Plum Spooky” by Janet Evanovich

As all her loyal readers know, Jen Mann is never late with her reviews so where, you ask, is it? Well, it did a disappearing trick and decided to explore the world of cyberspace, which segues beautifully into her book choice for this week, “Plum Spooky” by Janet Evanovich, a story about, in Jen’s words, “Who stole this and kidnapped whom and shot who with what?”

Stephanie Plum is not an Existentialist. She does not give much thought to the world at large and her place in it. If she accepts fate, it is with regard to the inevitability of dinner at her family’s house.

She is more of a bull-by-the horns type of gal. She jumps right in to situations and we love her for it.

The passion and rioutous adventures that plague her life are a joy for us all. She would definitely be more of an objectivist. If birthday cake will make her happy, she will eat it.

I know I shouldn’t review these. They are candy on paper. I have read and really loved reading them all, so, actually, why the heck not? Why drama and not monkeys?Stephanie Plum is a Trenton-bred bounty hunter who loves birthday cake and attracts trouble.There are 14 books in the series and then four aside-type books that fit in between.

I laugh, really laugh, when I read any one of them. Like Carl Hiassen, with whom I am equally enraptured, Evanovich paints these unbelievably hilariously off the cuff pictures. Plum Lucky has monkeys and hookers and the Easter Bunny. Stephanie steals cars, brings fire-farters home to dinner and gets her man every time.Well, more than one man but that’s a long story.

One monkey, Carl, profers very rude gestures and plays a game-boy. Her almost brother-in-law gets shot in the derrière with a nail gun , her best friend Lula runs amok in the woods encased in poison green spandex and stilettos. Stephanie is in love with not one, but two, maybe three, different men. Her family is manic, her bail-runners are nuts and her hamster, Rex is adorable. Nothing is quiet in New Jersey .

The talent that manifests itself well is Evanovich’s skill at keeping the mayhem in check. It is not ludicrous (well, alright,it is, a bit…) There is still a modicum of normalcy. Stephanie’s parents sit down to dinner at the same time every night. Her Mom does her laundry. Stephanie is a good girl and really tries to eat things other than cake. Her boyfriends have steady employment. There is a vein of happy complacency in there somewhere.

The plots are all thriller-type mysteries. Who stole this and kidnapped whom and shot who with what? Stephanie gets in trouble but always gets out. She loves two (maybe three) men and vascillates between them, but not in a sleazy way. I can promise you a laugh-out-loud reaction to almost any of these books.Who doesn’t love an indecorous monkey, sasquatch and take-out pizza?