Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read the Stephanie Plum novels for hilarious dialogue, funny and idiosyncratic characters and a completely unrealistic but entertaining plot. And that’s what you get with this addition to the series. If the book seems a bit formulaic, well, yes, it is, but that’s the secret of the series’ success. I know exactly what the book will be, and the author delivers it well in this particular installment. Unlike the last book, where I thought there was too much angst devoted to the Morelli v Ranger dilemma (angst does not belong in Stephanie Plum novels), the angst was kept to a minimum. The plot is a bit loosely constructed but, again, that’s part of the charm of this series (wildly improbable coincidences happen all the time).
While this latest installment does not have the freshness of the earlier novels, it still provides solid entertainment. The new secondary characters are amusing, and the returning characters are still idiosyncratic and fun. This book is a fun and light-hearted read and a good addition to the series.