S&S Book Club: Janet Evanovich’s One for the Money
Lida, Jen, Carol & Tina chat about Lida’s pick: Janet Evanovich’s One for the Money
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Why Lida Picked It
As a long-time Stephanie Plum fan who’d stopped reading the series after Book 15 or so, I was certain a re-reading of One for the Money by Janet Evanovich would not hold the same pleasure for me as it did some twenty years ago. That’s when I first read the book that kicked off the successful series. The moment I began Chapter One, I discovered that not only did it hold up well, the writing and execution were even more admirable than I remembered.
Newly unemployed, divorced, and short on funds, Stephanie does what any able-bodied young female with no brag-worthy job skills living in the “Burg” of Trenton, New Jersey would do: she blackmails her way into becoming an apprehension officer, AKA, a bounty hunter. It just so happens that her low-life cousin Vinny runs a bail bonds office and is short one bounty hunter. This opens the door for Stephanie to bumble her way to capturing fugitives and a whole lot more.
There’s an unstoppable, wise-cracking heroine, plenty of action, suspense, romantic tension and a villainous type that makes the reader cringe every time he appears on the page. Add to the mix a slew of quirky, comical characters and a setting featuring anything but ordinary businesses. All necessary ingredients to keep this reader wanting more. Is it any wonder there are now 27 books in the series?
The very fact that Ms. Evanovich can take the serious subject of murder, criminal activity and missing witnesses, and sprinkle humor throughout so that the story and crimes never weigh the reader down, is an amazing feat. All the while, she writes simply and effectively enough to make every word count. I appreciate any story that makes me smile and want to eagerly turn each page. Bonus points for tickling me enough to make me laugh out loud.
What Jen Thought
I’d forgotten how funny Janet Evanovich is. Like Lida, it’s been many years since I’ve read a Stephanie Plum novel, and I wasn’t sure how it would hold up. After all, my tastes have changed since I first read the Stephanie Plum series twenty-plus years ago.
I was delighted to find myself laughing out loud listening to the audiobook read by the brilliant C. J. Critt. I was swept up in the romantic tension between Stephanie and the skip she’s tracing, her desire to be independent but still go home for dinner, and the main character’s sheer pluck.
The only jarring note for me was the casual treatment of what I’d label sexual misconduct by a pre-teen male against a younger female. I don’t know if it’s illegal or unethical or what, and I wonder if my strong reaction was influenced by current norms and values, my identity as a mother, or if I’d just forgotten about it. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t affect my whole-hearted recommendation for the series for anyone who has not yet discovered the fun of bounty-hunting in New Jersey.
What Carol Thought
I’m so glad Lida suggested One for the Money. I also read it years ago and wondered how I would feel meeting Stephanie Plum and the outspoken cast of characters in Janet Evanovich’s mystery novel after so many years. Let me say that I soon realized that I had completely forgotten everything and ended up reading as if for the first time.
Amateur sleuth and bungling bounty hunter Stephanie Plum says aloud what most people only think. She’s bold and brazen, but also down-to-earth and hilariously funny. I actually laughed out loud multiple times. Her long-suffering father, hovering mother, and brash Grandma Mazur add to a wonderfully realistic cast of New Jersey characters. The two men in Stephanie’s life—good-looking cop Joe Morelli, whom Stephanie has known since she was six (Don’t ask!), and hot, smoldering bounty hunter Ranger—sizzle, adding sparks to every chapter.
If you’re in search of a fun, well-constructed mystery, look no further. One for the Money belongs on your shelf.
What Tina Thought
I am the outlier here. I am not revisiting the Stephanie Plum series, but reading it for the first time. I started One for the Money because I love Lida’s character Corrie Locke from her Southern California Mysteries. Corrie is funny, courageous and self-deprecating. And she has been compared on numerous occasions to Stephanie Plum. So, thanks to Lida, I needed to finally find out what all the fuss was about. And now I know. Evanovich’s Stephanie is everything the others have mentioned above, but most importantly, like Corrie, she is fun. And who doesn’t need a little fun to look forward to at the end of a crazy day?
