Hard Eight

Stephanie Plum #8

by Janet Evanovich

In Hard Eight, Stephanie Plum picks up a case a little nastier than anything the wisecracking bounty hunter's seen before. Evelyn Soder and her young daughter have gone on the run, leaving an angry ex-husband who's planning to collect on a child custody bond that will leave Evelyn's grandmother homeless. Stephanie's first clue that there's more to it than that comes in the form of Eddie Abruzzi: a shady local businessman who warns her to butt out of the case. Stephanie doesn't scare easily, but when Abruzzi's henchmen leave a bag of snakes on her doorknob and tarantulas in her car, she has no choice but to call Ranger, the hunky man of mystery to whom she already owes too many favours. Steph knows that Ranger will soon be calling in his debts, but with her ex-fiancé Joe Morelli out of the picture, that should be OK--shouldn't it?

In the meantime, she's got other fugitives to catch, aided by the usual band of misfits, plus a bumbling correspondence-school lawyer who's developed the hots for Stephanie's sister, Valerie. And Steph's in for a surprise from her mother, who proves she's not above wielding a dangerous weapon to save her daughter's life. Author Janet Evanovich has made a bold move in using a soupçon of child jeopardy to pull this series out of the comfortable but formulaic pattern it was threatening to fall into. It's still funny, and yes, some cars are destroyed, but now there's a real edge of darkness under the humour. Fans needn't fear, though: Jersey girl Stephanie is still full of sass and Tastykakes. --Barrie Trinkle, Amazon.com

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Humor, Chick Lit, Romance, Crime, Mystery Thriller

339 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2002

About the author

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.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review
4 out of 5 stars to Hard Eight, the 8th book in the "Stephanie Plum" cozy mystery series, written in 2002 by Janet Evanovich. OK... so I cannot figure out for the life of me how Ms. Evanovich comes up with the hilarity in these characters. It's absolutely amazing to see the varying degrees of lunatics Stephanie has to deal with. In this book, it's less about one particular mystery, although there is a driving case she is working on. There are about 10 skips (bail jumpers) she's trying to chase, all the while solve little crimes and issues throughout the lives of her friends, family, and the people she's trying to capture whom she takes a liking to. She's in the wrong profession, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It gives me a regular dose of humor to enjoy. The main story, about a kidnapped child, though not funny, is handled quite well. You never know who to root for in these books. Sometimes I wanna see Stephanie put in these bad situations... I mean who wouldn't want to watch Lula trying to take control and become her own bail bonds woman.

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.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, after seven books, Stephanie has fornicated with Batman, aka, Ranger. Major kudos go to Janet Evanovich for making my stomach flip without a whole lot of information. I've never even seen this Ranger, or Joe Morelli for that matter, and yet all I have to do is read a line and somehow they can send heat straight to my doodah, Jesus. I have no doubt that men everywhere would give their right arm for such a skill. The plots remain rather over the top, but I have come to find the ridiculousness endearing. And finally, my fear of geese has been validated. I have long since suspected that they were in fact the spawn of satan and my suspicions have been confirmed. Thank you Janet!

As per usual, hi-lights include:
1. Stephanie's mother kills a rabbit
2. Andy Bender alludes capture, and heists Stephanie's car.
3. Fornication with Batman
4. When geese attack, how Stephanie discovered the power of the Cracker Jack

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a little bit of a let-down after the previous books. I mean, yeah, there were plenty of cars getting blown-up and a killer in a rabbit suit chasing her, but there was also a kind of sad undertone because of the break-up. I don't want sad and serious in these books! I read them to get away from sad and serious stuff. I'm a sad & serious avoider. It's one of my life-goals.



Stephanie is also not really improving as a bounty hunter. She is afraid of her gun, can never get her pepper spray out of her purse in time, and her stun gun is on the fritz. She also loses more handcuffs than a dom with erectile dysfunction. And, just like that dom, she is constantly unable to finish the job. It's kind of pathetic.



The GOOD news in this book is that she finally gets down and dirty with Ranger. It's about freaking time! A guy like that will definitely finish the job - a couple of times.


I want to visit the bat cave!

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of all the Stephanie Plum books, so far, I think this has the scariest villain.

Reread-April 2018. The Plum’s neighbor asks Steph to find her granddaughter. This leads Steph through terrifying encounters with a bunny and a bear. It’s scarier than it sounds. Meanwhile she and Morelli are separated. Enter Ranger. Hubba hubba!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard Eight (Stephanie Plum #8) by Janet Evanovich

Synopsis /

Hard Up
Fugitive Apprehension Agent Stephanie Plum has a big problem on her hands: Seven-year-old Annie Soder and her mother, Evelyn, have disappeared. Evelyn's estranged husband, Steven, a shady owner of a seedy bar, is not at all happy. Finding a kidnapped child is not an assignment for a bounty hunter. But Evelyn's grandmother lives next door to Stephanie's parents, so Stephanie follows the trail left by Annie and Evelyn-and finds a lot more than she bargained for.

Hard Risk
Steven Soder is somehow linked with a very scary Eddie Abruzzi. Trenton cop and on-again, off-again fiancé Joe Morelli and Stephanie's mentor and tormentor, Ranger, warn Stephanie about Abruzzi, but it's Abruzzi's eyes and mannerisms that frighten Stephanie most. Stephanie needs Ranger's savvy and expertise, and she's willing to accept his help to find Annie even though it might mean getting too involved with Ranger. Stephanie, Ranger, Lula (who's not going to miss riding with Ranger), and Evelyn's lawyer/Laundromat manager set out to find Annie. The search turns out to be a race among Stephanie's posse, the True Blue Bonds' agent - a Rangerette known as Jeanne Ellen Burrows, and the Abruzzi crew. Plus, there's a killer rabbit on the loose!

My Thoughts /

🛑 Warning. Stop reading now UNLESS you love reading about hilariously funny characters; hairbrained antics; half-baked decision making and laugh-out-loud moments!

Stephanie Plum is back!

Just in case you haven’t been following along as I read/review this series of novels written by Janet Evanovich – it is centred around the character of Stephanie Plum. ‘Who is Stephanie Plum?’ I hear you ask. Here is a very quick intro: Stephanie Plum was originally working as a lingerie buyer for a local department store until, in the first novel, she was laid off from her job. With no other job prospects, she turned to her cousin Vinnie who offered her a position as a bounty hunter (or “bond enforcement agent”) for his bail bonding business - Vincent Plum Bonding Company.

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I’m in the fugitive apprehension business . . . bond enforcement, to be exact, working for my cousin Vincent Plum. It wouldn’t be such a bad job except the direct result of bond enforcement is usually incarceration – and fugitives tend to not like this. Go figure.

In the previous seven novels, we have been entertained with a variety of crazy hijinks, quirky characters, as well as insights into ‘the Burb’, and the life and loves of one Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum. Things are no different here in the eighth instalment, Hard Eight.

Mabel lives next door to Steph’s parents Helen (Ellen) and Frank. Her daughter (Evelyn) and her seven-year-old granddaughter Annie Soder have gone missing. So Mable turns to the one person she knows who can help find them – bad-ass bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum. Steph can’t say no, not when it’s this close to home. It’s a race against time when a child goes missing.

‘How was your day?’ Grandma asked me, setting a bowl of green beans on the table. ‘Did you shoot anybody? Did you capture any bad guys?’

Steph follows the trail of Evelyn’s shady ex-husband, Steven Soder. Steph uncovers that during their divorce proceedings, Steven and Evelyn signed a child custody bond, and now, Steven is demanding the money guaranteed by the bond to find Annie. The money was secured by a mortgage on Mabel's house, and now, True Blue Bonds Bail Agency wants to take possession. Up until this point, it all seems rather ordinary, but, in true Stephanie Plum style, hold on to your spandex because, during the course of the investigation, she finds a dead body on her couch, is stalked by a killer rabbit and yet another stalker who is dressed in a bear suit; and is in danger of being killed by a powerful crime lord. She gets pizza in her hair when she accidentally rolled on Andy Bender’s lunch. There is a whole list of people (plural) who might want to leave snakes on her doorknob. Have I mentioned cars? Yes, cars (plural) two of them are blown up in this instalment!!

Back are our cast of zany regulars, Lula and Grandma Mazur who join in the case to catch the bad guys. Both Joe and Ranger are by her side to keep her safe or will that just elevate her blood pressure due to all this sexual tension!! It’s not everyone who can work a job where the odds are that they will run across dead bodies, have their cars blown up or be stalked by crazies but Stephanie Plum can and does. And why???

I’m not sure why I’m still working for Vinnie, except that the office is across from a bakery.

Maybe it’s just for the donuts!

[Paul Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series is wobbling a little!

The Plum family's next door neighbour, Mabel Markowitz, needs Stephanie's help. Her grand-daughter, Evelyn Soder, has disappeared with her daughter and Evelyn's husband is threatening to collect on a child custody bond that would leave Mrs Markowitz homeless. The husband is a rather mean dude who lost his bar in a business deal with local nasty Eddie Abruzzi who doesn't hesitate to make overt threats to Stephanie when she begins to investigate Evelyn's disappearance.

The fat, unflappable and still on the tarty side ex-hooker Lula, together with Grandma Mazur and a new addition to the cast - outrageous nerd lawyer Albert Kloughn who fancies himself a man of action and gent about town - are all good for some great slapstick belly laughs! But Stephanie herself, over-sexed and under-satisfied, carrying around lots of personal angst and torn between her affection for cop Morelli and her lust for Ranger, the hot muscled Cuban bounty-hunter extraordinaire, is getting tired. Not only is her self-doubt becoming a drag on the series but she seems to be devolving into a stereotypical weak-kneed female who cries out for Ranger's or Morelli's help at every opportunity!

Setting aside the silliness of having one of the bad guys trail Stephanie around wearing a bunny suit as a disguise, the plot of HARD EIGHT is actually darker and a little more substantive than most of the preceding seven titles in the series. So if we've got a better plot with a little weaker main character, I suppose that leaves us with a series that still has plenty of legs. But the legs are getting a little wobbly and only reading TO THE NINES, the next title in the series will reveal whether Evanovich can pull a rabbit out of the hat and rejuvenate the flash and magic that was so charming in the earlier novels.

Recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps I'm rating this too high, but Janet Evanovich entertains me and makes me laugh-repeatedly-when I desperately need it. With too much violence to be a cozy (someone gets sawed in half and duct taped back together) and not enough relationship drama to be a romance, this series hits the spot for me when the time is right.

Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter in Trenton, NJ, and is not great at her job, but she is persistent and sometimes brave to the point of stupidity (points to Evanovich for keeping me engaged when I would have given up on most characters.) In this outing, she's asked by her parents' neighbor to find her missing granddaughter and ends up tangling with a notorious Trenton gangster. Along the way, she loses four pairs of handcuffs and several cars, leading her insurance company to drop her (what took them so long?) She also finally seems to figure out she shouldn't go into these dangerous situations on the reg without being armed, especially when her jeans are so tight she can't reach her pepper spray and her stun gun doesn't work half the time.

And for those who are invested, which is pretty much everyone who reads this series, Stephanie hooks up with both Morelli and Ranger in this book. Separately, because this isn't Y Tu Mama Tambien.

As always, the star attraction is Evanovich's humor:

Ranger grinned down at me. "You have cuffs, right?"

Ulk. "Actually, no. I'm currently cuffless."

"How are you going to catch the bad guys if you haven't got cuffs?"

"It's a problem."

"I have cuffs," Ranger said, touching his knee to mine.

My hearts was up to about two hundred beats per minute. I wasn't exactly a handcuff-me-to-the-bed kind of person. I was more a turn-out-all-the-lights-and-hope-for-the-best kind of person.

********************

I looked more closely. She was right. Albert Kloughn was in the dryer. He was all scrunched up with his ass to the round porthole glass door, looking like Pooh stuck in the rabbit hole.

"Is he alive?" I asked.

"Yes! Of course he's alive." Valerie crept closer and knocked on the door. "At least, I think he's alive."

"What's he doing in there?"

"The lady in the blue sweater thought she lost her wedding ring in the dryer....."

"Jeez, why didn't you call the fire department or the police?"

There was movement in the drum and a lot of muffled noise coming from Kloughn. The noise sounded like no, no, no.

"I think he's embarrassed," Valerie said. "I mean, how would it look? Suppose somebody took a picture, and it got in the paper? No one would ever hire him, and I'd be out of a job."

"No one hires him now," I said.

********************

"You better get that guy," Vinnie yelled at me. "I'm not going to be happy if I'm out Bender's bond."

"I think there's something going on with Bender," Lula said. "He's one of them lucky drunks. It's like he's got a direct line to God. God protects the weak and the helpless, you know."

"God isn't protecting Bender," Vinnie yelled. "Bender is still out there because I have a couple of useless boobs on my payroll."

"Okay, fine," I said. "We'll go get Bender."

"We?" Lula asked.

"Yeah, you and me."

"Been there, done that," Lula said. "I'm telling you, he's under God's protection. And I'm not sticking my nose into God's business."

"I'll buy you lunch."

"I'll get my bag," Lula said.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ranger Stephanie

I love this series and rereading is like experiencing it new again. After reading three so-so romantic-suspense books it’s great to read a book that has it all: romance, mystery, suspense, humor. Just wonderful entertainment. This is also the book that made me Team Ranger. Ranger has a moral code all his own and he doesn’t hesitate to do what needs to be done to protect Stephanie.

This time Stephanie is after a mother, Evelyn, and her child, Annie, and it's a favor for the lady who lives next door to her parents. Evelyn and Annie took off and now Mabel is in danger of losing her house to forfeiture on the child custody bond she secured for her granddaughter. Stephanie is forced to ask for Ranger’s help and she still hasn't paid for the last time.

Somehow a nasty loan shark, Eddie Abruzzi, who hides his dirty money in real estate, is mixed up in the situation as Evelyn's landlord. He's scary and he's stalking Stephanie, leaving some really bad presents for her. Since she and Joe are off-again in their on-again, off-again relationship, Stephanie turns to Ranger for help and protection. Where is that going? Read the book and find out.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie has a slightly different challenge to face in this instalment - she's been asked to track down a missing young girl on behalf of her very worried grandmother. Unfortunately the search puts her in the sights of Eddie Abruzzi, a nasty piece of work who is in business with the child's father. As the danger ratchets up a notch and Morelli continues to keep his distance after their latest fallout it's up to Ranger to come to Stephanie's aid when she needs him the most.

This series is just so much fun to read, I don't care that Stephanie is the world's worst bounty hunter who can't hold onto a pair of handcuffs for more than five minutes and who manages to get her cars blown up on a pretty much daily basis. Let's face it the worse Stephanie is the more excuses she has to call Ranger or Morelli in for help and that's never going to be a bad thing in my eyes!

These stories aren't meant to be taken too seriously but they are fantastic light entertainment. I pick up these books when I want something that is going to put a smile on my face, they never fail to make me laugh out loud and I just love Stephanie and the crazy people she surrounds herself with. Hard Eight sees her love life get even more complicated which makes for brilliant reading. Things are in the off-again position with Morelli but that just allows Ranger to finally make his move and bow chicka wow wow has that been a long time coming (but well worth the wait!). I can't wait to continue my reread of this series and I'm looking forward to finally finding out who she chooses in the long run.

[Benjamin · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this book, bounty-hunter Stephanie gets a couple two-bit FTAs (failure to appear) to get back to court. She fails miserably a couple times and rewards herself with doughnuts. While juggling lusty feelings for both Ranger and Morelli, she gets an unwanted sidekick tagging along. After getting yet another car destroyed, her neighborhood cops show up to laugh at her. She goes to have dinner with her protective mother and smack-talking grandma, while her father rolls his eyes and quietly eats his dinner. Later, Stephanie and Lulu go on a stake-out, miss their quary, and go out for pizza/shopping. Though both Ranger and Morelli try to protect her, she refuses to be cowed (though still shaking in her boots) and makes the final confrontation with the bad guy.

Sound familiar? That is essentially the plot of all of the Stephanie Plum books that I've read so far. Though it was cute at first, it gets old essentially reading the same story over and over again. I used to get the Plum books out as fluff to read on airplane trips. Now, reading it as a break in between other books, this just seems far to shallow with no real growth in the character over time.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a humor/cozy mystery/chick-lit, and this is the 18th book in the Stephanie Plum series. I have listen to this whole series on audiobooks, and the narrator of the audiobooks does a great job on this book. All the books in this series will make you laugh so much, and I will say the way to read these books is by audiobooks. All the characters are so fun and developed. I love this series so much. I love the Ranger character so much. Stephanie Plum always gets into big messes, and she will make you laugh so much. (*)

[Christopher Febles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. They’re all good, but this one has some great last chapters. More to come!
---
Q: Where do you go when you’re in a reading funk?

A: Trenton, NJ. Speficially, “The Burg.”



You’ll see a few reviews back how frustrated I got with a certain audiobook. It’s my own fault, trying to read a sweeping, descriptive novel half-distracted by things less important, like work, or driving. So, I got smart for once and tapped that Libby app on my phone, searching for my old friend: Stephanie Plum. Sure enough, there was the next book in the line, another step toward the impossible goal of catching up with the entire series.

Stephanie (voiced by the great Lorelei King) instantly put me in a better mood, starting last Monday as I drove the FDR at dawn. There’s a little comfort in seeing (or hearing) the same scenes, situations, and characters as always. Yes, Steph is still a bumbling bounty hunter, still keeps Lula at her side, still puzzles over Morelli and blanches at Ranger. She eats a few donuts, loses some FTAs, and wrecks a few cars. I like these books the way I liked Diff’rent Strokes or The Hulk: I knew I’d hear “Whatchu talking about Willis,” or see Lou Ferrigno rage in green paint. Ahh…..

Funny as always, and no one does witty, naughty banter quite like Janet Evanovich. Again she does a great job of concealing the mystery, of making me guess. This one’s a little different than the rest: sure, Steph’s got an abusive skip to find in nasty Andy Bender, but she’s also agreed to help her elderly neighbor find her daughter and granddaughter. Just when she thinks it’s easy, she runs afoul of spooky crime boss, Eddie Abruzzi, who swears to…do something to her if she interferes.

But does she listen? Nah. That’s not the Stephanie way. For her trouble, she gets a bag of snakes on her door, and spiders in her car, but that still doesn’t stop her. The story unfolds as it often does, waiting for the moment she nearly gives up for the action to escalate, but it gets just a tad more intense and violent. Steph confronts bad guys differently than she often does, but Dumb Luck plays a major role as always. Ranger was a little deus ex machina, I thought, bringing things to a very quick ending, but I was still satisfied.

Some new elements: Valerie and Mrs. Plum get involved, adding to my feelings of suspense. I liked Albert Klaughn (pronounced “Clown”) since I feel like I’ve met a few guys like this. Oh, and about 2/3 of the way through, I thought the thing lacked the usual spice. But then Ranger calls in his “debt” from the previous novel and into the beginning of this one. And…ohhhhhh, boy. Wink-wink, say-no-more! Don’t worry: Morelli is still here, still in love with our heroine, and…er, uh – no spoilers!



Take a look at my GR list and you’ll see: I’ve read this series kinda out of order. But once I finish To the Nines, I’ll have bridged the gap: I can say I’ve read 1 through 14. This one seems to push the characters and series along in a good little direction. Not off-course, and it has yet to jump the shark. (Oh, and I visually read a little, more toward the end. Just as good.)

Got a full week of work coming up, and good ol’ Stephanie Plum will be riding shotgun. Which means my car will explode. Just…great.

[Patrick Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some dastardly doer named Eddie Abruzzi finally forces Stephanie Plum to have sex with Ranger. There, I’ve said it. Not really a spoiler. If you have been reading this series, you knew it was going to happen eventually. I have to hand it to Janet Evanovich—she really knows how to build her wispy writing to a satisfying climax. (Even though this particular orgasm took seven novels to achieve.) Part of the foreplay involves a new character with the great last name of Kloughn (pronounced ‘clown’) and as much as I hate to admit it—he made me laugh out loud. Both things I hate: laughing out loud, and admitting I’m reading books geared towards middle aged women and post-pubescent teenage girls. Come on, we all have guilty pleasures . . . Jesus, some people even collect stamps! I mean, really! For movies I like anything with flesh-eating Zombies (as opposed to Cheerios eating Zombies); for musical guilty please it would be Liberace’s Greatest Hits (not really, you have permission to feed me to the nearest flesh eating Zombie if that ever happens); for books it would be the Time Life Series on Do-It-Yourself Brain Surgery and Janet Evanovich (watch out Stephanie Meyers, your in my sights for a book burning party). Once again, the plot is superfluous to the madcap characters. Grandma, Morelli, Lula and Bob the Dog all take bows (or bow-wows in some instances). Maybe my electrolytes have leveled off but I actually think the writing is getting better—at least in this installment. Aw hell, Evanovich probably has a whole studio of writers like on SNL, just cranking them out. That’s okay, they are fun and a harmless diversion—as protected in the Constitution—the Right to Entertainment. (Or is that the Bill of Rights? Or the Declaration of Independence? I get them all mixed up. Oh, well . . . as long as we still have free HBO at the Motels along I-40, all is right with the world.)

[J.C. Hart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I think I am done with Miss Plum. Eight books and she is still terrible at what she does. People are always asking her why she doesn't get a new job, and I have come to the conclusion it's because she has an undisclosed death-wish, why the hell else would you do a job you're bad at where you are constantly putting yourself in danger? She doesn't take it seriously at all. ACK. I'm so annoyed. I've read reviews for books later in the series (17, 18) and it appears nothing changes between now and then, so I am just not going to bother. I might pick up the LAST book in the series to see what happens, but until then, they are all much the same.

Again, eight books and she is still back and forth with Morrelli, I'm really over this 'love' triangle, not only is it annoying, but it's not real. She loves Morelli, she knows she wants to be with him, and she could have him, but again she is stubborn and won't give up the job she doesn't enjoy that much, is crap at and would get her killed if she wasn't constantly getting bailed out by one guy or another (or in this case, her mother and sister!). It's the only thing standing in the way of her having a real relationship with the man she loves, and maybe, actually, finding some happiness.

If there had been any laugh out loud funny bits in the book, I might not feel so annoyed, but it all felt flat for me. I'm disappointed as these have been a go to light weight, fun read until now.

[Tilly Slaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time rolling on the ground with men who think a stiffy represents personal growth. The rolling around has nothing to do with my sex life. The rolling around is what happens when a bust goes crapola and there’s a last ditch effort to hog-tie a big, dumb bad guy possessing a congenitally defective frontal lobe.

Stephanie and Lula make a wonderful team. They met in book one. Stephanie was just beginning her journey as a bounty hunter and Lula was still working the street corners as a ‘ho.

Stephanie will usually deal with fear in her usual manner; doughnuts, fried crispy chicken or frozen cookie dough. This makes Lula the perfect teammate. She can eat the store and still have the smiling energy to go shopping.

In the first book of this series, One for the Money, both Stephanie and Lula suffer an insane amount of fear and physically traumatic and unimaginably paralyzing defeat. Bad guy, Benito, was a sexual sadist. A sociopath with limitless amount of perseverance when it comes to stalking and hunting down the women he chooses to play with.

After book One for the Money, everything has been more or less a giggling ride with Lula and Stephanie. In this book, Hard Eight, memories crash through them, and they are reminded of the terrible things they survived.

“I know who you are, too. You’re one of Benito’s whores. How did it feel to spend time with Benito? Did you enjoy it? Did you feel privileged? Did you learn anything?”

“I don’t feel so good,” Lula said. And she fainted dead away, crashing into Kloughn, taking him down with her.

Bad guy and super asshole, Abruzzi shows his ugly face in Hard Eight. One of the reasons book one really got to me, was reading about what Stephanie and Lula endured. To be utterly brutalized, raped and sliced apart and left for dead, this book really has its moments that I do not enjoy. Unfortunately, sometimes when you want the laughter, you must be reminded of the bad times as well. Perhaps that is what makes you appreciate the funny moments even more.

Stephanie suffers sadistic pranks in this book by a man who has only begun to toy with her. Of course, you have your usual assholes in Evanovich’s books, but this one is a little different. The madness that drives Abruzzi is throat clenching and unbearable.

I turned my head to look, and a spider the size of a dinner plate jumped at me.

“Eeeeyow! Holy shit! HOLY SHIT!” I sideswiped a parked car, took the curb, and came to a stop on a patch of lawn.

From being attacked by killer rabbits, to finding themselves in a babysitting situation, Lula never disappoints.

“Listen to me, you punk-ass loser, you don’t want to call me no Aunt Jemima or I’m gonna give you Aunt Jemima in the face with this fry pan. Only thing stopping me is I don’t want to k-i-l-l you in front of the b-r-a-t-s.”

Dealing with Morelli during an off on-again-off-again relationship, and Ranger’s smooth sexy yumminess, Stephanie is faced with a dilemma. On one had, Morelli was a man she loved but whom didn’t want to marry her. The feeling was mutual. And on the other hand, Ranger pushes himself against her body and life, leaving her toes tingling and thoughts rumbling through erotic dreams and nipple-teasing hard ons.

One of the coolest pages in this book explains the rules of Stephanie’s house. I have similar rules, they just aren’t followed.

I hung up and retreated to the living room. If you sat in front of the television in my parents’ house, you weren’t expected to talk. Even if asked a direct question, the viewer had the discretion of feigning hearing loss. Those were the rules.

Hah!

I love it.

This book slams you through the past and really leaves your chest hurting, a weight that seems to crush down on you. There are certain things an individual reader will react to. I don’t like to read about women being brutalized. It upsets me.

I recommend this book to all mature adults. Moderate violence and mild to moderate sexual content. (Yay! You’ll see .. woo hoo!) Sensitive content and some morally suggestive moments, but other than that, this book has my two thumbs up!

Now it’s time for To the Nines!

Happy reading!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why-oh-why didn't Janet go into a little more detail about Steph's 'escapade' with Ranger? Darnit, I wanted more info than that! LOL! That's okay. He's still just as hot as ever. I enjoyed the story, but it still seems strange, the situation between Joe and Steph. Why is it that he can't accept wholely who Steph is and what she does for a living? Would he feel the same if she was a cop? If you ask me, the attitude is a selfish one, and he's really starting to piss me off. Wonder what the next story will bring. I adore this series, and thank everyone who turned me on to it. THANK YOU!!!

[Anushka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am giving this book 5 Stars solely on the grounds that it was beyond hilarious. Never in my life I have read anything so ridiculously funny!
Every character, every situation was so full of rollicking stupidity that it made me burst out laughing. The mystery in this book was okay, I didn't really care much about it because in this installment we had an abundance of entertaining side kicks.

Albert Klough's description of looking like a Pillsbury Doughboy made me laugh lout loud EVERY TIME! xD
And the scene where he got stuck in a dryer is the epicest thing I've ever read, I laughed so much that my sides hurt.

Sadly, Grandma Mazur didn't have much role in this one and neither did Morelli but Stephanie's "fornication with the Batman" a.k.a Ranger made up for it.
Ranger.
That guy is so hot his presence makes me want to fan myself. The mystery surrounding his character makes his character even hotter.

Plus, there was THE Rabbit. And Stephanie's mom. And Valerie. Oh God, this book is the most humorous thing EVER.

Hard Eight was just priceless but still Hot Six remains the best and my favorite book in the series so far.

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read most of the Stephanie Plum novels dating back to the first four which I read out of order.

Since then, I'd anxiously await the publishing of a new one where I'd run to the store and purchase. They're all good, laugh out loud funny, and just great entertainment.

This particular book remains a favorite of the series. Maybe one of the more edgier of the group as lately the author seems to have scaled back a bit.

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephanie is on the hunt again, but this time not just for people who have skipped bail, but also for the missing granddaughter and great-granddaughter of her parents' next door neighbourhood who has skipped on a child custody bond (for no pay, naturally). In addition to getting help from the usual crew--Lula, Ranger, and Morelli (not much from Grandma Mazur, unfortunately), she also gets help from a rather poor lawyer named Kloughn (sounds like clown), but the sinister Addie Abruzzi is after her, and she is chased by a "rabbit" and other masked nefarious types.

While I didn't find this as funny as some of the others, if costumed creeps adding the the general mayhem that is Stephanie's career is something you'll find funny, by all means try this book out if you haven't.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, I love the characters and this was such a great read, s few different storylines.

[QuinnReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rabbit, a Bear, and Some Presidents



Stephanie Plum has two men at the ready and both are raring to go. Of course, one's looking for a commitment and the other is far from it. I like that Ranger is up front about his wants and where things can't go, as well as where they can go. 🔥 Joe Morelli just wants a quiet woman, something Stephanie most definitely isn't. Even so, he doesn't seem to be intent in anyone else.

As for the trouble Stephanie manages to get herself in the middle of, turns out it takes both men to protect her from danger, as well as her mom and sister - talk about unexpected! I do like how she reaches her breaking point with her stalker and takes matters into her own hands.

In addition to gaining some comfort with a firearm, I like her newest friendship with Albert Clown... err Klaughn. He is a bit of an annoyance, but he's well intended and a lot over his head.

I like that Stephanie gets a passion case, helping to find Annie and Evelyn Soder, even if it does lead to many scary encounters. Oh, and the demolition of not one, not two, but three vehicles - only one of which was hers.

I borrowed the audio book. The narrator is again Lorelai King. I'm still not sold as her for Stephanie Plum and the rest of her cohorts. Lula is probably the best characterization of the bunch, Ranger is second best.

Story: 4 stars
Narration: 3 stars
Listening Speed: 1.8x

[Márta Péterffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Itt négy csillag, de valójában 3 és fél, nem szoktam meg hogy ennyire komor legyen a történet, a korábbiakhoz képest.
Stephanie Plum az amerikai kisváros átlagvilágában egy lázadó személyiség, bounty hunter/fejvadász/
így aztán gyakran keveredik érdekes és veszélyes kalandokba. Az írónő humorral, iróniával ábrázolja
ezeket, különc figurák is hemzsegnek mindegyik regényben.
Ez már a nyolcadik kötet, az előzőeknél többet nevetgéltem, de nyelvgyakorlásra mindegyik használható.
Bár jó néhány szót nem kerestem még ki a netes szótárból, pedig mindig megfogadom, hogy jegyzetelgetek magamnak:)
Na, majd a következő rész olvasásakor szorgosabb leszek!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what this series is like? It's Casualty. Each episode has a different story or two related to the job, and sometimes those caught up in it have some sort of connection with one of the regulars, but meanwhile there's a soap-opera plot which depends more on the personalities and out-of-work life of the main characters. A slightly new tale, a familiar formula and the latest status updates from people you've come to care for. OK, so this is bond enforcement in New Jersey, not A&E in Holby; the genre is comedy rather than drama; and you know Stephanie's going to get a car destroyed rather than knowing that person working in the factory is going to have a horrid accident - but you see what I mean don't you? If you're British that is. I think Alexander McCall Smith's No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency may be heading the same way too, although to a lesser extent. There are touches of it in Sue Grafton's alphabet books too. So, I wonder, is it an inevitable fate, or a necessary or/and sufficient condition for the success of a long-running series? Discuss.

Anyway, in spite of that, the one-book only plot is more centre-stage here than it was in Seven Up which does make it a little less manic, but no less fun than usual. This one has to include the most sinister life-sized rabbit since Donnie Darko. Also rather sinister is what happens to the villan at the end - Joe has good reason to worry about Stephanie methinks.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings in one of the funniest characters, Albert Kloughn. He's the lawyer of a woman that Stephanie has been asked to find. Even better is Lula and Albert together.

You're an accident waiting to happen. It we eat with you we'll probably get food poisoning. - Lula to Albert

Stephanie is searching for Evelyn and her daughter, Annie. They've gone missing and if they aren't found, Evelyn's grandmother will lose her house on a custody bond.

It's a twisty plot with a bad guy named Abruzzi. He likes tormenting people and one of his new favorite things is having a guy in a rabbit suit chase Stephanie around.

God doesn't want us to get this guy. He even sent a rabbit to bomb your car. - Lula

Between the rabbit, Stephanie's mom with the rabbit, and Albert Kloughn, I think this is one of the zaniest and funniest of the Plum novels. I love it.

This series makes me so happy.


Review #1 - August 2022
Mysteries have always been my jam and but you know, being mysteries, they're always a bit...murder-y, which can sometimes wear on you.

That's why Stephanie Plum is such a delight. I get a mystery wrapped in a bundle of humor. I just giggle my way through these books. Sometimes Stephanie does dumb things, but it's easy to forgive when the whole thing is such a riot.

Lula is the best. Definitely my favorite character.

[☆ Sammy ☆彡 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Eight is a fantastic Plum novel and is one of my favorites :) This story is about Stephanie helping out her parent's neighbor. The neighbor's granddaughter Evelyn and great granddaughter Annie have disappeared so Stephanie agrees to help find them. In the process of locating Evelyn and Annie, Stephanie crosses paths with a dangerous individual by the name of Eddie Abruzzi. Eddie threatens Stephanie to try and get her to stop looking for Evelyn and Annie.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the fact that Steph and Ranger finally hook up! I am a huge babe fan and hope that Steph and Ranger get a HEA. Ranger and Steph have a lot of chemistry together and I think that Ranger is more capable of helping her grow as an individual. In this book, you see just how far Ranger is willing to go to protect Steph.

Overall I would give this book 5 stars for the plot, humor, and the fact that Ranger and Steph's relationship grows!

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich is the 8th book in the Stephanie Plum series. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is caught up looking for a missing mother and daughter when they go missing on a custody bond. Unfortunately there are other dangerous characters looking for them as well. Another very entertaining and fun book, with Stephanie getting a lot of help from her friends and family. I especially love Grandma Mazur and Lulu. A fast-paced adventure that leaves you laughing.

[Anyta Sunday · Rating 3 out of 5]

When more description is given to the homocidal masturbating bunny than Plum's first time with Ranger . . . Something's not quite right.

Amusing, fun, but decidedly disappointing.

Now To the Nines ....

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Content Warnings at End of Review**

I am slowly making my way through the Stephanie Plum books and Hard Eight was the next one on the list. Now, I had read this novel before, but I remembered very little about it and after I finished it, I can see why. There was a lot that I didn’t like about this book and not enough that I enjoyed to make this a memorable reading experience. In a series that is this long, they aren’t all going to be winners and this was not a winner for me.

Hard Eight follows Stephanie Plum as she continues to make rent by bringing in FTAs as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie. Stephanie herself says that she is more lucky than good at her job, but she is not having a lot of luck this week. On top of all that, her parents’ next-door neighbor is asking for Stephanie to look for her daughter, Evelyn, and her granddaughter, Annie. What seems like a simple request quickly turns complicated and Stephanie is put in the path of Eddie Abruzzi, a powerful and unhinged man. As the search for Evelyn turns deadly, Stephanie needs to turn to her fellow bounty hunter Ranger for assistance, even with the sexual tension between them. Soon, Stephanie is being cashed by a man in a rabbit suit and needs to find Evelyn before she dies in Abruzzi’s twisted war games.

This novel delves further into dark territory than some of the novels before this one. It always surprises me how dark the first novel was when I reread it and there were some very dark parts of this novel. Evanovich does attempt to lighten up these areas with humor, like Grandma Mazur with the flashing rabbit and her mother joking after hitting the rabbit with the car. Still, a lot in this novel can leave the reader feeling uncomfortable. It is not material that bothered me, but for readers who are coming to this novel for humor, it might be jarring and uncomfortable.

The thing that really annoyed me about this novel was the way that the two interesting parts of this novel were completely glossed over in a sentence or a paragraph. The one that really gets me is that Ranger and Stephanie FINALLY have sex after books' worth of tension, and it is glassed over in a paragraph. Now I am not one of those “is there spice” readers, but if you are going to build up a sexual encounter for books, I want at least a page before you cut to black. Especially when you are telling me that this man is so good in bed that he might ruin a woman for all other men. I need some details and I know Evaonvich can write a sex scene because she did so for Morelli a couple of books ago. Then, when this same man, KILLS SOMEONE FOR HER, it is discussed in a single sentence and then Stephanie goes to have sex with Morelli. I just…there was so much time in this novel spent with Stephanie spinning her wheels or straight-up failing, I would have liked that to be cut down to dig into the juicy stuff.

The pacing of this novel was off and the storyline was not one that really interested me. Even the climax (literally) was so boring that I forgot it even happened this early in the series. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy myself, but there are definitely better books in the series. This is a 3-star read.

**Content Warnings**

Misogyny, Torture, Sexual harassment, Murder off-page, Hit and Run

**old review**
We are back with Stephanie for all her criminal chasing and car-destroying antics once again. When her parent's neighbor asks Stephanie to find her missing daughter and grandchild who have disappeared and skipped out on a bond. However, like most things in Stephanie's life, it gets very complicated very quickly. Stephanie is dragged into Abruzzi's war games and it leaves spiders, snakes, and stalked by a man in a rabbit suit. Not only that, but there is an FTA she can't capture that keeps running off with her cuffs and once again Stephanie has relationship issues, more specifically the lack of a relationship. However, that soon becomes the least of Stephanie's problems as she tries to find Evelyn and Annie to keep herself alive.

Overall, I liked the plot of this novel. Stephanie is tracking down Evelyn and Annie for the money, but because she is trying to do the right thing. I also liked that events and people in previous novels were tied into this storyline. You didn't need to read the other novels to understand what was going on, but it was nice to make the connections. The ending of the novel however felt very rushed, it seemed like all the action of the novel happened in the last thirty pages. While I like an action-packed ending, I also like a few pages of downswing before the novel ends, which I didn't get here.

**spoilers ahead**

My biggest problem with this novel, how short the sex scene was between Stephanie and Ranger. This has been building for almost two books now and it only gets a page? Now I know I have criticized the Stephanie/Ranger relationship in the past, but after that much build up I wanted at least a three-page affair. I felt robbed and also felt that all that sexual tension went to waste. I will say that I like that Ranger basically told Stephanie to go back to Joe, but since there are nineteen novels I am guessing there is going to be a lot of bouncing between the two men. Now I really can't blame Stephanie, but the further I get in this series and more and more I hope she ends up with Joe. He isn't perfect, but he is good for her.

I'm about to talk about the ending of the book so if you don't want to know how it ended, look away now. The last thirty pages of this novel went by so insanely fast and so much happened that I don't know how I feel about it. Stephanie is threatened, her sister is kidnapped, Stephanie is tortured, and then Valerie drives through a wall to save her, then Ranger goes off and kills Abruzzi. All of that in the last thirty pages and that is how the novel ends. while I love that it is Valerie that saves Stephanie, it all just happens too fast. Now, Ranger killing Abruzzi I liked because is showcases the difference between Ranger and Morelli, I just didn't like it being revealed on the very last page of the novel. You can't just drop that on me and then end the book!

I guess it is on to the next one since I need to know how Stephanie is going to take the killing news the next time she sees Ranger.

[Lorraine Southern · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ***** just for sheer laugh-out-loudness!

I love the Stephanie Plum series. She has to be the unluckiest bail bonds-person/private-eye ever! These books are fabulously confusing, over-the-top, well plotted, raunchy, and stuffed with crazy characters & black humour. They have it all and really do have you laughing out loud. The best thing, for me, is that there are lots left in the series for me to read!! Yay! ;)

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cracker Jacks and geese. A herd of mutant spiders. Clinton/Nixon and a giant rabbit. Ranger. Oh my! Damn, Stephanie, that was a little too close! Another stellar read. Onto "Visions of Sugar Plums." ;)