One for the Money

One for the Money
By Janet Evanovich
Scribners, 1994. 320 pgs. Mystery

In the first title of the Stephanie Plum series, Stephanie has been laid off from her job as a lingerie buyer and is in need of a job. Desperation makes her resort to working for her cousin as a bounty hunter. As she tries to track down Joe Morelli, a cop wanted for murder--whom Stephanie just happens to know from her childhood and teenage years--she finds herself over her head. She has no experience, Morelli just might not be guilty, and Stephanie attracts the very unwelcome attention of the diabolical boxer Benito Ramirez.

The idea of a form lingerie-buyer turned bounty hunter seems a bit ridiculous, but that's part of the enjoyment of the book. The fact that Stephanie doesn't know what she's doing helps make her an endearing character. Some readers will be turned off by some of the language and content, but others will delight in the fun characters, fast-paced plot, and comedic moments.

AE