Julie's Review: Fearless Fourteen

Summary:

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 possible incontinence may result.

Review: Yes, I admit it, I was truly ready to throw in the towel on Stephanie Plum but I'm happy to say that my faith has been restored in this series that I have enjoyed incredibly over the last few years. This a much needed improvement over Lean Mean Thirteen. I even think that Stephanie is growing up a bit! I really enjoyed the cast of characters here. I thought that Brenda, just Brenda, was a hoot. I kind of pictured a slightly more worn Cher for some reason. I grew fond of Zook and felt sorry for him. It seemed to me like he used the video games to escape his life. I also liked how Stephanie treated Zook intelligently and not like a little kid. I'd like to see him back in another book in the future. Mooner and Gary also added some comic relief to the book. Grandma Mazur was interesting and hilarious as usual but her subplots always are a bit on the outrageous side. I don't know any Grandma's like her and I think that's why I find her pretty freaking hilarious.

I'm not quite sure what to think of the subplot involving Lula and Tank. While it is funny it is also something that should be wrapped up soon, in my opinion.

I liked the crime this time and how Stephanie wasn't a total idiot when it came to figuring the case out. She actually used her brain instead of dumb luck this time. I know some people will scream about the lack of Ranger in the book; while I can appreciate his hotness, I much prefer Morelli for stability and hotness (I now picture Jeffrey Donovan(Burn Notice)as Morelli) and long-term commitment. I understand while Ms. Evanovich drags it out but honestly the "pancaking" of Stephanie's feelings for each of them drives me a little batty.

All in all, this book brought me back into the fold for Stephanie Plum and gang. It's a good thing because I was ready to stop reading. Now, I'm looking forward to book 15.

Final Take: 4.5/5

Related: Jenn's Review: Fearless Fourteen