Lean Mean Thirteen finds Stephanie on an errand for her friend, Ranger, who owns a top-of-the-game security firm. He wants her to plant a bug on Dickie Orr, who just happens to be Stephanie's ex-husband. That the marriage didn't end politely is an understatement ,and before their brief meeting is over, Stephanie has Dickie on the ground in a choke hold.
That would probably be the end of it, except that Dickie turns up missing the next evening, with the door to his house left ajar and blood on the threshold. Stephanie suddenly looks like the prime suspect in what just might be a murder investigation...and her alibi is weak, at best.
Gravediggers and Squirrels
For those new to the Stephanie Plum novels, Stephanie is the quintessential "Jersey Girl." She's a part time bounty hunter; her family is Italian; she drives a retired police Crown Vic; and her grandma dyes her hair orange, wears a throng, and carries a .38 in her purse. Most of all, she's witty, impulsive, and fun.
In Lean Mean Thirteen, Stephanie hasn't caught a fugitive in quite a while and she needs to get paid. On the list are Simon Diggery, a small-time grave robber who moonlights by doing taxes from the back of his pick-up truck, and Carl Coglin, a taxidermist with a grudge against the cable company. Both men are adept at finding ways to allude our heroine.
Morelli and Ranger
One thing that Stephanie is never short of is admirers. The two leading competitors for her affection are Joe Morelli, a Trenton cop and Stephanie's mostly full-time love and perennial bad boy Ranger, whose fast cars, rugged looks, and sleek lifestyle are always intriguing. Usually, the two "boys" are trying to one-up each other when Stephanie is around, but in this story, the team up. Stephanie's not sure which is worse.
Of course, the object is to either find Dickie or his killer before Stephanie can be charged with the crime. Into this caper, Evanovich inserts her characteristic humor and "touch-in-cheek" off-beat circumstances. Together it makes for a light and enjoyable read. Not Pulitzer Prize material, but fun none-the-less.
About Janet Evanovich
Janet Evanovich is the author of 21 mystery novels and 12 romance novels. She is best known for her Stephanie Plum series and her new series, featuring Alexandra Barnaby and NASCAR driver, Sam Hooker. She divides her time between New Hampshire and Florida.
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