Book - One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich

I really enjoyed this book, it was a very quick read for me. I had read on several message boards that this series of books (8 and counting, currently) were very lighthearted, funny, street-smart and very easy reads. Good escape books! And I agree. I really enjoyed the first one and plan to get the rest from the library and complete the series.

These books would not be for you if intermittent foul language bothers you.

The premise of the series is this: Stephanie Plum (our heroine) is a lingerie buyer for a department store in New Jersey. She loses her job and is unable to find any kind of employment. In desperation, she gives in to her mother, who suggests she go see her "cousin Vinnie" who runs a bail bonding company. Vinnie needs a filing clerk. Whoopee, thinks Stephanie. Ends up, Vinnie has filled that spot, but he's always looking for a "recovery agent", to find people who have FTA'd - Failed to Appear. She gets a percentage of the bail bond money for each person she brings in. Of course, she goes after the big fish first - a guy she went to high school with, Joe Morelli, who is a local cop. Seems he is on the run, accused of shooting someone unharmed. Joe claims it was self defense and part of a larger cover-up. The book goes from there, and we see Stephanie learning to shoot a gun, apprehend suspects, learn to navigate the bad part of town, fend off a psychotic wannabe rapist, and along the way, strike up a friendship with two local prostitutes on a street corner. :)

As I said, if you can't take "street" level language and plots, this book is not for you. If you enjoy a smart, witty, up-to-date, grown-up Nancy Drew with an attitude, and her exploits as she tries to solve her cases, then this is a good read for you!

I own this in paperback, so if you'd like to borrow it, just let me know. I plan to check the others out of the local library. After I read a couple of others I already have here, though! :)

Added: February 6th 2005
Reviewer: Stace
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