Sizzling Sixteen

Janet Evanovich

Vinnie Plum has been kidnapped and held for ransom. While Stephanie knows her uncle is a nasty old man who gambles too much, has all sorts of perversions, lies, and cheats on his wife. Even so, he is family. Also, he is her employer. She, Connie - Vinnie's office manager, and Lula, decide they have to get Vinnie back. They can't raise the $300,000 being asked, with daily interest accruing. Instead they decide to find him and take him back. The people they're dealing with are some of the most dangerous people in Trenton.

Of course Stephanie and Lula are inept. If it weren't for Joe Morelli, the homicide detective, or Ranger, the shadowed security business owner, Stephanie wouldn't be successful in her bounty hunter job. Ranger has her followed to keep her out of trouble. Morelli is always around. She and Morelli are currently on a break from their on and off again relationship.

Has Janet Evanovich taken Stephanie Plum a little too long? There weren't any laugh out loud moments in this book, although there were some chuckles. For the most part, Sizzling Sixteen is dumb. It has its cuteness, like the pet named Mr. Jingles - a six foot alligator. Choose not to picture Vinnie in his underwear - he appears that way a number of times.

Sizzling Sixteen has lost the charm of the Stephanie Plum books and kept the inane ness. If you read the series, you'll read this just to keep up. Otherwise, there are other, better books to read.

Notice:  Non-graphic violence, Strong indecent language, Suggestive dialogue or situations

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