Book 44: High Five

High Five
Janet Evanovich

The always spirited Stephanie Plum returns in this, her fifth major effort and a book that takes a somewhat different approach than the previous four installments of the series. High Five has Stephanie out of her element not as a bounty hunter per se but rather as a detective of sorts for her family. Though Stephanie is searching for her missing cheapskate uncle instead of a wanted fuguitive (or is Fred wrapped up in some shady business of his own?), she has plenty of mishaps readers have come to expect and, as usual, the missing person is far from easy to apprehend. Though this book takes a bit longer to find its element, and Stephanie's voice struggles accordingly in the first few chapters, it eventually catches up to speed and emerges as a fresh and hilarious addition to the refreshing series. Stephanie herself shows signs of growth and increasing competence that must be coming with her level of experience; though she is a refreshingly incompetent foil to the typical mystery hero(ine), she is no longer quite as inept as she used to be. This development coupled with the return of many previously existing players and a sense of overall plotting that isn't confined to one or two books makes the Stephanie Plum series downright addictive. Evanovich again showcases her snappy style and brings Stephanie to life in wonderful Technicolor, flaws and all. Stephanie is someone readers can relate to, a normal girl in over her head who knows it and yet who comes out again and again on top. Despite the loose ends of the plot that don't get sufficiently wrapped up at the end, High Five is a worthy addition to the tales of Stephanie Plum's unorthodox life as a bounty hunter and leaves readers eager for the next chapter in her ongoing saga.

Grade: A-