Review: Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanvich

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich

Published: June 2009
Genre: Chick-lit, romance, mystery
Pages: 320

Recipe for disaster:
Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head --literally.
Throw in some spice:
Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to is Trenton cop, Joe Morelli.

Pump up the heat:
Chipotle’s sponsor is offering a million dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers.
Stir the pot:
Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah.
Add a secret ingredient:
Stephanie Plum’s Grandma Mazur. Enough said.
Bring to a boil:
Stephanie Plum is working overtime tracking felons for the bonds office at night and snooping for security expert Carlos Manoso, A.K.A. Ranger, during the day. Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, solve Ranger’s problems and not jump his bones?
Warning:
Habanero hot. So good you’ll want seconds.

Perhaps it were the reviews I had read that made me look more critical at this one, or perhaps it just wasn't as good as previous novels. It never made me laugh out loud, just smile now and then. And I always laugh when I read the number novels.

I think I may know the reason, the lack of Morelli. I love these because of the dynamics between Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger. They are the perfect triangle, and I enjoy how they all act together. And the whole who will she pick, who will do what. That was not here, so that crucial ingredient was missing and it showed.

Because of that I started looking at other things, like how annoying it is that the only word Ranger seems to know is babe, that she never understand that the skips will climb out the window while she waits patiently for them. She should have learnt by now.

What I wont get tired of is crazy grandma Mazur, I love her. I will not get tired of Stephanie's cars exploding, I would actually be upset if they weren't. And I will not get tired of the oh so funny side-kick Lula, though I could have lived without the farting in this one.

It was a normal Plum novel, she is trying to find those who failed to show up in court, that usually means crazy old men, exploding cars, and her getting all dirty. And there is always the big story too. This time Lula has witnessed a murder and the bad guys are after her. And while they try to stay away they also try to catch the killers to get the reward.

It was ok, alright more than ok, but I expect more from Evanovich by now. I want laughs, not just smiles. And if it hasn't got me giggling and laughing then it can't get more than a ok from me. Though this one is still better than her between the numbers novels and her other novels.