Batduck & Battysgirl’s Cove

Finger Lickin’ Fifteen

Janet Evanovich

Date: June 23, 2009 —   $27.95 —  Book

Two and a half stars (of a possible four, of course)

From Publishers Weekly

Bestseller Evanovich recycles tired themes better executed in earlier adventures in her latest Stephanie Plum adventure (Fearless Fourteen, etc.). When Lula inadvertently witnesses the beheading of culinary TV star Stanley Chipotle in a Trenton, N.J., alley, Stephanie’s on-again off-again boyfriend, cop Joe Morelli, reluctantly takes the case. Lula, with the help of Grandma Mazur, enters the same barbequing competition Chipotle was in town to promote, hoping to lure the murderers out of hiding. Meanwhile, Ranger has recruited Stephanie to help solve a series of break-ins at properties under the protection of Rangeman Security. The inevitable sparks fly between Stephanie and Ranger, with Morelli grumbling on the sidelines. Evanovich dishes up her usual mixture of shoot-’em-up action (numerous cars explode) and quirky characters (notably a neighborhood flasher with a devoted following), but the lackluster plot will disappoint fans. (June 23)
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From Batty’s Girl

I’ve loved these books since One for the Money but after Fearless Fourteen I was so let down that I didn’t even know when this book was coming out (as opposed to previous installments when I bought it the day it debuted).

While still funny and light hearted, I think its time Stephanie made up her mind and settled down so that this series can come to its conclusion.  While Fifteen was better than Fourteen, the series is just so clichéd now that nothing will bring the Plum novels back to their previous illustrious standing in my eyes.

Borrow the book don’t buy it, since its not keeper material, but still worth the few hours it takes to read!