Perfectly Plum: Unauthorized Essays On the Life, Loves And Other Disasters of Stephanie Plum, Trenton Bounty Hunter

This is a wonderful resource for all who can't get enough of Janet Evanovich, not to mention Stephanie Plum. Plus, there's the terrific pleasure of getting up close and a little personal with the 19--count' em--other top mystery fiction writers who hold forth in their distinct ways on all things Plum. With the likes of Nancy Tesler,Tanya Michaels, Carole Nelson Douglas and Devon Ellington all in top form, "Perfectly Plum" is a gem. Leah Gabriel

First off, before I begin this review of "Perfectly Plum: Unauthorized Essays on the Life, Loves, and Other Disasters of Stephanie Plum, Trenton Bounty Hunter," edited by Leah Wilson, the latest entry in the Smart Pop series of books published by BenBella Books, I must confess. I've never read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series of crime novels. But "Perfectly Plum" made me want to start. The nineteen essays are testament to the power of well-done characterization to spark our imagination, engage our hearts, and make real a character in a novel. Stephanie Plum is so well loved by Evanovich's readers that like the Velveteen Rabbit, she becomes REAL. The book is divided into 3 sections: "Life"; "Loves"; and "Other Disasters." The essays chronicle aspects of Stephanie Plum's bounty hunting life under each of these major headings. My one nitpick, "FTA" is not defined in any of the essays. Not having read any of the books, I had no idea what the acronym stood for. It distracted me every time I ran across it. What's a FTA? The "Life" section opens with Bev Katz Rosenbaum's "Destiny: Disaster!", an engaging exploration of why Stephanie Plum proves Murphy's Law time and again. Devon Ellington's, "The Myth of the Jersey Girl" gives us the lowdown on the Jersey girl, explodes the stereotypical view and underscores the point: the Jersey Girl has unplumbed depths. (No pun intended.) Really. Janet Evanovich, as Ellington points out, redeems the cliche. Being a fan of noir movies, I enjoyed Amy Garvey's The "N" in New Jersey Stands For Noir." She gives a deft portrayal of why the Plumverse fits the noir paradigm. The essential questions in the "Love" essays focus on the two irresistible men in her life, who will Stephanie Plum finally choose? Which man is best for her? Morelli or Ranger? Rhonda Eudaly proposes a perfect solution in her tongue-in-cheek essay "The Fast and the Furry-ous" wherein Stephanie Plum's pet hamster ruminates on these questions. Among the essays in the third section, "Other Disasters," Brenda Scott Royce, in "The Gun in the Cookie Jar" proves that the intrepid and tenacious Stephanie Plum is not as inept at her job as a bond enforcement officer as she seems. There's method in the chaos of her professional bounty hunting life. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Each essay is written with verve, humor and affection for Stephanie Plum. Readers of the Plum novels will love these essays about their favorite heroine and even if you're not a reader (like me), "Perfectly Plum" is a delightful introduction.

This is the perfect book for a big-time Evanovich fan. It makes you think about the Plumverse in all sorts of new ways. If you're the kind of reader who's always suspected you could find their way around The Burg without a street map -- or the kind who actively wonders how Evanovich will work numbers 14, 15, and 16 into future titles -- you'll love it. I really liked the Devon Ellington essay on Jersey girls.

Holy Cluck-in-a-bucket, was I ever impressed when I read the other essays in this collection! Aside from being a contributor to the anthology, I'm also a huge Janet Evanovich/Stephanie Plum fan (obviously), and I want to let other fans know they simply HAVE TO buy this book--it's a must-have companion to the series. It will give you great insight into various aspects of Steph's life (the Jersey girl in Steph, everything you really didn't want to know about Trenton, Steph and car insurance, Steph's relationship with Rex the hamster), and--as you can probably guess from the aforementioned topics--it'll also make you roll around on the floor with laughter!

This collection of hysterical essays is a must-read for anyone who loves Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Plum, or books with greenish-yellow covers. My favorite essay is "Could Stephanie Plum Really Get Car Insurance" by JA Konrath, a very funny guy who sleeps with my wife. The other essays are also good too, I bet.