No. 7) - A Stephanie Plum Novel - Seven Up (Stephanie Plum

I love the story.. I ordered the hard cover. But once again I did not get it. The same thing happened when I ordered it from Wal Mart. So don't feel bad. So I read it and loved it , but will give it away because I collect the Hardcover versions .

PLOT OR PREMISE:
Seven Up (published by St. Martin's Press, 2010, ISBN: B0017POSDC, series: Plum (7)) is the seventh outing in the Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter, series. This time she's after an old mobster who kills people and is dating her grandmother.
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WHAT I LIKED:
As with many of the Plum stories, it is often the secondary characters that add spice and liveliness to the story. DeChooch, the old and inept mobster, is a hoot and we get to see a lot more interactions with Moonman. There are so many cute scenes -- like when she finds a bunch of stolen merchandise in a bedroom, asks for an explanation, and ends up buying a toaster. Oh and there's a little thing about planning a wedding.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The basic premise of why everyone is looking for DeChooch is a bit far-fetched, but whatever. In addition, the arrival of sister Valerie with two kids in tow adds little to the story. And don't get me started on the kidnapping of Grandma.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.

It's no secret that I love this series, Stephanie's antics and her crazy family never fail to make me giggle and these books are the perfect thing to pick up when you're having a bad day and just need something to make you smile.

You'd think that Stephanie might be getting the hang of this bounty hunter thing by now but unfortunately for her she's just as terrible as ever. Even when she's up against a pensioner things don't go to plan for our plucky heroine and her sidekick Lula. I swear these two could get themselves in trouble in a kids soft play area!

Throw in family drama with her not-so-perfect sister Valerie who has moved back home with her two daughters and put Grandma Mazur on a motorbike and you know you're going to be in for an interesting ride, especially since all that's before we even think about the two men in her life.

Stephanie somehow seems to be accidentally engaged to Morelli even though he never officially proposed and now that it looks like she's off the market (her mother is already shopping for the wedding dress and Grandma Mazur has the hall booked!) Ranger has decided it's time to up the ante and make his presence felt. What's a girl to do when she's stuck between two very hard, very hot alpha men who both want to stake their claim? Personally if I was Stephanie I'd be tempted to keep them both but I'm not sure if either Morelli or Ranger would be willing to share.

There's no point me going into detail about the plot, if you're familiar with this series you know what to expect by now and you'll love this just as much as the first six books. If you're new to the series what the hell are you waiting for - go and grab a copy of One for the Money now and prepare to laugh from start to finish.

Stephanie Plum is once again a delight as she attempts to pick up some hard-earned bounty money- this time on a seemingly harmless elderly ex-mob friend of Grandma Mazar. But that harmless friend turns out to be full of wily tricks, not to mention having a dead body in his shed and quite a bit of ammunition to fire Stephanie's way - maybe he's not as ex-mob as we thought.

Meanwhile, it appears that Joe Morelli is thinking marriage, which has Stephanie's family very excited, while her "perfect" sister Valerie has wandered home with some sort of marital problem - and Ranger persists in getting Stephanie all hot and bothered - life is just not easy in Jersey. But we wouldn't have it any other way.

It's another amusing winner from Janet Evanovich - such fun to read.

I have to admit that in my opinion this one was one of the author's funniest yet. While the story most certainly has a plot; a rather good plot as a matter of fact, the real fun is in the hodgepodge situations Stephanie finds herself dealing with. The one liners in this one come fast and furious and are a delight.

So many plots and subplots here, all blending together! Stephanie is trying to run down a senior citizen well past his prime who is also a retired mobster who, like all our lady heroine goes after, has skipped bail. Two of Stephanie's friends (a couple of completely wacked-out pot heads) go missing and appear to be in grave danger. Stephanie's perfect sister and her two less than ideal children turn up at her parent's door - she has left her not so perfect husband and not so perfect marriage - and of course we have the regular caste of characters from Lula to Ranger to grandma and beyond that Stephanie must deal with.

Chaos and mayhem seem to rule the day in this one and the story moves at a frantic and hilarious pace. I had trouble putting this one down to eek out a bit of sleep here and there. The book is well written and as per usual the author's ability as a story teller shines through on each and every page.

Now I know that this series does not match everyone's taste and that is fine. If you are a Plum fan though I predict you will enjoy this one as much as I have. This will be one that I will reread on down the road.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Stephanie is supposed to be looking for her grandmother's boyfriend. He is old mob guy and half blind, but he keeps giving her the slip. Then Dougie goes missing and Mooner is worried. Then these two things turn out to be connected. Because of course. Oh and two of the guys 'friends' are also looking. Some 'thing' is missing and that is at the root of this and that was entertaining. Grandma Mazur always makes me like these more. But still ridiculous and the love life here just adds to it. Ranger makes no sense how all of sudden its a thing with them and it seemed kind of awful in this one. I like Ranger, but this seems bad.

The marketing motto for the Seven Up soft drink during the 1980s became an expression that took on a popular meaning of someone who acts above-board, without artifice. The allure of bounty-hunter Stephanie Plum, the heroine of Seven Up, is that she is ‘crisp and clean with no caffeine.’

Or maybe she is not. When Stephanie got a black eye from an old lady driving an Oldsmobile in a dispute over a parking place outside of Stiva’s, she didn’t look very crisp. She won’t be clean after she follows Mary Maggie Mason to the Snake Pit. According to Grandma Mazur, Mary Maggie is a local celebrity in the ‘Burg by virtue of her skills as a mud wrestler. The peripatetic bounty hunter gets into situations that inspire the catch phrases on the back cover of the book – Blown Up and Messed Up.

Mother Plum believes that her daughter Stephanie should be more like her other daughter Valerie, who is married, living in California, with two kids at the start of the novel. While Stephanie is ‘engaged to be engaged’ to cop Joe Morelli, marriage doesn’t seem right for the two – at least, not now. Stephanie was fitted out for a wedding dress at Tina’s Bridal Shoppe, and the Plums put a down payment on the PNA hall – the best place in the ‘Burg, according to Grandma Mazur. By the end of the novel, Stephanie does become more like her sister Valerie, but not how you would think.

We get to meet Valerie in ‘Seven Up,’ and her two daughters Angie and Mary Alice. Mary Alice thinks she’s a horse throughout the novel, which is better than a stoner called Moonman who calls everyone ‘Dude.’ Walter Dunphy becomes a large part of the story, but there are only so many jokes that work with the insipid character whose unpredictability is predictable. The bounty of the novel is Eddie De Chooch, an old guy with mob ties who Stephanie can’t seem to catch.

DeChooch isn’t hard to find. He’s the FTA who calls Stephanie. He has a thing for Grandma Mazur. He drives a White Cadillac, loaned to him by Maggie May. Yet, Stephanie can’t seem to bring him in. Then again, Stephanie can’t even bring in the routine Failures to Appear like the stumbling drunk Melvin Baylor and the ‘businesswoman of the ho variety,’ Rosanne Kreiner, without some drama.

De Chooch’s nephew Ronnie is Stephanie’s unwanted male admirer in the story. Ronnie sends Stephanie a bouquet of flowers with a ‘Roses are red’ poem that revolts Stephanie. Much later in the novel, Stephanie and Lula walk into Ronnie’s office. They wanted answers and they wanted respect, but they saw Ronnie playing hide-the-salami with one of his employees. ‘I’ve never seen anyone doing it before!’ said Stephanie afterwards. They should have recognized the noises; they hear them whenever Joyce Barnhardt walks into Vinnie’s office for their closed-door meetings.

Joyce Barnhardt is the lifetime nemesis of Stephanie, but she is also a bounty hunter at the Vincent Plum Bail Bonds agency. None of the women who work at the agency – Stephanie, Connie Rosolli and Lula – like Joyce that much. While Stephanie hasn’t quite paid Joyce back for sleeping with her first husband, she does get her digs in through her pet dog, Bob.

At the start of the novel, Stephanie is driving a black Honda CR-V. Just as you always wondered how Alfred Hitchcock was going to appear in his movies, you’ll wonder how long it will take Stephanie to total her car. Will the car be crashed before, or after, the random guys break into her apartment? The two regular intruders in Seven Up are a pair of old guys, Benny Colucci and Ziggy Garvey, who are also looking for De Chooch. Sometimes you even wonder why she bothers to lock the door…

There is a different side to Ranger in the novel, and you might like it.

All Stephanie had to do was bring in Eddie DeChooch. He is an old man who is basically blind, hard of hearing, and is so depressed he doesn't want to leave his house....so how hard can that task be right? Wrong! As always, Stephanie underestimates her catch and is left looking like an amateur bounty hunter. Soon she learns that her Grandma has a connection to Eddie and it's one that Stephanie wishes she would never have heard about. Too much information about sums it up. To top all that off DeChooch is now after Stephanie's friends and her, but why? Why would an elderly man want to see them all dead? What is it that he keeps asking for from them and why does he think they have whatever "it" is? Soon there are kidnappings, gun fights, murder, and all kinds of mayhem! Mixed in with all that work stuff, Stephanie has personal problems too, like her sister showing up on her parents' doorstep with her two kids with shocking news, Ranger giving Stephanie some help in this case....but with consequences, and her pending wedding to Joe Morelli causing way more fights than happy bliss. Will she survive trying to capture DeChooch long enough to even have to worry about those person problems on her plate? What's this old man have to hide?

As always, I just loved this book! I just can't get enough of Stephanie Plum and all her troubles and predicaments she gets into. It seems as though every time things are going in the "green" for her she soon stumbles and goes right back into the "red". It really does remind me of my own life, in the respect of how you think you got things all figured out and then...BAM...a roadblock again. As much has I love Evanovich's writing and her Plum Series, I still find myself waiting for the other shoe to drop, and to run into a book that hits that series wall. You know the one, the one that makes you think, Oh boy...this is the same poop different book and time for the series to end. However, Evanovich keeps on surprising me by making sure this doesn't happen to her readers in this series. This is quite impressive, especially after being on book seven here! That takes quite the talented writer if you ask me. I love the way the action starts in this book on page one and doesn't let up until the last page, last word. Even at the end you are left awaiting the next read to see what will really happen to poor Stephanie next. I love the characters and I wouldn't think they could get much more developed after seven books, but they have and I'm sure they will be even more in the books to come. There is a reason Evanovich is on the bestseller lists all the time, she is GREAT that's why! Great author, fantastic characters, wonderful plot, and amazing book!!!! A MUST READ!!

5/5 Stars!!

Evanovich's bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, is up to more hijinks in "Seven Up." When Eddie DeChooch skips bail it's up to Stephanie to bring him in. Eddie may be old, but he's got his wits and he's able to avoid Stephanie like the plague. Complications arise when Dougie, then Mooner, disappear. Stephanie figures out Eddie wants something from Dougie, but has no idea what. She's going to need help from her friends Lula and Ranger to bring Eddie in. On the home front, Valerie, Stephanie's sister moves back home, while marriage plans with Joe Morelli move forward. What's a girl to do?

Evanovich's writing remains crisp and witty after seven installments. There's never a dull moment in Stephanie's adventures. The supporting cast is delightful. Grandma Mazur still finds entertainment in visiting the funeral parlors and Valerie is convinced she wants to be a lesbian. Evanovich continues to tug on the reader's heart with her all too human characters. Even after seven books, there's always something new to learn about them.

"Seven Up" is a cozy mystery that leaves the reader guessing right along with Stephanie as she uncovers the clues to solve the case. I would recommend this book for thirteen years on up. You'll laugh, gasp, and hang onto the edge of your seat. "Seven Up" is a very satisfying addition to the series.

Of all the characters I’ve read, only Stephanie Plum would find herself in situations like these. It’s just so darned fun following her through this blur of lightning fast capers that always include dead bodies, broken vehicles, and FTAs that seem to outsmart her at every turn. I love laughing at her wacky family and sidekicks. The push/pull of her attraction between to Morelli and Ranger adds an extra element of drama. But, I’m team Joe all the way so the tension between them in this book makes me very sad.

You would think that Stephanie Plum's assignment to bring in Eddie DeChooch was in the bag. After all, he was as old as Methuselah, half-blind, and hard of hearing. So what if he liked to shoot people and was dating her grandmother. So Stephanie and sidekick Lulu were a bit surprised when Eddie makes like a rabbit and jumps out the bathroom window, hops into a big white Cadillac and heads for the hills. Leaving them holding the bag with a stiff in the garage!
Stephanie discovers that Eddie is the most sought after man in the burg. Not only is everyone is looking for him, but several are keeping an eye on Stephanie in case she finds him. It doesn't help that she does keep stumbling on him, and he keeps getting away every time. As is usual in an Evanovich book, the situation quickly escalates from comic to gloriously insane. Her friend Dougie has disappeared, Joe Morelli and her family are maneuvering her into a formal wedding, Bob the Wonder Dog is eating the universe and Vincent the bondman has also put Joyce (Stephanie's arch-enemy) on the DeChooch case. If that isn't enough, Stephanie's perfect sister Valery leaves her husband in California and goes through a major sexual identity crisis.
When Stephanie calls on Ranger her old buddy and mentor for help he agrees IF she will spend the night in bed with him. Stephanie discovers that she likes the idea, a lot. But even with Ranger's help they are nearly overwhelmed. She and Lulu wind up in an epic mud wrestling match, Eddie shoots Jesus, Mooner the space cadet also disappears, and, like clockwork, her car gets crushed. Now riding a heavily customized Harley, Stephanie and Lulu ride off to fight the good fight. When Stephanie finally comes up with a plan to corner Eddie, he kidnaps her grandmother in revenge.
Will Grandma Mazur be rescued? Will Stephanie marry Joe Morelli or sleep with Ranger. Or, maybe, both? Will she be able to rescue Dougie and Mooner? Will she and Ranger be able to capture Eddie DeChooch without destroying both her sanity and her reputation? Have you and doubts? Remember that we're dealing with Stephanie Plum, current record holder in the major dog poop lawn ornament contest.
Janet Evanovich never fails to amaze. She seems to have an inexhaustible supply of weird and eccentric characters in her bag of trick. Her plots are complex, but move along with the speed of summer lightning. Readers are so busy laughing at one crazy stunt after another that they often are unawares of Evanovich's carefully crafted writing and superb characterizations. "Seven Up" is another successful foray into the lighter side of mystery fiction.

The wait until the next book comes out is maddening. Seems like I've twiddled my thumbs for ages waiting on "Seven Up" to be released....and the day it was, I was waiting at the bookstore ready to elbow anyone between me and the display!
Those yummy men are back to "play" with Stephanie; meaning Joe Morelli and Ranger. How is that girl ever going to decide between the two of them when both are so wonderfully male and magnificent? Then of course there's Grandma Mazur at her zany best and an estwhile little known family member makes an appearance. Stephanies "perfect" sister Valerie whose "perfect" marriage has bit the dust, leaving her to contemplate the possible advantages to becoming gay. Lots of laughs are evoked through her decision to make lifestyle changes while living with her and Stephanies parents. Mother Plum is menopausal and frustrated, Father Plum is trying desperately to stay in his own world and ignore the chaos around him and Grandma is, as always, looking to be where the action is! Throw in Bob the dog, and those pharmaceutically impaired space cadets, Mooner & Dougie and it's once again madcap insanity from page one to the last page.
I don't know if I agree that this book is not as well written as the previous 6. I know I laughed just as hard and if it were possible to give any Evanovich book more then 5 stars I'd do it....just for the laugh factor alone! You can't read a Stephanie Plum book and not walk around with a silly grin on your face for two days after you've completed reading it. If you know anyone that's depressed, give them a Janet Evanovich book to read. Doesn't matter which one....they're all excellent for a lot of chuckles!

Book 7, obviously by Janet Evanovich in the Stephanie Plum series isn't the strongest on plot of the Plum novels. But it is definately worth a few laughts to keep up with Stephanie and her circus of a life. Eddie D. is so old and so close to falling to pieces that even Grandma Mauser won't go out with him! Eddie a cigarette smuggler who failed to make his court appearance is Stephanie's target for this books adventure. Stephanie and the ever-willing-to-kick... Lula find out rather quickly that the old gezer isn't gonna be all that easy to catch. To make things worse Mooner and his friend Dougie, two loveable potheads go missing. Oh and then there is Stephanie's "Perfect" sister, Valerie who just recently divorced has moved back home with her two children and has decided to give a lesbian relationship a try!
Finally Stephanie has to go for Ranger for help. Ranger is always willing to help but this time he's done teasing Stephanie and wants a little slap and tickle in return for his help. Stephanie can't decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing because Morelli has been making cracks about marriage and her mother has dragged her down for a fitting at Tina's Bridal Shoppe!!
Personally I found this book to be nothing short of a barrel and a half of laughts. Its definately well worth the reading!!

I was thrilled when I received the unabridged audiotape version of Seven Up. I love Stephanie Plum and her bumbling bounty hunter adventures and figured these tapes would be a welcome distraction during my long drive to and from work. But once I actually started listening to tape one I was not so thrilled. In fact, my head began to ache and my right temple still throbs when I so much as think of the experience (okay, so maybe I exaggerate but not by much).

Now don't get me wrong, the story here is your typical Plum novel that's filled with madcap adventure and larger than life zany characters. This time around Stephanie Plum, our lovable bounty hunter, is chasing after an old coot named Eddie DeChooch. What should be an easy catch (and easy money for Stephanie) turns into so much more when a body is found on DeChooch's property. Kidnappings follow and a mad search for a missing organ ensues. To complicate matters Stephanie's sister returns home and decides she's going to become a lesbian. Fellow bounty hunter Ranger tempts Stephanie by simply being Ranger but Stephanie is still somewhat engaged to Joe Morelli the drop dead sexy cop. The action is pretty much non-stop and there are many more characters (a few too many, if you ask me) who make appearances and add to the overall wacky tone of the story. Like I said, this is standard Plum fare. Though not as laugh out loud funny as some of the earlier Plum outings this story is a great way to spend a few hours. BUT please make sure you buy the paperback and not this unabridged audiotape version (with a very flimsy box, I might add).

Why? Simply put the narrator, Tanya Eby, single-handedly saps the enjoyment out of the tale by slaughtering the voices. Her reading makes the listening experience highly painful. The New Jersey accents are horrendous and, what with all the "R" dropping, sound (to my MA/NH ear) more like a cartooney Boston accent than anything else. Adding to the problem is the fact that most of the characters come off sounding very much alike and at times the accent falters completely! There are also way too many moments where Stephanie's voice spouts out Morelli's lines or vice versa. It was disconcerting to say the least. Mooner (or should that be Moona?) and Dougie sound like identical morons instead of the lovable pot heads we know them to be. Daffy Grandma Mazer sounds like Katherine Hepburn on a very bad day and, well, I could go on but I'm sure you get the picture. This narrator may be a fine actress but she was a poor choice for this story. This is a cringe-worthy performance to be sure.

I give this production three stars. The story actually rates a four but, ahhh!, the torturous reading of the book drags it down to a three (a two if I weren't feeling so generous).

"Seven Up" is another lively Stephanie adventure, with hair issues, crazy Grandma, car crackups, laughs with Lula, sexy heat with the two sexy men, and, of course, the continuing adventures of the Mooner and Dougie.
Unfortunately, "7" isn't quite as good as the previous few Evanovich books, with fewer laugh-out-loud moments and a mystery that seems slightly less compelling. Also, Evanovich leaves us with another cliffhanger, and I must admit, after three of them, I am feeling slightly annoyed. Someone tell Janet that we'd buy 'em anyway! (Personally, I've been buying 'em all the first day since "Two for the Dough.")
Despite that, there are a lot of good moments in "7." In-depth character development isn't a strength of these books (I mean, we don't read 'em for that), but despite that, Ranger is subtly developed even further in "7," which makes for some more interesting interactions with Stephanie. And Morelli -- well, which of us wouldn't kill for a Morelli in our lives? Grandma provides a few of those priceless Grandma moments, and the Mooner returns, hysterical as ever. And, thankfully, she doesn't have nearly as many car moments -- they were getting a big unbelievable.
But all in all, "7" was a slight disappointment. It doesn't introduce the same one-shot strong supporting characters we've seen in other books, in addition to the regulars (I mean, who can forget Sally Sweet, or the midget FTA from Five?). I enjoyed it -- it simply wasn't up to the standard set in previous books. But, in the end, let's be honest here -- mediocre for an Evanovich book is still better than most of the humdrum mystery pack.

How I love a Stephanie Plum book! This one does not disappoint in that it delivers a hilarious string of vignettes involving the strange and shady peoples of Stephanie's acquaintance. Hooray that everyone wasn't gathered into one scene for an over-the-top slapstick sketch (as was done in one previous book). But would it be possible, Janet, that in book Number Eight you (1) show us Stephanie. She IS the star of the series; I missed getting into her head this time. (2) You do away with the Joyce-is-a-bounty-hunter idea. It didn't work the first time, and it has never worked since. A tiny bit of Joyce is great. More Joyce is not. (3) You get away from the funeral home. The same joke done, what, three? four? times gets stale. (5) Show us Stephanie improving in her job. As time goes by and she gets worse and worse, the impression is that she's stupid, and I'm sure you don't want your readers to think that! And (5), you give us about a hundred more pages not only of Stephanie, but of good, solid plot like in book number one. Oh, and (6): about that deja vu ending...
But as a read in and of itself, the book kept me laughing at its language, its concepts, and the dwellers of the Burg. Evanovich writes the funniest stuff out there. There's a lot of sexual tension, too -- thank you! And perfect Sister finally shows her face. This isn't the best Plum book, but it's definitely not the worst. More plot, more Stephanie, less deja vu for next time, Janet, please! (And what the heck does "Seven Up" mean here?)
One last note: isn't it odd that today, the day after the book went on sale, there are two used copies being offered on the store?

I grabbed this book at the airport, having read no prior Stephanie Plum novels. It was a day I expected to spend six hours in the air and several standing in lines. I had had no sleep the previous night. I felt like my only cerebral activity was sustained by caffeine.
Seven Up was the perfect book at the perfect time. Quirky characters, unusual situations, a streak of self-conscious "naughtiness" (without being offensive), made it funny and kept it interesting. None of the characters seemed particularly deep, and I wasn't left at the end trying to demythologize the text in order to garner meaning. By the time I reached my destination, I had turned all the pages and was wearing a contented smile.
I just gave it to my wife, the day after she had completed a huge research project and paper. As she started to read, she said "Oh, yeah, this is like Sue Grafton." Sure it was. Thirty minutes later I commented that I had never heard her laughing so much at Grafton. She agreed.
Other reviewers have complained about how formulaic this book is. I don't know, I haven't read the previous six, or the following one. I do know, that on its own it was delightful and entertaining. I think I'll start tracking down the other books in the series and play catch-up.
This isn't a thriller, it isn't a farce. It parodies the "expected" role of women in society without pedanticism. It treads on the teats of many a sacred cow, gleefully. It's a yarn, told through the eyes of a character I wish I could number in my circle of friends.
(If you'd like to dialogue further about this book or review, please click the "about me" link above and drop me an email. Thanks!)

Hi. My name is Kristin, and I'm addicted to Stephanie Plum novels.
After reading Four to Score, I had to run out and read another one of Janet Evanovich's novels. This time, it was the seventh book in the Stephanie Plum series.
Not-so-professional bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, has never really had a normal life (she wouldn't have had to beg her cousin Vinnie to give her a job as a bounty hunter if she did). But now she's dealing with something resembling an engagement to the lust of her life, Joe Morelli -- and trying to keep her mother and grandmother from planning everything when she's not looking. Meanwhile, her "perfect" sister, Valerie shows up with her two kids. One of her old high school friends has disappeared. And she's trying to chase down senior citizen/bail jumper Eddie DeChooch, who has a bit of a relationship (one Stephanie's family would rather not discuss) with her grandma.
Once again, I couldn't put this book down. I couldn't. Evanovich is a genius at creating wonderfully and lovably odd characters. This book is overflowing with action and quirkiness -- and ends with a cliff-hanger, which means I'm just going to have to go out and buy the next book in the series...

Heard the taped version of SEVEN UP, Janet Evanovich's seventh
novel about bounty hunter Stephanie Plum . . . I haven't read every
entry in the series, but it did not matter . . . this can be enjoyed with or
without having read the other books . . . I did, in large part
because it is set (as is always the case) in nearby Trenton,
New Jersey--so I could relate to many of the spots that are
mentioned.
Plum, this time, has to bring in an elderly cigarette smuggler who
keeps giving her the slip . . . at the same time, she must deal with
such other matters as who stole a rump roast from two neighborhood
potheads . . . . and, perhaps most importantly, she must decide
what should she do about the wedding dress being held for her as
she makes up her mind whether vice cop Joe Moreli is really
the one for her.
Don't come to this expecting a serious, somber mystery . . . but
if you'd like to smile when you do your reading, then Evanovich
is the writer for you . . . her dialogue is especially catchy, as
evidenced by this one exchange:
I did look good in the gown. I looked like Scarlett O' Hara getting
ready for a big wedding at Tara. I moved around a little to simulate
dancing.
"Jump up and down so we can see how it'll look when you do the
bunny hop," Grandma said.
"It's pretty but I don't want a gown," I said.
"I can order one in her size at no obligation," Tina said.
"No obligation," Grandma said. "You can't beat that."
"As long as there's no obligation," my mother said.
I needed chocolate. A lot of chocolate. "Oh gee," I said, "look
at the time. I need to go."
One more thing I enjoyed was the ending, something not
the case in far too many mysteries . . . I won't give it away,
I promise, but needless to say, it got me looking forward
to revisiting Stephanie Plum in whatever her next adventure entails.

This is one of the better books in an already excellent series. Most of the good points of the series is played up in this title, while many of the bad parts are missing, making for an overall good read.

The thing that makes Plum books good, beyond Stephanie herself, are the side characters. Seven Up has introductions of some of the more interesting and enjoyable characters, including Moony and Doug "the Dealer", both of whom you instantly like. Even the one shot characters like Benny and Ziggy are enjoyable.

The one character I have a problem with is Joyce. She is one note, and that note has been played. I wish Evanovich would move away from that character. Of course, the big thing in this book is her deal with Ranger. It is nice to see their relationship move forward, as it was starting to feel a bit stalled.

The story is what you can expect from a Plum novel. A mystery that is not overly complex but that does have enough twists and turns to keep things interesting.

If you are a fan of the series, this is a must have. You will not regret it.

I gotta admit, I am completely addicted to this series. I just happened to start reading it, almost by accident, and now and dying for next summer when the eighth book is released. All I know is, Janet, you've got to stop with these endings, they're killing me. I know some of the reviewers are bickering over the fact that some of the characters are so wacky, but hey, I don't think that this book is supposed to be completely believable. (if it is...Ranger is mine!) I mean, that's what I think makes the books so enjoyable. A comparision of the characters could be made to the tv show Will & Grace, the secondary characters (well, even the main characters) are completely kooky, but that's what makes the show what it is. The lust factor in these books is unbelievable. As soon as I decide on which guy I think Stephanie should end up with, something happens, and I switch to the other guy. I won't give away the ending, but what a way to end a book, and leave the reading hanging, this is bordering on cruel and unusual! (it's almost as bad as when Stephanie invited someone over to show her new dress) All I can say is, keep up the good work, and by chance, could you write any faster?

When incompetent bounty-hunter Stephanie Plum sets out to bring in a seventy-something mobster, she thinks her biggest problem will be from her grandmother--who has been dating him. No such luck. Eddie DeCooch vanishes into New Jersey's 'burg' and Stephanie is left empty-handed. Except that there's something more serious going on and before she knows it, her druggie friends have vanished too.
If you haven't discovered Stephanie Plum, you're in for a treat. Expect wild, crazy, and very funny and author Janet Evanovich delivers. To some extent, Evanovich has toned down SEVEN UP compared to the last few Plum novels. But that's only a relative term--there's plenty of zanny left. In fact, I found this an even more enjoyable blend than the last few.
If you don't follow all of the mystery, don't worry about it. What makes a Stephanie Plum novel work is Stephanie's relationships with her parents, her wild grandmother, the two men in her life, and the wacky neighbors and co-workers who make up her life.
Will Stephanie finally settle down with Joe, or will she go overboard and sleep with Ranger? Will her sister find happiness outside of her once-perfect marriage by becoming a bounty hunter or a lesbian? Will her grandmother finally give Stephanie's father a heart attack?
I laughed out loud and devoured the novel (like Bob the dog devours chinese food) in a single sitting.
BooksForABuck.
I appreciate your 'helpful' vote.

I'm a big fan of the Stephanie Plum series even though at first I didn't think they'd be my cup of tea. If you've read and liked the other six, (and let's face it, you wouldn't have gotten to seven if you didn't like them) you'll definitely enjoy the seventh in the series.

My main complaint also deals with what I like best about the novels. I love the characters and they truly do seem like genuine people. The problem I have though is that this novel is a little too heavy on the characters and a little less heavy on the plot. The plot really is an afterthought with the book and it seems like Stephanie never really has a big mystery to unravel like in the other books. This one is pretty straight forward, although the plot is a bit more confusing than any of the other Plum books.

The character stuff is great, dont' get me wrong. Evanovich usually does a great job walking the fine line between character development and plot. It just seems like in this novel, Evanovich has a lot of crazy things she wants to do with her characters and information she wants to reveal so she focuses on those and the actual case becomes more of an afterthought.

I love all Janet's Stephanie Plum books. I have read them several times. I have listened to the audios more than once when I run out of new audios. I prefer unabridged audios. I very much prefer a company, which shall go unnamed, that is not releasing an unabridged audio copy of this book. The much lauded narrator, C.J. Critt, of the unabriged audios is very much missed.
I am saying all this to say basically, that this is not a put down of the book itself, but the production of the audio. I have listened to a lot of audios, both good and bad, over the years. Like a really horrible date, I was trying to remember when I'd had a worse experience. I still cannot think that I have had a worse audio experience than this performance gave me.
I had already seen the bad reviews of this audio, both on the store and on the author's official website. I already knew the fans were not going to get the usual reader from the company that has done the other six books. But I thought, how bad could it possibly be? Well....
The production of this audio is so bad, words pale. One very obvious thing is that the reader was apparently told to clip along at a very fast pace. I can picture the director telling her she gets bonus if she gets the whole book on less than six tapes-which she did. Compare that to the other brand's eight to nine tapes and you will see the big huge difference. It is literally hard to follows some of the dialogue because she is reading so blasted fast. No dramatic pauses. No deliberation of words is used. Another bad thing that compares horribly with the other unabridged audios is that the changes of voice for different characters is way off the beam. Imagine if you will an average woman's voice used for all the female characters. No real changes are made among the female characters. Imagine if you will the same female voice "fake deepened" for the men. This would be what I as a non-actor person would do for a guy's voice. But to hear this on an audio tape is beyond distracting. I cannot believe it was deliberately done for an audio they actually intended to sell!! What were they thinking?
The reader also uses a fake New Jersey accent on just certain words, which you would think would work given that it is set in New Jersey. Sometimes it was okay to hear "cah" for car and "pahk" for park and other times it was very distracting.
My final analysis is to recommend you READ the book; but save yourself the money and the angst and don't LISTEN to the book.

Embarking on the seventh installment of the Stephanie Plum series I was concerned, based on some the store.com reviews of it and my experience with the sixth installment (Hot Six). I did not want to read a half-baked mystery novel and endless episodes of Stephanie Plum wrecking her car. Thankfully and surprisingly, Seven Up is actually one of the better books in the series.
In Seven Up the author decided not over-reach her skills by cooking up a contrived mystery, or have our bounty hunter babe (Stephanie Plum) tour greater Trenton for multiple bail-jumpers. Instead we have a rather basic yet interesting and understandable (!) mystery involving a missing geriatric (a rather perverted old man with a shakey gun), his evil relatives, and the "dumb and dumber" twosome (Dougie and Mooner) from earlier novels. And we are entertained by the introduction of Stephanie's "born again" lesbian sister and her "I think I'm a male horse" daughter. .... oh, and as with High Five we are treated with a very teasing cliffhanger ending!
Bottom line: a very enjoyable installment of Stephanie Plum for her fans to enjoy.

I have loved this series from the start. I travel an hour to get to work each day and the series is entertaining and funny. I love the characters and although the plots are predictable, I enjoy listening, that is until I begin listening to Seven Up. I noticed the voices were different and realized the reader had been changed, bad move, bad move. This reader is horrible. I could barely get through the first two CD's, and then I packed them up took them back to the store.
C.J. Critt is a wonderful reader he made the characters real. I could listen to him all day but King, she does nothing for this book, and I could not believe the difference and thought to myself how in the world could Evanovich make such a huge mistake in choosing this reader.
Readers of audio books make or break the book, and it is clear that the choice to go with King was a mistake. She does nothing for the characters, and she is monotone. Please get C.J. Critt back He did wonders for the series.

My wife and I have listened to the first 6 Stephanie Plum books real by CJ Critt with great enjoyment. She does voices and knows how to voice a story, not just reading the words dramatically. So, we were terribly disappointed when we slipped in Seven Up and heard the nasal rapid delivery of Lorelei King. There's no feel for narrative or character, despite a Jersey-ish accent, and any humor is lost in the avalanche of racing words piercing your ears. Her own accent leaves no room for distinction between character voices and one liners and wordplay don't seem to be noticed by her. The byplay between the characters that we look forward to is plowed under in the race to get the text spoken and the harshness of Ms King's voice really grates on a 4 hour car trip. Ms. Critt on the other hand, was comfortable to listen to and illuminated the humor so you discovered Janet Evanovich's gift for wit and slow motion slapstick as it unfolded. Seven Up is a fine bit of writing, with Stephanie Plum leading with her banana peel as usual, and Ms. King does not do it justice. I don't know why audiobook publishers persist on changing to an inferior actor, when they have a quality reader/storyteller to begin with. We suffered through the narration but still liked the story.

Let me say first off that I'm a die hard fan of Evanovich. I started the "PLUM" series this summer and have scrambled to get my hands on everything that she has written. I think all the books are enjoyable and sooooo funny! BUT, this one was my least favorite. Aside of Stephanie's on going battle with Joyce Barnhardt and Bob, the dog, poop episodes ... I didn't find as much humor in this book as I have in the her other books. Also, I didn't get enough of Morrelli in this book. I love the interaction between Joe and Stephanie. I would have like to have gotten more in this book.
Now that I've said that, you have to know that, you will enjoy this book. There are all the great chartacters that thread from book one to seven. You will laugh and all though the book is not suspenseful you will find that this is a page turner.... When will Stephanie capture Eddie DeCooch? What does she have that everyone wants? Will she find Dougie and Mooner? AND, most of all will she marry Morelli or surcum to Ranger. It's a must read in the series!

I have recently added Janet Evanovich to the extremely small list of authors that I will buy in hardback (Parker and Grafton are the only others - although I think I just deleted Grafton with her latest). And I am happy to report that I am not sorry for marking the release date of Seven Up on my calendar.
After reading some of the editorial reviews, I was scared that I'd be reading page after page of the same Plum formula - destroyed cars, transvetites, midgets, etc, at the expense of the plot. JE wisely decides that less is sometimes more: only one car is maltreated, and it appears to be repairable. Weird characters abound, but they are mostly of the geriatric variety, and their problems and idiosyncracies are ones that most of us can visualize without much problem, although the, umm, byproducts, of these idiosyncracies are strictly Jersey.
The plot of this story actually flows - I know that a few reviewers have had problems with it, but I personally found this story to be the most cohesive plot of the whole series, one that will have you nodding your head as you realize that you would do much the same thing in her situation. Her previous novels, particularly the first three, although I enjoyed them to no end, sometimes failed the "why would any sane, human person do that" test.
This novel gives real moments to some usually peripheral characters: Steph's perfect sister Valerie is back from CA with two bizarre kids, no husband (he departed for places unknown with the babysitter and all of the family money) and a decision tto be a lesbian so she won't have to deal with scummy men. The Dealer, aka Dougie Kruper, and the Mooner are back as total pothead lovables who wind up in the midst of the plot. Steph's mom - in denial about menopause - gets accepted to school to be a nurse after several decades as a Burg housewife. And Steph herself is sort of engaged to vice cop Joe Morelli, while fellow bounty hunter Ranger has escalated the game of seduction to new levels. I really like that every book gives the main characters new dimensions, like they're growing along with us.
All of this is backdrop to Steph's search for a decrepit mobster named Eddie DeChooch, whose prostate and hearing problems propel this story. This sounds less interesting than it actually is - wait until you read the story of DeChooch's mishearing of a simple set of instructions...
So buy this book! Treasure it as a maturation of all the characters, a slice of life, whatever, just treasure it! I've owned it for 36 hours and read it twice!

Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire, is on the hunt this time for geriatric miscreant Eddie DeChooch, wanted by the cops for cigarette smuggling and wanted by thugs for stealing something really weird. Choochy can't half see, can't hear, and has a troublesome prostate. Problem is, he keeps getting away in his borrowed Cadillac, which is really irritating Stephanie.
As if job problems and man troubles weren't enough, Stephanie's "perfect" sister, Valerie, has moved back home with her 2 kids and decided to become a lesbian. In an effort to placate her long-suffering and menopausal mother, Stephanie gets herself trapped into announcing a wedding date with Morelli and dragged off to try on wedding gowns. Which is not to say that Ranger is out of the picture. Stay tuned!
During the hunt for the runaway geezer, Grandma Mazur is kidnapped, Bob the dog eats like a king and keeps arch enemy Joyce Barnhardt hopping, Stephanie's apartment is broken into several times a day, her brand new car gets - what else? - trashed, and she gets shot at more times than is strictly comfortable. Finally, she says ENOUGH and dyes her hair blonde for a morale boost. And I won't even tell you what she does with the pig heart.
The adventures of Stephanie Plum keep getting better and better and the humor is hoot-out-loud hilarious. I love Stephanie Plum, and I want to BE Stephanie Plum in the final scene!

i will admit that i loved this book. the not-quite-as-perfect-as-everyone-thought sister is a wonderful addition. i mean, thoughout the entire series, stephanie as been compared to her sister, valerie, and now we finally met her...right after she becomes the not-so-perfect daughter.
anyways, this time the fta that she spends the entire book chasing is an old, used-to-be gangster type guy. of course that fact that he also was dating grandma mazur not too long along ago adds and interesting twist. mooner and dougie are back and are still involved in more stuff than seems possible.
the romance between stephanie and joe gets to the point of being engaged to be engaged and then disappears. and the tension between stephanie and ranger comes to an all time high, and then a sudden stop when the book ends...which means all of the readers must wait patiently (or impatiently in my case) for the next book to be released next year to find out if stephanie and ranger will ever get to do anything more than kiss...ugh...
but that's ok, besides the dissappointment about being left hanging again...it is a wonderful book. i was laughing out loud a lot. the book is definitely funny and has all the classic things that all plum mysteries must have...wrecking at least one car, lula in lycra, stiva's funeral home, and dad wanting to get rid of grandma.
so, i definitely would recommend this book, but maybe don't buy it until closer to when the next one comes out...that way you don't have to wait quite so long.

Yep Stephanie is back, and people are still busting in to her apartment, her cars are still getting crushed, Rex is still spinning on his wheel and generally all is as it should be Trenton, New Jersey.
Well almost everything - Eddie DeChooch - the geriatric who Grandma Mazur once dated (he couldn't get it up and she couldn't see the point of going out with him anymore) - has missed his court date and Steph is sent to bring him in. Not so hard to bring in an 80 year old, right? Wrong!
Sure she meets him - he's sitting in his lounge in his underwear and, despite being depressed, seems to have been convinced it is the Right Thing to turn himself in. Of course this is Stephanie (and Lula) so things don't go to plan and he escapes out a window while they are mucking around downstairs. And being that it is Stephanie and Lula they get to find the dead body in the garage out the back. The chase is on. Steph, Swat Princess, after the semi-crippled, depressed senior. Naturally Steph ends up having to call in Ranger for help.
Meantime it has been a month since Morelli proposed to Steph and things (as usual) aren't going well in her personal life - there is confusion, there are feelings and then there is all that unresolved tension with her and Ranger. Then write at the outskirts of her life - her sister Valerie, (ideal daughter, perfect mother) has been dumped by her cheating husband and is back in Trenton determined to become a Lesbian.
I love Evanovich's ability to write really over the top type characters - but mix it in with a really very clever storyline that ties in Stephanies problem capture with a couple of other intersecting storylines making it a good complex plot with a great story. There are so many wonderfully quotable lines (Mrs Plum's reaction to Grandma Mazur coming back from being kidnapped is classic Evanovich and so true to character!)
Again Evanovich has left us with a cliff-hanger at the end of this book - doesn't she always. Being a firm Morelli supporter I certainly have my vote in for how I want things to end up - but will she or won't she?

I love the Stephanie Plum series of novels. I really hate reading so I purchase them both in audio for me and paperback for houseguests and friends. I'm drawn in with the excitment and adventure of the story that Janet seems to capture in every novel. It has twists, turns, Lula, mystery, wonder, and of course two very "HOT" men! Who wouldn't want a mix of both men. :} I would recommend the "Plum" series, her "Full" series, as well as her earlier novels of mixed titles. They're all great fun and keep you as a reader at the edge of your seat waiting to see if a cars going to get blown up, who's died this week, who attends the pot roast dinner, who she sleeps with next, what will burn down next, and will she get her man (love or bounty). I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I look forward to #14 in the "Plum" series, the next "Full" novel, and the new novel Janet recently wrote with a new author being released this October. Thank you!

This book was another funny one as usual. This time, Joe Morelli is proposing to Stephanie, but she's just not sure what to do. Her mother and Grandma Mazur get all excited and take her to buy a wedding dress; like it or not!
Then there is Eddie DeChooch, an old fogie running from the law. Stephanie has more trouble as usual trying to capture this guy, and on top of everything else, Grandma Mazur and he were into this relationship thing.
On top of everything else, there's Mooner whom they can't find, and two other strange characters that are hanging around Stephanie, waiting for her to mess up. They are dangerous, and harm comes Stephanie's way as always!
Stephanie's sister Valerie and her kids have come back into town after Valerie breaks up with her husband. Valerie wants to explore lesbianism, and of course Grandma Mazur is overly interested in that subject.
This book made me laugh constantly.It is sure to touch your funny bone.

Stephanie Plum's adventures as a bounty hunter become wackier with each entry in this series. This is a laugh-out-loud book with situations that are hilarious and bizarre. In this latest entry, Stephanie is in search of Eddie DeChooch, an old man who has been caught selling stolen cigarettes. Eddie can't see or hear and there are a few other things he can't do, but he is excellent at eluding Stephanie, her sidekick Lula, and her bounty-hunting friend Ranger. Apprehending him becomes even more of a priority when a dead body shows up in his shed. After that the plot takes a few sharp curves, including the disappearance of Stephanie's Grandma Mazur (a pretty feisty lady in her own right) and two of Stephanie's acquaintances, Mooner and Dougie. Throw in some mud wrestling and a pig heart, and you have some idea what you're up against in this book. Evanovich just keeps rolling along and her fans keep rolling in the aisles.

Janet Evanovich has found her groove with the Stephanie Plum series. If you read them in order, you see the evolution of the relationships in Stephanie's life. The characters are fun, varied, and well developed even if stereotypical. Reading these stories is a lot like following a TV show. You know nothing earth shattering is going to happen. It's just a nice, pleasant diversion from real life. No graphic sex and few naughty words, so most people can enjoy.

A Stephanie Plum book will have the following elements:

1. Her attraction to and sexual rejection/teasing/acceptance of boyfriend Morelli. She wants to sleep with him. She sleeps with him. She loves it. She decides against it. She isn't sure. She will. Then she won't again. And so on. (Why does he put up with it?.)
2. Her attraction to the dangerous and mysterious Ranger. Will she or won't she? And who cares anymore? And why on earth is he attracted to her? She is a ditz. (And why does a guy who will do bounty collecting for sleazy Vinnie turn out after a few novels to be rich enough to own a Boston office building? And still keep bounty hunting for Vinnie? And how many goat-f**king jokes about Vinnie can we take?)
3. She will come home to her apartment and fine one or two men who mysteriously can break in with out breaking the lock. (Not counting Morelli and Ranger, who also do it all the time.) They will follow her throughout the novel, trading quips. She won't call the police.
4. One or more people will obsessively try to kill her. At some point, she may call the police. Or not. She certainly won't do it the first time they try. Not even the second, most of the time.
5. A car she drives will be damaged or utterly destroyed. Possibly more than one car.
6. She will keep her stun gun, her pepper spray, and her gun (unless she forgets her gun) in her overly large shoulder bag, and, when she needs any of these, she will rummage around and not be able to land her hands on any of them. Even after almost being killed, she will never, ever, learn any better.
7. She will repeatedly break laws but never get caught, cautioned, or arrested.

However, at least, finally, Janet Evanovitch doesn't seem to think that the phrase "That's the "sh*t" as an expression of admiration is the most hysterically funny slang phrase ever to have been created.

Is there anyone who is reading this series who hasn't read them all? Yes, probably the folks who started out with book six. If they had in-the-know friends, they went back to the source and laughed their way thru to book five, when the author started to send out signals that she was getting stale. Book six sent those signals into the red zone. But, for me, Evanovich pulled the needle back to black in Seven Up. Yes, the plot got too silly when we found out What Choochie Thought Dougie Really Had That Choochie Wanted Back, Now. But then Evanovich swung it around and finished with the kind of plotting we enjoyed in the earlier numbers. The ending gave me high hopes that the future of this sometimes very funny, well written series wasn't going to bottom out with Stephanie married to Joe, and Evanovich trying to write Unusual Mommie stories about a bounty hunter married to a vice cop in Trenton. Lula and I are both very clear on who we want to win that race. Bottom line, not excellent, but better. Worth the cost of admission.

OK, I confess, I am a devout fan of Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire and her cohorts, wild and wonderful people who inhabit these tales with verve and humor! What's not to like in an eccentric (and armed) Grandma or a confused but devastatingly attractive cop? If you have never enjoyed a Plum adventure, you might want to try starting at the beginning (One for the Money)although each story is stand-alone fun! However, I think much of the richness of this book comes from already having met these characters in earlier novels and watching them grow - my enjoyment was enhanced by my history with these wonderful folks! Stephanie has her inevitable highs and lows in this book as she pursues eldery Eddie DeChooch for bail-jumping - Joe Morelli is still making Stephanie itchy, Grandma still favors Stiva's Funeral parlor viewings as her entertainment of choice, there are FTA's to be brought in, and Ranger - ah yes, Ranger!!! As we have come to expect (albeit with teeth clenched) Janet Evanovich has left us with another cliffhanger and it only took about ten minutes of screaming for me to get past it!!! Janet must be an amazing person to create such a delightfully funny, wild and wonderful world - if you love laughter with your crime and romance, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to all the Plum books, not just this one - you won't regret it!

Yes, like many of your other reviewers, I have read ALL of the books in the Stephanie Plum series. I even read this author BEFORE she created Stephanie and I really enjoyed her work. I think she was sleepwalking through this one. Her descriptions of the characters and situations were what made the previous books fun to read. This one is sorely lacking. For instance, there is a scene where Stephanie and Lula end up in the pit at a mud wrestling bar. I've never been to a mud wrestling bar so it's hard for me to come up with a picture of what it's like. More vivid and colorful descriptions could have made this a memorable scene. Instead, it comes across rather flat. Also, the author assumes that the reader already knows a lot of stuff about the recurring characters without filling us in. Poor Joe Morelli! He's relegated to the back burner in favor of the dog. C'mon, Janet, you can do much better.

SEVEN UP by Janet Evanovich
Here's the seventh in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich: SEVEN UP. The series starts off with Stephanie unofficially engaged to Joe Morelli, but she's also lusting after Ranger, the rather unconventional bounty hunter (not that bounty hunters are conventional).
Stephanie continues to deal in the bounty hunter business, this time trying to capture an old man named Eddie DeChooch who is more elusive than she would like to admit. Mooner and Dougie from Hot Six are somehow involved with DeChooch, when Dougie disappears without a trace. It's Stephanie to the rescue! And of course, there's at least one visit to the neighborhood morgue, with Grandma Mazur up front and center.
An adventure with a pig's heart turns this one into a somewhat darker Stephanie Plum novel. Also, the first half of the novel did not read as funny as previous Stephanie Plum books, but all in all, SEVEN UP is still a fun fast read, and will have the reader chuckling before too long. This is definitely recommended reading for those looking for a fun beach read!

As a (former) fan of the Plum series, I'm finally throwing in the towel -- it's time for this series to end. The first couple of books were good, the next were okay, the last few were just plain bad. It's as if the author uses a computer program with an "insert name here" feature to write her books.
This latest effort again has Stephanie bumbling her way through another attempt to capture a supposedly helpless fugitive who somehow (wait, you guessed it!) continuously eludes her. This particular plot involves the Jersey mob, a psychotic wife, missing body parts, her druggie friends Mooner & Dougie, and more mentions of erections than a Viagra brochure. Enough already! What could have been an interesting plot is mired down in the bog of cliches that the Plum series has become.
Let's watch Grandma Mazur act whacky, let's watch Grandma Mazur be crude, let's watch Mom get flustered and freak out, let's watch Dad ignore the entire situation! Let's see Stephanie get shot at and do a Three Stooges impression! And let's not forget the sexual tension brewing between Ranger & Steph...it's only been brewing for 8 books now! That never gets tired, does it? <yawn> And of course, what would a Plum novel be without the requisite cliff-hanger ending? Will she or won't she? Will he or won't he? Who cares anymore?
If you want to enjoy the series, read books one and two. After that, make up your own character's names and write them over the names in books one and two. It's all the same. And in this case, less would have definitely been more. What a disappointment.

In the action packed seventh installment of the Stephanie Plum series, Stephanie is hunting down a man called Choochy. Choochy FTA'd on a less serious offense, but Stephanie soon finds out the she's not the only person looking for Choochy: so is the mob. But when Stephanie's friends are kidnapped and held hostage the pursuit becomes personal and she will stop at nothing to find them. Except Ranger's offer of help in exchange for one night together.

I cannot say enough about these novels. Evanovitch is on fire! Evanovitch does an excellent job at creating a protaganist that the readers can identify with. We might not all be bounty hunters, but a lot of us bumble through situations feeling just as inept and clueless as Stephanie Plum.

There is nothing deep to these novels, but they are excellent when you want a mindless, but completely engaging escape!

In the seventh Stephanie Plum adventure, Stephanie goes after geriatric court dodger Eddie DeChooch. Despite the fact that DeChooch is so old he can hardly see, Stephanie still can't catch him. The plot thickens when loveable stoners, Dougie and Mooner, go missing and Stephanie seems to be the only one willing to find them. As if all that wasn't enough, Stephanie's family wants her to start planing her wedding to Morelli and she isn't even sure if they are engaged!
The Stephanie Plum series is wacky, fun, and entertaining and this installment is no different. The thing I love most about this series is that Stephanie is a totally incompetent bounty hunter with out being dumb and insulting to women. The characters are fun as well and Stephanie, Morelli, and Ranger's love triangle is addictive. If you are looking for something to brighten your mood then I highly recommend this series.

Like many others, I've been an avid reader of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series since the outrageously funny "One For The Money." However, the latest Plum caper, "Seven Up," continues the downward spiral of the series that started with "High Five." Stephanie's been doing the bounty-hunter thing for a while; you'd think by now she'd be, if not an expert, at least a little more competent. But no, she still bumbles and stumbles her way along. She's still destroying cars and chasing old people around too, devices that are REALLY getting old. And if I ever read one more description of Bob the golden retriever's bowel movements or one more insult-fest between Stephanie and Joyce Barnhart (finished with Lula zapping Joyce with her stun gun), it'll be too soon. And of course, we have the whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger thing going, which is also getting boring, because I predict that in the next book Stephanie will have her little fling with Ranger and then go trotting right back to Morelli in classic romance-novel form (Evanovich wrote for Silhouette for years before beginning Stephanie's adventures). I'll admit right now I will read number eight, because I'm an optimist at heart, but Evanovich needs to shake this series up in a major way--and soon.

...after finishing "Seven Up," and it being the second novel from Ms. Evanovich that I read, the other being "High Five," I can only give an honest assessment of what I read. First, it is glaringly obvious that this author is heavily influenced by the work of Sue Grafton, which is not a bad thing, but sadly, Evanovich doesn't even come close to reaching the satisfaction level that Ms. Grafton does so effortlessly. Granted, her novels in the Stephanie Plum series are meant to be funny, but the overkill of humor is drastically hindering her work. The character of Plum can't walk from her apartment to her car without a "major event" happening ! She can't seem to take a shower, eat breakfast, talk on the phone.....NOTHING !....without something spectacular sure to happen. This grows very tiresome VERY quickly. It also seems that 99 % of all the characters in her novels, the regulars and the brief, are all wisecracking, witty and sarcastic individuals, just anticipating their chance to pop off a one liner, regardless of the scenerio. If one were to subtract the sarcasism, the wisecracks or the many, many unbelievable "events" that happen to Stephanie, with her every breath and step that she makes, one would realize that there isn't much of a story going on. Any avid reader knows a great novel's backbone is it's storyline....pulling the reader in...building momentem and suspense...then reaching the climax. This does not happen in a Evanovich novel. She comes out of the starting gate with screwball humor and bombards the reader with it until the last page....tossing bits and pieces of a shallow story every now and then. It's really very exhausting, and the screwball humor becomes very unfunny and predictable long before one finishes the book. I realize that her novels get glowing reviews from notable critics, but I can only assume that they were duped by the overkill of humor, and haven't realized they weren't actually reading a story. For me, reading her novels are the equivalent of watching a 15 minute Three Stooges short, with Moe poking Curly in the eyes for the entire 15 minutes.....it grows very tiresome and unfunny.

If it weren't for the characters in the New Jersey neighborhood of this novel, a lively, blue collar, quirky ethnic bunch, I would never pick up one of these books. The grandmother especially is a priceless character and probably the sole reason I read this book. These novels also are funny in spots so you are entertained. However, I know no more about lead character Stephanie Plum or her two boyfriends, Morelli or Ranger, than I did 6 novels ago when reading book #1. Evanovich does no character development with these three lead characters.

Since these are matchstick characters, I really don't even care which man Plum ends up with permanently. The novel functions mainly to amuse you around a mystery and a romance. The mystery element is as lightweight as the romance element, however. This time it involves an aging hood who Plum must bring in as a bounty hunter. There's a problem because he had, and then lost, some other hood's heart and so there are people other than Plum on his trail too. Frankly, this mystery plot was so lame I didn't even pay much attention to it, looking forward instead to the scenes with the characters from the neighborhood, especially Grandma's scenes.

Visit my blog with link given on my profile page here or use this phonetically given URL (livingasseniors dot blogspot dot com). Friday's entry will always be weekend entertainment recs from my 5 star the store reviews in film, tv, books and music. These are very heavy on buried treasures and hidden gems. My blogspot is published on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

The best thing about the Stephanie Plum series is you know what you're going to get. By now, Stephanie's exploits are pretty well legendary, as are the laughs that you get from each page. And once again you're in for a nice comfortable read with plenty of laughs and head shaking moments. It's nice to see characters from previous books carried over to this one, plus a few new characters are picked up along the way.
As usual, life's far from sane in Evanovich's Trenton, New Jersey. Cars still have a short life expectancy, failure to appears are just as difficult for Stephanie to catch. In this case it's the virtually blind and deaf octogenarian Eddie DeChooch. It would be a nice surprise for Stephanie to actually catch someone the first time she tries, but I guess that wouldn't be anywhere near as funny. It's nice to see that Stephanie's finally starting to get some on a regular basis, another part of her life that's described in excruciatingly funny detail.
I recommend you read the previous books in the series before you read this one, otherwise you will be somewhat bewildered by the shenanigans of this book, but that should be an enjoyable task in itself. Just make sure you're not eating or drinking while reading, things could get a bit ugly.

I love Stephanie but the car blowing, strangers-appearing, mom's dinners and I-cant-decide-with-men is wearing a little thin. Actually, the addition of Bob was one of the best moves made by Evanovich. Not only does he provide comic interest (and divert attention from the boring Rex), he is put to good use on Joyce's yard. The inclusion of arch enemy, bad gal Joyce, is a sure winner - she's so bad she's good.
I hate to gripe (and give three stars) but Grandma's crazy talk and antics are getting a little old (pardon the pun). Highlights of the novel were her tryst with Ranger (at last), the return of perfect sis Valerie, and Mom's self-discovery. The villians were ho-hum, not really evil nor even dangerous like some in the past.
Lula's dialogue (another gripe) is also getting stale. If she is not mimicking Rambo she's stuffing her face. How can one person eat the volume of food she does is beyond me. I don't know what is required but something different needs to happen soon. It would not hurt if she and Morelli got married. That would certainly introduce an entirely new wrinkle in the story. I'd love to see either (1) Stephanie on the trail of Joyce or (2) Joyce and Stephanie forced to work together to bring in a common foe. Either would be a heck of a novel!

I agree with the ardent Plum fans that find little new here -- long on the "tricks" (GrandMa Mazur, Bob the dog, etc.) that made the other six funny and very short on gripping plot; not to mention that we already had the "bedtime" cliffhanger once before too. Like "P" is for "Peril", "P" is for pressure -- seems these best selling authors just can't keep up a book-a-year pace and stay fresh. Not that I could either, but maybe it's time to take a lesson from Thomas Harris -- while maybe we don't have to wait 5-10 years in between books, a couple wouldn't kill us to keep up the quality. Before we get "8 is Enuf", I suggest Janet take a break and work harder on the story next time and let us find the humor with a little more subtlety.
Funny how too much of a good thing gets old!

Yep Stephanie is back, and people are still busting in to her apartment, her cars are still getting crushed, Rex is still spinning on his wheel and generally all is as it should be Trenton, New Jersey.
Well almost everything - Eddie DeChooch - the geriatric who Grandma Mazur once dated (he couldn't get it up and she couldn't see the point of going out with him anymore) - has missed his court date and Steph is sent to bring him in. Not so hard to bring in an 80 year old, right? Wrong!
Sure she meets him - he's sitting in his lounge in his underwear and, despite being depressed, seems to have been convinced it is the Right Thing to turn himself in. Of course this is Stephanie (and Lula) so things don't go to plan and he escapes out a window while they are mucking around downstairs. And being that it is Stephanie and Lula they get to find the dead body in the garage out the back. The chase is on. Steph, Swat Princess, after the semi-crippled, depressed senior. Naturally Steph ends up having to call in Ranger for help.
Meantime it has been a month since Morelli proposed to Steph and things (as usual) aren't going well in her personal life - there is confusion, there are feelings and then there is all that unresolved tension with her and Ranger. Then write at the outskirts of her life - her sister Valerie, (ideal daughter, perfect mother) has been dumped by her cheating husband and is back in Trenton determined to become a Lesbian.
I love Evanovich's ability to write really over the top type characters - but mix it in with a really very clever storyline that ties in Stephanies problem capture with a couple of other intersecting storylines making it a good complex plot with a great story. There are so many wonderfully quotable lines (Mrs Plum's reaction to Grandma Mazur coming back from being kidnapped is classic Evanovich and so true to character!)
Again Evanovich has left us with a cliff-hanger at the end of this book - doesn't she always. Being a firm Morelli supporter I certainly have my vote in for how I want things to end up - but will she or won't she?

I love the Stephanie Plum series of novels. I really hate reading so I purchase them both in audio for me and paperback for houseguests and friends. I'm drawn in with the excitment and adventure of the story that Janet seems to capture in every novel. It has twists, turns, Lula, mystery, wonder, and of course two very "HOT" men! Who wouldn't want a mix of both men. :} I would recommend the "Plum" series, her "Full" series, as well as her earlier novels of mixed titles. They're all great fun and keep you as a reader at the edge of your seat waiting to see if a cars going to get blown up, who's died this week, who attends the pot roast dinner, who she sleeps with next, what will burn down next, and will she get her man (love or bounty). I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I look forward to #14 in the "Plum" series, the next "Full" novel, and the new novel Janet recently wrote with a new author being released this October. Thank you!

This book was another funny one as usual. This time, Joe Morelli is proposing to Stephanie, but she's just not sure what to do. Her mother and Grandma Mazur get all excited and take her to buy a wedding dress; like it or not!
Then there is Eddie DeChooch, an old fogie running from the law. Stephanie has more trouble as usual trying to capture this guy, and on top of everything else, Grandma Mazur and he were into this relationship thing.
On top of everything else, there's Mooner whom they can't find, and two other strange characters that are hanging around Stephanie, waiting for her to mess up. They are dangerous, and harm comes Stephanie's way as always!
Stephanie's sister Valerie and her kids have come back into town after Valerie breaks up with her husband. Valerie wants to explore lesbianism, and of course Grandma Mazur is overly interested in that subject.
This book made me laugh constantly.It is sure to touch your funny bone.

Stephanie Plum's adventures as a bounty hunter become wackier with each entry in this series. This is a laugh-out-loud book with situations that are hilarious and bizarre. In this latest entry, Stephanie is in search of Eddie DeChooch, an old man who has been caught selling stolen cigarettes. Eddie can't see or hear and there are a few other things he can't do, but he is excellent at eluding Stephanie, her sidekick Lula, and her bounty-hunting friend Ranger. Apprehending him becomes even more of a priority when a dead body shows up in his shed. After that the plot takes a few sharp curves, including the disappearance of Stephanie's Grandma Mazur (a pretty feisty lady in her own right) and two of Stephanie's acquaintances, Mooner and Dougie. Throw in some mud wrestling and a pig heart, and you have some idea what you're up against in this book. Evanovich just keeps rolling along and her fans keep rolling in the aisles.

Janet Evanovich has found her groove with the Stephanie Plum series. If you read them in order, you see the evolution of the relationships in Stephanie's life. The characters are fun, varied, and well developed even if stereotypical. Reading these stories is a lot like following a TV show. You know nothing earth shattering is going to happen. It's just a nice, pleasant diversion from real life. No graphic sex and few naughty words, so most people can enjoy.

A Stephanie Plum book will have the following elements:

1. Her attraction to and sexual rejection/teasing/acceptance of boyfriend Morelli. She wants to sleep with him. She sleeps with him. She loves it. She decides against it. She isn't sure. She will. Then she won't again. And so on. (Why does he put up with it?.)
2. Her attraction to the dangerous and mysterious Ranger. Will she or won't she? And who cares anymore? And why on earth is he attracted to her? She is a ditz. (And why does a guy who will do bounty collecting for sleazy Vinnie turn out after a few novels to be rich enough to own a Boston office building? And still keep bounty hunting for Vinnie? And how many goat-f**king jokes about Vinnie can we take?)
3. She will come home to her apartment and fine one or two men who mysteriously can break in with out breaking the lock. (Not counting Morelli and Ranger, who also do it all the time.) They will follow her throughout the novel, trading quips. She won't call the police.
4. One or more people will obsessively try to kill her. At some point, she may call the police. Or not. She certainly won't do it the first time they try. Not even the second, most of the time.
5. A car she drives will be damaged or utterly destroyed. Possibly more than one car.
6. She will keep her stun gun, her pepper spray, and her gun (unless she forgets her gun) in her overly large shoulder bag, and, when she needs any of these, she will rummage around and not be able to land her hands on any of them. Even after almost being killed, she will never, ever, learn any better.
7. She will repeatedly break laws but never get caught, cautioned, or arrested.

However, at least, finally, Janet Evanovitch doesn't seem to think that the phrase "That's the "sh*t" as an expression of admiration is the most hysterically funny slang phrase ever to have been created.

Is there anyone who is reading this series who hasn't read them all? Yes, probably the folks who started out with book six. If they had in-the-know friends, they went back to the source and laughed their way thru to book five, when the author started to send out signals that she was getting stale. Book six sent those signals into the red zone. But, for me, Evanovich pulled the needle back to black in Seven Up. Yes, the plot got too silly when we found out What Choochie Thought Dougie Really Had That Choochie Wanted Back, Now. But then Evanovich swung it around and finished with the kind of plotting we enjoyed in the earlier numbers. The ending gave me high hopes that the future of this sometimes very funny, well written series wasn't going to bottom out with Stephanie married to Joe, and Evanovich trying to write Unusual Mommie stories about a bounty hunter married to a vice cop in Trenton. Lula and I are both very clear on who we want to win that race. Bottom line, not excellent, but better. Worth the cost of admission.

OK, I confess, I am a devout fan of Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire and her cohorts, wild and wonderful people who inhabit these tales with verve and humor! What's not to like in an eccentric (and armed) Grandma or a confused but devastatingly attractive cop? If you have never enjoyed a Plum adventure, you might want to try starting at the beginning (One for the Money)although each story is stand-alone fun! However, I think much of the richness of this book comes from already having met these characters in earlier novels and watching them grow - my enjoyment was enhanced by my history with these wonderful folks! Stephanie has her inevitable highs and lows in this book as she pursues eldery Eddie DeChooch for bail-jumping - Joe Morelli is still making Stephanie itchy, Grandma still favors Stiva's Funeral parlor viewings as her entertainment of choice, there are FTA's to be brought in, and Ranger - ah yes, Ranger!!! As we have come to expect (albeit with teeth clenched) Janet Evanovich has left us with another cliffhanger and it only took about ten minutes of screaming for me to get past it!!! Janet must be an amazing person to create such a delightfully funny, wild and wonderful world - if you love laughter with your crime and romance, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to all the Plum books, not just this one - you won't regret it!

Yes, like many of your other reviewers, I have read ALL of the books in the Stephanie Plum series. I even read this author BEFORE she created Stephanie and I really enjoyed her work. I think she was sleepwalking through this one. Her descriptions of the characters and situations were what made the previous books fun to read. This one is sorely lacking. For instance, there is a scene where Stephanie and Lula end up in the pit at a mud wrestling bar. I've never been to a mud wrestling bar so it's hard for me to come up with a picture of what it's like. More vivid and colorful descriptions could have made this a memorable scene. Instead, it comes across rather flat. Also, the author assumes that the reader already knows a lot of stuff about the recurring characters without filling us in. Poor Joe Morelli! He's relegated to the back burner in favor of the dog. C'mon, Janet, you can do much better.

SEVEN UP by Janet Evanovich
Here's the seventh in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich: SEVEN UP. The series starts off with Stephanie unofficially engaged to Joe Morelli, but she's also lusting after Ranger, the rather unconventional bounty hunter (not that bounty hunters are conventional).
Stephanie continues to deal in the bounty hunter business, this time trying to capture an old man named Eddie DeChooch who is more elusive than she would like to admit. Mooner and Dougie from Hot Six are somehow involved with DeChooch, when Dougie disappears without a trace. It's Stephanie to the rescue! And of course, there's at least one visit to the neighborhood morgue, with Grandma Mazur up front and center.
An adventure with a pig's heart turns this one into a somewhat darker Stephanie Plum novel. Also, the first half of the novel did not read as funny as previous Stephanie Plum books, but all in all, SEVEN UP is still a fun fast read, and will have the reader chuckling before too long. This is definitely recommended reading for those looking for a fun beach read!

As a (former) fan of the Plum series, I'm finally throwing in the towel -- it's time for this series to end. The first couple of books were good, the next were okay, the last few were just plain bad. It's as if the author uses a computer program with an "insert name here" feature to write her books.
This latest effort again has Stephanie bumbling her way through another attempt to capture a supposedly helpless fugitive who somehow (wait, you guessed it!) continuously eludes her. This particular plot involves the Jersey mob, a psychotic wife, missing body parts, her druggie friends Mooner & Dougie, and more mentions of erections than a Viagra brochure. Enough already! What could have been an interesting plot is mired down in the bog of cliches that the Plum series has become.
Let's watch Grandma Mazur act whacky, let's watch Grandma Mazur be crude, let's watch Mom get flustered and freak out, let's watch Dad ignore the entire situation! Let's see Stephanie get shot at and do a Three Stooges impression! And let's not forget the sexual tension brewing between Ranger & Steph...it's only been brewing for 8 books now! That never gets tired, does it? <yawn> And of course, what would a Plum novel be without the requisite cliff-hanger ending? Will she or won't she? Will he or won't he? Who cares anymore?
If you want to enjoy the series, read books one and two. After that, make up your own character's names and write them over the names in books one and two. It's all the same. And in this case, less would have definitely been more. What a disappointment.

In the action packed seventh installment of the Stephanie Plum series, Stephanie is hunting down a man called Choochy. Choochy FTA'd on a less serious offense, but Stephanie soon finds out the she's not the only person looking for Choochy: so is the mob. But when Stephanie's friends are kidnapped and held hostage the pursuit becomes personal and she will stop at nothing to find them. Except Ranger's offer of help in exchange for one night together.

I cannot say enough about these novels. Evanovitch is on fire! Evanovitch does an excellent job at creating a protaganist that the readers can identify with. We might not all be bounty hunters, but a lot of us bumble through situations feeling just as inept and clueless as Stephanie Plum.

There is nothing deep to these novels, but they are excellent when you want a mindless, but completely engaging escape!

In the seventh Stephanie Plum adventure, Stephanie goes after geriatric court dodger Eddie DeChooch. Despite the fact that DeChooch is so old he can hardly see, Stephanie still can't catch him. The plot thickens when loveable stoners, Dougie and Mooner, go missing and Stephanie seems to be the only one willing to find them. As if all that wasn't enough, Stephanie's family wants her to start planing her wedding to Morelli and she isn't even sure if they are engaged!
The Stephanie Plum series is wacky, fun, and entertaining and this installment is no different. The thing I love most about this series is that Stephanie is a totally incompetent bounty hunter with out being dumb and insulting to women. The characters are fun as well and Stephanie, Morelli, and Ranger's love triangle is addictive. If you are looking for something to brighten your mood then I highly recommend this series.

Like many others, I've been an avid reader of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series since the outrageously funny "One For The Money." However, the latest Plum caper, "Seven Up," continues the downward spiral of the series that started with "High Five." Stephanie's been doing the bounty-hunter thing for a while; you'd think by now she'd be, if not an expert, at least a little more competent. But no, she still bumbles and stumbles her way along. She's still destroying cars and chasing old people around too, devices that are REALLY getting old. And if I ever read one more description of Bob the golden retriever's bowel movements or one more insult-fest between Stephanie and Joyce Barnhart (finished with Lula zapping Joyce with her stun gun), it'll be too soon. And of course, we have the whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger thing going, which is also getting boring, because I predict that in the next book Stephanie will have her little fling with Ranger and then go trotting right back to Morelli in classic romance-novel form (Evanovich wrote for Silhouette for years before beginning Stephanie's adventures). I'll admit right now I will read number eight, because I'm an optimist at heart, but Evanovich needs to shake this series up in a major way--and soon.

...after finishing "Seven Up," and it being the second novel from Ms. Evanovich that I read, the other being "High Five," I can only give an honest assessment of what I read. First, it is glaringly obvious that this author is heavily influenced by the work of Sue Grafton, which is not a bad thing, but sadly, Evanovich doesn't even come close to reaching the satisfaction level that Ms. Grafton does so effortlessly. Granted, her novels in the Stephanie Plum series are meant to be funny, but the overkill of humor is drastically hindering her work. The character of Plum can't walk from her apartment to her car without a "major event" happening ! She can't seem to take a shower, eat breakfast, talk on the phone.....NOTHING !....without something spectacular sure to happen. This grows very tiresome VERY quickly. It also seems that 99 % of all the characters in her novels, the regulars and the brief, are all wisecracking, witty and sarcastic individuals, just anticipating their chance to pop off a one liner, regardless of the scenerio. If one were to subtract the sarcasism, the wisecracks or the many, many unbelievable "events" that happen to Stephanie, with her every breath and step that she makes, one would realize that there isn't much of a story going on. Any avid reader knows a great novel's backbone is it's storyline....pulling the reader in...building momentem and suspense...then reaching the climax. This does not happen in a Evanovich novel. She comes out of the starting gate with screwball humor and bombards the reader with it until the last page....tossing bits and pieces of a shallow story every now and then. It's really very exhausting, and the screwball humor becomes very unfunny and predictable long before one finishes the book. I realize that her novels get glowing reviews from notable critics, but I can only assume that they were duped by the overkill of humor, and haven't realized they weren't actually reading a story. For me, reading her novels are the equivalent of watching a 15 minute Three Stooges short, with Moe poking Curly in the eyes for the entire 15 minutes.....it grows very tiresome and unfunny.

If it weren't for the characters in the New Jersey neighborhood of this novel, a lively, blue collar, quirky ethnic bunch, I would never pick up one of these books. The grandmother especially is a priceless character and probably the sole reason I read this book. These novels also are funny in spots so you are entertained. However, I know no more about lead character Stephanie Plum or her two boyfriends, Morelli or Ranger, than I did 6 novels ago when reading book #1. Evanovich does no character development with these three lead characters.

Since these are matchstick characters, I really don't even care which man Plum ends up with permanently. The novel functions mainly to amuse you around a mystery and a romance. The mystery element is as lightweight as the romance element, however. This time it involves an aging hood who Plum must bring in as a bounty hunter. There's a problem because he had, and then lost, some other hood's heart and so there are people other than Plum on his trail too. Frankly, this mystery plot was so lame I didn't even pay much attention to it, looking forward instead to the scenes with the characters from the neighborhood, especially Grandma's scenes.

Visit my blog with link given on my profile page here or use this phonetically given URL (livingasseniors dot blogspot dot com). Friday's entry will always be weekend entertainment recs from my 5 star the store reviews in film, tv, books and music. These are very heavy on buried treasures and hidden gems. My blogspot is published on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.

The best thing about the Stephanie Plum series is you know what you're going to get. By now, Stephanie's exploits are pretty well legendary, as are the laughs that you get from each page. And once again you're in for a nice comfortable read with plenty of laughs and head shaking moments. It's nice to see characters from previous books carried over to this one, plus a few new characters are picked up along the way.
As usual, life's far from sane in Evanovich's Trenton, New Jersey. Cars still have a short life expectancy, failure to appears are just as difficult for Stephanie to catch. In this case it's the virtually blind and deaf octogenarian Eddie DeChooch. It would be a nice surprise for Stephanie to actually catch someone the first time she tries, but I guess that wouldn't be anywhere near as funny. It's nice to see that Stephanie's finally starting to get some on a regular basis, another part of her life that's described in excruciatingly funny detail.
I recommend you read the previous books in the series before you read this one, otherwise you will be somewhat bewildered by the shenanigans of this book, but that should be an enjoyable task in itself. Just make sure you're not eating or drinking while reading, things could get a bit ugly.

I love Stephanie but the car blowing, strangers-appearing, mom's dinners and I-cant-decide-with-men is wearing a little thin. Actually, the addition of Bob was one of the best moves made by Evanovich. Not only does he provide comic interest (and divert attention from the boring Rex), he is put to good use on Joyce's yard. The inclusion of arch enemy, bad gal Joyce, is a sure winner - she's so bad she's good.
I hate to gripe (and give three stars) but Grandma's crazy talk and antics are getting a little old (pardon the pun). Highlights of the novel were her tryst with Ranger (at last), the return of perfect sis Valerie, and Mom's self-discovery. The villians were ho-hum, not really evil nor even dangerous like some in the past.
Lula's dialogue (another gripe) is also getting stale. If she is not mimicking Rambo she's stuffing her face. How can one person eat the volume of food she does is beyond me. I don't know what is required but something different needs to happen soon. It would not hurt if she and Morelli got married. That would certainly introduce an entirely new wrinkle in the story. I'd love to see either (1) Stephanie on the trail of Joyce or (2) Joyce and Stephanie forced to work together to bring in a common foe. Either would be a heck of a novel!

I agree with the ardent Plum fans that find little new here -- long on the "tricks" (GrandMa Mazur, Bob the dog, etc.) that made the other six funny and very short on gripping plot; not to mention that we already had the "bedtime" cliffhanger once before too. Like "P" is for "Peril", "P" is for pressure -- seems these best selling authors just can't keep up a book-a-year pace and stay fresh. Not that I could either, but maybe it's time to take a lesson from Thomas Harris -- while maybe we don't have to wait 5-10 years in between books, a couple wouldn't kill us to keep up the quality. Before we get "8 is Enuf", I suggest Janet take a break and work harder on the story next time and let us find the humor with a little more subtlety.
Funny how too much of a good thing gets old!

Seven Up is another wild Stephanie Plum ride. In it we get to catch up with our old friends and we meet some really zany new ones. Most of the new characters in this book will neve see 60 again, and that makes it a lot of fun. In this book Stephanie is trying to bring in Eddie DeChooch, and he keeps giving her the slip. It doesn't matter that he's seventy and can't see and hear very good, he can sure keep out of Steph's grasp. While tracking him down, Stephanie and her crazy friends keep getting into scrapes and people keep vanishing. We also see Steph and Ranger and the ultimatum that he gives her. How is she going to handle that one? Ranger is the best character in these books, and it doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous and so hot he sizzles. Does Steph make up her mind between him and Joe? You'll have to read to find out.

I will agree w/ others, this is not one of the best Plums on the tree, but it is definately funny (as usual). I read this book in a day and a-half. I was laughing so hysterically the first night that my husb asked if I was going to be okay. As usual, Steph and Lula get in some trouble, she kills another car, but ends up with a great ride.
The battle is still on between Ranger and Joe (I hope Ranger wins!) As usual, Grandma Mazur is just about the best character in the book.
It is a little long winded and I kinda got tired of the "who's got the heart", etc. But, it is a laugh a minute. If nothing else, it is a great beach read. Janet delivers again!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Finished it rather quickly and am enjoying the chemistry now between Stephanie and Joe and Stephanie and Ranger. I can't wait to see what happens in the beginning of the next book (Hard 8).

I loved the plot, though it might not have been as strong as the plots in the other books, it was still good. I love the characters (even the evil villain characters). I am still loving Mooner and Dougie. Those two crack me up, and of course love Grandma!

If your looking for a quick and exciting read, pick up Seven Up. It leaves you laughing at the end!

You don't need to read this one. As other reviewers here have noted, it is formulaic; but in its defense, the formula works, and the dialog is witty and fast paced as ever. Thus I can't in all good conscience give it a one-star heave-ho. It's just that after six prior Plum novels I'm going stir crazy for Stephanie to change her life a little.
To recap for Evanovich newbies, Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter in New Jersey. She has a rocky relationship with sexy bad-boy-next-door-turned-good cop Joe Morelli, a quirky slew of friends picked up along her career and an Italian/Hungarian family that doesn't seem to know what to do with their unconventional daughter. She gets into all kinds of unique scrapes and hilarious situations in the process of enforcing bail bonds. In every book there are gunfights and vehicles destroyed enough to satisfy any action/thriller junkie. In the end, Steph always gets her man.
Some of the plotlines continued throughout this series involve her boyfriend's fear of commitment and her mom's manipulative attempts to get Stephanie "normal"ized and settled down to produce grandchildren. In Seven Up, these finally come to a head, and none too soon. I was skipping large sections to get to the cliffhanger ending that I knew must be coming. I am told I can now look forward to the promised changes in Hard Eight's tone and content. I only wish I could plead directly with the author to resolve these plotlines without somehow breaking the sassy Stephanie Plum spirit that I have come to love.

I have been enjoying the Stephanie Plum series, which I normally get on audiotape to listen to on my commute. As far as I'm concerned, the story (I'm about halfway through) is as good as any other Stephanie Plum story, but I have to agree with the other reviewers of the audiocassette edition that they made a big mistake switching from Debi Mazar to Tanya Eby. Just dealing with a switch of narrators in a series can be tough enough when you've gotten used to someone, but Tanya Eby just isn't good at all for this series. I've never heard or seen her before, but her New Jersey dialect is awful. I don't know who she ever met from Jersey (or anywhere -- except maybe a cartoon) who talks like this! She just doesn't sound like the Stephanie we all know and love, and don't even get me started on what she does to Morelli and Lula -- argh!
In all, I find the narration of this story unpleasant to the point of distraction, and would not recommend it. I'm too cheap to chuck the tape and get the book to finish it like the other reviewers did -- I've spent my money and now I'm going to stick with it till the bitter end. But I don't recommend the audiocassette format, particularly not to someone who's grown accustomed to Debi Mazar or Lori Petty. Instead, get the paperback.

Stephanie's family wants to hear wedding bells but Stephanie is hearing gun shots. How far will the bounty hunter from hell go to get her man? Depends on who the man is. Morelli, Ranger, or Eddie DeCooch. With the rent due and bills piling up, catching Eddie DeCooch is on her mind but her body is flirting with more dangerous pursuits. Stephanie and Lula are hog-riding, pig-heart toting enforcers trying to rescue Dougie, Mooner, and Grandma Mazur. They get down and dirty as mud wrestlers and manage to get thrown out of the place. I laughed out loud but I may never eat Chinese food again, thanks to Bob. Well worth the read. Hope Janet hurries with the next one or, should I say with number eight.

As a mystery author with a recently published first novel, I have been amazed by Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Her works have been consistently witty, fast-paced, and unique. SEVEN UP continues to build upon Evanovich's past accomplishments. In SEVEN UP, Stephanie is given the job of delivering an elderly cigarette smuggler to court. As we all know, this set-up will be merely the start of a hilarious tale. Evanovich does not disappoint. She has a winning series, and she delivers once again. You have to in New Jersey. In SEVEN UP, Evanovich serves up what we have grown to expect with style and humor. We are also treated to Stephanie's continuing emotional struggles with Morelli, Ranger, and a certain wedding dress. Great book! Read it!

I thought this book was up to the standards set by Ms. Evanovich. True some of the other books may have had more moments of out and out humor, but this one I felt gave us a lot of interaction between Steph and Morelli. A lot more than in previous books. I think Steph is growing in each new installment as are the rest of the more major characters. My only moment of anxiety came with the last line of the book. Once again Ms. Evanovich has left us hanging, which I know is a great marketing tool but the fact that we now have to wait a whole year is more than a little frustrating! I would recommend this series to just about anyone who likes to read-and I truly envy anyone who has not read them and would now get to sit down and start with One For the Money and go on to Seven Up. A Stephanie Plum feast...what fun!

It is a joy to turn pick up a Janet Evanovich. Indeed it is an unmixed delight. Neither queasiness nor yawns are likely to afflict a reader while following the mixed fortunes of Stephanie Plum, Heroine for our Times. Stephanie is an utterly engaging, accident-prone (destroyer of cars), disaster-prone (burner of buildings), hilarious-situation-prone bounty hunter in wildest New Jersey. Seven Up brings in all the Usual Suspects. These include horrible Cousin Vinnie of Vinnie's Bail Bond Enforcement Agency (her boss); Lula her indomitable off-sider (a former sex-worker, since black is beautiful and big is beautiful Lula has what it takes to launch a thousand ships). Let us not forget Morelli the vice-cop, Stephanie's main squeeze to whom she is almost engaged - well, after six books they are at last occasionally in bed. The complication is that Ranger, the slightly sinister, very sexy, certainly dangerous bounty hunter (ex-Special Forces) has designs on Stephanie's virtue which she is not sure she wishes to withstand. Grandma Mazur is back, the Grandmother from Hell if she was your grandmother but as Stephanie's bane she is as funny as ever; still gun-toting, still dreaming of getting a driving licence to help her chase unsuitable men and still a devoted viewer of deceased identities in neighbourhood funeral parlours. This time the bail-jumper is a once dangerous but ageing mobster involved in the smuggled cigarette business. Tracking him down leads the unsuspecting good guys into a dangerous situation in which a barking-mad widow has snatched two of Stephanie's gay friends. The closing stages of this novel briefly swerve away from the funny to the horrifying but all's well that end's well as some non-New Jersey resident once observed. A worthy addition to a hugely enjoyable series but if you are a new reader and you begin this you will inevitably wish to read the others so you might as well get yourself One For the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, etc., etc., and begin at the beginning.

Stephanie Plum is at it again, this time trying to bring in some little old guy named Eddie DeChooch but having her typical difficulties with doing so. She's also having to deal with Bob the dog, a couple of drug addicts named Mooner and Dougie, her "perfect sister" Valerie, who's returned from California after her husband's left her, and the usual cast of characters. She's also trying to sort out her romantic life, torn between cop Morelli and bounty hunter Ranger while trying not to let her relatives box her into a marriage to Morelli before she's ready. Any more would be telling, so I'll stop now. Some seem to think this book isn't up to the level of the previous ones, but I enjoyed it.

After waiting an entire year for 7 up to arrive, I have to say it is not up to par with other Evanovich's novels. There weren't any parts that I truly laughed out loud, maybe a giggle, but not a true belly laugh with tears streaming down my face that Evanovich usually brings. Again, the usual characters are all accounted for, with Steph's perfect sister brought back home, having been dumped by her husband for the babysitter. Ranger is absent for most of the book, with really just a cameo appearance at the end, which AGAIN, leads to another cliff hanger. My recommendation, wait for the paperback.
Thanks for reading, **Pandora

Once again Evanovich has taken a day out of my life and made it a good one. Stephanie is up to her usual in the newest book in her series. All of my favorite people were there too. From Lulu to Mooner. I laughed out loud many times and shake my head at the fix this girl always seems to get into with her automobile. Ranger and Morelli, two men who I think could sit on my doorstep anytime. Ranger is just too smooth for words. Once again the ending is cut short but, I will just have to wait another year to see what really happened. The only thing that disappoints me is that a year is way too long to have to wait to be with these people again. Eight is a date that I can't wait to happen!

Stephanie Plum novels are fun to read. They aren't much more than that, and so going in expecting great literature would be silly.
I read this book on the airplane from Denver to Dulles, VA and it made me giggle quietly to myself in my seat and overall improved the journey by entertaining me.
In this, as in all of the Stephanie Plum books, sexual tension is near the fore in nearly every scene. Grandma Mazur is crazy and plucky as always, and all of the standard cast are there with their various personalities. Rex (the hamster) is sadly underplayed in this installment, however, upstaged by Bob, the sort-of-golden-retriever.

The last few books have been meh and I wasn't enjoying them very much. This one brought me back around though. The mystery was compelling and there was growth amongst the characters. By the end of the book Stephanie felt like an old friend again, like any good lead character in a series should.

My one issue was how homophobic her mom was...but it's not a big deal, just felt a little out if no where. Bring on number 8!

I love Stephanie Plum book series. The reason for the 1 star review is the narrator. I really do not understand the reason why CJ Critt is not narrating all of Plum books. As I listened to books 1-6 narrated by Critt, I had had this really wide grin on my face and the spirit of the books really came through in her presentation of the characters. I got to book seven and what a nasty surprise - it was narrated by Tanya Eby - nails on chalkboard!!! Unintelligible pronunciation is really the biggest detriment here. I went online to see if I could find book seven in CJ Critt's narration and come to find out, she is no longer narrating for the author. The online boards I've read have universally said that Eby was the worst. Some folks however, said that Lorelei King was pretty decent while some really disliked her narration as well. I tried listening to King's version - at first, it was tolerable, after 10 minutes, it was a such a bore. Nothing to do with the content of the book, everything to do with the presentation. It nearly put me to sleep. What a disappointing choice by the author!!
Until CJ Critt is back narrating, no more listening to these books on audio!

After reading "Hot Six", "Seven UP" was disappointing. Although the style and characterizations are the same, the humor was off and the pace dragged. I remain a Stephanie Plum fan and look forward to reading "Hard Eight", but "Seven Up" is my least favorite, to date. Evanovich's talent for unique characters is evident in all her writing and I enjoy her narratives. Plum's flamboyant Granny keeps readers wondering what will she pull next. All in all, I enjoy Plum's inept bumbling and the miraculous way she overcomes.
Beverly J Scott author of RIGHTEOUS REVENGE

Come on! How can you resist the stories of the female bounty hunter from Jersey? This time Stephanie Plum is after old man Eddie DeChooch and you just can't believe his luck and the trouble he has gotten himself into! Mooner and Dougie are back, as is Lula, Connie, Vinny, Grandma Mazur, the two men in Stephanie's life - Ranger and Joe Morelli, and Bob the dog who eats everything and poops in Stephanie's arch enemy Joyce Barnhardt's yard. This series is hilarious from the characters to the situations they find themselves in. Its action, comedy and mystery all wrapped up in a bright cover.
Enjoy!

Well, I went through the first 7 Stephanie Plum books in a week, based on a recommendation of "One for the Money" by a friend. I couldn't put them down - I'm a fast reader but not usually this fast! (:
I tend to agree with some of the other reviewers. Seven Up isn't quite as hilarious as the first couple, but it still got me laughing out loud and mumbling to myself.
If you like Sue Grafton, you'll like Janet Evanovich just as much... maybe even more. Just be sure you read them in order, and leave yourself plenty of time before bed when you start.
I'm particularly reviewing number 7 because the ending is what I've been hoping for all along (: No peeking!

I really did not want to start reading it...I got it the day it came out...because I knew I would have to wait "like forever" for the next book....but it was so good I finished it in two days. I think it might be a little more risque but so much fun. Grand-ma Mazur is something else...who would not want a grand-ma like her. I try to picture this in a movie and I think it would be great or a TV series. Jane Evanovich you can never stop writing about Stephanie Plum...and Lulu and all the characters are so real. I recommend this book and all Evanovich's books to all my friends.....thank you for a great read.

Everything about Ms. Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is delightfully entertaining. Her tongue-in-cheek depiction of life in Jersey is a treat. Its colorfully named residents come to life with personalities to match; DeChooch, MoonMan, Lulu, Bob the dog and the favorites we've come to love, Grandmother Mazur and Joe Morelli. Their comic actions, reactions and interactions never fail to make me laugh. In this installment, even Stephanie's contemplation of love in the afternoon set forth in the prologue made me giggle.
Others have outlined this plot, so I'll skip that and simply recommend all seven books in this series as five star offerings. Congratulations to this accomplished author. Her inventions are delicious!

WELLLLLLL-???? I have read and re-read all of the Stephanie Plum series.... I must say I was terribly disappointed by this one. It does pick up at the end of the book... It is almost like the Publishers or SOMEONE is Pushing Janet too hard to produce... I certianly hope they STOP NOW... This is a great writer with a great series going... Her readers look forward Excitedly to each and every new book.. I have even searched out and purchased FIRST EDITIONS of all the others... GRANDMA Mazur who in my estimation is one of her best ever charactors after, Joe , Ranger and of course Stephanie. Grandma was almost non-exsistant in this one and what she did have to offer she was blindfolded most the time... DEFINATELY TO MUCH BOB the munchy pooch...
It was almost like Janet had some great ideas but had not enough time to really develop them fully.. SO WHOEVER OR WHATEVER IS PRESSURING JANET STOP..... STOP... PLEASE STOP... WE WANT MORE OF THE OLD STEPHANIE BACK......
WEGE

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Finished it rather quickly and am enjoying the chemistry now between Stephanie and Joe and Stephanie and Ranger. I can't wait to see what happens in the beginning of the next book (Hard 8).

I loved the plot, though it might not have been as strong as the plots in the other books, it was still good. I love the characters (even the evil villain characters). I am still loving Mooner and Dougie. Those two crack me up, and of course love Grandma!

If your looking for a quick and exciting read, pick up Seven Up. It leaves you laughing at the end!

You don't need to read this one. As other reviewers here have noted, it is formulaic; but in its defense, the formula works, and the dialog is witty and fast paced as ever. Thus I can't in all good conscience give it a one-star heave-ho. It's just that after six prior Plum novels I'm going stir crazy for Stephanie to change her life a little.
To recap for Evanovich newbies, Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter in New Jersey. She has a rocky relationship with sexy bad-boy-next-door-turned-good cop Joe Morelli, a quirky slew of friends picked up along her career and an Italian/Hungarian family that doesn't seem to know what to do with their unconventional daughter. She gets into all kinds of unique scrapes and hilarious situations in the process of enforcing bail bonds. In every book there are gunfights and vehicles destroyed enough to satisfy any action/thriller junkie. In the end, Steph always gets her man.
Some of the plotlines continued throughout this series involve her boyfriend's fear of commitment and her mom's manipulative attempts to get Stephanie "normal"ized and settled down to produce grandchildren. In Seven Up, these finally come to a head, and none too soon. I was skipping large sections to get to the cliffhanger ending that I knew must be coming. I am told I can now look forward to the promised changes in Hard Eight's tone and content. I only wish I could plead directly with the author to resolve these plotlines without somehow breaking the sassy Stephanie Plum spirit that I have come to love.

I have been enjoying the Stephanie Plum series, which I normally get on audiotape to listen to on my commute. As far as I'm concerned, the story (I'm about halfway through) is as good as any other Stephanie Plum story, but I have to agree with the other reviewers of the audiocassette edition that they made a big mistake switching from Debi Mazar to Tanya Eby. Just dealing with a switch of narrators in a series can be tough enough when you've gotten used to someone, but Tanya Eby just isn't good at all for this series. I've never heard or seen her before, but her New Jersey dialect is awful. I don't know who she ever met from Jersey (or anywhere -- except maybe a cartoon) who talks like this! She just doesn't sound like the Stephanie we all know and love, and don't even get me started on what she does to Morelli and Lula -- argh!
In all, I find the narration of this story unpleasant to the point of distraction, and would not recommend it. I'm too cheap to chuck the tape and get the book to finish it like the other reviewers did -- I've spent my money and now I'm going to stick with it till the bitter end. But I don't recommend the audiocassette format, particularly not to someone who's grown accustomed to Debi Mazar or Lori Petty. Instead, get the paperback.

Stephanie's family wants to hear wedding bells but Stephanie is hearing gun shots. How far will the bounty hunter from hell go to get her man? Depends on who the man is. Morelli, Ranger, or Eddie DeCooch. With the rent due and bills piling up, catching Eddie DeCooch is on her mind but her body is flirting with more dangerous pursuits. Stephanie and Lula are hog-riding, pig-heart toting enforcers trying to rescue Dougie, Mooner, and Grandma Mazur. They get down and dirty as mud wrestlers and manage to get thrown out of the place. I laughed out loud but I may never eat Chinese food again, thanks to Bob. Well worth the read. Hope Janet hurries with the next one or, should I say with number eight.

As a mystery author with a recently published first novel, I have been amazed by Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Her works have been consistently witty, fast-paced, and unique. SEVEN UP continues to build upon Evanovich's past accomplishments. In SEVEN UP, Stephanie is given the job of delivering an elderly cigarette smuggler to court. As we all know, this set-up will be merely the start of a hilarious tale. Evanovich does not disappoint. She has a winning series, and she delivers once again. You have to in New Jersey. In SEVEN UP, Evanovich serves up what we have grown to expect with style and humor. We are also treated to Stephanie's continuing emotional struggles with Morelli, Ranger, and a certain wedding dress. Great book! Read it!

I thought this book was up to the standards set by Ms. Evanovich. True some of the other books may have had more moments of out and out humor, but this one I felt gave us a lot of interaction between Steph and Morelli. A lot more than in previous books. I think Steph is growing in each new installment as are the rest of the more major characters. My only moment of anxiety came with the last line of the book. Once again Ms. Evanovich has left us hanging, which I know is a great marketing tool but the fact that we now have to wait a whole year is more than a little frustrating! I would recommend this series to just about anyone who likes to read-and I truly envy anyone who has not read them and would now get to sit down and start with One For the Money and go on to Seven Up. A Stephanie Plum feast...what fun!

It is a joy to turn pick up a Janet Evanovich. Indeed it is an unmixed delight. Neither queasiness nor yawns are likely to afflict a reader while following the mixed fortunes of Stephanie Plum, Heroine for our Times. Stephanie is an utterly engaging, accident-prone (destroyer of cars), disaster-prone (burner of buildings), hilarious-situation-prone bounty hunter in wildest New Jersey. Seven Up brings in all the Usual Suspects. These include horrible Cousin Vinnie of Vinnie's Bail Bond Enforcement Agency (her boss); Lula her indomitable off-sider (a former sex-worker, since black is beautiful and big is beautiful Lula has what it takes to launch a thousand ships). Let us not forget Morelli the vice-cop, Stephanie's main squeeze to whom she is almost engaged - well, after six books they are at last occasionally in bed. The complication is that Ranger, the slightly sinister, very sexy, certainly dangerous bounty hunter (ex-Special Forces) has designs on Stephanie's virtue which she is not sure she wishes to withstand. Grandma Mazur is back, the Grandmother from Hell if she was your grandmother but as Stephanie's bane she is as funny as ever; still gun-toting, still dreaming of getting a driving licence to help her chase unsuitable men and still a devoted viewer of deceased identities in neighbourhood funeral parlours. This time the bail-jumper is a once dangerous but ageing mobster involved in the smuggled cigarette business. Tracking him down leads the unsuspecting good guys into a dangerous situation in which a barking-mad widow has snatched two of Stephanie's gay friends. The closing stages of this novel briefly swerve away from the funny to the horrifying but all's well that end's well as some non-New Jersey resident once observed. A worthy addition to a hugely enjoyable series but if you are a new reader and you begin this you will inevitably wish to read the others so you might as well get yourself One For the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, etc., etc., and begin at the beginning.

Stephanie Plum is at it again, this time trying to bring in some little old guy named Eddie DeChooch but having her typical difficulties with doing so. She's also having to deal with Bob the dog, a couple of drug addicts named Mooner and Dougie, her "perfect sister" Valerie, who's returned from California after her husband's left her, and the usual cast of characters. She's also trying to sort out her romantic life, torn between cop Morelli and bounty hunter Ranger while trying not to let her relatives box her into a marriage to Morelli before she's ready. Any more would be telling, so I'll stop now. Some seem to think this book isn't up to the level of the previous ones, but I enjoyed it.

After waiting an entire year for 7 up to arrive, I have to say it is not up to par with other Evanovich's novels. There weren't any parts that I truly laughed out loud, maybe a giggle, but not a true belly laugh with tears streaming down my face that Evanovich usually brings. Again, the usual characters are all accounted for, with Steph's perfect sister brought back home, having been dumped by her husband for the babysitter. Ranger is absent for most of the book, with really just a cameo appearance at the end, which AGAIN, leads to another cliff hanger. My recommendation, wait for the paperback.
Thanks for reading, **Pandora

Once again Evanovich has taken a day out of my life and made it a good one. Stephanie is up to her usual in the newest book in her series. All of my favorite people were there too. From Lulu to Mooner. I laughed out loud many times and shake my head at the fix this girl always seems to get into with her automobile. Ranger and Morelli, two men who I think could sit on my doorstep anytime. Ranger is just too smooth for words. Once again the ending is cut short but, I will just have to wait another year to see what really happened. The only thing that disappoints me is that a year is way too long to have to wait to be with these people again. Eight is a date that I can't wait to happen!

Stephanie Plum novels are fun to read. They aren't much more than that, and so going in expecting great literature would be silly.
I read this book on the airplane from Denver to Dulles, VA and it made me giggle quietly to myself in my seat and overall improved the journey by entertaining me.
In this, as in all of the Stephanie Plum books, sexual tension is near the fore in nearly every scene. Grandma Mazur is crazy and plucky as always, and all of the standard cast are there with their various personalities. Rex (the hamster) is sadly underplayed in this installment, however, upstaged by Bob, the sort-of-golden-retriever.

The last few books have been meh and I wasn't enjoying them very much. This one brought me back around though. The mystery was compelling and there was growth amongst the characters. By the end of the book Stephanie felt like an old friend again, like any good lead character in a series should.

My one issue was how homophobic her mom was...but it's not a big deal, just felt a little out if no where. Bring on number 8!

I love Stephanie Plum book series. The reason for the 1 star review is the narrator. I really do not understand the reason why CJ Critt is not narrating all of Plum books. As I listened to books 1-6 narrated by Critt, I had had this really wide grin on my face and the spirit of the books really came through in her presentation of the characters. I got to book seven and what a nasty surprise - it was narrated by Tanya Eby - nails on chalkboard!!! Unintelligible pronunciation is really the biggest detriment here. I went online to see if I could find book seven in CJ Critt's narration and come to find out, she is no longer narrating for the author. The online boards I've read have universally said that Eby was the worst. Some folks however, said that Lorelei King was pretty decent while some really disliked her narration as well. I tried listening to King's version - at first, it was tolerable, after 10 minutes, it was a such a bore. Nothing to do with the content of the book, everything to do with the presentation. It nearly put me to sleep. What a disappointing choice by the author!!
Until CJ Critt is back narrating, no more listening to these books on audio!

After reading "Hot Six", "Seven UP" was disappointing. Although the style and characterizations are the same, the humor was off and the pace dragged. I remain a Stephanie Plum fan and look forward to reading "Hard Eight", but "Seven Up" is my least favorite, to date. Evanovich's talent for unique characters is evident in all her writing and I enjoy her narratives. Plum's flamboyant Granny keeps readers wondering what will she pull next. All in all, I enjoy Plum's inept bumbling and the miraculous way she overcomes.
Beverly J Scott author of RIGHTEOUS REVENGE

Come on! How can you resist the stories of the female bounty hunter from Jersey? This time Stephanie Plum is after old man Eddie DeChooch and you just can't believe his luck and the trouble he has gotten himself into! Mooner and Dougie are back, as is Lula, Connie, Vinny, Grandma Mazur, the two men in Stephanie's life - Ranger and Joe Morelli, and Bob the dog who eats everything and poops in Stephanie's arch enemy Joyce Barnhardt's yard. This series is hilarious from the characters to the situations they find themselves in. Its action, comedy and mystery all wrapped up in a bright cover.
Enjoy!

Well, I went through the first 7 Stephanie Plum books in a week, based on a recommendation of "One for the Money" by a friend. I couldn't put them down - I'm a fast reader but not usually this fast! (:
I tend to agree with some of the other reviewers. Seven Up isn't quite as hilarious as the first couple, but it still got me laughing out loud and mumbling to myself.
If you like Sue Grafton, you'll like Janet Evanovich just as much... maybe even more. Just be sure you read them in order, and leave yourself plenty of time before bed when you start.
I'm particularly reviewing number 7 because the ending is what I've been hoping for all along (: No peeking!

I really did not want to start reading it...I got it the day it came out...because I knew I would have to wait "like forever" for the next book....but it was so good I finished it in two days. I think it might be a little more risque but so much fun. Grand-ma Mazur is something else...who would not want a grand-ma like her. I try to picture this in a movie and I think it would be great or a TV series. Jane Evanovich you can never stop writing about Stephanie Plum...and Lulu and all the characters are so real. I recommend this book and all Evanovich's books to all my friends.....thank you for a great read.

Everything about Ms. Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is delightfully entertaining. Her tongue-in-cheek depiction of life in Jersey is a treat. Its colorfully named residents come to life with personalities to match; DeChooch, MoonMan, Lulu, Bob the dog and the favorites we've come to love, Grandmother Mazur and Joe Morelli. Their comic actions, reactions and interactions never fail to make me laugh. In this installment, even Stephanie's contemplation of love in the afternoon set forth in the prologue made me giggle.
Others have outlined this plot, so I'll skip that and simply recommend all seven books in this series as five star offerings. Congratulations to this accomplished author. Her inventions are delicious!

WELLLLLLL-???? I have read and re-read all of the Stephanie Plum series.... I must say I was terribly disappointed by this one. It does pick up at the end of the book... It is almost like the Publishers or SOMEONE is Pushing Janet too hard to produce... I certianly hope they STOP NOW... This is a great writer with a great series going... Her readers look forward Excitedly to each and every new book.. I have even searched out and purchased FIRST EDITIONS of all the others... GRANDMA Mazur who in my estimation is one of her best ever charactors after, Joe , Ranger and of course Stephanie. Grandma was almost non-exsistant in this one and what she did have to offer she was blindfolded most the time... DEFINATELY TO MUCH BOB the munchy pooch...
It was almost like Janet had some great ideas but had not enough time to really develop them fully.. SO WHOEVER OR WHATEVER IS PRESSURING JANET STOP..... STOP... PLEASE STOP... WE WANT MORE OF THE OLD STEPHANIE BACK......
WEGE

I am really enjoying this series. The characters are flawed, likeable, and make you want to get to know them. The books are fast-paced without usually suffering from what I think of as over-paced. There is frequently dinner in the "Burg" or some other normal activities inbetween the more adrenaline pumping action scenes . I haven't seen the movie with Katherine Heigel, but every book I read makes me cringe at that casting. I dont' see any way Heigel can be sassy, Jersey girl Stephanie Plum. I will keep reading the books and avoiding the movie.

I've listened to the series in both abridged, with Lori Petty and unabridged, with CJ Critt. I prefer unabridged books, but enjoyed both Lori and CJ as narrators. I'm not even half way through the 1st tape of Seven Up, but I'm about ready to dump it like the other reviewers. I can't even rate the story because I'm not into it far enough because Tanya Eby's voice is like fingernails scratching down a chalkboard! I've actually had to cut my exercise routine short because I can't listen to that voice for more than 5 minutes. I was hoping that the book might have been re-issued with another narrator. Unfortunatley, Eby seems to have voiced both the abridged and unabridged versions of this story and it looks like I'll have to read the book and exercise to something else. Yikes!

P.S. Have since read the book and recommend it over this tape even if you NEVER read books. No one should have to suffer Eby's voice to continue with this great series.

I can always count on Janet Evanovich to make me laugh when I am all alone in the middle of the night. Yes, I giggle through the entire book!
I wish I had friends like Stephanie, grandma, and Lula, what a blast! I look forward to each new book. When I start each book, I know that I about to meet old friends, for a new mad-cap adventure.

Once again, Janet Evanovich has hooked me on the first page. I have read all the Stephanie Plum adventures and have enjoyed them all. I can't help but laugh at Grandma Mazur and Stephanie's mom and dad. Stephanie has quite a mystery to solve and the adventures along the way will keep you turning the pages. If you are a fan, this book will not let you down. The plot has some twists to it and will definately hold your interest. I eagerly look forward to book #8.

I've got to say that I have always rooted for the bad-boy Morelli instead of the tough-as-a-truck Ranger in Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. Sure, Joe Morelli the good guy cop with a bad-boy rep has some explaining to do in terms of their past, the things he had done to her when they were teens, but he had the kind of charm I think I will find irresistible in a man.

However, in an effort to make things a little bit more exciting in her books, Evanovich has decided to play up the sex appeal in Ranger. Ranger is the expert bounty hunter who gives Stephanie assistance when she calls, rescues her from cuff-links in the bathroom butt-naked, and also teaches her how to actually shoot a gun instead of only shaking it at people. I don't like it that Stephanie is attracted to Ranger...at all...cause I'm not. and she should be loyal since she is SORT OF living with Joe Morelli and that they were thinking about marriage and all. In a way, Evanovich is making Plum a LOOSE woman who is not keen on tying it with Morelli.

Nah, it doesn't sit well with me.

And I know I've said it before but I'll say it again. I think someone should lock Grandma Mazur up in the attic and never release her out into public places ever again! That old lady is so surreal! I can't imagine my grandmother hiking it up with another man apart from my grandfather. Urgh!

I liked Stephanie's PERFECT sister, though, Valerie. Her perfect self with perfect hair, perfect nails, perfect shoes shows sign of destruction as she comes back to the Plum home revealing to the family that her perfect husband has run off with another perfect woman and she's now come home to stay with her imperfect family with her imperfect kids. This is all, making Stephanie, the imperfect sister, all too satisfied. Especially when her perfect sister turns out to be a lousier bounty hunter than she is and her fashion sense is proven out of date.

Eddie DeCooch (how do you pronounce a name like that without making it sound like you're calling a puppy pooch?) is the main culprit here, so, Stephanie is riding around town wrecking cars and blowing up garbage cans again after an old man who should be in a retirement home and it's funny that he keeps evading her. It's one thing to be ousted by a young, muscular man who knows his way around town, but to be ousted by an old hag with bad eye, bad hearing but good sense of direction is quite another thing. I don't know how DeCooch does his running around but for the sake of entertainment and continuity of the story, he manages to give Stephanie the slip every single time.

Sadly, I like Mooner and Dougie in this book too. Mooner and Dougie are basically two young losers who are stealing and selling stuff, helping people run drugs, and sneaking counterfeit cigarettes, toasters, CD players, books, hairdryers, etc into the place. For all the bad things that they do, they are innocent as piglets. Smelly but damn, they are adorable.

The storyline is OK, I guess...maybe it's a Plum-overdose. But I was kind of pissed that Plum fancies Ranger and at the end of the book, Evanovich suggestively implies that Plum and Ranger had it going....ew!! What about Morelli you dumb woman? You sleep with Ranger and I will never read about you again, Stephanie Plum!

I love this series. But this one was a bit more sexual than usual. I prefer the usual innuendos but this book made me uncomfortable. It also used the F word too much for my tastes. The writing is quick, clever, and funny. The characters are very well developed. I recommend the whole series.

We are lucky to have somebody like Janet Evanovich writing books like this. This book was the first I read of the Stephanie Plum series and I am much looking forward to reading the other seven. The rest of my year's reading is probably allocated by virtue of this wonderful series of books.
The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because the book may be borderline too fictional in places. Beyond that, you feel as though this book is about the chapter in YOUR family history that has been better left unprinted.
It should be impossible for somebody to read this book and not pull for Stephanie Plum. She's everybody's little sister and the wild kid that exists in all of us--man and woman alike.

I hadn't read a Stephanie Plum story since they first came out. The first one was really good, the second good, and then the third felt recycled. So it's been a decade or so I guess and saw this for a buck and picked it up. It felt like I was reading the third one all over again. Same stories, same gags, same everything! Cant recommend.

I just finished Book 7 having read 1,4,5,and 6. While i did think that the plot was a tad tired, I just love the bizarro world Evanovich has created for these bigger than life characters to inhabit. It is our world on steroids... or worse. She doesnt take herself too seriously or worry overly about little things like reality or the need to have her characters "grow". She simply makes them hilarious. Bigger, badder and twisted to the tune of Trenton. This series is fun. End of story. "Light" reading at its finest. If u are looking for a deep introspective read, look elsewhere. The characters border on cartoonish, the situations unbelievable, and the car thing-- OMG!
Even with all that-- I still laugh out loud at least once a chapter. That alone makes this a worthwhile read. Stephanie is everything I wish I could be and everything I'm glad im not, all rolled into one neurotic bimbo. Grandma, Lula and all the other wacky people that inhabit the "burg" universe make me giggle. The Ranger/Morelli thing is just a hoot. The Tag-team romantic life Steph leads is just her style.
I found this,and all the Plum series, vastly entertaining. Are they going to change my life, cause me to have monumental insights into my character or even cause me to think overmuch about what Evanovich was trying to say? No. What they will do, however, is put a grin on my face as i close the cover.

I just finished Seven Up and have to admit I am a little worried to read the next book 8. I enjoyed Stephanie and Joe Morelli so much, they have their problems but are wonderful together. A very playful, funny, sexy couple!! I want more of them! The returning characters were wonderful with the addition of Stephanie's sister and neices. The plot again was zany and unrealistically fun. The only problem I had with this book 7 was Ranger. I have come to dislike this character. First he was a sexy man of mystery that was tempting yet unreachable to Stephanie, which was intriguing. But in this book he becomes overbearing, demanding, and controlling. And Stephanie accuses Joe of this? PLEASE!!! Ranger makes Stephanie a proposition of sleeping with him in order to... What kind of over powering man is that, and what kind of whimp has Stephanie become to take that. The next book better not have him collecting on this debt or it will really distroy what Janet has built in the charater of Ranger, and the love potential for Joe and Stephanie. Let's hope that Stephanie has more pride and self respect then to let Ranger collect. Or that will take away from a wonderful 7 book sexual build up of Joe and Stephanie, and their love story! Bring back the old lovable Ranger or loss him!!!

I really like the plum series but i just started listening to this one and i almost can't handle it! They switch the women reading the book to a woman who give the character a strong accent that she has never had before. I have no clue who is who in the book i don't recognize any of the main characters voices because they have all changed! I checked the next few books and they are read by CJ Critt (the original reader) and i can't wait to get through this one sor i can get on with the series!

Evanovich has done it again; yet another exciting, funny, frustrating installment in the misadventures of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.
There's lots of action (romantic and otherwise), a great cast of characters, two hot love interests, some improbably hilarious high jinx, and the bad guys get caught again, somehow. But, it all seems a little too much of the "same old, same old...". It's getting kind of frustrating that Stephanie Plum seems never to learn from her mistakes, and never seems to get any less incompetent.
Of course, this is the source of much of the charm and hilarity for the series. But it is starting to wear too, too thin.
The first book in the series suggested that she might take some steps to learn those basic bounty hunger survival skills, such as shooting (and actually carrying a - loaded - gun). But, since then she has taken great strides... backwards. And, so have the plots of the books. Rarely is there anything new. Sure, some fun characters have been introduced, and the relationships that Stephanie has with Joe and Ranger have progressed somewhat, but now we're at the 7th installment (the 8th is just coming out) and not really any further ahead.
Overall, I like the series for its levity and the cute ways that Evanovich has of making Stephanie survive. But, I wish that this bounty hunter would start learning how to do her job.

This is a five star laugh out loud book! I love the secondary characters as much as I love Stephanie and Morelli. Each book stands okay alone, but for max enjoyment I would recommend reading them all and in order. Plan to laugh until your eyes tear up. No getting around it Janet Evanovich writes funny, very well. I love her!

I have loved the first six books. For me, personally, I miss the way Debi Mazar portrayed all the characters.

The new reading style is clear but simply does not work for me. The new narrator's voice seems too cultured and a better fit for more upper class storylines, rather than the gritty life of Stephanie Plum.

As with all of the Stephanie Plum novels, this is a quick, easy read. There were parts that were hilariously funny, and some that made you wonder. However, there wasn't much about it to distinguish it from the others. You've got the same characters acting the same way and doing the same thing. It's still a good series, but could use some fresh blood injected into it along with a few new ideas and characters for some variation.

This series has lost its umph because the formerly feisty heroine is more dazed and confused than her missing stoner buddies. I long for the Stephanie Plum who was smart enough to bring in a cop, quick enough to get the drop on the bad guy, and gutsy enough to take a lickin'and keep on tickin'. Seven Up has Ms. Plum making more mistakes than she did when she started bringing in FTAs, and she's more indecisive and weak willed than ever regarding her personal life. The heart and soul of this series has been reduced to a comic cliche along with her erstwhile suitors. Morelli's sizzling swagger and wit have been reduced a sorry side-step accompanied by whining about his almost fiancee's job. Their break-up seems contrived, and motivated primarily by the need set up the next cliffhanger. The intriguing character of Ranger has gone from likely superhero to unlikely villian as he plays let's make a deal for sexual favors. None of the main characters are likable in this seventh outting, leaving the weak mystery plot to stand on it's own. Books one through five were a delight. Seven doesn't appear to be a lucky number for the Plum gang or this formerly fanatic reader.

The reader changes in this book. Thick accent. Too distracting for me. Sounds like someone from Housewives of New Jersey. If you like them you will probably have no problem with the reader. None of the characters sound the same so they lose their personality in the reading. I am sure there is a reason for this but...Why oh why change the reader? The only positive thing I can say is that I will know to avoid any audios read by Lorelei King. I even tried speeding up the play back so I could finish the book. Guess I'll skip to the last book in the series just to see how it all concludes...:-(

To find one old man...pretty hard if it's Eddie DeChooch and you're Stephanie Plum. Stephanie's tooling around on a Harley searching for DeChooch, missing friends, and a kidnapped grandma. She's dealing with her newly returned sister, who's not quite as perfect as Stephanie thought, while she tries to figure out just what she wants in a man.
Another fun-filled romp with Trenton's favorite bounty hunter!

I loved Janet's previous six audio books so very much, I bought them. I am now in the process of replacing my cassettes with CDs as I have listened to them over and over and over and they are wearing out.
That being said, I HATED SEVEN UP and will not buy it. I regret that I cannot rate this less than one star (like maybe a negative five stars). It was boring and actually painful to listen to. Words and names were midpronounced as compared to previous books. The reader was AWFUL!!
Janet, what happended? Have you lost your pizazz? I hope not. I live for your next releases. Please, go back to the previous readers (Lori Petty or Debbie Mazar). I don't know who CJ Critt is (I am sure she is a fine person), but she does not convey the Stephanie Plum we all know and adore.

I am really enjoying this series. The characters are flawed, likeable, and make you want to get to know them. The books are fast-paced without usually suffering from what I think of as over-paced. There is frequently dinner in the "Burg" or some other normal activities inbetween the more adrenaline pumping action scenes . I haven't seen the movie with Katherine Heigel, but every book I read makes me cringe at that casting. I dont' see any way Heigel can be sassy, Jersey girl Stephanie Plum. I will keep reading the books and avoiding the movie.

I've listened to the series in both abridged, with Lori Petty and unabridged, with CJ Critt. I prefer unabridged books, but enjoyed both Lori and CJ as narrators. I'm not even half way through the 1st tape of Seven Up, but I'm about ready to dump it like the other reviewers. I can't even rate the story because I'm not into it far enough because Tanya Eby's voice is like fingernails scratching down a chalkboard! I've actually had to cut my exercise routine short because I can't listen to that voice for more than 5 minutes. I was hoping that the book might have been re-issued with another narrator. Unfortunatley, Eby seems to have voiced both the abridged and unabridged versions of this story and it looks like I'll have to read the book and exercise to something else. Yikes!

P.S. Have since read the book and recommend it over this tape even if you NEVER read books. No one should have to suffer Eby's voice to continue with this great series.

I can always count on Janet Evanovich to make me laugh when I am all alone in the middle of the night. Yes, I giggle through the entire book!
I wish I had friends like Stephanie, grandma, and Lula, what a blast! I look forward to each new book. When I start each book, I know that I about to meet old friends, for a new mad-cap adventure.

Once again, Janet Evanovich has hooked me on the first page. I have read all the Stephanie Plum adventures and have enjoyed them all. I can't help but laugh at Grandma Mazur and Stephanie's mom and dad. Stephanie has quite a mystery to solve and the adventures along the way will keep you turning the pages. If you are a fan, this book will not let you down. The plot has some twists to it and will definately hold your interest. I eagerly look forward to book #8.

I've got to say that I have always rooted for the bad-boy Morelli instead of the tough-as-a-truck Ranger in Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. Sure, Joe Morelli the good guy cop with a bad-boy rep has some explaining to do in terms of their past, the things he had done to her when they were teens, but he had the kind of charm I think I will find irresistible in a man.

However, in an effort to make things a little bit more exciting in her books, Evanovich has decided to play up the sex appeal in Ranger. Ranger is the expert bounty hunter who gives Stephanie assistance when she calls, rescues her from cuff-links in the bathroom butt-naked, and also teaches her how to actually shoot a gun instead of only shaking it at people. I don't like it that Stephanie is attracted to Ranger...at all...cause I'm not. and she should be loyal since she is SORT OF living with Joe Morelli and that they were thinking about marriage and all. In a way, Evanovich is making Plum a LOOSE woman who is not keen on tying it with Morelli.

Nah, it doesn't sit well with me.

And I know I've said it before but I'll say it again. I think someone should lock Grandma Mazur up in the attic and never release her out into public places ever again! That old lady is so surreal! I can't imagine my grandmother hiking it up with another man apart from my grandfather. Urgh!

I liked Stephanie's PERFECT sister, though, Valerie. Her perfect self with perfect hair, perfect nails, perfect shoes shows sign of destruction as she comes back to the Plum home revealing to the family that her perfect husband has run off with another perfect woman and she's now come home to stay with her imperfect family with her imperfect kids. This is all, making Stephanie, the imperfect sister, all too satisfied. Especially when her perfect sister turns out to be a lousier bounty hunter than she is and her fashion sense is proven out of date.

Eddie DeCooch (how do you pronounce a name like that without making it sound like you're calling a puppy pooch?) is the main culprit here, so, Stephanie is riding around town wrecking cars and blowing up garbage cans again after an old man who should be in a retirement home and it's funny that he keeps evading her. It's one thing to be ousted by a young, muscular man who knows his way around town, but to be ousted by an old hag with bad eye, bad hearing but good sense of direction is quite another thing. I don't know how DeCooch does his running around but for the sake of entertainment and continuity of the story, he manages to give Stephanie the slip every single time.

Sadly, I like Mooner and Dougie in this book too. Mooner and Dougie are basically two young losers who are stealing and selling stuff, helping people run drugs, and sneaking counterfeit cigarettes, toasters, CD players, books, hairdryers, etc into the place. For all the bad things that they do, they are innocent as piglets. Smelly but damn, they are adorable.

The storyline is OK, I guess...maybe it's a Plum-overdose. But I was kind of pissed that Plum fancies Ranger and at the end of the book, Evanovich suggestively implies that Plum and Ranger had it going....ew!! What about Morelli you dumb woman? You sleep with Ranger and I will never read about you again, Stephanie Plum!

I love this series. But this one was a bit more sexual than usual. I prefer the usual innuendos but this book made me uncomfortable. It also used the F word too much for my tastes. The writing is quick, clever, and funny. The characters are very well developed. I recommend the whole series.

We are lucky to have somebody like Janet Evanovich writing books like this. This book was the first I read of the Stephanie Plum series and I am much looking forward to reading the other seven. The rest of my year's reading is probably allocated by virtue of this wonderful series of books.
The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because the book may be borderline too fictional in places. Beyond that, you feel as though this book is about the chapter in YOUR family history that has been better left unprinted.
It should be impossible for somebody to read this book and not pull for Stephanie Plum. She's everybody's little sister and the wild kid that exists in all of us--man and woman alike.

I hadn't read a Stephanie Plum story since they first came out. The first one was really good, the second good, and then the third felt recycled. So it's been a decade or so I guess and saw this for a buck and picked it up. It felt like I was reading the third one all over again. Same stories, same gags, same everything! Cant recommend.

I just finished Book 7 having read 1,4,5,and 6. While i did think that the plot was a tad tired, I just love the bizarro world Evanovich has created for these bigger than life characters to inhabit. It is our world on steroids... or worse. She doesnt take herself too seriously or worry overly about little things like reality or the need to have her characters "grow". She simply makes them hilarious. Bigger, badder and twisted to the tune of Trenton. This series is fun. End of story. "Light" reading at its finest. If u are looking for a deep introspective read, look elsewhere. The characters border on cartoonish, the situations unbelievable, and the car thing-- OMG!
Even with all that-- I still laugh out loud at least once a chapter. That alone makes this a worthwhile read. Stephanie is everything I wish I could be and everything I'm glad im not, all rolled into one neurotic bimbo. Grandma, Lula and all the other wacky people that inhabit the "burg" universe make me giggle. The Ranger/Morelli thing is just a hoot. The Tag-team romantic life Steph leads is just her style.
I found this,and all the Plum series, vastly entertaining. Are they going to change my life, cause me to have monumental insights into my character or even cause me to think overmuch about what Evanovich was trying to say? No. What they will do, however, is put a grin on my face as i close the cover.

I just finished Seven Up and have to admit I am a little worried to read the next book 8. I enjoyed Stephanie and Joe Morelli so much, they have their problems but are wonderful together. A very playful, funny, sexy couple!! I want more of them! The returning characters were wonderful with the addition of Stephanie's sister and neices. The plot again was zany and unrealistically fun. The only problem I had with this book 7 was Ranger. I have come to dislike this character. First he was a sexy man of mystery that was tempting yet unreachable to Stephanie, which was intriguing. But in this book he becomes overbearing, demanding, and controlling. And Stephanie accuses Joe of this? PLEASE!!! Ranger makes Stephanie a proposition of sleeping with him in order to... What kind of over powering man is that, and what kind of whimp has Stephanie become to take that. The next book better not have him collecting on this debt or it will really distroy what Janet has built in the charater of Ranger, and the love potential for Joe and Stephanie. Let's hope that Stephanie has more pride and self respect then to let Ranger collect. Or that will take away from a wonderful 7 book sexual build up of Joe and Stephanie, and their love story! Bring back the old lovable Ranger or loss him!!!

I really like the plum series but i just started listening to this one and i almost can't handle it! They switch the women reading the book to a woman who give the character a strong accent that she has never had before. I have no clue who is who in the book i don't recognize any of the main characters voices because they have all changed! I checked the next few books and they are read by CJ Critt (the original reader) and i can't wait to get through this one sor i can get on with the series!

Evanovich has done it again; yet another exciting, funny, frustrating installment in the misadventures of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.
There's lots of action (romantic and otherwise), a great cast of characters, two hot love interests, some improbably hilarious high jinx, and the bad guys get caught again, somehow. But, it all seems a little too much of the "same old, same old...". It's getting kind of frustrating that Stephanie Plum seems never to learn from her mistakes, and never seems to get any less incompetent.
Of course, this is the source of much of the charm and hilarity for the series. But it is starting to wear too, too thin.
The first book in the series suggested that she might take some steps to learn those basic bounty hunger survival skills, such as shooting (and actually carrying a - loaded - gun). But, since then she has taken great strides... backwards. And, so have the plots of the books. Rarely is there anything new. Sure, some fun characters have been introduced, and the relationships that Stephanie has with Joe and Ranger have progressed somewhat, but now we're at the 7th installment (the 8th is just coming out) and not really any further ahead.
Overall, I like the series for its levity and the cute ways that Evanovich has of making Stephanie survive. But, I wish that this bounty hunter would start learning how to do her job.

This is a five star laugh out loud book! I love the secondary characters as much as I love Stephanie and Morelli. Each book stands okay alone, but for max enjoyment I would recommend reading them all and in order. Plan to laugh until your eyes tear up. No getting around it Janet Evanovich writes funny, very well. I love her!

I have loved the first six books. For me, personally, I miss the way Debi Mazar portrayed all the characters.

The new reading style is clear but simply does not work for me. The new narrator's voice seems too cultured and a better fit for more upper class storylines, rather than the gritty life of Stephanie Plum.

As with all of the Stephanie Plum novels, this is a quick, easy read. There were parts that were hilariously funny, and some that made you wonder. However, there wasn't much about it to distinguish it from the others. You've got the same characters acting the same way and doing the same thing. It's still a good series, but could use some fresh blood injected into it along with a few new ideas and characters for some variation.

This series has lost its umph because the formerly feisty heroine is more dazed and confused than her missing stoner buddies. I long for the Stephanie Plum who was smart enough to bring in a cop, quick enough to get the drop on the bad guy, and gutsy enough to take a lickin'and keep on tickin'. Seven Up has Ms. Plum making more mistakes than she did when she started bringing in FTAs, and she's more indecisive and weak willed than ever regarding her personal life. The heart and soul of this series has been reduced to a comic cliche along with her erstwhile suitors. Morelli's sizzling swagger and wit have been reduced a sorry side-step accompanied by whining about his almost fiancee's job. Their break-up seems contrived, and motivated primarily by the need set up the next cliffhanger. The intriguing character of Ranger has gone from likely superhero to unlikely villian as he plays let's make a deal for sexual favors. None of the main characters are likable in this seventh outting, leaving the weak mystery plot to stand on it's own. Books one through five were a delight. Seven doesn't appear to be a lucky number for the Plum gang or this formerly fanatic reader.

The reader changes in this book. Thick accent. Too distracting for me. Sounds like someone from Housewives of New Jersey. If you like them you will probably have no problem with the reader. None of the characters sound the same so they lose their personality in the reading. I am sure there is a reason for this but...Why oh why change the reader? The only positive thing I can say is that I will know to avoid any audios read by Lorelei King. I even tried speeding up the play back so I could finish the book. Guess I'll skip to the last book in the series just to see how it all concludes...:-(

To find one old man...pretty hard if it's Eddie DeChooch and you're Stephanie Plum. Stephanie's tooling around on a Harley searching for DeChooch, missing friends, and a kidnapped grandma. She's dealing with her newly returned sister, who's not quite as perfect as Stephanie thought, while she tries to figure out just what she wants in a man.
Another fun-filled romp with Trenton's favorite bounty hunter!

I loved Janet's previous six audio books so very much, I bought them. I am now in the process of replacing my cassettes with CDs as I have listened to them over and over and over and they are wearing out.
That being said, I HATED SEVEN UP and will not buy it. I regret that I cannot rate this less than one star (like maybe a negative five stars). It was boring and actually painful to listen to. Words and names were midpronounced as compared to previous books. The reader was AWFUL!!
Janet, what happended? Have you lost your pizazz? I hope not. I live for your next releases. Please, go back to the previous readers (Lori Petty or Debbie Mazar). I don't know who CJ Critt is (I am sure she is a fine person), but she does not convey the Stephanie Plum we all know and adore.

Don't get me wrong - I have been a devoted Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum fan since her first book in the series. They are absolutely my favorites! However, after all the hype, in my opinion Seven Up fell far short of her others -- it didn't even sound like Janet, but rather someone else plugging in the formula and spitting out a plot. I will anxiously await the next book in hopes that Janet will be back.

Stephanie Plum is definately one of those guilty pleasures that you are almost embarassed to admit too. This is no "genius piece of literature", but it will fill a day at the beach with fun and the occassional "laugh out loud" moment! These are the perfect vacation books - not so deep that you can't put them down to go out on the town...you will be able to easily pick up where you left off!

Hi,

don`t want to write a two pages review but after the first it is just getting better and better and also make me laugh so everyone around me when I read look at me and ask me what is going on!

Thank so much to the author for sharing and please keep Stephanie Plum alive for long!!

Regards

Not the best of the Stephanie Plum books, but after waiting a year, it is still a quick, funny summer read. Grandma Mazur is still my "fav" in the book. The three,(at least), mistakes using the wrong names in the story were disappointing. The appearance of Valerie, though nice, was pretty contrived since she was mentioned 14 times before she arrived--it wasn't a surprise she showed up for dinner. The plot/mystery was ok. I, share another reviewer's disappointment about the romantic cliff hanger. I did enjoy Vinnie's turn as a bounty hunter--he should come out of the office and help more often. So, yeah, I am not sorry I bought it and probably I'll cave for 8. In the meantime I'd rather reread the earlier ones for laughs.

I'm sorry I revisited the Stephanie Plum series. This book was just plain trashy. The characters have little sense of responsibility or loyalty. The "engagement" between Plum and Morelli is a farce, and Stephanie should slap some sense into herself. The heart aspect of the story was interesting and amusing, but not well developed.

No more Evanovich books for me.

I find that Janet Evanvoich is trying very hard to just make her Stephine Plum Novels really funny...but she is failing, i never once laughed at this book.
I dont like how she is making a love trigle between Joe, Stephine and Ranger becasue it is making Stephine just look like a slut. it upsets me. nothing about this one had me on the edge of me seat wanting more!

I've listened to the first six Stephanie Plum books and absolutely loved the reader and laughed out loud while listening. Unfortunately, the reader for this book is just horrid, not a speck of the same characters in the voice as in the first six books. I hope this reader, Tanya Eby doesn't do anymore Stephanie Plum novels. Please give us the original reader back!

Great group of books. After I caught up to the current releases, I bought all of Evanovich's novels from the store. I really enjoyed the Full series.
If you are looking for books similar to this style and series, but not penned by Janet, I suggest The Spellman series and The Bobbie Faye novels.

Janet Evanovich has done it again. I found myself finishing Janet's latest novel, 'Seven Up', at 4:00 o'clock in the morning. Of course she leaves us once again ranting and raving at the end of the book. Why? Because Stephanie is in one of those cliff hangers that make me want to scream "Not again!" I always have fun reading Janet's books. This may not be her best effort, but I have the itch to restart the series from 'One For the Money' and read all 7 books. As a matter of fact, I just purchased 'Three Plums in One" the other night. When I bought 'Seven Up', my son told me not to start the book that night. He knew that he would not see me for the next day or two. Enjoy a very entertaining series.

The seventh in the series of Stephanie Plum books was as hilarious and entertaining as the first six. Ms. Evanovich's characters are so entertaining and the story line moves quickly, you'll hate for the book to come to an end. I would suggest reading the books sequentially to have a full understanding of all the characters and to appreciate this book even more, although it can be read as your first Stephanie Plum adventure and you would still thoroughly enjoy it. And what an ending, can't wait for the eighth book.

The book Seven Up is about a bounty hunter named Stephanie Plum. Stephanie is in charge of finding people who don't show up for their trial hearing. This job can be a challenging, dangerous job, which can involve dealing with cunning and intellignet people. For most of the book, Stephanie is trying to hunt down a depressed eighty year old man named Eddie DeChooch. Sounds like a fairly easy job but let's throw in one more detail: not only is this man a quick thinker, he also has possession of a gun. Eddie may be old, but he can still pull a trigger. The chase continues throughout most of the book and Stephanie doubts at times she will ever find him.
This boook was really funny and hilarious. I know I laughed every time I turned a page. I would rate this book somewhere between a four and a five because I really enjoyed it.

Stephanie Plum just keeps having the funniest adventures in mystery fiction today. In this outing, Stephanie is after Eddie DeChooch, a geriatric mobster who keeps giving her the slip. It looks like she's going to marry Morrelli, the sexy cop with whom she shares an omnivorous dog named Bob. Stephanie takes Bob to her nemesis, Joyce Barnhart's house to get rid on a Chinese dinner on Joyce's lawn in one of the funniest parts of the book. Grandma Mazur is kidnapped while helping Stephanie look for Eddie, but isn't sure whether it's a prelude to kinky sex or a kidnapping that Eddie is after. We also get to know Stephanie's sister Valerie, whose husband left for the Caymens with the babysitter. Valerie moves back to the Burg with her two daughters and her experiment with being a lesbian is a hoot.
I could read a Stephanie Plum adventure every week. It's not high art, but it is high fun.

Evanovich never fails to please with her one-of-a-kind voice and cheerful style. Stephanie Plum's plucky spirit lends a good feeling to the book, and ever-amusing events keep the reader laughing. Eddie DeChooch and Grandma Mazur make a perfect combination. Morelli and Ranger baffle as ever, and lend an air of suspense to the ending. I love this and all other Stephanie Plum books!

I don't think I have ever absolutely laughed out loud as many times as I did reading this rare tale... and, tucked under all of the hilarity is a pretty tricky plot with twists on the order of a Chubby Checker delight.
The characterizations are as crisp and clear as prime Damon Runyon along with a knack for knames that is a killer...
oh yea, and watch out for gramdma Mazur... she's roughly a diamond.

Warning!!! - Reading these books in public will cause strange stares as they are hilariously laugh out loud funny.
I have read all of Stephanies wild,wacky & laugh out loud adventures. They have been lent out to all my friends & work colleages who can not wait for the next installment. In fact one of my friends has suggested that we kidnap Janet to ensure another book is written.
Stephanie lives in a surreal world where anything & everything can & does happen to her. These characters become your friends & foes. Will it be Joe or Ranger? Is it love or lust? What will Grandma do next? Will Vinnie get caught any uncomprimising positions with animals(yuk yuk) Is Stephanie destined to drive her Uncles 53 Buick forever?
I guess we will all have to wait till the next book.

Ms. Evanovich does it to us once again .... cliffhanger. Seven up is definitely not the best in the series but it was a fun reading adventure just the same. I have enjoyed all previous Stephanie Plum novels and this one no less. I can't get enough of Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger as well as zany cast of characters. Looking forward to number 8.

She's got a doughnut, and she's not afraid to use it. I've read everything from Janet Evanovich I can get my hands on, and this is still my favorite of her books. The sassiness of her characters really come out especially in this book. Playful, brazen characters and an outrageous and scandalous plotline are why this is on the top of my favorites.

S tephanie Plum returns in yet another humorous mystery
E ddie DeChooch is the object of her attention this time.
V aliently evading capture is a variety of creative ways.
E vanovich prvides us with the usual mayhem we've come to love.
N ow it's a question of who will win the heart of Stephanie
U ncertainty abounds. Will it be Morelli or Ranger?
P lum's a peach but Grandma Mazur's a gem.

I usually confine my reviews to books that don't already have a hundred reviews, but I figured I should add my 2 cents worth here. I expected to be a little jaded by number 7. After all, it's the same characters, same town, same situations. but I laughed myself silly anyhow. This is very entertaining stuff, and the situations just offbeat enough to seem fresh. Well done!

I loved One through Six, but I think the author has run out of material. This is not the Stephanie we know and love. Cheating on Joe with Ranger? No -- the Stephanie we have come to know has always been wacky, but would not fool around with another man while seriously dating and sleeping with Joe. Something went wrong with this book. I was disappointed.

I was looking for a new mystery writer and thought I would check out Janet Evanovich. I know she certainly appeals to a lot of people and maybe my expectations were too high based on that. But I think I did not like it because it was just not written to appeal to a male reader. So, since there were no reviews that I saw that offered up a warning, I thought I would offer one. If you are a male this probably will not appeal to you. If I am wrong about this, I would like someone to correct me and perhaps offer a suggestion for another book by Janet that I might find more to my liking.

I listened to this on CD. It was very, very clever and enjoyable reading. Only negative for me was I listened to prior 6 Stephanie Plums and they were narrated by C.J. Critt. She did not narrate the 7th, which was a negative for me. Ms. Critt has the voices of the characters down perfectly, in my opinion.

Thank you Janet Evanovich for creating this wonderful series of books. Seven Up is right up there with the rest of the books in the series. A great mix of the characters we've come to know and love as well as a new bunch of wackos to keep the series going. I only hope in the next book Evanovich resolves the love triangle between Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger.

I agree with the editorial reviewer who said this book wasn't as good as her others. It wasn't, but even that still merits four stars. It still made me laugh out loud, feel miserable and also cringe horribly (particularly towards the end).

Okay, I agree with the editorial reviewer who said this book wasn't as good as her others. It wasn't, but even that still merits four stars. It still made me laugh out loud, feel miserable and also cringe horribly (particularly towards the end).
She kills a car again. Can't have a novel where Steph doesn't destroy one or more of her cars. Wouldn't be right.
Grandma Mazur is still great and Perfect Sister Valerie and her two insane children (one is convinced she's a horse, the other knows it all) are a nice addition to the crazy world of Plum . I also love Steph's understated dad who takes it all in his stride. And her mum, in fact, and Bob and Morelli and Ranger and Lula...... I could go on and on....
Real interesting developments on the Ranger and Morelli front. Didn't really know how Ms. Evanovich would get Steph out of the situation she had between two very attractive and persuasive men without making her choice/decision uncharacteristic. And that choice is......
Not gonna tell you.
Once again we are left with the cliff hanger ending which, yes, is just as irritating as it was in book 6 (and 5) but that's more because I really, really want to know what happened than just being irritated with a deliberate device to get me to buy the next book (which, by the way, is SO working - I can't believe I have to wait a whole year to the next one).
Still, I think I'll just go read it again.

I always like the impish quality of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. In any other venue she would be an aggravating ditz, but Evanovich manages to give her a down to earth quality that makes her an enjoyable character. I have read all the numbered Plum series, and each gets better than the last. My favorite character is the Grandma.
If you expect any insight, philosophical content and/or deep plot line, you shouldn't bother. This is just frivolous fun.

I am an avid reader. Rarely though, do I find a mystery that can continuously hold me from beginning to end. This book does. Ms. Evanovich has written a witty, sexy mystery. Secretly, I hope to be just like Grandma when I "grow up". I can't wait for the next Stephanie Plum mystery.

I really love the character, Stephanie Plum. Though not high on believability, she is always funny and there is never a dull moment. The Stephanie Plum series are always interesting and enjoyable. Janet Evanovich has an smooth and exciting writing style. Enjoyable light reading.

The good news: Another great outing from Stephanie Plum, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The usual cast of characters is here (Lula, Grandma Mazur, Ranger, Joe, etc.), plus we finally get to meet Steph's sister and her two children. A quick and satisfying read.
The bad news: We have to wait a whole year for the next installment. Will she take her "engagement" to Joe to the next level, or will she finally find out if Ranger's as good as she thinks he is? I know I'm looking forward to finding out!

I've waited breathlessly for all of the Stephanie Plum series and enjoyed them up until "Six" when I felt that some of the humor was over the top. Now, with 'Seven', I didn't even read past page 50 because the author has dredged up yet another mishap at the funeral home (we've been there before), and the books seem to be veering toward comedy with a little mystery, instead of a mystery with some funny moments. I think her humor in the last two books has been forced. More farce than the sharp humor shown in previous books. I enjoyed her writing much more when she wasn't trying to hard to be funny. So, I don't know what happened to Morelli and Stephanie...sigh.

This book is the latest, greatest adventure of Stephanie Plum, the most lucky/unlucky bounty hunter ever! I love her family, the way everyone talks about everyone in her neighborhood and the way she just can't get ahead! The men in her life are so hot, too. I can't wait for the next one.

More, more, more! I can't get enough of Evanovich's Plum series. I first read Hot Six about year and a half ago. As soon as I finished, I went online and ordered books 1-5, and 7. I finished them all in about two weeks time. I did have to put them down to go to work. They all get five stars as far as I'm concerned. Not to mention the fact that my mother, 3 sisters, and all our friends have become Plum addicts as well! I just preordered my copy of To the Nine, coming out in July this year. I can't get enough of the quirky Stephanie, hot Morelli, and mysterious Ranger. Keep 'em coming, Janet!

I first discovered the Stephanie Plum series about two years ago, and throughly enjoyed the previous six books. Unfortunately, seven is not a lucky number for the series. What I loved about the previous books was Stephanie's snappy, quirky humor, and her knack for finding herself in outrageous situations. Very few of these elements can be found in this book. Stephanie comes off as boring, the mystery is too weird, there is not enough interaction with Lula, and the whole Morelli-Stephanie-Ranger triangle is tiresome. This book reads more like a rough draft than a novel ready for publication. I hope that if there is a book eight that more time and attention is put into it.

I LOVE ALL OF THE STEPHANIE PLUM NOVELS! I loved all of the unabridged Stephanie Plum audio novels read by C.J.Critt. In fact, I own them all.
BUT, Tanya Eby made this audiobook into an audio headache. I don't know why they changed a great thing... but they did. I feel ripped off.
The book itself is AWESOME though, so don't get the wrong idea that it's the material. Janet Evanovich has definately done it again. It's just that C.J. Critt made it come alive with all of the different voices. You can't tell one person from the next when Tanya Eby reads . I will not be buying future Audiobooks done by her.

In the seventh feature of the Plum saga we are introduced to some new characters and all the old standbys. Although this book is a stand alone novel I believe the reader should read the first six books first. That way you can become acquainted with all the characters from the begining. It makes this book even funnier.

I love the stephanie plum books. own all of them. Also have them on Kindle. I read allot of books. I mean many historical fictions. Sometimes you just need book candy. And to roll on the floor and laugh

I think the Evonovich novels are a riot. They take you on a wild romp through the streets with Evonovich's hero- Stephanie Plum. From grandmothers and dysfunctional families to funerals to boyfriends, these are hands down, some of the funniest books I have read. ANXIOUSLY awaiting number 8 (and more).

This was a great read. Just when you think Grandma Mazur has pulled her wildest stunt, driving her red Corvette, she tells you about her cheap thrill on the back of a Harley! Look forward to the next antics of Stephanie, Lula, Vinnie and Grandma Mazur.

I laughed out loud at the wise cracking Steph and her zany gang. I think I laughed more this time. Bob and his bathroom habits never fail to amuse--and this time there is a howlingly funny scene or two at the home of the nasty nemesis Joyce. Steph's mom is so much more real this time, and she seems to be developing her own individuality. You can see that Steph actually is her daughter. I liked the hot love scenes with Morelli--this time they don't all end in interuptus, so to speak. But, I was disappointed at the ending. I hate to think Steph might do what it seems she will. Oh, no. Team Ranger will be happy. Can't wait until next June.

I absolutely 100% recommend these books. And you will love listening to the first six with C.J.Critt. I laughed so hard with "One for the Money". And she really made Ranger!All the voices were different. Unfortunately Eby couldn't pull off the characters. I was so disappointed I almost cried. I tried three times to listen to it but couldn't even get through the first side. Oh well, I hope that the new narrator for "Hard Eight" is better. C.J. Please Please come back. Stephanie needs you.

This is the funiest series I have ever read. I saved the last wo in the series for when I was in labor, knowing I would need something to take my mind off the pain. The nurses must have thought I was crazy,in between contractions I was laughing out loud. Truly the best for fun reading!

My wife and I are huge fans of the "Stephanie Plum" mystery series by Janet Evanovich. We own the unabridged recordings of all of these books. Prior to SEVEN-UP, the narrator was Recorded Books C.J. Critt. She WAS Stephanie! The new person is laughably bad. All her characters sound like Fred Flintstone with a mouth full of rocks. We consider Books 1 through 6 to be prized possesions, and only the strict litter laws of our state kept us from throwing this tripe out the window of our moving car. we will continue to buy the print versions of this wonderful series but we will hear Ms Critt's voice as we read them.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was another good read. I didn't like it as much as 5 and 6 but it still made me laugh. I can't wait to read Hard Eight to see what happens w/Stephanie, Morelli & Ranger.

This book is somewhat of a letdown after the previous 6. As a humor story, it is every bit as good. As an actual story, it is a bit weak. The love triangle is beginning to feel a bit contrived and annoying rather than maintaining tension.

I love Stephanie Plum. She makes me laugh even when I'm having a horrible day (She's usually having a worse one)! I love her crazy grandmother and this book even introduces a crazy sister. The former "perfect sister" is now in the middle of a divorce/sexual identity crisis that makes Stephanie look stable. Stephanie doesn't know what she wants and she doesn't know how to set goals, time manage, cook, create a stable relationship, career plan, or anything else that so many of us are trying to exceed at. I love her, I think she's my alter ego.

I've been a fan of Stephanie since her debut. But it seems that this particular venture isn't quite as put together as the rest have been. I also found that Evanovich's focus on bathroom humor and sexual ineptitudes somewhat irritating. Enough is enough! The plot is interesting and entertaining, but she didn't spend much time on development of her core characters. "Eight" should be interesting and I'm waiting to see how she resolves some of the relationships.

is there a no star selection?
I am sure this reader is a nice person but eghad!
she is NOT up to the previous readers.
Debbie Mazar & Lori Petty are fine actressess and
can pull it off. But Tanya Eby's baby talk is vomit worthy.

As usual, Stephanie Plum, Lula, Joe Morelli, Ranger and Grandma Mazur are back in action. Like her previous best sellers, this is an enjoyable book. You will laugh out loud at the predicaments into which Stephanie stumbles. Another clever ending will make readers awaiting number 8. Congratulations to Janet Evanovich for another great book in the series. A suggestion: read the book, the reader of the unabridged audiobook does an extremely poor job, especially compared to the audiobooks of the earlier books in the series.

I started this series at the end, I listened to 8 first. I hunted down all of the audio cassettes. I think the readers hepled me imagine that sassy italian Jersey girl. I fell in love with the humor and mishaps that seem to always find Stephanie. Joe Morelli is to die for, Ranger is definately a hot cookie. I hated the reader, Tonya Eby in Seven Up. Ugh! I feel as though the whole Jersey persona was gone. Please dont listen, get a paperback, its cheaper and you will enjoy the story alot more.

I have to first admit to loving the Stephanie Plum series, so I may be a little biased. I rushed out to buy this book and I was not disappointed. It was not the best of the series, but that is not really a criticism when it is such a great series. I laughed out loud in several places and that is the highest praise I can give any comedic book. I don't know how I am going to fill the time waiting for Janet Evanovich's next Plum adventure.

Easy read but nothing new, not as funny or sexy as her previous work. The big draw back was the lack of dialogue to move the story, in the previous 6 Evanovich's her use of dialogue has been fantastic. This book is much more narrative and looses the depth of characters. The Joe/Stephanie on-off again theme, Ranger should she or not, and space cadet pot heads were done better in the previous books so try to borrow it instead of buying. And spend your money on one of her earlier works.

Stephanie Plum novels are my favorite to listen to. This is my way of avoiding road rage and getting through the drive every day. I've grown accustomed to the sound of Steph and Lula and Grandma, but now after six perfectly read books we switch narrators! Not only are all of the accents different, pronunciations of names have changed. Am I the only one who listens? If the book gets and editor so should the CD. We've got a new reader for the eigth novel and it's waiting for me in the car. Let's hope for better listening on that one.

I really liked the story behind this selection from Janet Evanovich's series with Stephanie Plum; however, I am a truck driver and I love her audio tapes until this one. I really don't care for the reader. She has no real NJ accent and I just can't get into the story. The reader grated on my hearing after the first side of the first tape. The book was different, however, and I would rate it 4 1/2 stars while the audio tape I would only give 1/2 star to. I hope MS. Evanovich continues the series, but I hope she gets back the other reader.