Is there anything funnier than Stephanie Plum??

A few summers ago, I started reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. I had heard so much about them that I wanted to find out for myself why all the fuss. So I took them with me on vacation. My husband thought I was nuts, because all of a sudden, I would burst out laughing!! And I loved them. But I read the first 4 books in about a 2 month period. I was afraid I would run the risk of burning myself out on Plum. So I set the rest of the books aside...until now. High Five by Janet Evanovich (340 pgs, St. Martin's Press) is book number 5 and one that I am using for the TBR Challenge.

Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter. Ummm...a Bail Enforcement Agent. And she works for her cousin Vinnie bringing in people that skip out on bail. Trouble is, business is a little slow and the rent is due. Enter Ranger, the Superman of Bounty Hunters. He handles all the really big, dangerous criminals and when he's not out catching bad guys, he's doing other odd jobs, mostly legal and sometimes moral. He lets Steph join the group, which includes guys with names like Tank. The jobs range from "interior decorating" (security) to chauferring a shiek. And Ranger even gives her a snazzy Porsche to use as a "company" car.

Then Steph's Uncle Fred disappears and her family wants her to look into the case. But when she starts digging into Fred's things, she finds pictures of a dead body....or at least the body parts. And what does all this have to do with the problems Fred has had with the garbage company....the errand he was running when he suddenly went missing??

What can I say?? After reading A Fine Balance, my brain needed something way lighter and a lot more fun. And this was certainly all that. There is just no getting around laughing at the things Stephanie gets herself mixed up in. With a cast of characters that grows longer with each book, Evanovich weaves a good mystery with lots of fun. And sexual tension. The ever-present debate over who Stephanie should end up with is big talk among Plum fans. Should it be Morelli, the sexy cop with the smoldering looks that Stephanie has know all her life? Or should it be Ranger, the dark, dangerous bounty hunter that is gorgeous and built for speed?? For the first four books, I've been solidly in the Morelli camp. But Book 5, stepped up Ranger's interest....and I have to say I may be wavering a little!!

If you are looking for some fun, light reading, this is definitely the series for you. Now that I've finished High Five, I may have Plum Fever again. I definitely can't wait to see what trouble Stephanie can get into next!! 4/5