“Twelve Sharp” by Janet Evanovich

“Twelve Sharp” by Janet Evanovich is another gripping novel with Stephanie Plum doing her bounty hunter thing. This story is about the kidnapping of Ranger’s daughter. Ranger is the mysterious bounty hunter who competes with Joe Morelli, a Trenton cop, for Stephanie’s affections. She loves them both.

Running along underneath the story is the stuff of everyday life for Stephanie. It’s just like our lives. That’s what I love about how Janet Evanovich writes. It’s real and yet, it’s a story. Anyway, Grandma Mauzer begins playing with a band wearing really skimpy leather outfits and scandalizing Stephanie’s mother. Lulu, Stepahnie’s fellow bounty hunter and a former prostitute brings her own down to earth views of reality to each situation she’s involved with.

Donuts play a very large role in achieving a good mood for chasing bad guys.

This is what happens when I read a Stephanie Plum novel: I hate when they are over. It’s like eating chocolate. That last piece of chocolate is a wistful mouthful because you don’t want it to end. I guarantee that you will be laughing throughout the reading of this book and I’m wondering if I’ve read the entire series and I’m hoping I haven’t because I just can’t get enough. And, if it happens that I have to start reading them over again, hey, that’s okay too.

“Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade” by Diana Gabaldon

“Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade” by Diana Gabaldon
2007, Bantam Dell
ISBN: 978-0-385-33749-6

“Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade” by Diana Gabaldon can be read as a stand-alone story or as a corollary to the Outlander books she has written. I feel my reading was enriched by already having read, several times, those other books.

I enjoyed reading this book. Diana lent a deeper richness to the character of Lord John than I’d had from the other books. This is the story behind the story. Here I was able to see more of Lord John the person. Not so much of James Fraser or of his time traveling wife Claire. These are John’s stories and I’m glad to see them.

It happens when you write that what is put upon paper and becomes, “The Book” is but the tip of the iceberg of material that was actually written, whether it ended up on paper or is still rattling around in your head. It was terribly interesting to me to imagine how a writer might draw upon that material and create a book out of it. Or, perhaps it happened that Lord John just demanded his part be written. Sometimes characters do that too. I wonder if it was a combination?

Taken from the mid 1700’s Lord John and his family have lived with the disgrace of the suicide of his father. But, it was not suicide and through this book there is the quest of proving it otherwise.

If you enjoy things Diana Gabaldon you might look her up on the Compuserve Books & Writers Forum. She is quite active there.

“Absolutely, Positively” by Jayne Ann Krentz

“Absolutely, Positively ” by Jayne Ann Krentz

Pocket Books, 1996

ISBN: 0-671-77873-0

“Absolutely, Positively ” by Jayne Ann Krentz is a delicious romance mystery.

The lead characters Molly Abberwick and Harry Trevelyan come together to create a wonderful love story. Molly comes from a family of inventors. She is familiar with how the creative process works and has an insight into people that is necessary to this story.

The famous Second Sight comes to Harry through his father’s line and he does everything he can to deny it. Molly, though, is able to recognize what is going on and in this story the two of them come together on the paranormal plane in a very satisfying way.

Also, somebody is threatening Molly and Harry, though already her consultant in vetting applicants for grants from her father’s foundation takes it upon himself to protect and to solve the mystery.

You’re going to enjoy this. There are words here that ring back and forth to draw the Victorian and the Futuristic work Jayne Ann Krentz does into this contemporary story. Names of the characters, the quirkiness they display, and the talent most of all. Hey, it runs in the family. What can I say.

A post note to this review. Flash forward. It is September, 2009 and I have reached for "Absolutely Positively" from my bookshelf. I was in need of a good book to read. It didn't matter that I had already read it before. It was as much a delight this time as the last time I read it. Truly one of those books to keep on your shelf.