Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich

I'm surprised I got this book from the library when I did. I was 186th in line for the audiobook! Thankfully, the hardback line was much shorter. I enjoyed this one and whipped through it pretty quick, but it felt different to me and it took me a moment to realize why.

For one, Grandma Mazur is barely in here. When she appeared, she was funny, but I'm hoping her lack of antics in 25 isn't an indicator of things to come. Grandma is pretty damn funny.

The second, it didn't feel as chaotic as a regular Plum book. I realized it was because Stephanie was always...ALWAYS...with Ranger, Morelli, or one of Ranger's men. ALWAYS. The crack team of Plum and Lula didn't have much opportunity to get into their normal trouble. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the dudes and the sexual tension. But they stepped in and helped too much.

Vinnie has to take over a deli, that was used as collateral for a bond. Harry the Hammer, Vinnie's father-in-law, makes Stephanie the manager and Lula associate. The big problem? Neither has ever managed anything before. Gamely, they arrive to open the store only to hear that managers end up kidnapped, leaving only one shoe behind, by the dumpster. Rangeman services step in with round the clock bodyguarding until Hal, one squeamish at the sight of blood bodyguard, ends up kidnapped himself.

Trenton's finest (Morelli) and Ranger protect Stephanie while using her as bait. We have a lot of bizarre things in this book, and many literal LOL moments, but most of the heavy lifting is from the dudes surrounding Stephanie.

I hope Twenty-six finds a happy medium between twenty-four and twenty-five.