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Description edit see section history

"Uncle Fred was someone I saw at weddings and funerals and once in a while at Giovichinni's Meat Market, ordering a quarter pound of olive loaf. Eddie Such, the butcher, would have the olive loaf on the scale and Uncle Fred would say, 'You've got the olive loaf on a piece of waxed paper.... read more

Summary edit see section history

With her Honda CRX now just a memory of blown-up cinders, Stephanie's back in her '53 Buick--a "classic", she defends, with no authority. But with absolute conviction she's on the hunt for a vanishing relative. According to Grandma Mazur, Uncle Fred's gone missing. Seventy years old, just... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

With her Honda CRX now just a memory of blown-up cinders, Stephanie's back in her '53 Buick--a "classic", she defends, with no authority. But with absolute conviction she's on the hunt for a vanishing relative. According to Grandma Mazur, Uncle Fred's gone missing. Seventy years old, just left the bank, and an easy mark. It doesn't look good. Whatever link the disappearance has to the rough beating of her friend, Lula, Stephanie's determined to find it. By way of a Porsche, garbage truck, and a BMW, past a nasty, vertically-challenged bookie and a stun-gun-toting Grandma Mazur, and through a Mafia wedding, Stephanie's bound and determined to make it out alive. But whether she ends up with Ranger or Morelli--both of whom make their intentions known--is a fate that she leaves to the heavens...and a simple draw of the name.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Stephanie Plum: Bounty Hunter working for Vinnie Plum and heroine of the novels. Not the greatest in the world, admits that a lot of her captures are more due to luck than anything else. Lives with her hamster Rex. Has an on again off again relationship with Joe Morelli. Describes herself as being 5'7, having blue eyes and curly brown hair. Is infamous for destroying cars, and not always her car either. Described as the Bounty Hunter from Hell by cops.
  • Joe Morelli: Trenton PD vice cop and Stephanie's on again off again boyfriend. Has a Ducati and later on a big orange dog named Bob. Described as being 6 feet of hard lean Italian muscle with dark hair and dark eyes and in the words of Stephanie "Yum". Would like to marry Stephanie, on the provision that she quit being a bounty hunter. Calls Stephanie Cupcake.
  • Ranger: Bounty Hunter who works for Vinnie, and also owner of his own security consulting firm in later novels. And also later a romantic interest for Stephanie. Formerly Special Forces. Two months older than Stephanie and described as being 6 feet or a few inches under or over. Cuban American with skin the color of a mocha latte, dark hair and dark eyes, always dresses in black, very muscular with no extra fat on him and also Yum. Say he loves Stephanie in his own way. Always drives very expensive black cars. Full name is Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Got the nickname Ranger in Special Forces. Calls Stephanie Babe.
  • Vincent "Vinnie" Plum: Owner of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. Stephanie more or less black mails him into giving her a job. He's Stephanie cousin. Said to have had a romantic relationship with a duck at one time. Described as looking like a weasel.
  • Lula: File clerk for Vinnie Plum, though how much filing she does is pretty debatable. Used to be a Hooker and still dresses like it. Is described as being short, plus size with a propensity for spandex. Has a talent for jamming her size sixteen body into size ten clothes. Changes her hair color on a regular basis.
  • Grandma Mazur: Two years ago, when Grandpa Mazur's fat clogged arteries sent him to the big pork roast in the sky, Grandma Mazur had moved in with my parents and had never moved out.She lived with my parents now that Grandpa Mazur was scarfing down his normal two-eggs-and-a-half-pound-of-bacon breakfast in the hereafter.Grandma Mazur moved in with my parents shortly after my grandfather went heavenward to dine with Elvis.Grandma Mazur came to live with my parents several years ago when my Grandpa Mazur went to the great big poker game in the sky.She lived with my parents now that my grandfather was buying his lotto tickets directly from God.My Grandmother Mazur moved in with my parents shortly after my Grandfather Mazur took his bucket of quarters to the big poker slot machine in the sky.Grandma Mazur moved in with my parents shortly after my Grandpa Mazur took his fat clogged arteries to the all-you-can-eat buffet in the sky.When my Grandpa Mazur cashed in his two-dollar chips and moved on to the High Roller's suite in the sky, my Grandma Mazur moved in with my parents.Grandma Mazur rooms with my parents now that Grandpa Mazur is living la vida loca everlasting.Grandma moved in with my parents when my Grandpa Mazur got a hot pass to heaven compliments of more than a half century of bacon fat and butter cookies.My Grandma Mazur lives with my parents now that Grandpa Mazur's eating pork rinds and deep-fried peanut butter sandwiches with Elvis.
  • Fred Shutz: uncle, disappeared, Aunt Mabel's tight fisted husband
  • Benito Ramirez: criminal(molested and nearly killed Lula) heavy-weight boxer; is now out on parole
  • Randy Briggs: short person, arrested for carrying concealed, failed to appear at his court hearing
  • Aunt Mabel: wife of Fred
  • Mary Lou: best friend; husband = Lenny
  • Connie Rosolli: office manager for Vincent "Vinnie"Plum bail bonds
  • Terry Gilman: Dated Joe Morelli in high school. Possibly part of the mob.
  • Laura Lipinski: Missing wife of garbage clerk.
  • Carol Zabo: Bail absconder
  • Hamilton: Add a description of this character.
  • Leona Freeman: Stephanie's cousin that works at First Trenton Bank.
  • Martha Deeter: Worked as a receptionist for a garbage company that Stephanie's uncle Fred had a dispute with.
  • Margaret Burger
  • Kenyon Lally: FTA- wife beater
  • Alphonse Ruzick: wife abuser
  • Larry Lipinski: garbage company manager
  • Allen Shempsky: A banker
  • Vito Grizolli: A local mobster.
  • Ahmed Fahed: Arab charge of Stephanie's
  • Walter: Son of Fred and Mabel
  • Maureen
  • Joyce Barnhardt: Plum's best friend and spying partner. Also a gossip hoard with a huge crush on Moreli.
  • Mark Stemper
  • Axel Black: husband of Winnie Black
  • Alexander Ramos
  • Winnie Black: girlfriend of Fred
  • Levi
  • Carl Costanza
  • John Curly
  • Ronald: Son of Alfred
  • Eddie Gazarra: Stephanie's friend, works for Trenton police
  • Lenny Dale
  • Julie Morelli: Joe's cousin
  • Mrs. Bestler: Neighbor of Stephanie's, likes to use the apartment elevator to pretend she's an elevator operator in a department store
  • Harry
  • Maureen Blum Shempsky
  • Lester Santos: One of Ranger's employees
  • Louis
  • Rex: Stephanie's hamster
  • Harriet Schnable: friend of Grandma Mazur
  • Irene Tully
  • Ryan Perin
  • Constantine Stiva: undertaker
  • Harvey Tipp
  • Frankie Russo
  • Jean Moon
  • Dominic
  • Bucky Moyer
  • Mrs. Keene: Stephanie's elderly gun totin' neighbor
  • Sandy Polan
  • Grandma Bella: Morelli's grandmother
  • Mr. Morganthal
  • Mrs. Patucci
  • Aunt Rosa
  • Bunchy: Treasury Department investigator
  • Manny
  • Arnie Mott
  • Tank: One of Ranger's employees
  • Mr. Wolesky: Stephanie's cranky neighbor
  • Mrs. Ruzick
  • Myra Smulinski
  • Katy Kelly
  • Emma Getz
  • Bobby Brown: One of Ranger's employees
  • Rita Gunt
  • Moon Man Dunphy
  • Habib
  • Brian Simon
  • Mitchell
  • Katherine
  • Dan Morelli
Show all 77 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “"Of course I love you. I just don't want to marry you"”
    Joe Morelli
  • “"Man you don't like to get shot. You don't like to get arrested. You don't know how to have fun at all."”
    Santos
  • “French fries are a vegetable. They don't count when it comes to fat.”
    Lula
  • “Almost everybody I know has died. Bunch of wimps”
    Grandma Mazur
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • I rolled my eyes so far into the back of my head I saw myself thinking.
    Highlighted by 44 Kindle customers
  • “Of course I love you. I just don’t want to marry you.”
    Highlighted by 43 Kindle customers
  • An attraction to Ranger would be like chasing after the doomsday orgasm.
    Highlighted by 23 Kindle customers
  • “Almost everybody I know has died,” Grandma said. “Bunch of wimps.”
    Highlighted by 22 Kindle customers
  • He gave his head a disbelieving shake. “You know what my biggest fear is? I worry that someday you might be the mother of my children.”
    Highlighted by 20 Kindle customers
  • “I thought only homosexual men did anal sex,” Grandma said. “Anybody with an anus can do it,” I told her. “Hmm,” she said. “I got one of them.”
    Highlighted by 20 Kindle customers
  • “Ranger give you a car with bomb sensors? The head of the CIA don’t even have a car with bomb sensors. I hear they give him a stick with a mirror on the end of it.”
    Highlighted by 14 Kindle customers
  • If I had juice and a Snickers bar, I probably could forget about sex. In fact, I didn’t even need the juice anymore. Just the Snickers bar.
    Highlighted by 14 Kindle customers
  • Okay, so I fibbed a little about the kids. I didn’t want her to feel bad. I mean we can’t all be lucky enough to have a hamster.
    Highlighted by 12 Kindle customers
  • Stephanie Plum, master of diversion. If your hair is bad, shorten your skirt and add extra mascara.
    Highlighted by 12 Kindle customers
Show all 14 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Trenton New Jersey

First Sentence edit see section history

When I was a little girl I used to dress Barbie up without underpants.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Chapter 1-15

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 5 of 20 in Stephanie Plum by the Numbers. (standard series)

Preceded by Four to Score, and followed by Hot Six.

This is book 59 of 145 in Whitcoulls Top 100 (2011). (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Janet Evanovich (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Country: USA
Publication Date: July 16, 1999
ISBN: 0312203039
Page Count: 292

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PS3555.V2126 H5 1999
  • Dewey: 813.54

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • One for the Money
  • Two for the Dough
  • Three to Get Deadly
  • Four to Score

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