Security expert and bounty hunter Ranger is used to catching wanted people, but now he's the one who is wanted. There's a woman looking for him who claims she is married to him. He has another big problem - someone who looks a lot like him has kidnapped his daughter. His friend, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, has her own problems. Even though it's her job, she's not particularly good at bounty hunting and each apprehension is difficult. She's also dealing with her grandmother's decision to become a rock star. On top of that, she's being stalked by someone who wants everything that Ranger has, including Stephanie.

"Twelve Sharp" is an extremely funny book and much better than the last Stephanie Plum book, "Eleven on Top". Most of the regular characters are included: Stephanie's parents, Grandma Mazur, Stephanie's on and off boyfriend Joe Morelli, Lula, Connie, and Sally Sweet are all there. Readers will be happy that Janet Evanovich gives a little more insight into the mysterious Ranger's private life. Evanovich adds a new character, Melvin Pickle, who brings a lot of fun to the book. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments, especially when Connie, Lula, and Stephanie interview potential bounty hunters. Some of the captures that Lula and Stephanie make are equally funny. Evanovich wisely ditches some of the tired plot lines such as Stephanie's car always being blown up and breathes new life into other plot lines - especially an incredibly funny scene during a wake. Unfortunately, she does add a food fight scene - something that I wish could be banned from all books and movies! Still, most of the book is hilarious, even the tension filled ending has laugh out loud moments. ( )

This book is highly entertaining just like all the other books. This series is highly addictive, so prepare yourself for many sleepless nights....or was that just me. Stephanie is hilarious, Morelly is yummy, Ranger is sexy, Lula is my favorite character, Mazur is a pip, and the hideous blue and white car is still around! ( )

TS has a few laugh out loud chuckles and that's it. Waste of time. We got to see a bit more about Ranger's personal life, but really it wasn't worth it.

I read this from a book on tape with Lorelei King (I like CJ Critt better) as the narrator. At the end of the book Lorelei interviews Janet Evanovich. I usually skip those types of things but this time I decided to listen because I wanted to see what direction she is going with these books. Well, I was not pleased. Basically, she said that Stephanie will forever be the same age in all future books. She will never resolve her relationships with either Joe or Ranger. She emphasized that these are not romances and sort of dissed them a little (at least that's how I took it). So if you're expecting some kind of maturity out of Stephanie, forget it. She'll continue to blow up cars, do stupid stuff, keep her gun in her cookie jar, eat a steady diet of pizza and donuts, and lust after both Joe and Ranger. Doesn't matter if it's book 1 or book 53276. Nothing will change. (Grade: C) ( )

Entertaining and sexy, like most. The series is getting better again… ( )

Lots of strong action in this installment in the Stephanie Plum series, but short on laughs. I don't really like Evanovich's continued chipping away at the Ranger mystique: I preferred the early days when he would swing in, save Stephanie from a sticky situation, make a joke and a steamy comment, and leave -- the days when Lula would watch CNN to see what Central American country had a coup whenever Ranger left town. ( )

This is airplane stuff....a quick fun/funny read. What a cast of characters!! ( )

When a Ranger wannabe pops into the picture and kidnaps Ranger's secret daughter, things get compelling, just like all the other Plum series. A quick read but one that is a hundred percent enjoyable. Stephanie Plum has a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and this time is no different. ( )

Bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, continues to pick up the files of fugitives that require apprehension, but the office is still overflowing with cases, so more help is needed. Stephanie's love-life remains unsettled, especially when Ranger disappears and is accused of kidnapping his daughter.

The typical Stephanie Plum scenarios take place in this book, but more information regarding Ranger is divulged. That was okay, but I'm tired of the funeral home talk, so any reference to it made me somewhat annoyed. It just doesn't hold the same peculiarity or humor as it once did. I only have two more to catch up, then only reading one a year will add the gap between books that I need for this series. (3/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )

Fun, fast read. ( )

Really enjoyed this book. I had been getting tired of the same format but Stephanie et al didn't fail to surprise me in this book. ( )

#9/81 Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

For me, just saying Stephanie Plum's name brings a smile. She is a young woman who wants to seem independent but can't seem to manage her job (a Bond Enforcement Agent) or her love life. The two come together in this book when the daughter of her mentor (Ranger) is kidnapped apparently by Ranger and it sets her on path which is terrorizing and comical at the same. Having both of the men in her life (Joe and Ranger) competing to protect her one minute and seduce her the next, makes me laugh just when I want to cry. Her characters are fully fleshed out, (including Lula) all the details are integral parts of the plots. Stephanie may not be the greatest BEA but she's a hoot! ( )

Humorous ( )

Stephanie gets involved in the kidnapping of Ranger's daughter; the kidnapper is a Ranger imposter. ( )

This did not disappoint. The tension between Stephanie, Joe, and Ranger is better than ever. ( )

This is a sentimental rating. I'm not really capable of judging the Stephanie Plum books objectively, because I'm so invested in the characters and the series.

I can't even decide yet how it ranks among my favorites in the series, because it's too new.

I liked, very much, learning more about Ranger, and I liked that Stephanie was a little more grown up. Twelve Sharp is a slightly darker book--a consequence of the more serious case. Which is not to say that there aren't plenty of laughs. Lula and Grandma Mazur do their job, and at one point have me laughing so hard that tears were running down my face.

As usual, I looked over the reviews to see what others did/did not like about the book, and I've come to a conclusion: most of the people who didn't like it didn't like it because of things that are, I think, integral parts of the series: the romantic triangle in particular, but also Grandma Mazur's thing about funeral homes, Steph's ineptness, Lula's clothes, and the general non-seriousness of the series... all things I expected to see. If Twelve Sharp had been about a competetent Stephanie who settled down with either Joe or Ranger, and Grandma Mazur stopped acting goofy, and Lula lost weight and dressed in office clothes, I'd think I'd picked up some fanfic by mistake. ( )

Ann

It's summer, so it must be time to revisit Stephanie Plum and her zany
friends and family. The gang's all here and in top form once again.
Vinnie's bails bonds business is about to go belly up with a ton of skips
and Stephanie and Lula have their hands full trying to keep up. Ranger has
disappeared (like smoke) again, and it's time to run an ad for a new Bond
Enforcement Agent. In the midst of the interviews (which are a riot --
literally!), Stephanie is stalked by a small mysterious dark haired woman in
a big black SUV with Virginia plates, dressed all in black who announces
that she is Mrs. Ranger and is looking to kill Stephanie. When word filters
in that Ranger's daughter has been kidnapped from her mother and
step-father, Ranger's mysterious disappearance begins to look highly
suspicious. Does Stephanie really know him at all?

What can I say? I devoured this book in about three hours. Evanovich is
back in stride with this one. The dialogue is hilarious, and the story fast
paced. I swear Lula gets funnier with every book. In this one, she hooks
up with Sally Sweet to form a rock band playing gigs at nursing homes in
matching thongs that "get lost in all my derriere." The whole thing is a
hoot, and the Plum addicts of the world can rejoice! LOL 5+ ( )

Stephanie is stalked by a mysterious woman who claims a connection to Ranger. As usual a fast, funny read. ( )

This is possibly my favorite Stephanie Plum book yet. Ranger's daughter is kidnapped, apparently by Ranger himself, and things get pretty scary. I always enjoy it when the plot really centers around the familiar characters. This one actually brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. ( )

I liked this one more than 11 or 13. It had me laughing out loud the most!

Ranger's secret past shows up in town-- with a gun. Fun.

I just couldn't seem to enjoy this at all. It was so sleazy. There are too many other great books out there to waste any more time on Janet Evanovich's. ( )

Stephanie Plum is being stalked by a woman who claims to be Ranger's wife. She joins in the hunt for bizarro-Ranger to help the real deal clear his name. Again. ( )

perhaps the best one yet ... perhaps. i laughed until i was crying at times. i think i liked hearing more of ranger's story ... altho the ending was a bit ambiguous in a way i'm not sure i like. can't wait to read the next one to see how it plays out ... ( )

The laughs continue. Formulaic, yes; repetitive, yes, but great fun and top escapist fare. ( )