Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich is the 17th book in the “Stephanie Plum” mystery series. Publisher: Bantam, June 2011
Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum.
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, things get even more complicated for Stephanie when family and friends decide it’s time for her to decide between long-time 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 has 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.
Stephanie is Stephanie with all that is going on around her. She has a spell cast upon her by Grandma Bella; her mother has set her up with a new guy that is ready for marriage; the bonds office is operating out of a bus; she continues to go after skips and Stephanie is still caught up in a triangle between Joe and Ranger. The usual cast of characters are present and accounted for in this fun romp through the burbs. This story was an improvement over the last couple of books in the humorous series and I take this book for what it is…a fun read.