The King's Ransom

Gabriella Rose is a successful recovery agent who travels the world locating stolen objects to return to their rightful owners. She has just completed an operation when she is approached by her ex-husband, Rafer Jones, seeking her assistance to help his cousin, Harley, who is the president of a private bank that insured some famous items that have now gone missing. Harley is accused of being involved in the crime and fears that his life may be in danger.

The stolen items include the Rosetta Stone, an Egyptian solid gold sarcophagus plus a collection of famous paintings and other objects. Gabriella and Rafer team up travelling from New York to London, Egypt, Italy locating the missing objects to return to their owners. Meanwhile Gabriella is being followed by people who also want the items and are determined to collect them and keep them for themselves.

In The King's Ransom Janet Evanovich has written a fast paced mystery laced with the humour you would expect from a Janet Evanovich book. The King's Ransom is the second book in the Recovery Agent novel series.

Now or Never

For a light entertaining read, Janet Evanovich in her Stephanie Plum series rarely lets the reader down. In this thirty-first book in the series, Stephanie, Lula and Connie continue to locate those who have broken their bond conditions so that they can be rebonded and a new trial date set.

As usual, things do not always go to plan as Stephanie and Lula pursue their targets - Eugene Fleck, Bruno Jug and Zoran (also known as The Vampire). During the investigations Herbert, who used to go to school with Stephanie, insists on helping her refurnish her apartment after it was fire-bombed and also tags along for part of the investigations.

But Stephanie has an additional problem. She is engaged to both of the special men in her life - Ranger and Morelli - and it is time that she made a decision as to to who she really wants to marry.

Now or Never is another fun read in the Stephanie Plum series.

Dirty Thirty

As the title suggests, Dirty Thirty is number 30 in the Stephanie Plum series by American author, Janet Evanovich. Readers of this serious of entertaining, humorous crime novels know what to expect and will not be disappointed. 

When a local jeweller asks Stephanie to investigate a robbery at his store she does not envisage the dangers that she and Lula will encounter as they search for the person accused of the robbery. As Morelli is in Miami on police business Stephanie is entrusted with looking after his dog, Bob. As Bob is inclined to destroy furniture and other items when left alone for too long he joins the team for much of the investigation.

Some of the FTAs that Stephanie and Lula pursue are routine, however some prove to be more of a challenge. With Morelli away Stephanie has to rely on Ranger for assistance, especially when her car becomes undrivable and her apartment is firebombed - routine events in the life of Stephanie Plum. When it is obvious that Stephanie has become a target it becomes necessary to bend the rules to solve the crime.

Going Rogue

Going Rogue by Janet Evanovich is number 29 in the Stephanie Plum series. Stephanie arrives at the office to discover that Connie is not there and is not answering Stephanie's calls. Connie's mother confirms that Connie left for work so where is she? Lula arrives and does not know where Connie is either. Then Stephanie receives a call demanding that a coin given to Vinnie as collateral for bail be handed over in return for Connie who has been kidnapped. The man who originally owned the coin has been murdered and Vinnie has lost the coin. The hunt is therefore on to locate the coin and to to find those responsible for kidnapping Connie.

Assistance in the hunt is provided by Lula, Grandma Mazur, Ranger and and his team and also Morelli. Lots of action, lots of humour throughout the book as the Stephanie and Co. hunt for the kidnappers and also persuade a few bail absconders to apply for a new trial date. Another entertaining read from Janet Evanovich.

Fortune or glory

Fortune or glory is another entertaining crime escapade from Janet Evanovich - number 27 in the Stephanie Plum series. Readers of the series know what to expect and will not be disappointed as bounty hunter, Stephanie, and her assistant, Lula, attempt to apprehend a range of unruly characters who have broken conditions of their bond by failing to appear in court. Along the way Stephanie does a favour for George Potts who then insists on returning her favour by following her around as a bodyguard.

A major part of the plot revolves around Stephanie assisting Grandma Mazur in retrieving a 'treasure' hidden by Grandma Mazur's gangster husband who died shortly after the wedding. Other members of the gang are also looking for the treasure as is the mysterious Gabriela Rose who suddenly appears on the scene.

Most of the characters seem to carry guns though the weapons may not always be loaded and the characters often do not know how to fire them. There is plenty of action with car chases, explosions, kidnapping and the occasional murder. Readers of the series will also be noting Stephanie's disastrous record for demolishing cars. The on again off again relationship with Joe Morelli continues while Ranger is always there to provide support of all kinds.

Humour, as well as lots of action, is a major feature of the books providing laugh aloud moments for the reader. Looking at the long library reserve list for the book many readers just want to escape for an hour or two into the crazy world of Stephanie Plum.

Twisted 26

In 1994 American author, Janet Evanovich, wrote her first Stephanie Plum mystery - One for the money. The twenty-sixth book in the series is Twisted 26. Each year we look forward to more wacky adventures from the regular cast of these books - bounty hunter Stephanie and her colleague Lula, Joe Morelli and Ranger and, of course, Stephanie's family.

The plot of this installment concentrates on the marriage of Grandma Mazur to a gangster, Jimmy Roselli - a marriage that lasts 45 minutes before Jimmy has a heart attack and dies. Stephanie has to support her grandmother from the wrath of members of Jimmy's family, including a former wife, who suspect that they may be deprived of their cut of the family fortune. A greater threat comes from members of Roselli's former gang who are looking for keys that Roselli possessed. As well as facing these challenges Stephanie and Lula also have a number of bail absconders to apprehend. And yes, a car does explode. Looking forward to next year's episode in the chaotic life of Stephanie Plum.

Look Alive 25

What a great way to start the year with a new Stephanie Plum mystery by Janet Evanovich.

In this adventure Stephanie and Lula are put in charge of the Red River Deli which had recently been acquired by the Vinnie Plum Bail Company after the owner of the business absconded when on bond. It is only when they turn up for work on the first day that they discover that the last three managers have disappeared each leaving behind one shoe.

Lula is an expert with take away food - eating it that is. However, she and Stephanie discover that preparing food and keeping customers happy is not that easy. When too more men disappear from the back of the restaurant Stephanie feels guilty that they disappeared when helping her. The search for the missing men and the perpetrators of the kidnappings intensifies with Morelli and the police, Ranger and his team plus Wulf involved. Meanwhile, when not at the deli, Stephanie continues her role as a bounty hunter. A busy life!

In the tradition of other Stephanie Plum mysteries there is plenty of humour, danger to vehicles [and buildings], lots of junk food, continuation of her relationship with Morelli [when time permits] plus simmering tension with Ranger. An enjoyable holiday read.

Hardcore 24

It must be nearly Christmas as another title in the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series has just been released.

In this volume the police are concerned with the number of headless corpses that are appearing on the streets as well as bodies in the funeral home that have had their brains removed. There appears to be a zombie epidemic in the neighbourhood and whenever Stephanie tries to appehend bail absconders she keeps noticing strange people and behaviours - that is more strange people than she usually encounters in her work.

Added to this Diesel appears in her appartment and settles in to stay until he completes his current assignment. Stephanie and Morelli are continuing their relationship but Ranger, of course, is also in the mix. Stephanie's life is complicated. However the assistance of these three men is required to resolve the Burg's zombie invasion.

Turbo Twenty-three

Christmas must be approaching as a new title in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series has just been published. I find these books an entertaining read so always look forward to catching up with the next installment of Stephanie's eventful and certainly unpredictable life.

The story begins when Stephanie and Lula discover an abandoned freezer truck filled with ice cream plus a frozen body decorated to imitate an ice cream bar. This time most of the action centres around the rivalry between the owners of two ice cream factories. Ranger, who has been employed to install security at one of the firms, asks Stephanie to work undercover at the factories to try to collect inside information relating to the rivalry. Stephanie also continues her work as a bounty hunter and some of the characters she apprehends have links to the ice cream saga further complicating the plot. As the storyline progresses it is clear that working in the ice cream industry can have sinister consequences.

Themes in the other books in the series continue to evolve with the complications in Stephanie's love life continuing and more motor vehicles being damaged when Stephanie is around.

The Pursuit

At the end of the previous book in this series. The Scam, Nicolas Fox had disappeared. At the beginning of The Pursuit he wakes up in a coffin in Belgium after being kidnapped by members of the Road Runners, a group of diamond thieves led by Dragan Kovic. Dragan wants Nick to help him rob a diamond vault in the Executive Merchants Building in Antwerp. Nick agrees to help while waiting for Kate O'Hare to rescue him. They then discover that the diamond robbery was planned primarily to steal something deadly which was also hidden in the vault. Nick, Kate and their team have limited time to foil a plot which could threaten the lives of thousands of people.

I thought that initially the story-line in The Pursuit by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg was a little slow to develop (perhaps I am becoming used to the plotline in this series) however once the plans for the con took shape the book proved to be another lively romp - a worthy sequel in the series.

The Scam

This is the fourth title in the Fox and O'Hare Mystery series, a collaboration between Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. Nicolas Fox is a con man and thief who for many years was pursued by FBI Agent, Kate O'Hare. Now (most of the time) Nick and Kate are working together undercover to bring about the arrest of criminals who cannot be caught by normal operational means.

Their target in this book is casino owner, Evan Trace, who is is using his casinos for money-laundering. In order to successfully carry out the scam Nick and Kate travel between Las Vegas, Hawaii and Macau. The plot is action driven and at times Kate and Nick need to call upon the expertise of a team of eccentric but highly competent accomplices to successfully carry out their mission. From the ending of the book this will not be the last one in this series. I look forward to the next installment.

Tricky twenty-two

As the title suggests, this is the twenty-second title in the Stephanie Plum series of books written by Janet Evanovich. Although these books tend to follow a formula it is a formula that provides an entertaining read.

As usual there is an assortment of strange characters, cars are destroyed, Grandma Mazur continues to visit viewings at the funeral parlour, Stephanie's mother despairs of her daughter ever finding a decent job and a good partner while a large number of doughnuts are consumed. Stephanie finds herself in dangerous situations but fortunately, usually, has the back up from Ranger and Joe Morelli. In this book, however, her relationship with Joe appears to be at an end as he struggles with undisclosed problems and this forces Stephanie to also consider her future.

As a bounty hunter her job continues to introduce Stephanie to weird individuals and situations. The main plot-line is the search for Ken Globovic, a member of a fraternity at Kiltman College, who was accused of attacking the college dean of student. When Goltman goes into hiding, his being protected by fellow students make it more of a challenge to find him. However this is not the only problem as Doug Linken, who is associated with the college, is killed when Ranger is employed to protect Linken and his wife. There are many twists and turns as well as laughs as the story evolves.

Wicked charms

Back home after having spent the past couple of months exploring parts of the UK I thought I would start reading again with something light. Wicked charms is the third title in the Lizzy and Diesel series and Janet Evanovich has co-written the book with Phoef Sutton. Lizzy Tucker and the mysterious Diesel once again team up this time to locate the Stone of Avarice one of the seven Stones of Power that they have been enlisted to retrieve.

Lizzy would rather lead a quiet life making cakes in the local bakery but as she is an Unmentionable with a special power for finding things she has been enlisted by Diesel as his assistant. The story starts when a body is found at the pirate museum and the hunt is then on to locate the stone, a treasure map and the coin that will assist in the reading of the map. Chaos then follows as Lizzy and Diesel attempt to keep ahead of others who are also looking for the Stone of Avarice for their own projects. They are assisted by Glo who also works in the bakery and experiments with magic and Clara who owns the bakery. As you would expect in a Janet Evanovich book there is a cast of of strange characters, not to mention Diesel's monkey, Carl, plus plenty of fast paced madcap action, supernatural elements as well as sexual tension. And there will be more to come.

The Job

The next installment in the Fox and O'Hare series. This time Kate O'Hare and Nicolas Fox plan a major con to entice Lester Mendenez, a major criminal wanted all over the world, into the open. He had been in hiding for many years having completely changed his appearance so they not only have to plan how to capture him but also need to first identify him. They carefully select their support team, including Kate's father, as they undertake their mission.  Not wanting to reveal too much of the plot, I can add that this is another entertaining book by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. A good holiday read.

Top secret twenty-one

A note on the cover of this book describes Janet Evanovich as 'Queen of Kick-Ass Crime'. This is the twenty-first title in the popular Stephanie Plum series featuring bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum who with the aid of an assortment of lovers, friends and acquaintances, attempts to persuade those who missed their court appearance to return to the police station to be rebailed.

The two main plots in this book involve the attempts to apprehend Jimmy Poletti, used car dealer who sells more than used cars, and the search for the person who is attempting to kill her friend and associate, Ranger. As usual there are explosions - buildings as well as cars - over the top characters and, of course, plenty of action and laughs.

The Heist

Readers of Janet Evanovich books know what to expect but with this new series written with Lee Goldberg you can add additional action and tension. The Heist is the first book in the Fox and O'Hare series. I read the second book in the series, The Chase, before this book as that was the title that came across my path first. As you would expect, much of this book is setting the scene and introducing the reader to the cast of characters - Nick Fox (conman), Kate O'Hare who was a Navy Seal but now works for the FBI) and their team of specially chosen co-workers capable of successfully staging a con. How and why Nick and Kate are working together as a team is also explained.

In this book, Nick and Kate are charged with conning a corrupt investment banker who has retreated to a remote Indonesian island. First they must establish the location of the missing man and then persuade him to return the stolen money - obviously not an easy assignment, made even more complicated when a boatload of pirates arrive on the scene. One of the characters, Willie, describes her experiences as a great adventure and this book is an over the top adventure story with  humour thrown in plus, a few explosions and of course, a little sexual tension. All good fun.

The Chase

The second book in the series co-written by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg about an FBI agent, Kate O'Hare, who is 'unofficially' partnered with a fugitive on the FBI's ten most wanted list, Nicolas Fox. When the Chinese reclaim a bronze rooster on loan to the Smithsonian there is a problem. The rooster on display is a fake. Nick and Kate's task is to find a way to locate the stolen rooster and replace the fake artifact with the original. As the person who now possesses the real rooster is also the head of a major world security network the task is obviously not going to be easy. This fast moving action novel contains plenty of suspense as Nick and Kate with their team not only locate the original rooster but also seek revenge on the person who stole it.

Takedown twenty

This is number 20 in the Stephanie Plum series but this series of books continues to to be entertaining to read. The normal cast - Stephanie, Lula, Connie, Joe Morelli, Ranger, Grandma Mazur and Joe's grandmother, Bella, all take part in the action of this story about a bounty hunter attempting to apprehend clients who have missed their court appearance. There is the occasional dead body, people shooting people and cars, plenty of mishaps and near misses and general devastation when Stephanie attempt to do her job. Each book has additional outlandish characters, usually baddies, who contribute to the mayhem.

The main target in Takedown Twenty is Uncle Sunny Sunucchi who likes to kill people. Unfortunately he is Joe Morelli's godfather and the Morelli family and Uncle Sunny's neighbours and associates do all they can to protect him and hide his whereabouts. There is a large price on Uncle Sunny's head but capturing him is a challenge. Naturally there are other subplots in Stephanie's eventful life, not to mention her romantic relationship with Morelli and working relationship with Ranger.

Unusual things happen in Trenton. When looking for Uncle Sunny 'a giraffe loped past us. It continued on down the road, turning at Sixteenth Street and disappearing into the darkness.' (page 4) Lula names the giraffe, Kevin, and his reason for apparently living on the streets of Trenton is a focus as the plot unravels. This is all good fun and once again I enjoyed reading this latest offering from Janet Evanovich.

The Husband List

Set in 1894 in Caroline Maxwell, heiress, is struggling to maintain her independence and the right to marry the man she chooses and not a member of the British aristocracy chosen by her mother. When her mother discovers that Lord Bremerton is visiting America looking for a wife she places him at the top of the husband list that she has compiled of suitors for her daughter. Caroline is not impressed and instead decides that she would prefer to marry a friend of her brother, Jack Culthane. When Caroline refuses to accept Lord Bremerton's marriage proposal without having seen his family estate, Caroline and her family sail to England, accompanied by Jack who is following leads to discover more about Bremerton's past. This enjoyable historical romance was co-written by Janet Evanovich and Dorian Kelly who previously wrote, Love in a Nutshell. I have enjoyed reading both of these books and look forward to reading their next collaboration.

Notorious nineteen

The first Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich was published in 1994. The nineteenth book in this series continues the exploits of bounty hunter, Stephanie, her off-sider, Lula, Grandma Mazur, Joe, Morelli, Ranger and a host of zany characters. When conman, Geoffrey Cubbin mysteriously disappears from a hospital in the middle of the night investigations show that he is not the only person to have done so. As well as finding out what has happened to Cubbin Stephanie is also employed by Ranger to act as a guard for him at a social function. Needless to say nothing goes smoothly as Stephanie and colleagues attempt to unravel the crimes and also keep alive. For those who are counting, the number of cars associated with Stephanie that meet a sad end increases dramatically in this book.