Seven Up

Janet Evanovich

Trenton, New Jersey, has not been the same since Stephanie Plum became a bounty hunter for her Uncle Vinnie. She does not like to carry a gun (she usually leaves it home in the cookie jar) but usually can reclaim enough bail skippers to keep herself fed, housed, and buy a new car. This time she is given the job of picking up the elderly Eddie DeChooch. Eddie used to work for the Mob, but has basically retired. He is also dating her Grandma Mazur.

DeChooch has a problem, though. He is depressed. When Stephanie and her friend Lula go to apprehend him, he jumps out of a window and drives off in a white Cadillac. He keeps getting away from her when she tries to detain him. Other people are following him as well. There is more involved here than a few bootlegged cigarettes. What is Eddie hiding?

Although the mystery is well done, this book is best for its characters. It helps to have read the books in order, starting with One for the Money. By this book I knew Mrs. Plum, Mr. Plum (Stephanie's parents), Grandma Mazur, Joe Morelli, Ranger, Lula, Joyce Barnhart, and Bob very well. The scenes in the Plum household constantly keep me laughing out loud. When Stephanie finds herself setting a date and buying a dress for her wedding to Joe she knows she is in trouble. They have discussed marriage, but had not committed. Her mother seems to be able to commit for her instead. Then there is Ranger, Stephanie's "possibility" besides Joe. She has to deal with planning a wedding she is not sure she wants, find her missing burn out friends, her attraction to Joe and Ranger, and the strange goings on of Eddie DeChooch in a jumbled mixture.

I had to tear through this book because I enjoyed it so much despite the language. I am sorry I have caught up with Evanovich. I now have to wait with all her other fans for the next novel. I discovered her within the last couple years, but I have caught up with the people who found the first Stephanie Plum book. These books are raunchy fun.

Notice: Non-graphic violence, Strong indecent language, Strong sexual content

The Series:

One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to Get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin'
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteeen