** spoiler alert ** So far, I'm departing from my usual habits and reading this series in the proper order, having started with Three Plums in One, an anthology of Evanovich's first three Stephanie Plum novels.

I enjoyed this one throughout, though by the time I reached the end, it was clear that the reader can expect a predictable formula from this otherwise off-the-beaten-track heroine.

To avoid spoilers and maintain my G-rating, I'll simply say that the book's title offers some hint as to where one part of the storyline goes. The rest, I'll leave to you.

I still love Plum and will continue following her Trenton adventures. Evanovich's dilemma (how "far" to go without turning off more mainstream readers) is one I can well relate to with regard to my own writing experiments. It's a fine line to walk. I suspect Evanovich may have lost a reader here and there with this one, but retained more. Plum is now the "Rizzo" of fictional detective heroines (if you're familiar with Grease.