One for the Money

Janet Evanovich

320 Pages

St. Martin's Paperbacks, November 2011 (first published January 1st 1994)

IDR. 15.000 (@AJ_Books)

Read the Dynamite Blockbuster that Started It All!

"Evanovich is funny and ceaselessly inventive." – LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK REVIEW

"Snappily written, fast paced, and witty." – USA TODAY

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems. Stephanie needs cash—fast—but times are tough, and soon she’s forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family...

Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie’s bail bonding company. She’s got no experience. But that doesn’t matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli. From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water—wanted for murder...

If Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she’ll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight—and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man...

I think I would not interested to read One for the Money if I never watched the movie adaptation two years ago. At first I did not know that the movie is based on a best seller novel. I found it out when @AJ_Books put the second hand book on sale. I bought it, obviously. Then I wondered why I do that. I did not even finish the movie (at that time). But I always have a thing for ‘book to movie’ thing. Ugh! It made me finish the movie and of course read the book. Now, let’s review it :D

Stephanie Plum has a long history with Joe Morelli. Joe took Stephanie’s virginity and never called her. Then Stephanie accidently broke Joe’s leg with her father’s car. Years after that, Stephanie never imagine she has to deal with him again. Stephanie needs cash to pay all of bill and she has no job. Then her grandma mentions their cousin business, Vincent Plum Bail Bonding Company.  Stephanie learns that become a bounty hunter is not that bad. She will get 10% of the bond money. The problem is her first target is Joe Morelli. Joe is on the run after shooting an unarmed man. The case is so bad for him, more over he is out of duty as a cop and no witness to support his alibi.  Stephanie finds Joe a couple times but still cannot bring him in. She also has to face a threat from a boxing champion, Benito Ramirez. In fact the more she studies the case and Joe’s information about the shooting, she has a feeling that he is an innocent man.

One for the Money was funny, entertaining, thrilling much but well, also kinda boring. I like the way Stephanie talking and explain things around her and the case. She has good sense of humor. I laugh several times and it felt so good. But I hope she did not said all of that when she is on difficult situation. I mean, how would you think of something funny when you could die in a second? It really ruined the story.

There is twist in the end. So thrilling. It would really get me so good, if I did not watch the movie first. And I still do not understand how Stephanie turned to be a good bounty hunter in course of less than a month. I mean she does not train herself exclusively to face bad guys. Well, she actually has several time of shooting practices. But it is not enough. It felt like Stephanie’s experience showing that a bounty hunter is the job that everybody can do. Ugh, I do not think so.

At last, although One for the Money is kinda boring and pretty much the same as the movie adaptation, I prefer the novel. The jokes are better, the story well written. It is just not my cup of tea, I guess.