Monday, August 4, 2008 9:41 PM CDT
REVIEW: 'Fearless Fourteen' By Janet Evanovich
Review by Juanita Sherwood
If you are one of the few who have never read Janet Evanovich, then Fearless Fourteen would be a good book of hers to try. Her books are noted for their amusing dialogue and tongue-in-cheek “dangerous” situations. In fact, some portions are “laugh-out-loud” funny. They are aimed at a female audience who would enjoy the remarks about some of the male characters and sexuality in general. Many of the characters themselves are amusing, recurring ones as well as new ones who appear in each book to add to the mix.
The main character in her books is New Jersey resident Stephanie Plum. Through various events in her life, she has ended up working as an enforcement agent for her cousin Vinnie who owns a bail bond business. Stephanie is divorced and tries to be self-supporting.
She has two love interests: Joe Morelli, a fine looking policeman, with whom she lives on occasion, and Ranger, another fine looking specimen, who runs a security firm known as Rangeman, for which Stephanie works on occasion. Joe and Ranger know about each other and respect the territory, both professional and personal, regarding Stephanie. Stephanie leans toward what Joe could offer: a family and stability. Ranger is there to rescue her once-in-a-while as is Joe also occasionally.
Other interesting characters are her some-time assistant Lulu who also works for Vinnie. Lulu’s past is a bit checkered, and her taste in clothing is a lot eye-popping, but it is all in good fun. Also, appearing regularly is Stephanie’s grandmother who, even though a bit addled, manages to create havoc at times. The grandmother lives with Stephanie’s parents, who are a rather normal, middle-aged couple.
All of the Stephanie Plum books have a number in the title. Janet Evanovich has a few other books on the market that are of a different nature; if you want to read about Stephanie’s antics, then look for the numbers.
Fearless Fourteen features a crime that occurred in the past-a bank robbery-and complications arising from it.
Stephanie’s love interest, policeman Joe Morelli, who inherited a house from his aunt, has remodeled it extensively. Stephanie is staying over and in the kitchen at night when a man exits the basement and runs away. Needless to say, this startles Stephanie and mystifies Joe.
Events occur, one after another, until it is discovered that one of Joe’s cousins who had been serving time for bank robbery is now out of prison. The parolee, also related to the former owner of the house, Joe’s Aunt Rose, implies that the loot from the robbery is hidden in the house. The remodeling has impacted this situation.
Also of interest is a young teen, son of one of Stephanie’s detainees, whom Stephanie agrees to care for until the mother can post bond; a former acquaintance who may have used a little too much “pot” named Mooner whom Joe hires to protect his house when away; Loretta, an aging singer whose record label hires Rangeman to protect her from herself; and Tank who works for Rangeman and becomes Lulu’s love interest. Mooner’s protection device, a potato “cannon,” is especially amusing, yet effective.
If this all sounds a bit cluttered and goofy, it makes sense as the story unfolds. It is up to Evanovich’s usual standards. It even may exceed the fun of some of her former Stephanie Plum books.
Sherwood of Charleston is a retired reading teacher.
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