📖 Overview
Eleven on Top follows bounty hunter Stephanie Plum as she attempts to leave her dangerous profession for a normal life. After quitting her job as a bail enforcement agent, she cycles through a series of civilian positions while someone from her past tries to kill her.
The story takes place in Trenton's Burg neighborhood, where Plum navigates family obligations, including her sister's upcoming wedding. Her pursuit of a quiet life is interrupted by car bombs, murder attempts, and the persistent attention of both her police officer boyfriend Joe Morelli and the mysterious security expert Ranger.
In this eleventh installment of the series, Plum finds herself tracking down a vengeful stalker while dealing with the chaos of her new jobs at places like a button factory and a fast-food restaurant. Despite her efforts to escape danger, her past career continues to impact her present circumstances.
The novel balances crime thriller elements with domestic comedy, exploring themes of identity and the challenge of changing one's life path. Through Plum's experiences, the story examines whether it's possible to truly escape who we are.
👀 Reviews
Readers call this one of the funnier entries in the Stephanie Plum series, with more focus on humor than mystery. Many note it provides a refreshing change as Stephanie tries different jobs outside bounty hunting.
Readers appreciated:
- Fast-paced comedy and banter
- More scenes with fan-favorite characters like Lula and Grandma Mazur
- Less focus on the Morelli/Ranger love triangle
- Quick, light reading experience
Common criticisms:
- Plot feels repetitive of previous books
- Too many coincidental explosions and car destructions
- Mystery element takes a backseat to comedy
- Some found job-hopping premise unrealistic
Ratings:
Goodreads: 4.15/5 (92,000+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.6/5 (1,800+ ratings)
Reader quote: "The perfect beach read - funny enough to keep you entertained but not so complex you can't put it down to go swimming." - Goodreads reviewer
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Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot A former pop star works as a college residence hall director while solving campus murders, featuring career changes and romantic entanglements.
Dying to Tell by Rita Herron A bail enforcement agent investigates a series of murders connected to her past cases, combining professional and personal conflicts.
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson A true-crime enthusiast encounters real danger at boarding school while investigating cold cases, mixing mystery with workplace and family dynamics.
Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews A blacksmith turns amateur detective while planning three weddings, weaving crime-solving with career and family obligations.
🤔 Interesting facts
🔍 The "Stephanie Plum" series has sold over 75 million copies worldwide, making Janet Evanovich one of the most successful mystery writers of all time.
🏆 Janet Evanovich received a $12.5 million advance for her Stephanie Plum novels in 2002, one of the largest deals in publishing history at that time.
🎬 "One for the Money," the first book in the series, was adapted into a 2012 film starring Katherine Heigl as Stephanie Plum.
📍 The series' setting, Trenton's Burg neighborhood, is based on the real Chambersburg section of Trenton, New Jersey, where Evanovich grew up.
✍️ Before writing the Stephanie Plum series, Evanovich wrote romance novels under the pen name Steffie Hall, but switched to mystery when she decided she "ran out of sexual positions."