Tricky Twenty-Two: A Stephanie Plum Novel

“There’s a difference between having maturity and being mature. I’m not ready to be mature. I don’t want to see the AARP magazine stuffed in my mailbox.” –Joe Morelli (pg. 207)Oh Joe honey, I hear ya. It’s a sad day when the AARP magazine replaces Cosmo in your mailbox – trust me, I know. But here’s the thing…you and Stephanie have been going around in circles since 1994. Now I know that time moves at a different pace in the land of Plum, but even so you two haven’t made much progress since High School, and before you know it you’ll be staring at a 40 year old man in the mirror. Isn’t it about time you grew up just the teeniest bit?If you’ve been keeping up with the Plum series then “Tricky Twenty-Two” will feel eerily familiar. And that’s because it just more of the same. Same cars getting annihilated, same break-up then make-up tango with Morelli, same platonic sleep-overs at Ranger’s place, same Lula scarfing down fried food. There’s absolutely nothing new here, even the big zit on Stephanie’s chin has made an encore appearance.So why do I keep reading these books? Good question, and one I ask myself every single time I finish a Plum novel. I think it’s a combination of hope and nostalgia. Nostalgia for a series that I adored way back in the day and hope that I’ll catch a glimpse of the magic that made the early books so special. Alas, my hopes were dashed with this one; no magic to speak of here, but it did bring back memories (mostly because the plot was recycled).I’m going for three stars with this one – it was ‘OK’ for what it is. Keep your expectations low and you won’t be disappointed.

Sorry, this is where I have to step off. The issue with the series is that it takes a long-running comic strip approach to the characters, but what works for Garfield (who also hasn't changed much in 40 years) can only make it so long in a novel format. (And honestly, even Arbuckle eventually got a girlfriend!)It's a little tricky, since the author doesn't let the characters age, and uses a similar formula book after book plotwise, to provide any maturing of the character. There were already around 20 or so of these when I started reading, so I made it through the first fairly fast and while the formula was noticeable, I didn't really pick up on the lack of character development until I had to wait for the next installments, and now I get what previous long-time fans have said about the character issues. I don't really see a way to fix this, since it seems intrinsic to the book series, so I'm leaving while I still have fond memories of finding out what happened to the car this time...sorry Trenton

Stephanie Plum, the world's worst bounty hunter, rides again. This times she goes back to college, to untangle a plot involving a misbehaving frat, an obsessed dean, and a crazy professor. Plus some of Trenton's finest businessmen are getting whacked (so what else is new), Ranger is being his usual inaccessible self, and Joe Morelli, Stephanie's cop boyfriend, has the runs so bad he decides it's time for them to take a break.I've been a huge--HUGE--fan of the Stephanie Plum novels for years, but as often happens with a long-running series, I have mixed feelings about the later books. "Tricky Twenty-Two" is still laugh-out-loud funny, with plenty of slapstick, mainly involving Stephanie and Lula's failed attempts at apprehending FTAs, but Evanovich has been milking this series for 20 years now, and there's only so many ways Stephanie can trip over garbage cans while trying to cuff a rapist. And while the final confrontation with the bad guy is reasonably exciting, we know that Ranger is going to find her just in the nick of time because it's already happened 21 times before. And as an academic I have to say that her caricature of academia is...well, it's not that far off, to be perfectly honest, but it's still a caricature written from the outside.On the other hand, like I said, there are still a number of scenes that made me laugh out loud, which is more than I can say for the vast majority of other books I've read recently, including the ones supposed to be funny. And while certain members of the ultra-PC crowd (a crowd I am nominally a part of, so don't think I'm saying this to dump on them) may find the story about a cute working-class white girl, her loudmouthed black sidekick , and her macho male protectors to be a bit...what's that word...oh yes, how could I forget, *problematic,* the fact is that Evanovich tackles issues of race, class, and sexual objectification and harassment in a straight-on yet entertaining way that more sensitive and "woke" authors can rarely manage.If you've never read any of the Stephanie Plum books, I highly recommend starting with 1995's "One For the Money," which is a classic for a reason and combines Evanovich's trademark slapstick with some genuinely edgy stuff. The later books have veered increasingly into slapstick territory and out of that edgy zone that truly good detective novels need to occupy (in my humble opinion), but they're still more entertaining than 90% of what's out there, so if you're a Plum fan and you're jonesing for a fix, this book will probably set you up for a little while.

Total rip off. It's not the book, it's a jerk writing a one page summary of each chapter and then selling it with the title, claiming it's a novel and taking the cash. AVOID J MORGAN!

I think it is time to sign off with this author. No tension and not much action almost as if the author has gotten tired of the characters. Come on Janet, pick up the pace and add some action to the stories!

Another hilarious romp through the streets of Trenton with Stephanie Plum and the characters who inhabit her world. Most of our favorites are back, if only in cameo; Joe Morelli, Bob the dog, Ranger, the big blue Buick, and of course Lula and Grandma Mazur. And of course, there is the usual assortment of FTAs.This time Morelli’s murder cases, Ranger’s security detail for the partner of the first murder victim and then the partner’s widow after he becomes the second murder victim, and Stephanie’s fraternity boy bond jumper somehow all come together into a single adventure.

It's a fair bet that if you're reading book 22 in a series, you've got a pretty good idea what to expect. To be honest, all the Stephanie Plum books are pretty interchangeable. You don't really need to have read any of the others because (sorry) they're kind of all the same.And that's just fine with me.Just as people go back time and time again to their favourite restaurant or rewatch Dirty Dancing a hundred times, there's something really comforting about reading Stephanie Plum adventures. You know she'll never get too badly hurt, she'll never make a decision about her love life, she'll destroy a lot of cars, eat a lot of mum's cooking and grandma will randomly shoot up a few scenes. But that's all par for the course.I found this one better than the last couple. Things are evolving a bit when I look back to the early days. She's got a mobile phone, GPS trackers, a taser, and Grandma's doing online dating. What more could you need.And how old is that poor hamster after 22 books?

If you have got to number 22 then your a die hard fan like me.So it pains me to say that it was more of the same as in previous books. I kept turning the pages waiting for something different to happen, for exciting twists and turns or even a steamy scene with Ranger, but it didn't happen.Now, not only have I loved all of the 22 books in the series but so have both of my daughters and we all own our own collection. Some are stronger than others it's fair to say. I can forgive the long life of her hamster, or how no one ages, even the predictable job where you know she will be out and bounty hunting with Lula, but after 22 books it would have been exciting to see maybe a new character or a bounty that took us to a different state or country even. But it didn't, it just gave more of the same safe format that has been used for the past 6-8 books.Iv given it 4* because despite the disappointment it's still a great read of characters iv grown to love over the years. I won't give up, nor will other fans I'm sure. But don't expect too much of this, just enjoy it because you love the others and will read the new books with fondness.

There is no one quite like Janet Evanovich and her book about Stephanie Plum and co are a delight. If you are looking for a few hours of escapist fun then read this book. If you want more than a few hours then read th e series, they're all superb.

Love all of the books in the Stephanie Plum series, and this is no exception. Light-hearted, fast-paced easy read. A delight. I am very pleased with my purchase and would buy again.

I love Stephanie Plum books they always make you smile, if you're having a bad day it's perfect to read all the shenanigans and bad luck that is always following her.I really recommend these books because it is not just one person, its about her family and friends too, you get to know them and you enjoy finding out what is happening to them all.