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Foul Play
When Amy Klasse loses her TV job to a dancing chicken, handsome veterinarian Jake Elliott rescues her with an offer to be his receptionist. Jake just can't resist a damsel in distress, and Amy certainly doesn't mind Jake's charming sincerity.
Then suddenly the job-stealing chicken disappears and Amy is suspected of foul play. Amy and Jake search for clues to prove her innocence. But will Jake be able to prove to Amy that love, too, is a mystery worth solving?
228 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
473 people are currently reading
6114 people want to read
About the author
Steffie Hall
5 books82 followersA pseudonym used by Janet Evanovich for several early novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 707 reviews
November 9, 2008
I read this one in one night. Cute story, but there isn't much to it. A little romance, a little humor, and a little adventure makes for a good night's entertainment.
October 27, 2008
I really enjoyed reading "Foul Play" by Janet Evanovich. This is one of her very early books written for a serial romance publisher in the late 80s/early 90s, and it's very well done for what it is. Evanovich describes these early books as "red-hot screwball comedies" and while I do agree with the screwball comedy, "Foul Play" was very much G-rated. So if you enjoy a very light romance with side-splitting laughter, this is definitely a book for you.
November 15, 2021
A very early Janet Evanovich cute romance with a mystery element. It was entertaining and funny and a great listen.
When veterinarian Jake spies Amy heading into the grocery store, he instantly decides he has to meet her. Amy has just lost her TV job and is a tad on the spacey side right now. Losing a job to a dancing chicken is just sad. The strange guy in the market is kinda cute and really nice to bail her out when he offers her a job. When the chicken disappears, the small town blames Amy and now Amy and Jake will need to find him to prove Amy is innocent of chickennapping.
When veterinarian Jake spies Amy heading into the grocery store, he instantly decides he has to meet her. Amy has just lost her TV job and is a tad on the spacey side right now. Losing a job to a dancing chicken is just sad. The strange guy in the market is kinda cute and really nice to bail her out when he offers her a job. When the chicken disappears, the small town blames Amy and now Amy and Jake will need to find him to prove Amy is innocent of chickennapping.
July 11, 2015
Really a half star would be more suited. The narrator on audio was horrible. Voice like Maude on Golden Girls. Cheesy doesn't even come close to an accurate description...Story was just ridiculous. Why someone as talented as Ms. Evanovich would attach her name to this book is beyond me. I would have quit listening, but needed noise in the car.
December 10, 2008
Light, fluffy and fun. It was fun to read this in part because it is early Evanovich - so it was rougher than her Plum books are - but her humor and motifs are still there.
I did have a hard time with some of the stuff in this book. The leading man is Jacob Elliott. He is in the parking lot at the grocery store waiting patiently for Mrs. Moyer and her dog to back out of a parking spot so he can pull in. (He knows it's Mrs. Moyer because he is the town Vet - and he recognizes her dog.) But! Before he can pull into her vacated parking spot in pulls Amy Klasse in her hot little red sports car. She emerges from the car - all long legs and flowing pink skirt - Blond hair and blue eyes. She slams her door shut and her skirt gets caught. She yanks the skirt out of the door and rips a chunk out of it and stomps into the grocery store. Our leading man - watching all this in fascinated silence - declares his Love for her right then and there. Yeah. That was the first two pages. And as much as I love Janet Evanovich - I kind of groaned a little at that.
The plot was typically absurd. Amy is a clown for a local television station - and she gets fired because the new station manager wants a dancing chicken (and the chickens sexy handler) to take her place. The chicken ends up chicken-napped and of course Amy and Jacob are blamed.
The story is pretty rough and it ends a little too abruptly for my taste - but I still enjoyed reading it. The writing was good even if the plot was a little rough.
I did have a hard time with some of the stuff in this book. The leading man is Jacob Elliott. He is in the parking lot at the grocery store waiting patiently for Mrs. Moyer and her dog to back out of a parking spot so he can pull in. (He knows it's Mrs. Moyer because he is the town Vet - and he recognizes her dog.) But! Before he can pull into her vacated parking spot in pulls Amy Klasse in her hot little red sports car. She emerges from the car - all long legs and flowing pink skirt - Blond hair and blue eyes. She slams her door shut and her skirt gets caught. She yanks the skirt out of the door and rips a chunk out of it and stomps into the grocery store. Our leading man - watching all this in fascinated silence - declares his Love for her right then and there. Yeah. That was the first two pages. And as much as I love Janet Evanovich - I kind of groaned a little at that.
The plot was typically absurd. Amy is a clown for a local television station - and she gets fired because the new station manager wants a dancing chicken (and the chickens sexy handler) to take her place. The chicken ends up chicken-napped and of course Amy and Jacob are blamed.
The story is pretty rough and it ends a little too abruptly for my taste - but I still enjoyed reading it. The writing was good even if the plot was a little rough.
January 2, 2023
This was another cute pre-Plum book by Evanovich. A fun, quick read.
February 28, 2025
I really liked this until the final part, when the story fell flat.
December 20, 2008
Just a light, silly romance, but that's all it was meant to be. If you want a few chuckles, go for it.
September 8, 2017
Cheesy af
June 8, 2024
Early Janet Evanovich book under Her pen name. It was ok, nothing special.
June 8, 2018
The beginning of Evanovich's hallmark humor is present, and perhaps that will lure long time fans to read this, but I can't recommend it for anything otherwise. Fluffy, purely silly and so sweet it hurt. Of Evanovich's early stuff under the name Steffie Hall, Manhunt is the one I'd say to try.
May 11, 2020
I listened to this on audiobook.
Janet Evanovich before the Plum series. Pure romance cliches with some humour thrown in that was pretty weak. Some of her early romance novels show hints of Plum elements but this one barely does.
The characters and plot line are cringeworthy. Absolutely ridiculousness ensues. Avoid.
Janet Evanovich before the Plum series. Pure romance cliches with some humour thrown in that was pretty weak. Some of her early romance novels show hints of Plum elements but this one barely does.
The characters and plot line are cringeworthy. Absolutely ridiculousness ensues. Avoid.
August 7, 2017
This is a quick, easy read in which I did cheer for the main characters. However, it was dorky and dumb with an annoying ending. So two stars.
May 19, 2022
This book was wild lol. The MCs met, fell in love, talked about marriage, Amy freaked out and ran away, they solved the mystery of the disappeared chicken - all in 10 fucking days. I mean seriously????? In what universe do such things even happen?? And Jacob was creepy tbh. He just saw Amy and decided to marry her? wtf??? This whole book was weird on a different level. The characters were bland, there was no sense of development plus the writing wasn't good as well.
1.5 stars.
1.5 stars.
March 27, 2020
A real fluffy romance with a dash of comedy, which is the only reason I kept reading this book. Written by Janet Evanovich pre-Stephanie Plum days under the pseudonym Steffie Hall.
Amy Klasse was an elementary school teacher with a too creative style for her school. She parlayed that creativity into a popular kids TV program as Lulu the Clown until new management fired her in favor of a a dancing chicken! A Rhode Island Red rooster to be exact. As she moves through the day in angry, trouble follows in her wake & she catches the eye of Jake Elliott DVM. He offers her a job in his vet clinic, sparks fly. The rooster ends up in the vet clinic and then mysteriously disappears after a break-in. Fingers are pointed towards Amy. Did she get rid of her TV rival? Jake & Amy decide to ferret out the truth.
Beside the ridiculous plotline, there were many funny scenes; not LOL but amusing; the only saving grace to the story IMHO. Having said that, I have to remind people who read this that I am not a big romance novel fan. But it passes the time with little intellectual requirement, I need that from time to time.
Amy Klasse was an elementary school teacher with a too creative style for her school. She parlayed that creativity into a popular kids TV program as Lulu the Clown until new management fired her in favor of a a dancing chicken! A Rhode Island Red rooster to be exact. As she moves through the day in angry, trouble follows in her wake & she catches the eye of Jake Elliott DVM. He offers her a job in his vet clinic, sparks fly. The rooster ends up in the vet clinic and then mysteriously disappears after a break-in. Fingers are pointed towards Amy. Did she get rid of her TV rival? Jake & Amy decide to ferret out the truth.
Beside the ridiculous plotline, there were many funny scenes; not LOL but amusing; the only saving grace to the story IMHO. Having said that, I have to remind people who read this that I am not a big romance novel fan. But it passes the time with little intellectual requirement, I need that from time to time.
September 22, 2024
Silly,beach read. I would have given it 3 1/2 stars, but can only give whole stars. It is a fun, fluffy read whenever you just don’t want to have to concentrate on what you are reading. Jake is a veterinary who feels love at first sight for beautiful, klutzy Amy! A rooster goes missing. Where did it go & is it still alive. Is it Amy? Ultimately, we find out what happened to the rooster & if is is a lasting love for Jake & Amy!
May 31, 2009
As I have previously mentioned, I love Janet Evanovich. But her early works are really fluffy and just okay. The premise of the book is a young woman named Amy gets fired from her job as Lulu the Clown because the new program director replaces her with a rooster. In her dismay, she catches the eye of a hunky veterinarian and they fall in love within a matter of minutes. Did I mention that she is a 26-year-old virgin? The job-stealing rooster winds up at veterinarian-man's place of work and soon goes missing. Hijinks ensue. It is an obvious early Stephanie Plum, but I am so glad the SP evolved the way that it did. I will still read all JE's books because I love her, but these books are mindless quick reads.
August 16, 2015
This book was so cute! Funny romance.
August 2, 2016
Didnt love it didn't hate it
August 31, 2018
Entertaining fluff. Stephanie Plum-Lite.
October 25, 2019
3.5 🌟 rounded up.
A fun yet silly romantic comedy. I liked both Amy and Elliot, the plot was alright. It didn't wow the pants off me but it wasn't bad at all. Perfectly acceptable and a great fitting book for fall.
A fun yet silly romantic comedy. I liked both Amy and Elliot, the plot was alright. It didn't wow the pants off me but it wasn't bad at all. Perfectly acceptable and a great fitting book for fall.
March 26, 2024
It was a quick read, and I know it was written in the 90’s. However, the insta love, and stereotype of an immature virgin grossed me out. Some funny parts, and definitely cozy, but not for me.
I only continued to listen because I wanted to know what happened to the rooster.
I only continued to listen because I wanted to know what happened to the rooster.
July 17, 2020
What a nice easy simple read. Read it in about 7 hours time... not very long. The first chapter was 33 pages and a little slow but after that it moves quite smoothly with lots of humor, sex and mystery! 5 stars for this super cute read! I love JE classics.
May 31, 2022
This one is way better than rocky road to love and funnier too. Yay the dog isn't named Bob. Couldn't decide between 3-4 stars. I liked it but it needed a little bit more. Worth reading and I may read it again in the future. Jake was great and funny.
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December 31, 2024This was a hilarious audiobook! I always like Janet Evanovich's work, but this hit the comedy spot besides the mystery.
February 21, 2025
This book is cute and a little bit of romance. It is just a light story yet entertaining to read.
August 30, 2025
Fun, quick read.
July 31, 2018
Cute, funny, and fast read.
September 6, 2018
I think this unthrones Somebody to Love as the new Worst Book I Read This Year. What an honor. The Stephanie Plum books are bad, but in a silly, likeable way. This was a whole new level of bad.
January 28, 2021
Oh boy... Pure drivel.
I am a fan of Janet Evanovich, but milking her formula needs to stop.
This is such drivel that it doesn't deserve a review.
Just don't.
I am a fan of Janet Evanovich, but milking her formula needs to stop.
This is such drivel that it doesn't deserve a review.
Just don't.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 707 reviews