"He's old, and he kills people, and he's dating my grandmother." (Seven Up - Janet Evanovich)

Member Name: CaffienatedYak

Product:	Seven Up - Janet Evanovich
Date:	10/03/03 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Hilarious, side-splitting scenes, Great, memorable characters, Grandma Mazur is a sex goddess.

Disadvantages: There are supposed to be disadvantages?

I just discovered the wonders of the Stephanie Plum novels last fall. And managed to get my mom hooked on them. Happy day.

Perhaps I should thank Entertainment Weekly for that since the first Stephanie Plum novel I read their review on was.. none other than Seven Up! (Good thing I rememebred the books later)

In any case, this series is hilarious, with characters that border between hilariously realistic and "I wish there were people like this in real life."

This, of course, is the seventh book in the numbered series. Big-haired, motor-mouthed bounty hunter from hell- Jersey girl Stephanie Plum, born and raised in the 'Burg- is after old Eddie DeChooch, arrested for smuggling cigarettes.

She's wary of taking the job at first, and with good reason- he kills people. Plus, he's dating her Grandma Mazur, who has to be the coolest fictional grandma ever. But DeChooch has cataracts and emptied an entire clip into an ironing board the last time he tried to kill someone, her boss assures her, so give it a go.

Fans of the series will be delighted to see some recently-introduced characters- Including loveable, mellow pothead Walter "Moon Man" Dunphy and his bud, Dougie "The Dealer" Kruper; and even Bob, the canine vacuum cleaner- return in this book. Also returning are Stephanie's arch-rival, Joyce Barnhardt, and of course, the "every book" characters- Grandma Edna Mazur; Stephanie's parents- Frank and Ellen Plum; Ricardo Carlos Manoso (aka Ranger); Vinnie Plum (whom Stephanie works for- her cousin and a sexual lunatic who was once in love with a duck); Lula, the former hooker turned file clerk; Connie Rosolli; and, of course, Stephanie's on-again off-again cop boyfriend- Joe Morelli.

And, of course, Rex the hamster. A.K.A. the coolest pet in the world. Rex is a sex god.

This book provides plenty of laughs, some scenes so hilariously funny you may as

well try taping your mouth shut when reading this book in public. From the first appearance of Stephanie's "perfect' sister, Valerie, and the gut-busting subplot involving her, to a scene involving Bob, Joyce Barnhardt's lawn, and Chinese food, there's never a dull moment on any page.

I'd also highly recommend "Hard Eight," but this isn't the right section for that. To put it simply, if you like your stories hilarious, with memorable characters, a bit of romance, then the Stephanie Plum novels are for you.

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