Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum, No. 13) Reviews

• Status Quo

  
  By A37E6RW5BUX4U0 on 2007-06-22
  Accident prone Bounty Hunter, Stephanie Plum, is the number one suspect in her ex-husband's disappearance; mainly because she attacked him in his office, again. While helping Ranger search for Dickie (the ex) she has three 'skips' to find for the bond office. Lula is along for the ride when the usual zany antics 'explode' and make the fugitive apprehensions, less than smooth.
  
  I titled this review as Status Quo, because nothing really happens. There is no character development; same old, same old. While looking for the ex had the potential to be really comical and a different spin on the Plum series, the few laughs I had in this book were all similar to the laughs I have had in the previous books; nothing terribly original.
  
  As far as the Ranger, Stephanie and Morelli love triangle, while I once enjoyed this part of the series, it is getting a little old. How long will Stephanie continue to make out with Ranger while professing her love to Joe? This dishonesty is really bothering me.
  
  With the previous books in the series, I flew through them in a day, pausing only to dry my eyes when my laughing had watered them. With this book it took me a couple of days of reading, I could set it down and pick it up, not really worrying about what was going to happen next. I think something's got to give in the next book, something to shake things up and get this series back on track. It's a good read, but far from the great read I am used to in this series.
  
  
  

• Plum Forever!!!

  
  By A3AM1VNSPSYASP on 2007-06-23
  I cannot help but be amused by Stephanie's constant adventures. In this outing, she has a confrontation with her obnoxious ex-husband-lawyer in his office and is heard threatening him. He is reported missing, possibly dead, and Stephanie is blamed for it. Joyce Barnhardt and Dickie Orr's affair is the reason for his and Stephanie's divorce, but apparently they were again "dating". Joyce is after Stephanie, especially when Dickie's unchanged will surfaces making Stephanie the heir to his estate, valued at over $40 million. Morelli and Ranger try to amicably take turns guarding Stephanie, which is a hard job on any day. Other wheels are turning with Grandma's new love with a taxidermist and Lula and Tank. As with any Plum novel, there has to be some vehicular damage. Still no definite word if Stephanie and Morelli will ever be more than occasional roommates. Don't worry, Ranger has been clear that he is more than willing to be with Stephanie in some capacity. (Impossible to see him in the 'burbs and a mini-van though.) It was a fun read, good for the beach or vacation.
  
  

• Cherise said it all--or most of it ****SPOILERS****

  
  By A3AVJCB1ZD6ZY5 on 2007-06-23
  The book does open with an interesting twist. Ranger wants Stephanie to go see her ex-husband, Dickie Orr--whose name really fits him, if you know what I mean. Ranger's job for Steph is to place a bug on her ex-cheating-spouse. Naturally, things don't go well and Stephanie ends up trying to choke Dickie.
  
  The next day, Dickie ends up missing and presumed dead. Three guesses and the first two don't count as to who the police's number one suspect for the murder is.
  
  Plus, Joyce Barnhart, her arch enemy, is in the picture. Seems Joyce and Dickie were 'cosy' again and he had some serious money, which he was going to leave Joyce in his will. Joyce figures Stephanie is going to be the one to find Dickie--probably her radar for trouble, I guess.
  
  From there, the book was pretty much the same. Bungling Bounty Hunter Steph gets assigned half a dozen skips to bring in--she only manages to arrest one and that's because she worked out a housesitting deal. Failed FTA (failure to appear) takedowns are getting less funny. At some point, even Stephanie's got to learn her craft or give up.
  
  That's probably my biggest bone to pick with the series. There is zero character development on Steph's part. She's still the worst bounty hunter ever known, she's still in a three-way with Joe and Ranger and can't decide. Well, and the fact that Joe and Ranger seem to wait almost endlessly for her? Okay, she's hot--but bailing some hot chick out of the same mistakes has got to get old even for them.
  
  One bright spot is that Lula may have a man. Least I hope so. While her wardrobe hasn't changed, I think Lula at least has somewhat grown from her first appearance as a 'ho in the novels.
  
  Oh yes, there are plenty of laughs, I wouldn't read Steph at all if she didn't still amuse me. But, this time, I didn't invest in the book on the first day of issue to pass along--I borrowed a copy from a friend and waited to get it. It's past time for Steph to step to the plate, make a decision about her man and her career and do something different to amuse us.
  
  

• Another Winner

  
  By A1P2OD8OXELAKN on 2007-06-19
  How does J. Evanovich keep up the fun and suspense, and still make it as fresh as a new spring morning? Lean, Mean Thirteen is funny, thrilling, and filled with unforgettable new characters, and ,of course, all of the well known and beloved usual cast of eccentrics that surround Stephanie. Ranger; who inadvertently caused Stephanie's present crisis; and his band of merry mercenaries spend time in the company of Stephanie as they try to keep her alive while Joe Morrelli is unavailable do to undercover work. Steph's former husband has turned up missing following a confrontation with Steph and Lulu in his office, and all of the evidence points at Stephanie as having something to do with his disappearance. Between trying to bring in "Failures to Appear", locate her missing former husband, survive man eating snakes and Joyce Barnhardt, exploding squirrels, burning buildings, and resisting Ranger's form-able appeal, readers are once again caught up in the wonderful world of Stephanie Plum. I highly recommend this wonderful book. Enjoy........
  
  

• Very Lean Mean Thirteen

  
  By A181H7KN0TR6HN on 2007-06-25
  I did look forward to reading this and must admit that I am a "cupcake girl" but even I was bored by this book. The formula is beyond predictable and the triangle is tiresome and old. Ranger is so different from the beginning of the series that he no longer makes any sense to me. Joe, who used to be funny and very cool has lost a lot. These characters have not grown at all.
  
  The only thing that moved slightly was Stephanie keeping Ranger a bit at arms length. Honestly, how long can someone be in a commited relationship and keep another guy on the side? It just makes her look bad. I have no sympathy for her. If Joe were behaving in this way she would never put up with it.
  
  I miss Terry Gilman, Morelli's mom and grandmother and some of the cops that were usually good for a few laughs.
  
  I was disappointed with this installment and hope that she will somehow bring the series back to a more interesting place. There is no drama in it anymore and I find myself not caring what happens to the players.
  
  
• How Sad - Nothin New................
  By A1OGPR0AKZ4K7D on 2007-07-13
  
  
  I have read this series from the beginning, and was really disappointed with Book 13. Sure, the writing was good, and the antics were funny, but when that is all there is it falls short. Character development was lacking if non existent.
  
  One thing that was really annoying was the in depth explanation of history. I realize that Janet wants these books to be able to be read as a stand alone, but having every character and past incident explained again in more than usual detail almost made me feel there wasn't enough to say to fill up the pages.
  
  Knowing this is fiction, it doesn't bother me like others that Steph and Rex never get older. What bothers me is that nothing in her character, Ranger, or Morelli changes. They actually get worse. Ranger and Joe have both been emasculated to the point that I don't even recognize them anymore. They both put up with Steph's sexual teasing, and if they were the real men they have been portrayed in the past, they would have both kicked her to the curb long ago not willing to put up with it. I used to think that Steph was just conflicted between the two men, but now I just think that she strings them along because she thinks she can with no ramifications.
  
  I would have been better off if I had not read this book. I am afraid what the future holds for this series. Maybe it should have ended with 12.
  
  
  
  
• YIPES- what happened here????
  By A113VSQSORQRQU on 2007-06-23
  I could be the #1 Evonovich fan. I have read ALL of her books. And this one was a major disappointment to me. Instead of side-splittingly funny it was hardly humorous. Instead of HOT men (Joe and esp. Ranger) they were lukewarm and boring. Instead of suspense this was a yawner. Either she as lost her touch with these characters, or is letting someone else do the writing....I have never before been UPSET that I spent the money on one of her books- not even the ones she wrote from her early years- this has much more the flavor of her co-authored ones, that I no longer bother buying. Even the dialog between major characters is OFF here. BUMMER.
  
  
• 13 runs out of steam
  By A4AI1H0YI071M on 2007-06-20
  In this, the 13th Stephanie Plum installment the series seems to runs dry. Stephanie, Joe and Ranger are of course present, but the snappy one liners you expect from the supporting characters are missing. The sexual tension between Stephanie and Ranger is practically nonexistent. The book feels like discarded plots from previous books were cobbled together and phoned in. It's supposed to be a breezy summer read, light and airy. Yet this one has all of the satisfaction of one taste of cotton candy, not even as substantial as a bite of tastycake.
  
  
• Sorry Janet, It's not your best...
  By A39VNKTX9ZWD8L on 2007-06-21
  I feel like I'm being disloyal to Janet but I'm going to have to go on record as saying I'm really disappointed with LMT. I'm not even tempted to reread it. And that's sad since I'm a huge fan of her Plum series.
  
  I can see how the characters have grown over time, and that's a good thing. But the romantic triad she so cleverly created with Stephanie, Morelli, and Ranger really needed to grow too and it didn't. Something needed to happen between Stephanie and Ranger (more than kissing and flirting) to kick the intensity up a notch. Instead, Morelli actually asked Ranger to keep Steph and take care of her. That took the tense out of the tension. This book needed something more dramatic, like maybe having Ranger kidnap Steph and having his way with her and really pissing Morelli off, and then having Morelli work to win Steph back. Morelli has it too easy. He doesn't have to work or flirt for Steph's affections any more. We don't see him trying beyond buying her a pizza and six pack after a hard day. And Ranger, ever the man of action, needed to take some action where Steph was concerned instead of just waiting around for her. If he partnered up or moved in with Jeanne Ellen Burrows it would make Steph jealous. Then some serious sparks would/could fly and that would add great drama to the triad. But in LMT, Ranger and Morelli cooperate like never before where Steph is concerned. Not good for romantic tension.
  
  Maybe Janet doesn't realize that while the Plum series started out in the a mystery/crime solving genre with a lot of humor and a little romance in the background, it has really become more about the romance and humor with a few farcical crime solving attempts in the background. The hook for her readers is the romantic triad, that's what people want more of. Exploding beavers aren't going to bring readers back or hook them in, funny though they may be.
  
  The characters have softened... Ranger, the man of mystery and few words has become down right chatty. Morelli gave up yelling, waving his hands, and walking out on Steph when he was frustrated with her and now just shakes his head and looks at his feet a lot. And Steph, who used to fear Ranger, is now just about as comfortable spending the night at his place as at Morelli's. The romantic triad has lost its edge.
  
  I'm also wondering about the writing. It's hard to criticize Janet here because I don't know how much of this has to do with her and how much it might be her editor "SuperJen" letting her down. The segues were poor in this book. All the Plum series books jump scenes a lot but in this one I found myself having to go back and reread from time to time wondering if I missed something somewhere because I couldn't quite pick up the story. And not to pile on, but, at times I had trouble figuring out when one character stopped speaking and another one began. Nobody likes to read "he said", "she said" over and over again but a few more would have helped the dialogue along.
  
  I'm not giving up on Janet because I know she's better than this one book. I'm an optimist and am already looking forward to book 14. I'm hoping Janet will knock it out of the park with that one.
  
  
• Zero effort.
  By A11K70GWSB7A5Z on 2007-09-20
  I have been a huge fan of this series, and recommended it to many others. I've read almost every book in hardcover, so I don't say this lightly ... but this book was terrible.
  
  There wasn't a single spark of originality. The Ranger/Morelli dilemma is tired, and frankly ... Stephanie Plum's lack of integrity on the matter is not amusing. It's been 13 books, make a decision.
  
  Is it still funny to others when Stephanie blows up a car? It's not funny to me. Grandma... we get it, she's eccentric.
  
  It feels like Evanovich is just filling in a template, and after 13 books, I'm done. I certainly can't see reading another 13 like this one. Evanovich owes it to her loyal fan base (who have made her a multi-millionaire) to put in a little bit of effort and creativity. We all know that Stephanie's mom irons when she's stressed, they have a family dinner on Friday night, Lula wears clothes that don't fit, and Joyce and Steph have a rivalry.
  
  This series has gone Scooby Doo. I wouldn't be one bit surprised if the next book ended with, "And I would have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for those crazy bounty hunters."
  
  
• ANOTHER RIOTOUS ROMP - A-1 LISTENING
  By A3M174IC0VXOS2 on 2007-06-20
  Thanks to the prolific pen of Janet Evanovich everyone's favorite bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum, is back in her thirteenth battle with the bad guys. And, who narrates the latest travail filled tale starring this feisty gal? Of course, it has to be and is Lorelei King. This actress has been dubbed favorite reader by Evanovich and she is surely one of ours, too. When you listen to her opening line it's a bit like picking up the phone and hearing the voice of a friend - she's read so many of the Plum series that she has become Steph's one and only voice for many of us.
  
  Thankfully, our trouble prone heroine hasn't changed a bit in that she's as spunky as ever. We hear: "I was about to do something I knew I shouldn't do. The signs were all there in front of me. Sick stomach. Feeling of impending disaster. Knowledge that it was illegal. And yet, I was going to forge ahead with the plan. Not that this was especially unusual. Truth is, I've been dealing with impending doom for as long as I can remember. Heck, when I was six years old I sprinkled sugar on my head, convinced myself it was pixie dust, wished myself invisible, and walked into the boy's bathroom at school. I mean you don't know the water's over your head until you jump in, right?"
  
  Well, Steph is usually in water over her head and fans thoroughly enjoying jumping in with her. She can't say no to Ranger, even when asked to get together with her former spouse and ask him a few questions. Many will remember that their married life was very brief as husband Dickie had a roving eye that lit upon Joyce Barnhardt. (As did his hands and body).
  
  Nonetheless, Dickie is soon missing leaving behind only a few blood stains in his apartment and Steph is, of course, the prime suspect. Time to call on handsome Trenton top cop Joe Morelli for some help. The two of them discover that Dickie has been up to a great deal more than two-timing, all of which puts Steph's life on the line.
  
  Another riotous romp from Janet Evanovich. Enjoy!
  
  - Gail Cooke
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Vaguely disappointing
  By AC4DVWY7074PY on 2007-06-22
  I love this series and couldn't wait to rip through Amazon's packaging to get to #13, but this one left me a little empty. Even at the three-quarter mark, I was still waiting to sink into the Plum universe. There wasn't an eye roll, forehead smack or damn-skippy in the book. Between the burning pot house and exploding taxidermy, there were some VERY funny moments, but the characters lacked snap. No tension between Steph and Ranger, even when she lived with him. No real tension between Steph and Morelli, when he should've been at least waving his arms around. And Ranger and Morelli acted like teammates, for heaven's sake, even when Ranger overtly threatened to poach. What happened there? Where's the conflict? When Ranger and Morelli passed Steph-sitting duty back and forth between them like she was a piece of luggage, all she could manage was a heavy sigh. None of the characters acted right - Lula starts saying "heaven to goodness" rather than F***in-A, and even Grandma seemed colorless. And since when did Ranger get so chatty?
  
  I enjoyed the action, and enjoyed the skips. I enjoyed seeing Steph choke the snot out of Dickie Orr. But I zipped through the book in four hours, and that made me kind of sad. Her books used to have so much meat and quirk. Now there's pages of dialogue that read more like a sedate screenplay. I read in an interview that Janet writes the books in six months, then does promotion and other things for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, I think that's very telling at this point in the series.
  
  
• Stephanie Plum Get a Life
  By A1YE5IXEYHPHD3 on 2007-06-23
  What a boring book. Not a page-turner as others. No progression with characters. Same ole, same ole. Buddy-buddy Ranger and Morelli?? Pleassssssssse. If Evanovich is still writing these by herself, and I doubt it, she mind as well wrap up this series. Plum is still childish, still inept and still hot and bothered by two men. What man, and especially a libido-driven Italian would wait around on this woman? Not mine. And share his squeeze with someone else =0 Evanovoch certainly doesn't know Italians. The story lines are the same, only the names change. So predictable, you can just skip to the last chapter. Maybe it is time to end this. Have Steph and Joe marry. Sally Sweet can be the maid of honor, Lula a bridesmaid. Ranger's Merry Men will be ushers, and on and on. She could probably get four more books out of this. Bridal shower disaster and kidnapping of Steph. Wedding and kidnapping of Steph. Honeymoon and kidnapping of Steph. First of the little Morelli munchkins and kidnapping of Steph. Oops, am I getting too predictable? Just one more thing to say. Stick a fork in my eye. I'm done!
  
  
• better in the future please
  By AQWHVNQZBDDZ7 on 2007-06-22
  I just finished reading LMT. I'd call this book treading water. Nothing progresses in romantic department and as usually Stephanie is not becoming a better bounty hunter. The story just never heats up into that romantic tension area Evanovich hooked me with in the first books. I'm still a fan of the series but this book was disappointing.
  
  
• Commitophobia
  By A1J2MOLMVGFK8H on 2007-06-29
  I have read 1-12 too many times to count. I've forced these stories on friends, loved ones, strangers and my massage therapist. The first twelve books made me laugh aloud (and lust silently... gosh, at least I hope I was pretty quite ;-). I've pondered the Joe/Ranger/Ranger/Joe possibilities more times than would be considered healthy considering they are both fictional men. But this time, no, 13 just didn't work. Thirteen just doesn't have the same spark, style, or charm.
  
  I knew exactly when Janet E. lost me on this one and it was early on (and I've dated more than half my life, I know early isn't a good time to lose the love). Lula was bemoaning the snake, and worried she might wet her pants and Stephanie said "too much information". Stephanie has a grandmother who talks about penises real, fake, and dead, metamucil and the big "D", so urination information is nada on the Stephanie Plum information scale! Stephanie has said it a time or two herself! It's like we're losing our Stephanie right then and there. This was a fake line, an attempt at something but I don't know what, and I don't know why Janet's editor didn't call foul but that's another review altogether... I think Janet just phoned this installment in!
  
  Losing the Stephanie was bad, but it got worse. Now that I'm almost finished with 13 I believe that the real problem is Stephanie can't commit, and Janet can't either. They have the same issue: Commitophobia. I know the signs, because I've fot a bad case myself. I can remain commitophobic, it works for me, and it has twelve times now worked for Stephanie. It worked, though, because she, and the reader, felt truly torn. Now she just seems ambivalent about both situations but not passionate about either, much less both!. She can't commit because neither situation is so compelling that she wants it more than anything. And Janet is in the same position! She doesn't want to choose because she wants us to love both men and feel torn. But how can we feel torn when Stephanie doesn't really? She knows they both want her, she knows she can have either, and yet, she doesn't choose. And the men don't choose either, and I think real men would choose to hasta la vista at this point.
  
  It comes to this: WE don't care that much because THEY (Janet & Stephanie) don't care that much! Janet Evanovich's job is to make us care, want, crave, hope, laugh, and wonder. She is here to supply us with the soul-wrenching-heart-spinning-dizzy-can't-think-can't-eat-can't-tie-your-tennis-shoes kind of feeling. Instead, we're all in a non-committal but familiar relationship together. Oh great. Maybe I can date my high school boyfriend again while I'm at it. Or marry a dentist (oh wait... my HS boyfriend IS a dentist now and while free dental would sure be nice...) Hello!!!. At a point, as a writer, you have to choose a path, and Janet hasn't; she is trying to keep us all perky with Ranger and Joe, and that did work when Stephanie truly seemed to want Joe terribly and Ranger was a taste treat delight, but now both Stephanie and Janet seem rather bored with Joe who is starting to seem wimpy and Ranger/Batman seems about as dangerous as Joe. What's next? They divy up the duties about who does Steph's laundry?
  
  Now maybe Janet's trying to segue into the Ranger as stable guy thing, but c'mon if we wanted a stable guy, we wouldn't want Ranger. We'd want my ex-boyfriend the dentist. Ranger is so hot because he's the dessert we shouldn't have, not the healthy alternative with only 3 grams of fat. If you're going with the healthy alternative, why not take Joe, at least he's got Bob, AND Joe's hot, or he was till he became wimpy. So then maybe we should just take the free dental. I don't know. See, that's why I'm uncommitted. But Janet and Stephanie can't just stay in limbo, and they can't just go with Ranger because his life is nicer, that's not the way romantic comedies work.
  
  So Janet is stuck.
  
  And now she's left us stuck too. Janet is like the guy who's stringing us along, telling us he only needs 'time and space' and then he'll commit. Yeah, right. And I'm Dorothy in ruby slippers. Janet and Stephanie need to make us CARE and WANT again, and how to do that, well, that's their problem, but I can tell you from experience, it's not going to happen riding the fence between two equally delicious flavors. How to get Stephanie out of her malaise, and us out of ours? Well, Janet is going to have to make a commitment. And so is Stephanie. Just my opinion, but it's easy for me to say since I can still read 1-13 and have Ranger AND Joe!
  
  
• Great Book
  By A1WBIUQTR14CTG on 2007-06-30
  More of the same type of Stephanie's antics. I did have several laugh out loud moments, as I always do. The triangulation between Steph, Joe and Ranger remains status quo. I'm a big Evanovich fan, have read everything she's written. Honestly, I think it's time to hang this series up though and I have thought that for the past couple three books. I don't know what else she can do with these characters and as pretty much painted herself into a corner. There doesn't seem to be as much character development. Joe continues to put up with Steph's unwillingness to commit, she remains unsure who she really wants and Ranger seems to be most interested in bedding Steph. It would be refreshing to see Steph figure herself out and make some moves in a positive direction, but I overall recommend.
  
  
• Ranger ROCKS This Series
  By AOV9AIX4UE5BB on 2007-07-23
  I have to admit I was getting tired of Stephanie and didn't read the last book. But my best friend sent me this one for my birthday and insisted that it was the funniest one ever and I have to agree with her. I read it in one sitting and am still chuckling at some of the fabulously funny scenarios. (Grandma Mazur in the grocery store and in Victoria's Secret come to mind. . .)
  
  We not only learn Ranger's real name (can't ever recall her telling us that tidbit before), but we also get some good dialogue out of the dangerously delightful too-perfect, darkly handsome, sexy perfect fictional male.
  
  Ms. Evanovich is most definitely back in the saddle with this book and her wild, wonderful wit is at its very best in this hilarious lucky 13th tale of Stephanie Plumm, the hottest girl bouny hunter ever.
  
  
• Steph is still Steph
  By A3B49395B2J85K on 2007-06-19
  So in this 13th installment of the Stephanie Plum series, Steph is investigating what appears to be the not quite honest dealings of her ex-husband's law firm. While the action is unparalleled we don't really get a good feel for our villain in this piece as we did for Scrog from Twelve Sharp or Abruzzi or Stiva from previous novels. This kind of leaves the finish feeling anticlimactic but the action up to that point is a 5 star adrenaline rush.
  
  Also the Ranger-Stephanie-Morelli love triangle has gotten rather stale in this book and though Ranger has lots of "screen time" you never get the sense its really going anywhere. This is definitely a Cupcake book.
  
  Beyond that all our favorite characters are back. Cars die, Grandma Mazur dyes her hair, Tank and Lula have as close to a romantic moment as you will probably see from them, and Christmas comes early when we learn Tank's real name. All the elements that make the Plum novels great are in this book in spades and there are at least a dozen lol moments in the book (a good many having to do with exploding rodents).
  
  Overall its safe to say if you haven't gotten tired of the series yet Lean Mean Thirteen wont disappoint, though part of me is starting to hope that Steph's happy ending is somewhere in the not-too-distant future and JE will start fresh with a new series and a new heroine.
  
  
• Deja vu
  By A3VWFGQQAQN5T8 on 2007-07-03
  Oh dear, what a disappointment! I used to love these books but it seems that the author is just writing too many other series (that are also second rate) and she's spreading her talents a little thin. It's as though someone else is writing it and trying to be her, but with none of the humour, style, or excellent comic timing that made the first six or so titles really stand out. It's a shame, because these titles are still going to be bestsellers, but it reminds me of some authors like Patricia Cornwell and Minette Waters who, although there books are totally different to these, just ran out of steam, or got too cocky, and just tried to rewrite past books but with no passion or joy. This was depressing, and at no point did I even crack a smile. it's not that my expectations are too high, it's just that it's not as good as a lot of other books out there now. What a shame. Is it just me or does it seem someone else is doig the work on these now and janet is just proofreading to make sure things are 'okay'? And really, she should have called this one in, it's let down the whole series, and these characters. And please, some one tell Stephanie to just stop playing the saucy minx who is irrestistable to both guys. it's just not working.
  
  
• Nothing new
  By A3312IPRZK57H4 on 2007-07-17
  I've been reading the other reviews and I agree with everyone who states this series has gotten stale and needs to be over. One person said she couldn't wait to read "14", but what that person doesn't realize is she just read "14"; and "15" and "16" because the same story is being recycled over and over. Nothing is happening, the characters have simply become caricatures. Stephanie has become an idiot, Ranger has become less cool because let's face it... what real man would put up with a tease for this long?, and Joe has now turned into a boring wimp.
  
  But, here's the deal: people are still going to buy the books because they've been at it for this long, why not continue? So Evanovich doesn't need to worry about loss of sales, but she does need to worry about sales of new books. I simply am not interested in any other series by Janet Evanovich because the two I read (Motor Mouth & the following one) were trying so hard to be Stephanie Plum rip-offs and both failed miserably.
  
  I feel the pain of those who have tired of the Plum series. It's like watching the slow death of something once beloved.
  
  
• and a half stars. Fun story but no new developments!!
  By A3N61N91YEIZ47 on 2007-06-23
  I've been enjoying the Stephanie Plum Novels since number 7 came out. In the last few I thought we, the reader, were about to finally see some development in Stephanie's character and in her relationship with Joe Morelli and Ranger by the time we got to number 13. But everything is the status quo. There was some fun interaction between Stephanie and her ex-husband, Dickie Orr. There was some ALMOST romantic interaction between Stephanie and Ranger.
  
  We also had the usual Grandma Mazur wackiness and some other wacky FTA's for Stephanie to try and bring in. However without giving away more, I thought the taxidermist adventures were a bit over the top!
  
  Come on!! Stephanie isn't getting any younger. When is she going to grow some more as a character?
  
  A fun but not exciting read.
  
  
• LMT - Lame, Mediocre Thirteen
  By A262III1SIPLUE on 2007-06-25
  I have been a die-hard fan since #3 came out, but I seriously think Janet just copied bits from all the old books and threw them into this one. Nothing new, totally forgetable. I always buy these the day they come out, but I will seriously think about it next year for 14.
  
  
• like threadbare jeans or an old, much-washed, almost-translucent t-shirt
  By A3HPZ6BIMNXSZR on 2007-06-25
  This book is filled with the same comforting formula most Evanovich readers look forward to.
  
  The dialogue is consistent with what you'd find in every other Plum novel. Monosyllabic Ranger ("babe," varied with relative newcomers like "dude" for Morelli), bawdy Lula ('ho speak, as always), etc. The exchanges are typically short and funny.
  
  The # of disasters/chapter ratio is consistent also. If you're looking for car disasters--here you go. Lots of stuff in Steph's hair (and this time, the hair of others)? You need look no further than this book. At least there's a wee bit of variety, what with exploding rodents and all.
  
  The number of times Steph gets in trouble? Consistent. How many times she needs help from Ranger or his men, or from Morelli, to get out of said trouble? Consistent.
  
  Steph's inability to make a choice when it comes to Ranger and Morelli? No news on that front. She's as conflicted as ever, almost annoyingly so.
  
  Overall, this book is like that pair of jeans or t-shirt I mentioned. You love wearing them because they're just so comfy, suited to your body, etc. But you know you're gonna have to toss them or turn them into wipe rags for your car/counters/whatever pretty darn soon because they're just so. . .thin.
  
  
  
  
• Heavy Sigh.......
  By A1MYF4DMVPZR5S on 2007-06-26
  With this newest release, and with at least the last 3 or 4 books, it's like eating a piece of cake - but cake with NO frosting on it, ya know?
  
  In Lean Mean Thirteen (in no particular order), we find that:
  
  Stephanie leaves the gun in the cookie jar - check
  Stephanie's apartment gets broken into - check
  Stephanie gets kidnapped/shot/beat up - check
  Ranger rescues her (with a hint of a smile) - check
  Joe doesn't like Stephanie's job or her association with Ranger - check
  Stephanie is THIS close to not making her rent for the month - check
  Stephanie lets Ranger kiss and fondle her, but that's it, because he's "poaching" - check
  Stephanie eats Friday night potroast at her parents house - check
  Grandma Mazur disrupts a funeral - check
  A car or building (2 this time) blows up - check
  Stephanie is driving a new "beater" - check
  
  I read this book a week ago, and I swear, I cannot even remember the main plotline. I started reading this series with the publication of #1 in 1994 - I was 30, just like Stephanie! I could identify...well, I'll be 44 next month. At the rate this series is going, I'm going to be too old to care who Stephanie ends up with.
  
  
  I do like the new 'author's photo' on the back cover though. Janet really does looks younger and hipper.
  
  
  
• This might be the funniest one yet!
  By A3P6XI50S1W1XM on 2007-07-10
  The one thing I love about the Stephanie Plum novels is that I always end up laughing out loud. At the start of the story, Stephanie is doing a favor for Ranger that involves meeting her sleazy ex-husband, Dickie Orr. Well that favor ends of blowing up in her face because Dickie goes missing and Stephanie is the number one suspect. Joyce Bernhardt is back and making a lot of noise about Stephanie's guilt to anyone who will listen. Well, it turns out that Dickie was working with some pretty shady business partners. So, to clear her name, Stephanie teams up with Ranger to find Dickie before she gets arrested.
  
  Other worries are Stephanie's continuing car troubles (she has the worst luck with cars) and, of course, she ends trying to catch the most eccentric "skips" imaginable (a taxidermist who collects road kill and a grave-robbing tax man with a monster bit snake). It all just makes for lots of laughs that only Janet Evanovich can create.
  
  If you've never read this series, I recommend reading from the start, but I think that this is a pretty good stand alone story as well. Janet Evanovich covers the back story pretty well, so you won't get lost.
  
  Some of my favorite Stephanie Plum adventures are: Plum Lovin' (A Stephanie Plum Novel), Hot Six: A Stephanie Plum Novel, and Seven Up: A Stephanie Plum Novel. I'd also recommend listening to the free podcast Amazon.com is offering of Chapter 1. It is quite enjoyable and makes me want to buy the audio books from now on.
  
  Jennifer
  
  
• All good things must come to an end.
  By A29YYGC3NKZ2V0 on 2007-06-20
  
  After reading Lean mean Thirteen, I felt a little disappointed. This installment in the Plum series felt like a major downshift after the last few books were full-steam-ahead toward what could have been a spectacular ending to a great series with book 14.
  
  I really wanted the Plum series to end at its peak performance. Like a great TV sit-com, that you always have fond memories of. At this point these books could go on indefinitely. For those of us readers who have been with the plum family from the beginning, it feels as if we are stuck in a perpetual time warp with Stephanie and the gang never moving forward.
  
  
  
• Thirteen is as good as the first Twelve.
  By A2K7ZXIS9P0QUV on 2007-06-20
  How does she do it? In thirteen books, Stephanie Plum is still upbeat, with a mouth that won't stop. She isn't repetitive or a clone. Janet Evanovich is a very clever writer. Stephanie, Joe, and Ranger are all 'dimensional' characters with feelings and dreams and, well, character. I really enjoyed the latest romp...and I can't wait to see what Joyce Barnhardt (the archnemesis) comes up with next. Each book can stand alone, but I re-read the first 12, in anticipation...and it was worth it...I couldn't put this down. I was laughing out loud. It just made my day--yes I bought and read it the first day it hit the stands....
  
  
• JE Does It Again!
  By A12S5272YPZRUX on 2007-06-21
  Amazon Review 6/21/07
  I, for one, loved 13 - even more than 12 - and think that some of Janet's readers need to give her a break. Yes, she's stretching out her plots and dynamics with Morelli and Ranger because she's signed up through book 16 - and who knows how many after that. To me this in no way detracts from the LOL humor or the plot of this story, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. I don't know how she comes up with these ideas. Evanovich is the queen of understatement - getting a point across in four words rather than four pages. You can't help but love Stephanie for her spunk as well as vulnerability. Grandma Mazur was a scene-stealer on several occasions. As for Morelli and Ranger - I wasn't disappointed with the direction she chose for either one. I trust in Evanovich's talent as an author to keep us entertained and not to disappoint once the series does finally end. Until then, I'm hanging on for the ride.
  
  
  
• Kind of a disappointment...
  By A3AFCZTWL5VNNR on 2007-06-23
  The Stephanie Plum books are the most anticipated books around - they are sexy, funny, and always a sure fire great book. Well, I am sorry, but Thirteen wasn't so lucky as the others. It wasn't as funny, not as sexy, and really didn't do much to move the plot along toward the next book.
  Even Grandma Mazur wasn't funny, and that is very hard to do.
  Ranger and Steph had some sexy moments, but it was mostly a chaste outing.
  I have a theory, and I hope I am wrong. I know Evanovich is partnering up with Stephen Cannell for a new series - she has what - 2 other series on her own...is she coming down with jamespattersonitis???? Is she getting spread too thinly? Hope # 14 is back on track. It (Thirteen) was not classic Stephanie Plum.
  It is lean on action, mean on violence, and unlucky 13.
  
  
• Still Lean and Mean.....
  By A2D0XVKNI8BN4A on 2007-06-25
  I LOVE the Stephanie Plum novels. ALL of them. In fact, if I could be ANY literary character...I'd want to be Stephanie Plum: petite, klutzy, torn between two lovers, accident prone, strange family life and all.
  
  Lean Mean Thirteen is like visiting an old friend. There are SO many episodes that are just "laugh-out-loud funny" (and I seldom even chuckle while reading).
  
  For the critics that say "this was same ol' stuff" - I say "make up your mind." Everyone was clamoring in the last book about how Stephanie was such a sl*t because she was with both Joe and Ranger. This time the attraction was only hinted at, which was a major bummer for me since I'm totally a Ranger's gal. But the book was still DELIGHTFUL. Frankly, I hope that she never chooses....although it would be nice if Stephanie could get a little bit of a makeover in the next book.
  
  Rex makes an appearance again, which was a treat. We hadn't heard about him much in the last few books. I figured it was because he had gone to Hampster Heaven, but I'm glad that THIS Rex is endowed with super hamster longevity. (I bought ALL the equipment, cage, etc, for a hampster before learning that they only live about 2 years. I figured I couldn't deal with so many Hampster Funerals and decided I wouldn't be the best Hampster Owner after that....)
  
  The Beaver Bombs were HILARIOUS. Janet Evanovich - you ROCK! Some readers are NEVER satisfied. Lean Mean Thirteen is GREAT.
  
  
  

• Plum Lucky (A Between-the-Numbers Novel)
• Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum, No. 14)
• Plum Lovin' (A Between-the-Numbers Novel)
• Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum, No. 12)
• Visions of Sugar Plums