SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN

SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN by Janet Evanovich

From the book jacket:

Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds.  No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie's name is on the killer's list.

Short on time to find evidence proving the killer's identity, Stephanie faces further complications when her family and friends decide that it's time for her to choose between her longtime off-again-on-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger.  Stephanie's mom is encouraging Stephanie to dump them both and choose a former high school football star who's just returned to town.  Stephanie's sidekick, Lula, is encouraging Stephanie to have a red-hot boudoir "bake-off."  And Grandma Bella, Morelli's old-world grandmother, is encouraging Stephanie to move to a new state when she puts "the eye" on Stephanie.

With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie's life looks like it's about to go up in smoke.

I love the month of June.  That's when the latest Stephanie Plum book is released.  And this one is a doozy.  For a little while, the books had gotten stale, but around #13 they started to pick up steam again.  Ms. Evanovich is in rare form with #17.

Stephanie and Lula have their hands full trying to bring in the current list of FTA's, including the delightful senior citizen vampire.  Lula is sure she's turning into a vampire after their first encounter.  The bail bonds office is operating out of Mooner's bus, decorated in shades of black inside and painted with pictures of Stephanie and Lula on the outside - digitally enhanced pictures.  And Stephanie is being taught how to cook by the new man in her life, the one chosen by her mother and Grandma Mazur.  Grandma Bella has given Stephanie "the eye" and the only cure seems to be a pair of granny panties.

There are fires, stolen cars, plenty of chicken and donuts, but for those who are counting, Stephanie only explodes one car.  The only down side of this book for me was the absence of Grandma Mazur's craziness - she seemed almost normal.

The book ends with Stephanie appearing to make a decision about the men in her life.  Of course, we readers won't know the choice until EXPLOSIVE EIGHTEEN is released.  But instead of having to wait until next June, it will be coming out on November 22 of this year.  November might become my next favorite month!