Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich

Ten Big Ones

By Janet Evanovich

Book Blurb:
She's accidentally destroyed a dozen cars. She's a target for every psycho and miscreant this side of the Jersey Turnpike. He mother's convinced she'll end up dead...or worse, without a man. She's Stephanie Plum and she kicks butt for a living (well, she thought it would sound good to put it that way...)

It begins as an innocent trip to the deli-mart, on a quest for nachos. But Stephanie Plum and her partner, Lula, are clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time. A robbery leads to an explosion, which leads to the destruction of yet another car. It would be just another day in the life of Stephanie Plum...except that she becomes the target of a gang. And the target of an even scarier, more dangerous force that comes to Trenton. 

With super bounty hunter Ranger out of town (and Stephanie on the outs with vice cop Morelli), she finds herself alone, with a decision to make: how to protect herself and where to hide while on the hunt for a killer known as the Junkman. There's only one safe place, and it has Ranger's name all over it-if she can find it. And if the Junkman doesn't find her first. With Lula riding shotgun and Grandma Mazur on the loose, Stephanie Plum is racing against the clock in her most suspenseful novel yet. 

Ten Big Ones is page-turning entertainment and Janet Evanovich is the best there is.


Ten Big Ones was actually the first Janet Evanovich book I read.  I read it and then figured out that I should go back and start the series from the beginning. So I kinda cheated knowing how far along the characters progressed. Regardless, I have since read Ten Big Ones about five or six times so I think I evened it all out. Because this the Plum Series is so well known and this was the 10th book, I am going to write my review as though you all know who the characters are and how they interact with one another. So yes, there are spoilers in this review.  I try not to do that but I just want to let you all know how much I loved it and Ten Big Ones and that is hard to do without spoilers. 

Before I read Twelve Sharp, Ten Big Ones was my favourite Plum book. I am not sure if it was because it was the first book I read but I really love Ten Big Ones. 

SPOILERS

Firstly I laughed at Carol who held up the FritoLay Chip truck and ate the evidence. I just really related to her. The way Janet describes the orange dust on her clothes and her fingers makes me laugh. I love how adorable Stephanie is and how she just wants to help her. Stephanie's side kick Lula as usual makes me smile so much my cheeks hurt. 

My most favourite thing about Ten Big Ones is that Stephanie figures out (via GPS) where Ranger’s apartment is. It is so cute how she had the whole super sleuth way that she discovers it and how she thinks she is being sneaky by slinking into the apartment. I felt myself get all excited when she breaks in and she searches around his apartment. I love how it was described. I love the way Janet describes how Stephanie is contemplating on entering the apartment, “There was a part of my brain that was in charge of stupid ideas” That whole internal argument that Steph has with herself is just awesome.  Just when you think that Stephanie found the “Batcave”, Janet makes the reader know that Rangeman headquarters is not the official “Batcave” apartment and it leaves the story open for a continued storyline. Will Stephanie ever see Ranger’s real “Batcave”?  Oh yeah can I just add....Ranger commando!!!!! *fans self*

Now the Morelli parts. I know that Morelli loves her but I tire of his ultimatums. No wonder Steph left. In the same breath, I just love Morelli’s ultimatums. He really does love her a lot. When he handcuffs her at the dinner table I smiled so wide my eyes shrunk to slits. When she then tries to sneak out the bathroom and he catches her, I was downright giddy. The entire phone banter between Morelli and Stephanie over her hiding out from Slayers (and Morelli) was spot on perfection. I thought it was so funny how Janet writes her lying through her teeth on her whereabouts.  Once he finds out where she is staying, it is rather awesome of him to recognize her safety as the number one issue and he doesn’t show any sort of jealousy. He is such a cool guy. 

Now the villains. Of all the man and nasty villains Stephanie has encountered, this potential gang rape scared the heck out of me. I had no idea how she was going to get out of that situation. I was thinking even Ranger can’t take on an entire Slayer gang. Love how she got out of the situation. Perfect ending.