Liviania‘s review of Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum, No. 14) by Janet Evanovich
Contemporary mystery released by St. Martin’s 17 Jun 08

I knew the seventeenth of June would be a good day because it was the street date of Jane Evanovich’s latest Stephanie Plum mystery. Evanovich has been on my auto buy list for years and there she will remain. She possesses excellent comedic timing and an appreciation for the absurd. Despite being the fourteenth novel in the series, Fearless Fourteen is accessible to newcomers. Some paragraphs describing the importance of various characters in the beginning may bore returning readers.

Skip Loretta Rizzi owns no collateral to be rebonded, so she is stuck in the Trenton jail. Thus, she needs someone to watch out for her son Mario, called Zook after his screen name on the online game Nation of Minionfire. Stephanie and her lover Morelli take the job, but someone keeps breaking into his home. At the same time, Stephanie is working again with Ranger, this time as a bodyguard to an aging diva and becomes involved with the diva’s psychic cousin/stalker. The clueless Moonman returns to protect the house with Zook and stalker Gary, as well as protect the house after Stephanie finds a dead man in the basement. Loretta’s brother Dom has an old grudge against Morelli, and he’s been involved with some scary people due to a bank heist ten years ago.

I enjoyed returning to the world of Evanovich’s lovably daffy characters. Having lost many friends to WOW, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at her gamers. Equally funny is Brenda, the diva, as she hits on Ranger and tries to remain in the spotlight. But while the characters are the same as ever, many standard gags are missing. Stephanie’s car survives the novel and Grandma Mazur only attends one off-screen funeral – without causing any trouble. The book is just as funny without them.

Stephanie seems to be moving toward a permanent commitment to Morelli. She still thinks sexually of Ranger, but seems less responsive to his advances. There’s only one sexually charged encounter between the two that I can remember. This impression may also be caused by the time Stephanie spends at Morelli’s house in Fearless Fourteen. She and Morelli feel domestic as they care for Zook and try to keep people out of the house and off the lawn.

Lula, a former ‘ho and Stephanie’s fellow bond-enforcement agent, continues her relationship with Tank and tricks him into an engagement. Tank’s fear of the marriage and Ranger’s exasperation with Lula for distracting his employee create some of the best scenes in the novel. Of course, Lula once more diets so that she can fit into a wedding dress. Lula’s rationalizations for eating badly still amuse, although nothing beats the all meat diet.

I heard of some early reviewers being disappointed, but I wasn’t. I think Fearless Fourteen represents the series well. It delivers multiple laughs and a satisfying mystery. On the romantic side, Fearless Fourteen is less sensual than the majority of the series, but the comfortable vibe between Morelli and Stephanie satisfied me. I like Ranger, but he isn’t long-term relationship material.

Grade: B+

Personal vendettas, hidden treasure, and a monkey named Carl will send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most explosive adventure yet.

The Crime: Armed robbery to the tune of nine million dollars

Dom Rizzi robbed a bank, stashed the money, and did the time. His family couldn’t be more proud. He always was the smart one.

The Cousin: Joe Morelli

Joe Morelli, Dom Rizzi, and Dom’s sister, Loretta, are cousins. Morelli is a cop, Rizzi robs banks, and Loretta is a single mother waiting tables at the firehouse. The all-American family.

The Complications: Murder, kidnapping, destruction of personal property, and acid reflux

Less than a week after Dom’s release from prison, Joe Morelli has shadowy figures breaking into his house and dying in his basement. He’s getting threatening messages, Loretta is kidnapped, and Dom is missing.

The Catastrophe: Moonman

Morelli hires Walter “Mooner” Dunphy, stoner and “inventor” turned crime fighter, to protect his house. Morelli can’t afford a lot on a cop’s salary, and Mooner will work for potatoes.

The Cupcake: Stephanie Plum

Stephanie and Morelli have a long-standing relationship that involves sex, affection, and driving each other nuts. She’s a bond enforcement agent with more luck than talent, and she’s involved in this bank-robbery-gone-bad disaster from day one.

The Crisis: A favor for Ranger

Security expert Carlos Manoso, street name Ranger, has a job for Stephanie that will involve night work. Morelli has his own ideas regarding Stephanie’s evening activities.

The Conclusion: Only the fearless should read Fourteen.

Thrills, chills, and incontinence may result.