by Wendy R.

Created on: March 20, 2009

It is definitely difficult for me to narrow down the best

mystery novel series for adults to just one, so I am not going to do so.

I have two at this time, both unique in their own ways. The first is the

Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, the second is the Lily Bard

series by Charlaine Harris.

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum is a wise cracking, tough,

lingerie buyer, turned bounty hunter. She always manages to get her FTA

(failure to appear) in the end, the way she goes about things, is

anything but boring and ordinary. She is extremely lucky (otherwise the

series would end), but even with luck, she still manages to get her cars

blown up, and herself shot at, and she's even had her shirt set on fire.

These books include a large cast of characters that vary from

one book to the next, but there are some that a central to all the

novels. First of all there is Joe Morelli, Stephanie's main squeeze who

took her virginity when she was sixteen. Three years later, she tried to

run in over for retaliation. They are still off and on again in the

series, but mostly they are on for neither can admit, that they can't

live without each other. Than there is Ranger, a mercenary of sorts who

is so hot, that Stephanie has trouble not thinking about him. After all,

he has taught her everything she know about being a bounty hunter.

These are the two men that Stephanie finds hard to resist.

Grandma Mazur is another character present a great deal in this

series. She is a spunky lady who enjoys going to viewing at the local

funeral home. She also wants to learn how to drive and become a bounty

hunter. She has her own gun and is a riot. The other main character is

Lula, a former prostitute who does filing for Vincent Plum, Stephanie's

sleazy cousin, the bail bondsman. Lula is also the type of character

that adds humor and excitement to the storylines. Another character who

is prominent is Diesel. He is another guy, who Stephanie finds

attractive. Luckily for Stephanie he only shows up occasionally, and

disappears just as quickly.

This series is a comical one with some violence thrown in. It is

enjoyable if not somewhat unrealistic. I found the earlier books in the

series to be more interesting and appealing. The later ones and some of

the between the number novels seem to have lost their appeal. It may be

time for the author to set back and take a break from this series, or to

try something else.

The Lily Bard series is a series of five books. Lily moved to Shakespeare, Arkansas
after she was brutally raped

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