Janet Evanovich is the hottest author in America, and her Stephanie Plum novels have taken the nation by storm!
#1 New York Times
#1 Wall Street Journal
#1 Los Angeles Times
#1 Entertainment Weekly
#1 Publishers Weekly
She's accidentally destroyed a dozen cars. She's a target for every psycho and miscreant this side of the Jersey Turnpike. Her mother's convinced she'll end up dead . . . or worse, without a man. She's Stephanie Plum, and she kicks butt for a living (well, she thinks it sounds good to put it that way. . . .).
It begins as an innocent trip to the deli-mart, on a quest for nachos. But Stephanie Plum and her partner, Lula, are clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time. A robbery leads to an explosion, which leads to the destruction of yet another car. It would be just another day in the life of Stephanie Plum, except that she becomes the target of a gang---and of an even scarier, more dangerous force that comes to Trenton. With super bounty hunter Ranger acting more mysteriously than ever (and the tension with vice cop Joe Morelli getting hotter), she finds herself with a decision to make: how to protect herself and where to hide while on the hunt for a killer known as the Junkman. There's only one safe place, and it has Ranger's name all over it---if she can find it. And if the Junkman doesn't find her first. With Lula riding shotgun and Grandma Mazur on the loose, Stephanie Plum is racing against the clock in her most suspenseful novel yet. Ten Big Ones is page-turning entertainment, and Janet Evanovich is the best there is.
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22 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 Ten Big OnesJul 20, 2004
By S. Berman
"Sylvia"
This series has been consistently good. Some books are better than others. "Ten Big Ones" is not particularly inspired - but then "To The Nines" is a hard act to follow. The thing that is bothering me is that although Stephanie and Joe are growing characters - the rest of the cast is not. Ranger remains a one dimensional being. He is unable to share any part of himself. Janet continually creates opportunities for him to develop his relationship with Stephanie - and Stephanie is open to it but he is never able to be human. Lula is becoming cartoon character. I resent this very much. She began to grow when she stopped being a prostitute. She got a real job. Now, all she is - is bored - and I'm getting bored with her. She can be funny and outrageous and still become a person! Stephanie's mother is stiffled. When is she going to break-out of the rut? I want to see these people go somewhere. Not just Stephanie and Joe - but the whole cast. However, I like the way Joe and Stephanie are growing. As a couple, they are comfortable and Stephanie has time to continue finding herself. Joe is becoming a man, a partner. I agree with the other reviewers that the story line is becoming predictable. I think Janet needs to talk with people other than her fans and get some objective feedback. I will continue to read this series because I am fond of the characters but I hope that Janet will consider that there needs to be some substance within the slapstick.
13 of 14 found the following review helpful:
 Great ab workoutMar 18, 2005
By Gwyn A. Lyell III
"tpole"
I must say I don't agree with some of my fellow reviewers, I loved this. I get the Plum books on CD from my local library, sorry Amazon but, I do give you guys plenty of money already.
Back to Ten Big Ones. I may have to stop listening to these, I'm afraid of totaling my car because I'm laughing so hard, and this one had me going. True, there wasn't the usual high sexual tension between Stepahanie, Joe and "her mystery man" Ranger. But, it was more than made up for by a new character, Sally Sweet. You'll have to read or, listen, to learn more about Sally and his antics.
The ending is one in to die for, laughing that is.
13 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Ok, but definitely not her bestJun 24, 2004
I really like the Plum Books, especially the earlier ones, but I think it's time for the series to evolve a little (or at least bring the books back to the standard of the earlier ones, especially 1-5). The writing devices that make this series such a fun and satisfying read are overwraught in this one. Stephanie's independence comes across more like childish petulance, Joe and Ranger (as one reviewer stated) are terribly flat (What's up with Ranger punctuating every other sentence with "Babe?"), and the plot had the potential to be interesting but felt empty and underdeveloped. Even Grandma and Lula lacked their usual punch. Eveyone read like a caricature of themselves, even for what's considered a light read like this. Grandma gets sloshed at dinner, Mom Plum keeps makes the sign of the cross every time Stephanie leaves, and Lula's still a big woman and proud of it. Yes, all funny, but really been there, done that. There's so much more potential to mine with these characters that the author is selling them and herself short if she can't come up with new angles to make them interesting. I was especially disappointed by Stephanie's character in this one. She started out the series as a smart, self-possessed, funny, adventuresome heroine and seems to have regressed to acting like a hormonal teenager (Can she stop whining about her family so much internally and speak up a bit more? Can she squeak less around Ranger? And even if she has decided to not settle down with Joe yet, can she act like an adult about it and not stomp out with a laundry basket full of clothes?) I like fun, but there's a difference between fun and the ridiculous and Ten Big Ones really leaned toward the latter. Evanovich seems to be treading on the goodwill of her readers with this one. Perhaps it's an indication that it's time to wrap up the series in the next few books and go out while it's still on top. I'm only giving it 3 stars based on the fact that she has created some great characters and funny plots with this series overall and it was nice to revisit the world of the Burg. Hopefully she'll get back on track with the next one.
15 of 17 found the following review helpful:
 It's the characters, Ms. Evanovich!Jun 25, 2004
The plot is fun, as always. Stephanie's car is blown up, Lula shoots things she shouldn't, Valerie decides to marry her Kloughn, and a gang contract is put out on Stephanie's life. The humor is there, too, if a bit strained from time to time. Sally Sweet is back and trying very hard to stop swearing all the time: this makes for some fine Evanovich moments. But the plot is also strained and calls on racist stereotypes to depict its bad guys -- this was troublesome. Also, the characters are no longer entirely themselves. Lula veers between Evanovich's version of "ghetto talk" and sounding entirely unlike herself. Stephanie is, as another reader put it, entirely too petulant. It's a little hard to believe she would be obsessing about Ranger's underwear when she knows she is next on a contract killer's list. Morelli tells Stephanie she should think about being a housewife. That doesn't seem like the edgy Morelli we all know and love. And Ranger? He seems to have lost his fun -- he was always a flat charcter who said "Babe" a lot and pulled Stephanie's pony tail more often than I cared for -- but he now exists only to react to Stephanie. Another reviewer suggested that someone else has written parts of the book and I think this reviewer is on to something. There is a visible inconsistency in writing style within different parts of the book. Perhaps this would also explain the characters' devolution. It might also explain why plot elements from the past books are ignored. Wasn't Ranger supposed to be trying to get Stephanie back for sending the annoying matron after him in book ten? The verb "angled" is used frequently -- another sign of sloppy, rushed writing. Snappy writing has been Evanovich's trademark. I mourn its loss in this book. Oddly, the book focuses quite a bit on weight. Many charcters are defined in terms of their relationships to food. Stephanie becomes "fat" and begins a crash diet. Lula eats too much. Valerie is losing some weight but is still big. And so forth.. I wondered what was going on with this! I would hope that Ms. Evanovich would take longer than a year for the next one so that she can work out the plot more fully and give her wonderful characters the time to round out. Stephanie needs to make some choices which may change the series quite a bit -- but ultimately make it more satisfying. Buying recommendation: wait for the paperback or check out from the library. You aren't missing anything!
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Too Cute!Oct 28, 2004
By D. Franklin
I generally enjoy Evanovich's books. This one tries too hard to be too cute, too humorous and too entertaining. Lula and Grandma characters add to a book if used in small doses-tiresome when used in big doses as in this book.
Sorry, I don't recommend "Ten Big Ones."
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