Book Review: Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum #19) by Janet Evanovich

Summary: 

New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is certain of three truths: People don’t just vanish into thin air. Never anger old people. And don’t do what Tiki tells you to do.

After a slow summer of chasing low-level skips for her cousin Vinnie’s bail bonds agency, Stephanie Plum finally lands an assignment that could put her checkbook back in the black. Geoffrey Cubbin, facing trial for embezzling millions from Trenton’s premier assisted-living facility, has mysteriously vanished from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy. Now it’s on Stephanie to track down the con man. Unfortunately, Cubbin has disappeared without a trace, a witness, or his money-hungry wife. Rumors are stirring that he must have had help with the daring escape . . . or that maybe he never made it out of his room alive. Since the hospital staff’s lips seem to be tighter than the security, and it’s hard for Stephanie to blend in to assisted living, Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur goes in undercover. But when a second felon goes missing from the same hospital, Stephanie is forced into working side by side with Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, in order to crack the case.

The real problem is, no Cubbin also means no way to pay the rent. Desperate for money—or maybe just desperate—Stephanie accepts a secondary job guarding her secretive and mouthwatering mentor Ranger from a deadly Special Forces adversary. While Stephanie is notorious for finding trouble, she may have found a little more than she bargained for this time around. Then again—a little food poisoning, some threatening notes, and a bridesmaid’s dress with an excess of taffeta never killed anyone . . . or did they? If Stephanie Plum wants to bring in a paycheck, she’ll have to remember: No guts, no glory. . . .

Release Date: November 20, 2012

Age Group: Adult

Source: Purchased

Review:
I'm a longtime fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, loving this series for the humor.  The last two books were let-downs for me, and Notorious Nineteen was no exception.  The humor was sadly missing, and there were no actual laugh-out-loud moments for me during this book, whereas in books one to sixteen, I could count on drink-spewing laughter. 

I think the main thing that's getting me down with the latest Stephanie Plum books is that the series is just going on for way too long.  Evanovich needs to wrap things up.  It feels like she's milking the series for all it's worth and I don't like regretting the fact that I bought a book.  Notorious Nineteen's plot was recycled, there was no character growth, and the romance was lackluster.  I wish I could get my money back, especially considering that I paid about $14 for a less-than-three hour read.  I did finish the book, just out of principle, but I'm never buying another Stephanie Plum novel---I don't care how long the waiting list is at my local library!