Stephanie Plum is at it again, tracking down the bad guys while juggling a love life, or is she? In Janet Evanovich’s new novel “Plum Loving,” Stephanie has to help Diesel find Annie Hart, a relationship expert who is wanted for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The only problem is that because Annie is missing, it’s up to Stephanie to help take care of Annie’s clients before Valentine’s Day.
In this book, Stephanie has her work cut out for her, as she has to help people who are having trouble finding their perfect mate, or at least a date before Valentine’s Day. This book is like “Vision of Sugar Plums,” which introduced readers to the character Diesel and his supernatural powers.
In “Plum Loving,” readers are re-introduced to Diesel, who is more or less proposing that Stephanie has to take over Annie’s cases and make sure that all the clients have a happy ending, or at least a great date for Valentine’s Day. Readers may wonder how Stephanie may accomplish this feat, because she, too, has not had the best of luck in relationships.
To add things into the mix, there’s Lula, a black woman who has a troubled past but isn’t afraid to lend a helping hand whether Stephanie wants it or not. Lula is one of those characters who is full of humor and has a street-wise attitude that complements Stephanie when she decides to be her sidekick. As the story progresses, the reader sees how Stephanie is, in her own way, succeeding with the couples and solving Annie’s case with the help of Diesel.
One of the reasons why this book is an interesting read is because the characters in Evanovich’s books are flawed and easy to identify, particularly because it allows readers to see how Stephanie tries to get through her chaotic life. The novel is filled with humor, especially when Stephanie gets in sticky situations, often leaving the reader wondering how she’ll get out.
Evanovich is different from other mystery writers like James Patterson and Jeffery Deaver, whose novels dive into the scientific side of crimes. Patterson and Deaver explore how the murders were planned and how they were executed. Evanovich does this, but in simpler means. She lets Joseph Morellie or Ranger analyze the crime scenes as Stephanie tries to figure out the why the crime was committed.
Evanovich lets Stephanie run on instinct, allowing the reader to follow the character as she pieces the puzzle together. This is a good thing because I enjoy a book that will allow me to follow the character without getting lost in the story or becoming confused as to who the bad guy is.
It’s also convenient that the novel comes in audio book form. If you’re stuck in traffic on the 405 Freeway, “Plum Loving” will make life more enjoyable as Stephanie tracks down her bad guy and saves the day.
