Title: Hardcore Twenty-Four
Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: Plum #24
Boring, sick of Evanovich formula, disgusted with Stephanie
One of your friends makes an unexpectedly hilarious joke at just the right moment, and everyone laughs until they’re leaking bodily fluids. Then the moment passes and everyone gets over it, but the friend liked the attention and keeps trying to tell the joke over and over again or reference it or try to tell similar jokes to the point of seeming desperate for a reaction. In my opinion, Evanovich has become that friend.
I have loved Stephanie Plum and her misadventures for well over a decade, but I am sick and tired of paying to read the same jokes year after year, and in some cases, the same plots. Plus, I lose more and more respect for Stephanie with every book.
Recently I read the Charley Davidson Grave series by Darynda Jones, and I saw what the Plum books could be as far as character development if Evanovich had the balls to break from a routine that’s become more about the cash than the characters.
Unfortunate animal carcasses. Other people’s unusual pain-in-the-ass pets. Idiot skips. Grandma Mazur making a fuss at a funeral home and trying to stay young by doing something ridiculous. Lula’s stupid excuses to do stupid things, and Stephanie going along with it. Morelli’s sex addiction (like, seriously). Stephanie’s bad luck with cars. Ranger’s disgustingly infinite wealth, wisdom, and generosity. Big Blue. Stephanie’s mom drinking to cope. These things—and more—are in each and every book. The list goes on and on. The antagonist targeting Stephanie, upping the stakes (or not). The big bad surprising Stephanie at her apartment after what we thought was the climax (twist! not). One of her lovers saving the day, because Stephanie never gets any better, smarter, or stronger. And why is it always Morelli who’s assigned to the cases Stephanie is interested in? Aren’t there other detectives in Trenton? Seems like he investigates every call that comes in.
And of course, everyone has a fear of commitment, because if they committed to something, the routine would have to change.
My favorite Plum remains Twelve Sharp, not only because it was Ranger-heavy, but because we delved into Ranger’s mind, life, and world. For once, a character had more than one dimension, even more than two! We saw him as a person, both good and bad, rather than a convenient janitor for Stephanie’s antics. To my utter disappointment, he’s regressed ever since.
I really believe there would be an infinite amount of potential humor if Stephanie picked a guy—I don’t care who at this point—got married and had a baby. Especially the baby; marriage is optional. Or if Lula did, and Stephanie was the babysitter. It would take some clever plotting, but it’s possible. Change things up, Evanovich. Throw us a curveball. DO something with your characters. Make me eat my words, please.
But here are the two things that really made me mad:
I didn’t realize Diesel was going to be in this book. Surprise! Apparently his own series wasn’t working out, so he dumped Lizzy—or maybe let Wulf have her—and sidled on up to Stephanie. What the fuck? He was 100% unnecessary. He could have been completely removed and no one would have missed him. He contributed nothing but even more temptation for Stephanie’s rampant hormones.
Speaking of—it’s one thing for Steph to go back and forth between Ranger and Morelli, depending on if she’s mad at Morelli or not, but she’s been getting closer and closer to straight-up using both of them. And ta-da! For the first time in my memory, she slept with both of them in the same book, without even being on the outs with Morelli. Ranger barely touched her, and she was all over him. Ranger used to have enough respect for her to stay hands-off unless she was fighting with Morelli, but apparently not anymore. Congratulations, Stephanie—you’re a slut. I hate it. Have some integrity. At least she didn’t sleep with Diesel, though she sure as hell wanted to, and it was a close thing. I don’t understand why it doesn’t bother the guys at all; they’re both alphas, shouldn’t they be possessive and territorial? They might as well have orgies. Invite Lula and Grandma, they’d totally be up for it. Maybe Connie, too. Joyce Barnhardt would be so proud.
I’m done with Plum until the status quo changes. I can’t seem to find any information about what Evanovich has coming out in 2018—which is rather odd—but here’s hoping that she and Goldberg worked out a deal with the publisher and we’ll be getting more Nick and Kate. The Fox and O’Hare books have similar elements to Plum, but there’s something different about Nick and Kate’s dynamic. I wouldn’t be opposed to more Knight and Moon, either; they haven’t worn out their welcome yet. Obviously we aren’t getting more Wicked books—unless she included Diesel in 24 to try to entice Plum readers to read the Wicked books. I’d check out another one of them, but there had better be a very good explanation as to why he flaked on Lizzy and was all over Stephanie.
Oh, and this plot would have been more timely a few years ago. The zombie trend has cooled.
I Would like closure too, you phrased that really well. I was wondering why I keep reading them, but it’s actually about closure.
By now I doubt that she will ever choose a man, and imo ranger has choosen work over steph/relationship a long time ago, so what is there to choose? maybe her and morelli will just stay “together” out of habit..
True, at this point it doesn’t seem like either is a true love match. Ranger refuses to give Stephanie any more importance in his life and Morelli treats her like they’re an old married couple without ever having gotten married. I borrowed the last couple books from the library and continued to be underwhelmed, though in the last one it was as if Janet was responding to the shit-or-get-off-the-pot criticisms she’s been getting for years and had Stephanie decide that she’s sick of being stagnant and dissatisfied with life and that she wants things to change. Add to that the change in title and publisher, and I’m very curious to see if Fortune and Glory will really start a new phase for Stephanie, or if Janet was just all talk and it’s more of the same.
Hm, I’ll have to borrow 25 &26 too. I only read seven up and listened to all the other books on youtube and audible while cleaning and doing laundry. Hopefully she does respond to the criticism, or we will have plum # 97 one day 🙂
I am curious to see what stephanie changes in her life, if she does. And I would like her to make a statement considering her love life: like, guys its my way or no way. So far it felt more the other way around.
Who wrote this book? When has Lula ever used the pxxxy word? Or Stephanie call her Grandma, Grandma Mazur? I didn’t like the zombies or Diesel being in this book. Honestly while the same characters were used it was as if someone else was writing the book. Stephanie making a comment about helping her Mom clear the table? I think Morelli called her cupcake once. Everything seemed so inconsistent about the characters and I just read and reread the 7 books prior to Hardcore Twentyfour
She sleeps with both of them in 17! “Back to back,” as Lula describes it.
And my regard for the character falls another notch
Totally agree!
Thank you! I have been on a Evanovich Plum series strike since 2014, but lately have been a bit nostalgic and thought I would maybe pick this up. It sounds like it’s the same old song and dance! I wish Evanovich would just end it. This story is a record that’s been worn though. There’s just not much to do with the story from here, and as a fan/reader it’s not fun for me to read anymore, even if it’s fun for her to write. It’s her work and her art, and on one hand who am I to criticize, I can just not read it (and I don’t). But as an original fan – I just crave closure from Evanovich on the characters that i fell in love with.