Turbo Twenty-Three

Someone has turned a businessman into a life-size ice cream bar and Ranger needs Stephanie's help finding out who. Going undercover for Ranger has its downsides - working with "interesting" characters at an ice cream factory and having a killer leave a note on her door. Then again, working with Ranger has its upsides too - spending the night in the Magic Kingdom while sharing a room.

While all this is going on Lula has decided to work on her own reality show with Randy Briggs - all of which have them being naked and taking chances. On this note, I have to say the Janet Evanovich does an amazing job of showing the very real friendship between Stephanie, Lula, and Connie. Despite how outlandish Lula's ideas usually are they support her show more through them all. They never tell her that her ideas are stupid or that she is being ridiculous - I love their friendship!

This was a good Stephanie Plum novel made even better in audio format by the narrator, Lorelei King. King does an excellent job on each character and can keep the same voices from book to book. She is the reason I continue to listen to Stephanie Plum novels as opposed to actually reading them. show less

Another great Stephanie Plum book. I loved the story line and Lula provides more crazy antics. Stephanie has an epiphany about her love life that I find very modern day. I read this book in a few hours, I just couldn't put it down.

Somehow, although I managed to read most of this series in order, I skipped this one without realizing it until recently.

I enjoyed the book but felt the ending was a bit rushed. Stephanie (and Ranger) hit wall after wall trying to figure out who sabotaged the Bogart Ice Cream factory, then all of a sudden it all falls into place because the bad guy thinks she's put together what's going on (when to that point no one had) and tips his hand. Might Ranger have gotten there eventually? Probably.

I also feel like the author has given up on finding unique ways/humorous ways to have Stephanie lose vehicles. Running a car into a tree/telephone pole isn't very unique. And blowing up vehicles has been used in the past in this series.

I've long ago stopped expecting anything different from these... I think the last really different plot was maybe 11? But I still keep happily coming back for more because I'm hooked on the characters. All of them: Connie, Ranger, Morelli, Grandma, Stephanie's mom, Vinnie... even LuLu (who's sometimes a bit too over the top).

Number 23 isn't any different. Total formula, but Evanovich got an extra star out of me because she's pretty much ended the whole who-will-she-choose? charade (no, that's not a spoiler) and she adds some truly classic, rip-snorting, laugh out loud moments. There's always at least one in every book, but this one had me laughing out loud at least 4 times. That might be a new record for me. She might churn these out show more in her sleep, but she still has the ability to set up the best comedic moments in just a sentence or three.

As long as she keeps me laughing, I'll keep coming back. show less

I love the Stephanie Plum novels on audio. It’s like revisiting a favorite sitcom. The story matters less that the characters and they are all here: Lula, Grandma Mazar, Ranger, and company. An ice cream truck is hi-jacked, a corpse coated in chocolate and sprinkles rolls out, and we’re off. Fun.

People who regularly read this series should know before they ever begin a book what they will encounter: Stephanie will go after skips who were bonded put of jail, she will do an emotional hopscotch between Morelli and Ranger, and she will get in a peck of trouble and will need rescuing. If we are really lucky, Lula will play a major role as Stephanie’s sidekick. And if people complain about the novels following this format, well, they should read Evanovich’s other series, because this is why we love the series. In this installment, Step goes undercover at Ranger’s request (at the ice cream factory, silly – not the other kind of under cover) to try to find out who is sabotaging the factory and killing employees. Step is not show more great at ferreting out information, and soon is back at her regular job. If this book has a weak spot, it’s in the solution to the murders. But as far as the love triangle goes, I hope Steph never decides. It’s too much fun with both guys in the running. And for those of you think Rex should have died from old age by now, and Steph and the gang should be getting older: isn’t it wonderful that some things – and people – never change! show less

Yes, the Stephanie Plum novels are silly, but I really enjoy them. The ridiculous situations and the colorful characters are all very entertaining. Maybe it's the Jersey setting/jokes/lifestyle that gets to me as I haven't really liked Evanovich's other works. But the Stephanie Plum series is fun. Yes, the characters are predictable, but I expect them to be. Yes, the relationships don't progress, but, really, they are living in Trenton!!!! A quick, amusing read and I look forward to the next in the series. I almost don't care about the plot...its the characters I enjoy.