For review of all books in the series: Go here.
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: A doggedly persistent gumshoe even with her ineptness, disorganized and above all having no inclination to use a weapon, it is a miracle that Stephanie can bring a case to a closure. I feel I should read the first few chapters and then read the last two chapters of the books in this series, that way I can avoid all the gross and stupid episodes and I can enjoy the book better.
Eleven on Top is the eleventh book in the Stephanie Plum’s long-running series by Janet Evanovich, first published in June of 2005. This time around Stephanie resigns her job as a bond enforcement agent for various reasons and tries to do mundane or less riskier jobs. However someone from her past is out to take revenge on her and kill her.
Stephanie Plum lives in Trenton, New Jersey, working as a bond enforcement agent for her cousin, Vinnie’s Bail Bonds company. That begins the series with every book an adventure into Stephanie’s trail onto fugitives and recovering them. And in the process she solves mysteries despite her ineptness and disorganized life. There is a triangle love story for readers senses to feast on as well. Readers have been entertained so far with 30 books in the series and more to come, beginning with One for the Money in 1994 leading up to the 30th book Dirty Thirty releasing in November of 2023. The stories are told in first person narration.
The love triangle continues to exist between Morelli, Stephanie and Ranger. It seems foolish for Evanovich to keep dragging this on even after nine books she has written similar to how Joanna Fluke did in her Hannah Swensen series. In the 14th book (12.5 in the series), Plum Lovin’, one of her fugitive case Annie Hart almost tells who she belongs with. I am not sure if the by the 30th book gets published, if Stephanie has made that choice. Thus continues the dilemma with regards to matters of heart between our heroine and her love-interests; none of the three are ready to settle; nor ready to let go.
It is so uncanny that Evanovich has Stephanie always landing in the middle of a disaster or mayhem. Of course, if she had made her a little bit more responsible; a little less impulsive; and also a little bit of listening to others when they say not to do something; and above all avoid getting influenced by Lula and Connie, she perhaps would be more successful.
The troubles don’t seem to end for Stephanie at all. Her constant fight with food – where she ends up eating a lot under stress – and her battles with keeping a stable car continue. I cant believe anyone in this world has so many disasters involving their vehicles and come away unscathed. And its amazing how she keeps her figure even after stress eating so much. This is so unreal and uncanny.
Stephanie is also stubborn as hell for all the wrong reasons. Why does she insist on driving the battered, burnt and bullet-ridden car even though she knows it’s dangerous. For what purpose does she want to be so stubborn? What does she have to prove? And to whom?
Author Evanovich manages to show the reality of a person or scene so clear that even if it grosses you out, cant help appreciate it. For instance, the description of the few hours Stephanie has at Cluck-in-a-Bucket makes you not want to eat at any of those fast food centers. Really gross!
Surprising fact was the lengthy dialogue that Stephanie’s father has in the plot. He had never spoken so many lines up until now. Not surprising that the gross episodes of Bob the Dog and his poop came back.
She however continues to portray Stephanie as inept with several flaws that would actually not make her a successful gumshoe, and yet somehow she succeeds every single time. And she is shown to accept her ineptness, yet I would like to see her getting better at not being inept than accept it and move on.
The plot line comes with loads of humor (if you can tolerate the gross) and romance. Although Evanovich does add a shade of grimness and dark corners of human mind that actually make you take the series seriously. I felt the book abruptly ended even though the murderer was caught. I do however hope Evanovich made our heroine an equally well-balanced gumshoe as her male counterparts in future books.
I feel I should read the first few chapters and then read the last two chapters of the books in this series, that way I can avoid all the gross and stupid episodes – Stephanie’s dysfunctional family and friends; her obsession with cakes and sugar; her inability to stick to one guy and dancing between both; her uncanny ability to always land in trash or food. I believe then I can probably enjoy the series much better.
Spoiler Alerts:
Plot reveals:
- Valerie runs away to Disney Land with Albert Kloughn and her kids on the day of her marriage, neither of them unable to withstand to the pressure of a wedding. I have read up to her 14th book and still they don’t get married. I wonder which plot they get married.
- In their own dysfunctional way, Stephanie and her grandmother Grandma Edna Mazur had caused the original Stiva’s Funeral Parlor owned by Constantine Stiva in which Stiva lost his son Spiro. This was in the second book Two for the Dough. Evanovich gives a closure to that debacle in this book.
Sub-Plots:
- Stephanie’s family & friends – Mother Ellen; Father; Grandma Edna Mazur; her ex-husband Richard “Dickie” Orr; Sister Valerie & her kids Angie & Mary Alice, Valerie has a child, Lisa, with Albert Kloughn and they are engaged to be married; Rex, the hamster; Mary Alice seemed to be born with special powers per Visions of Sugar Plum; best friend Mary Lou Molnar; her magical friend Diesel; Sally Sweet, a friend.
- Ellen joins Trenton State school to go back to pursuing of education in the seventh book Seven Up. But we don’t see anything regarding that in any of the books after.
- Joseph “Joe” Morelli’s family – a Trenton cop and on-and-off Stephanie’s boyfriend; his mom; Grandma Bella; Bob the dog; Mary Elizabeth, his great aunt; Cathy, his sister; Uncle Mario; Cousin Mooch; Brother Tony.
- Stephanie’s co-workers at Vincent Plum Bail Bonds – Vincent “Vinnie” Plum, her cousin and owner of the company; other bounty hunters – Joyce Barnhardt (Sephanie’s nemesis), Frankie Defrances; Lula, ex-prostitute turned office assistant to Vinnie; Connie Rosolli, office manager; Vincent is married to Harry the Hammer’s daughter Lucille.
- Ricardo “Ranger” Carlos Manoso’s family & staff: RangeMan, his company specializing in security systems and fugitive apprehension; a daughter in Florida; Tank; Erik Salvatora; Miguel; Cal; Junior; Ella & Louis Guzman, building managers; Hal; Woody; Vince; sister Celia (in fact has four sisters and one brother).
- In the tenth book Ten Big Ones, we learn that Ranger had killed a man to protect Stephanie. I wonder what book plot that was since I only started reading this series from Book # 6 Hot Six. The way Ranger’s characterization with all the mystery surrounding him progresses in the series, makes me wonder if Evanovich would have a series for Ranger on his own.
- Law Enforcement and other supporting teams – Joe Juniak, ex-police Chief and a Congressman now; Carl Costanza; Big Dog ; Brian Simon; Allen Barnes, homicide detective; Andy Diller; Marilyn Truro at the DMV; Norma at the DMV; Eddie Gazzara, married to Stephanie’s cousin Shirley; Jimmy Neeley; Tom Bell, homicide detective; Mickey Greene; Billy Kwiatkowski; Blubber-butt Ollie; Ed Silver; Andy Zajak; Robin Russell; Gus Chianni; Cousin Linda at the DMV; Ryan Laski.
- Other characters – Dougie “The Dealer” Kruper; Myron Landowsky; Cynthia Lotte, works for Stephanie’s ex; Dillan Rudick, building super; Carol Zabo; Lenny Gruber; Moon Man Dunphy “Mooner”; Angela Marguchi; Huey Kosa; Zero Bartha; Father Carolli; Janice Molnari; Mabel Pritchet; Terry Gilman, Stephanie’s childhood nemesis; Mr. Ginzler, a neighbor; Mabel Markowitz, her parents’ neighbor.
- In Plum Lovin’, Stephanie has a third admirer in the form of Diesel. A possible quadrangle love angle in future books? Oh boy, I cant even begin to think how that will pan out. **Facepalm**. We also see Lulu hooking up with Tank.
Galavant Reflections 