One for the Money Janet Evanovich

I must be one of the only bookies on the planet who loves mysteries and hadn't read any of the Plum series. What was I waiting for? Growing up, I wanted to be Nancy Drew. She was so perfect and everything always worked out and she drove a convertible and had a cute boyfriend. Well, Nancy Drew, move aside; I didn't grow up to be you. No, I grew up to be Stephanie Plum.
Much like Stephanie, I lost my job and was desperate for work. My friend and I decided to become P.I.s. She backed out; I had a case. But alas, it didn't last long and I realize now, after reading One for the Money - it's probably a good thing.

Evanovich captures reality. Who hasn't been so desperate for a job, you take whatever comes along? I know I have. Stephanie is what a real woman is - she wants to be brave and tough, but unlike Nancy Drew, she has faults. She's a bit reckless; she is afraid, but yet, she fumbles on.

This is the first of the number books. We meet Stephanie, get her background, meet her family. I know they're Italian, but everyone has a Grandma Mazur - the granny who's just a bit off. We also meet Joe Morelli - who she had sex with once back in high school and then a few years later ran him down with her father's Buick and broke his leg. Every woman has fantasized about doing something similar to an ex. Joe ends up being a cop who's wanted for murder and has skipped out on his bail bond. It's Stephanie's job to bring him in. He's streeet smart and mean, she's not.

While she's hunting him, he's busy saving her from a psychopath boxer who rapes and tortures women. The boxer is a key player in the mystery surrounding Morelli.

This should be a warning book to all of us Nancy Drew wanna-bes; PI work is dangerous. Stephanie meets some pretty bad people - she's nearly raped, blown up and gets shot in the butt. But in the end - she gets her man in more ways than one.

Like a good teacher - I looked up the book on line and see that Katherine Heigl will be playing Stephanie Plum in the movie version which is set to come out in January 2012. Can't wait - in the meantime I have a lot more Stephanie Plum stories to read.