Review - One For The Money by Janet Evanovich

One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mass Market Paperback, 320 pages

Published June 13th 2006 by St. Martin's Press (first published September 1994)

Source - Purchased

Synopsis:
'Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash--fast--but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family.

Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie's bail bonding company. She's got no experience. But that doesn't matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants to the time Steph hit him with her father's Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water--wanted for murder.

Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn't. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she'll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight--and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man.'
My Thoughts:
How good is Stephanie Plum? I am totally in love with this character. I think she is just so sassy, intelligent and resilient. She is willing to tackle anything with her big attitude and always speaks her mind but also has a soft side when required so you remember she is a normal female after all.

I was first introduced to Stephanie Plum in book number 7 when I accidentally picked it up at a staff book sale one day when I used to work for a book distribution company (why I ever gave that job up I don't know!) I then subsequently acquired books number 8 & 9 and eventually left that job so never got any further with the series.

Now, many years down the track, I finally decided to start the series from scratch because I remembered how much I loved the three books I read previously, and also because of the movie being released very soon starring Katherine Heigl as the main character Stephanie Plum. I refuse to watch a movie if it's based on a book before I have had the chance to read the book and get the whole picture first.

Anyway, for those of you who do not know, Stephanie has lost her job and is in dire straits until she manages to get a job as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie. The problem is that her first assignment is a local cop, Joe Morelli, who she has a bit of a history with. One For The Money traces Stephanie's journey into the world of bounty hunting and her quest to nab Joe Morelli. She eventually gets in over her head after getting wrapped up in a murder investigation.

This book is fast moving and filled with characters that you can't help but become attached to. This was one of those books that you just don't want to put down once you start reading because you know a new development is always just a page turn away.

I always get a soft spot for books that make me physically laugh out loud as well and this is something I find myself doing on a regular basis whenever I'm reading a Janet Evanovich novel.

Overall, if you like strong female characters that are also fun and don't take themselves too seriously I definitely recommend this series.

Purchase Details:
Amazon
The Book Depository