Smoking Seventeen – Janet Evanovich

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.

With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.

There are 2 things that I’m always assured I’ll get when reading a Stephanie Plum book:  Lula’s antics will have me laughing out loud and Stephanie will still be trying to figure out who she wants.  Well, Smokin Seventeen doesn’t disappoint.

This time around, a dead body has been found in the dirt where Vincent Plum Bail Bonds used to be.  Our boy, Joe, has picked up the case and he’s trying to find out who would want to bury Lou Dugan at the Bail Bonds office.  While Joe works with Terry Gillam (Lou’s niece and sometime competition for Joe’s affection…or so Stephanie thinks) Stephanie has to thwart matchmaking plans by her mother.

Seems Stephanie’s family has decided Joe is going to commit to Steph so they are going to find her the man she is going to marry and spend her life with.  They’ve decided on Dave Brewer, an ex-classmate of Stephanie’s in high school, is just the person for her.  Steph knows she can’t handle one more man in her mess of a love life and is trying to run for the hills, knowing this matchmaking business was going nowhere.

While this is going on, Grandma Bella has it out for Stephanie, giving her the eye on several occasions, which leads to either a large pimple (or boil) to develop and for the Vordo having her go to a place we haven’t seen since I think book Twelve,

Steph and Lula are still out chasing skips, which by some miracle they manage to catch, but neither one of them have gotten any better. 

This one was definitely better than Sixteen, but there wasn’t enough  (for me anyways) Joe and/or Ranger conversation.  Fingers crossed, we’ll get an answer in November on who Stephanie is going to choose and it’s an answer I can live with!!!