Stephanie Plum novels are good summer reads. They grab you instantaneously and bring you back to a familiar world in which high hair, exploding cars, inappropriate grandmas and memorable characters are the norm. In this installment, bounty hunter Stephanie is searching for her missing Uncle Fred, and uncovers a huge money laundering scheme in the process, almost getting herself killed. In the continuing gimmick of her bad luck with vehicles, she loses a Porsche (explosion) and BMW (stolen). Both were given to her by Ranger, her bounty hunting colleague, who in this book finally shows some interest in her. She’s still in a relationship with cop Joe Morelli, but keeping her distance. Luckily, Morelli is always around the corner waiting to save the day when she needs it most.

In this book we are introduced to a little person who takes up residence in Stephanie’s apartment after an attempt to bring him in to court goes awry. Grandma Mazur is, of course, in fine form, this time finding a stun gun in Steph’s purse and managing to zap Mr. Plum before anyone has a chance to get it away from her. As in past books, they cruise by several funerals and Grandma gets in a bit of trouble. And, as in past books, Stephanie really needs to get a better security system in her apartment, as pretty much anyone who wants to break in, does.

To me, the mystery was secondary in this one. I cared less about Uncle Fred and the money laundering than I did about the love triangle between Ranger, Stephanie and Morelli. Who is she going to choose? Even at the end, we’re not sure. She chose someone, but … who?

If you’ve been following this series and have made it to book five, then I think you’re in for the long haul. I have book six that I have already borrowed from a co-worker, and I’m sure it will make great beach read material for me this summer.