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The First Full Length Stephanie Plum Between-the-Numbers Novel from #1 Bestselling Author Janet Evanovich.

Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey.
 
According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys.
 
Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground.
 
Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree.
 
Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel.
 
Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs.
 
Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.

309 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 2009

1075 people are currently reading
13474 people want to read

About the author

Janet Evanovich

320 books40.6k followers
Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O'Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.

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5 stars
15,534 (31%)
4 stars
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3 stars
13,958 (27%)
2 stars
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681 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,659 reviews
Profile Image for James.
Author 20 books4,341 followers
January 14, 2020
Book Review
3 of 5 stars to Plum Spooky written in 2009 by Janet Evanovich. This book is the 4th "mini-release" in the Stephanie Plum cozy mystery series, an in between read set of books based on different holidays throughout the year, involving Stephanie and the mysterious Diesel, a character from another one of Evanovich's series starring Diesel and Lizzy.

It's a great idea to combine two series with fan favorite characters, but Stephanie already had 2 men chasing after her (or is she chasing them), as well as her mother's blind date fix-ups... now she's got a vibe from Diesel, but can't tell if he's real or a ghost. He's saved her from some jams, but she can never find him; he just appears. So what gives? It's fun drama, cute romance and a good time.

I enjoy them, but they're a quick / less than 2 hour read, and often the mystery isn't very big or complex. It's sort of romance mystery where it's a "day in the life of Stephanie" and her associated capers. Worth reading to see the chemistry between the two, as well as to decide if you want to pickup another of the author's series. I didn't, but only because I am trying to read different authors... I'm sure it's a fun series tho.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,646 followers
May 17, 2016
More fun than a barrel of monkeys!!
No, really, there were a hella lot of monkeys in this book.

No, Mr. Monkey, I'm serious. You would love it!

As is always the case in these half-books of the series, Diesel shows up in Stephanie's apartment. And, somehow whenever Diesel is around Morelli is only available by phone.

"How's it going?" Morelli wanted to know.

"It's average. Stole a truck. Blew up a house. Brought seven monkeys home with me. And now I have a naked man in my shower."

"Yeah, same ol', same ol'," Morelli said.


Morelli's pretty jaded at this point. And, I actually think Ranger might consider her more of a comic relief person than a girl he's attracted to.

Ranger got out of the SUV, walked over to me, and looked in the Jeep.

"Babe," he said.

I blew out a sigh. I had five monkeys in the Jeep and two sitting on the roof....


I understand both of these guys. Stephanie Plum novels can never get crazy enough to surprise me anymore, and yet I always end up laughing.

Profile Image for Tammy.
126 reviews
January 16, 2009
I'm a BIG fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

Not a big fan of the between-the-numbers/holiday novels.

But what can I honestly say about Plum Spooky?

BEST. BETWEEN-THE-NUMBERS. EVER.

If you are not familiar with the series, Stephanie Plum works as a bounty hunter in Trenton, New Jersey, for her sleazy cousin Vinnie. In this installment in the series, Stephanie is on the hunt for Martin Munch, boy genius, for failure to appear in court. Uber bounty hunter, Diesel, pops back into Stephanie's life (like birthday cake!) as he in on the hunt for Wulf Grimoire (who just so happens to be working with Munch in his quest for world domination).

Lots of monkey business going on in this one because Carl the Monkey returns. Carl and his entourage of helmet wearing monkies practically dominate Stephanie's life while they wreak havoc on the Pine Barrens.

Lula and Tank are fighting - over pregnant cats, over allergies, over the wedding, you name it.

Throw in the Jersey Devil, Sasquatch and the Easter Bunny and you've got one heck of a funny story!

My favorite part of this book: When Stephanie was kidnapped by Wulf to be used as Munch's sex slave. I about keeled over laughing when she kicked Munch in the munchkins.

Oh! And yes, JJ was right, Ranger finally did smile. =) More than once actually.

My least favorite part: Morelli. Joe Morelli gets stuck taking care of his cheating, no-good brother Anthony and working on a gang-related case. This is what I least like about the between-the-number novels. Diesel shows up to steal the show, and we see very little of Ranger or Morelli.

I think I am having Cupcake withdrawals!







Profile Image for Krystal.
217 reviews
January 7, 2009
the between the numbers books are never as good as the real deal. And Evanovich is losing her grip on her characters I think. I did laugh out loud in some spots, so that was nice. Though her comedy is less satisfying, simply because she uses it all the time and it seems forced anymore.
Diesel seems to be the supernatural answer to Ranger in these books, in this one in particular, their parts are really interchangeable. The whole Sasquatch, Jersey Devil and Easter bunny (not to mention the flame farter) were such a flippin stretch. I don't know, it's just gotten a bit old.

The one good thing I found from Fearless 14, which was the possibility of at least one relationship of these series getting resolved (Lula and Tanks), is now not going to happen. Irritating and frustrating to realise that Evanovich is just going to keep these characters going with no end in sight. While I've loved the stories, and was glad that they continued, I think there's a time to tie up lose ends while the stories are still good. Tank moving to an old lady house for the sake of 3 cats? seriously?
I read an interview Evanovich did a couple years ago, saying that her fans would kill her if she ever stopped writing about Stephanie, or had Stephanie finally choose once and for all, Morelli, or Ranger?
I don't think she's correct in that assumption. I feel disappointment that this once great series will never be allowed to grow, change, age...anything. It's aggravating to realize that Janet will continue to write this series into the ground because of some idea that her fans wouldn't like her to allow growth, answers etc.
Forgive my rant, it's just been a love of affair of years that has disappointed in the end. I have grown and changed, and the characters never will. Maybe the problem is me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
3,254 reviews1 follower
May 22, 2021
This is a Cozy Mystery/Humor/Chick-Lit, and this the 14.5 book in the Stephanie Plum series. This book was weird and funny, but I loved it so much. The characters in this book was so much fun, and this was a fun and funny read. Stephanie was a great character. I love the writing style in this book. I did not know this was book 14.5 when I brought it, so I guess you do not need to read the other books to understand the book. I cannot wait to read the other books by Janet Evanovich. (*)
Profile Image for Cyndi.
2,443 reviews116 followers
May 27, 2018
Love these books! Easter bunny, Sasquatch, New Jersey devil, and more. The Fire Farter was truly imaginative. Next we're off to Salem for wicked stuff.


Read again June 2016. Still love it!

Ok, I've decided this book must be added to my yearly Halloween fair along with "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," and "Hocus Pocus."

Reread May 2018

So much fun! Lula falling in the bog was one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever read! Add to that Carl the monkey and Tank with cats. 🤣💕
Profile Image for Erth.
4,456 reviews
October 19, 2021
Janet Evanovich never fails to disappoint in her books about Stephanie Plum and this is no exception. More mishaps, more thrills and still more surreal violence with Stephanie doing her usual getting into scrapes but still refusing to use a gun. And now she has Carl, the monkey, to look after and he also gets caught up in the action. A thoroughly good read and suitable, I think, for a wide variety of ages who want a good laugh as well as suspense!
Profile Image for Erin.
62 reviews
January 7, 2009
While this is a pretty decent story I think she is really pushing the "out there" qualities of the characters. I could totally go with Stephanie, Lula and Grandma, but monkeys, global weather control and characters with powers are too much.
1 review
January 7, 2009
Another disappointing book!
I used to love the Plum books, don't know what happened to JE.
Profile Image for Bianca.
1,280 reviews1,118 followers
April 4, 2020
This has been the first book in the Stephanie Plum series that I read. It wasn't as funny as I was led to believe, but it was an easy read. There were quite a few unbelievable situations, including monkeys, hot men with extraordinary powers, such as disappearing, turning on the engine of a car with a finger and other such unbelievable traits.
Also, it's kind of amazing that Ms Plum is not much plumber given that she lives on a junk food diet.
I've got another book in the series, I'll probably read it. Here's hoping it's going to be funnier, sexier and/or more interesting.
Profile Image for Regina.
1,139 reviews4,415 followers
October 27, 2020
Try as I might to get into this beloved series, I guess (Stephanie) plum is just not my jam.
Profile Image for Julie (jjmachshev).
1,069 reviews292 followers
January 7, 2009
Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie. "Plum Spooky" is Janet Evanovich's latest hilarious trek through the life of confused, inept, and somehow lucky despite all that, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. This is the longest 'between the numbers' novel yet at 309 hardcover pages. Diesel is back, as are Ranger and Morelli, along with Lula, more monkeys that I could count, and a host of other interesting characters!

Stephanie is after what should be a fairly easy recovery. Munch is a 24-year-old kid-sized genius with no friends or social skills who beaned his boss with a coffee mug and ran off with a prototype invention he'd been working on. Of course, once Stephanie goes after anybody, it's never easy and Munch has apparently managed to hook up with a seriously dangerous dude. His name is Gerwulf Grimoire, or Wulf for short, and he's also Diesel's cousin! So now Stephanie has to deal with Diesel while trying to track Munch. Morelli has become the unwilling host to his lothario brother when he's kicked out of his home by his fed up wife. Add in a reappearance by Carl the monkey who has been foisted upon Stephanie while his owner is on her honeymoon, and all this adds up to another wild and wacky adventure.

No sex. Thus the four stars. But for sheer entertainment and hilarity value, Stephanie's quandries are hard to top. There's injuries via staple guns, rioting monkeys, Lula's wedding antics, an actual grin from Ranger!, assorted dead bodies, and too many failed retrievals to count. Plum fans will certainly be thrilled with Evanovich's latest.
Profile Image for Kristin.
103 reviews
February 4, 2009
These Stephanie Plum books were SO funny when they first came out, but have become SO repetitive and boring...I honestly think the author writes them during her lunch hour in one sitting...hard to believe it's #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List!!!
Profile Image for Mlpmom (Book Reviewer).
3,174 reviews405 followers
April 9, 2017
This might very well be my favorite in between the numbers book yet! More Carl, I so wasn't expecting that! So darn funny. Full review to come.
Profile Image for Christopher Febles.
Author 1 book155 followers
November 3, 2024
My first between-the-numbers novel! I was curious about these out-of-sequence dealies, but it satisfies just the same. It’s my old pal Steph, but with a few great twists.



My favorite chums are there: Lula, Morelli, Ranger, Grandma Mazur, and just a little Vinnie. But then there’s Diesel: mysterious, snarky, dangerous. And entitled, and kind of a slob, but Steph’s…intrigued by him. He brings a set of skills and an air of espionage that’s refreshing and fun. Though in my book, he’s a distant third to Ranger and Morelli.

He also brings Wulf, his creepy nemesis…and cousin! In Dirty Thirty he seemed eccentric and innocuous (but this, of course, comes much later than this; I read them out of sequence). Not so here. He strikes me as a master criminal bordering on serial killer, much like some of the wackos that kidnap Steph in the 90s and 00s books. In general, what he and Diesel bring is something of an international, professional, and intricate feel. We go beyond Trenton and dabble in some spy-like stuff. Can’t say I prefer that to Trenton-based material, but it’s a nice change of pace.

The setting is a weird, wild, woolly place called the Pine Barrens. Think of the bottom of Jersey: the least populated, the least well-known. It’s about as close to the wilderness as you’ll get in the Garden State, and none of the parkways go there (though I’ll bet there’s a tollbooth somewhere, amiright?). Evanovich makes it spooky, all right: scary trees and brush, not a bar of cell phone service, specters and wild animals, and of course, crazy characters. There’s a guy in a bunny suit, a “fire farter” (just as you’d imagine), the “Jersey Devil,” and a hippie lady who houses monkeys. (That last character made me think of Laurie Zaleski, who wrote the book Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life With 600 Rescue Animals, a narrative about her non-profit animal rescue haven here.)



Great plot, as usual. Steph works unwillingly with Diesel, who gains the Ranger-like instinct to watch over her. She’s creeping into competence here, but she still ends up with tomato in her hair. Not sure it has the Halloween theme I thought it would, but still good and spooky.

And of course, another wonderful audiobook read from the voice of Stephanie Plum, Lorelei King!

Look for the newest Stephanie Plum novel, Now or Never: Thirty-One on the Run, on 11/19!
Profile Image for Kimmylongtime.
1,271 reviews123 followers
January 9, 2022
I couldn’t sleep last night so I went and opened this book. This was amazing 🥲 as always. There is just something about a Stephanie Plum book 📖 that makes you giggle.

The gang is up to their regular antics except for this spooky 👻 in between book we’ve got Carl and Diesel. Two of my personal favorite tertiary characters who are mostly feature in the Lizzy and Diesel series. But they’ve came to mess up Stephanie’s world for a few days.

They are looking for Wolf 🐺 because he’s on the loose breaking necks. As serious and a man going out killing would be terrifying in any other story some how this is still goofy and carefree and I am here for it .

I’m happy I have these books to reopen when ever I’m having a rough night. But I’m sad because the Lizzy and Diesel series was left on a major cliffhanger and I loved it 😔!! But all in all this group will always make me smile 😊!!

Happy reading everyone 😘🥰😍😘!!!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
935 reviews19 followers
March 31, 2009
Ohhhhhh that was a good book. You know it's good when you get to the end and you slow down to make it last and then when you see the last words you feel sad because you know it's going to be awhile before you get to read what happens with the characters you are so fond of.

I have to agree with so many other reviewers that this was one of the best between the numbers books in the Stephanie Plum series. It was absurd and yet you didn't roll your eyes. (I could actually picture the monkeys with the helmets running around in the woods!) I think this one struck just the right chord with a whole lot of silly but with enough plot to back it up. Yeah. It was gooooood stuff.
70 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2009
I normally love Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum books. I get so excited about her writing that I mark my calendar so I know about pending releases.

Which is why I was so bummed about this novel. I guess I should be grateful... "Between the Numbers" novels are usually pretty short and this one clocked in at over 300 pages. But I struggled through the entire book. Did we really need all the technical mumbo jumbo about weather control? Normally the wackiness is fun. This time it just felt forced. BTW, a monkey that flips people off might be funny the first time... by the 30th time it's really grating.

I hope this was written by a ghost writer. Very disappointing.
Profile Image for Darla.
4,649 reviews1,160 followers
May 12, 2017
This was action-packed and had more substance than the other between the numbers novels. It was a hoot to have Carl the Monkey come back and star with some other nameless monkeys. Diesel is starting to bore me, though. Have a feeling he won't be back anytime soon. Lulu is going strong. Her adventures with Stephanie are some of my favorite passages. I've said it before: they remind me of Lucy and Ethel.
6,721 reviews5 followers
February 4, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening. 🎶🎵

This kindle e-book novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book 4 of 4.

This kindle e-book novella is part of two Stephanie Plum series.

Diesel shows up again in Stephanie Plums apartment. He is on another mission. This one will take Diesel, Stephanie, Lulu, and others from Trenton to the barrons and back. This book is full of action, misdirection, and violence as it races to the end.

Great series I would recommend to readers of romantic family and friends relationship adventure mystery novels. 2024 👒😎🐵😋🏠
Profile Image for Laurie  (barksbooks).
1,927 reviews787 followers
May 22, 2012
On the search for a geeky dude named “Munch” and in over her head as always, bail bonds woman Stephanie Plum gets into all sorts of jams when she enters the scary redneck territory known as “The Pines”. The usual sexy men in Stephanie’s life make appearances as well as a Mario Bros. loving monkey, his slew of new monkey pals and, of course, Lula with her usual her zany awesomeness. I think I missed a few Plum books along the way because I had to do a double take (make that a rewind) when Diesel, a fellow bounty hunter (who is drop dead gorgeous, wouldn’t you know?), drops in and makes himself all cozy in Stephanie’s bed. Wait! What? How did I miss this? And he has some superhuman powers?! Rounding out the bunch is a guy whose farts set his ass aflame. Only in Plumlandia . . .

This book was so much fun. Even though deranged Munch desperately wants to use Stephanie as his own personal sex toy things never get too dark. I don’t know if I could stomach a steady diet of these Plum books but I do so enjoy reading them every now and then to cleanse my brain of the dreariness I usually subject it to.
Profile Image for Sarah.
600 reviews16 followers
January 16, 2009
Ah yes, its Stephanie Plum, one of the most inept bounty hunters ever, again bumbling her way through a catch that proves to be much larger and more complicated then it should be.

Reading the Plum books have always been sort of like enjoying a catchy pop song - you enjoy it for a bit, but once you move onto to something else, you don't think about it much.

Sadly, the Plum books are starting to move towards the other problem with pop songs - after a while, they all sound alike, and become indistinguishable from one another.
Profile Image for Becca.
98 reviews3 followers
February 3, 2009
Ehn...I don't really care for the books in the "Between the Numbers" series. Evanovich should leave the supernatural world alone, she does just fine with Stephanie and her crew in New Jersey.
Profile Image for Karin.
1,792 reviews30 followers
October 13, 2019
Monkeys, murder, magic and mayhem are all part of this leg of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum's career. It's not enough that she is constantly drooling over three men, in this one there is a third, Diesel, and yes, he's one of two men with magic--the other is a nefarious villain called Wulf. Among other things Diesel can start cars with his finger, and I'm talking about cars that require keys in order to start the engine.

Stephanie is on the hunt for two men who have skipped bail and--if you've read this series before be sure to be shocked--neither is cooperative. Okay, you're not shocked, but that's part of the fun, isn't it? She ends up with both a monkey and Diesel staying in her apartment. The monkey's name is Carl, he'll only do his business on a toilet and is quick with the middle finger salute. I know, I know, you're wondering where a little summary or actual synopsis or some kind of plot lure is coming, but it's not--there is enough of that in the blurb.
Profile Image for Donna Davis.
1,921 reviews300 followers
October 1, 2022
2.5 rounded up. I decided to listen to the audio version of this book because I like the Plum series, and because Halloween approaches. First of all, this book was the farthest possible thing from "spooky." Diesel is a bland character. The formula seems to be problem+1 or 2 completely wacky side characters that will probably never be seen again after this book+explosions+resolution, often involving sex. A lot of the time, this formula works pretty well. But here, everything was so transparent and for the most part, dull. The wacky side characters--Carl the monkey (an actual monkey,) and the fire-farter were kind of a mixed bag. There were moments when I kind of liked Carl, but the fire farter--really? We're reduced to fart jokes now? The few resonant scenes are the ones containing Stephanie and Lula, and nobody else.
Glad I didn't pay money for this thing, thanks to Seattle Bibliocommons.
39 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2009
I really love the Plum series, however this book was a big disappointment. I just did NOT enjoy monkeys as a main character line. And - even in a supernatural book - to give the monkey such a personality and communication skill was too much.
Plus, the characters seemed off to me. WTH was Tank doing getting all googly-eyed over kittens? That ruined his strong character for me. And although my main man Ranger did have a decent role in this (considering it was a Diesel book), I didn't get the feel of electricity between the two.
I'm looking forward to book 15 in hopes that it goes back to the series the way it used to be awesome. Hopefully #14 and Spooky were just duds and things will pick up again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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