Title: Dirty Thirty
Author: Janet Evanovich
Pages: 336
Genre: Humor, mystery, rom-com,
Is this part of a series? Yes, this is the thirtieth book in the Stephanie Plum series.
I discovered this book via... Netgalley working with Atria books.
Publish Date: October 31st, 2023
Stephanie Plum, Trenton's hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered a freelance assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds out of his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day.
With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Stephanie is taking care of Bob, Morelli's giant orange dog who will devour anything, from Stephanie's stray donuts to the upholstery in her car. Morelli's absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie's life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there.
To complicate matters, her best friend Lula is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie's mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions.
As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won't be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It's a good thing Stephanie isn't afraid of getting a little dirty, too.
I have read almost all of the Stephanie Plum books (I bought Going Rogue, then promptly forgot about it until I found this one on my Netgalley shelf. I will be reading it). There's a lot to love here. It's always entertaining, fairly consistent, and just fun. That said, we are obviously not here for the character growth (though I can say there is some, just most of it from a dog...). It has to be said, after twenty-nine books with her as a bounty hunter, she's still not very good at this job. Yes, watching her flail is part of the charm... but, much like the perpetual love triangle, it begins to wear. While she has mastered the stun gun, she still needs help with cuffs and refuses to take her gun from the cookie jar. I just really want some character growth here- either in career or love, I am not picky.
I was able to step right into this book instead of reading book #29 for one simple reason: nothing ever changes. From one book to the next there will be a car bomb, someone trying to kill Stephanie, a fire (usually her apartment), a viewing at the funeral home, multiple scenes where Grandma Mazur is innapropriate, and even more scenes where Stephanie and Lula become the most chaotic duo. These might sound like complaints... but they aren't. I adore that I know what to expect of these characters and can't wait to see what they do next. The cast is special, unique and hilarious... which may be why the series has gone on so long. The plot is chaotic and unhinged, with at least one thing falling apart daily- the fun is watching how the cast reacts to each.
For this book, Bob is definitely the MVP. We got to see a lot of his attitude as he protects his girls, finds love, and steals food. Stephanie's mom also left her comfort zone and I was a bit hopeful for more character growth there. Lula, on the other hand, is as she always is: loud, rediculous, fierce and charming in her own right. You don't go through a book without her referencing her past profession, or talking about how hot one or both of Stephanie's love interests are.
For the most part, this is a decent book. We aren't winning any literary awards, but we are having a hell of a lot of fun. Sometimes, that's exactly what you need. It would be a good series to get back into reading with. While I do wish she'd pay more attention to her other series', there's a reason why I always come back to this one. For me, this is a three star book. It isn't the best one by Evanovich, but that doesn't mean it's not really good.
As far as adult content goes, there is a lot of swearing and flirting, along with mid-level violence. It's obviously geared towards adults, I can see late teens liking this as well.
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley working with Atria books in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!
The book is out! Is it on you're radar?
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