Memphis Reads Archive

Fiction/Mystery

Alice Kendall reviews MOTOR MOUTH by Janet Evanovich (HarperCollins, 2006)

Love Janet Evanovich? Can’t get enough of Stephanie Plum, her crazy family and oh-so-hunky love interests, Ranger and Morelli? Wonder what all the excitement is about, but don’t want to start a book series 12 books behind? Relax. Ms Evanovich has a new series out.

Metro Girl was our introduction to Alexandra Barnaby, aka Barney. Barney is a Baltimore girl and excellent mechanic with an engineering degree who finds herself in Miami trying to save her brother’s life. There she meets Sam Hooker, a race car driver and owner of the boat her brother has stolen. The two team up and the fun and action begin.

Motor Mouth is the second in the series. Barney is still in Florida (when she isn’t in another state acting as “spotter” for Sam while he’s racing) and still getting into riotous trouble. This time, she and Sam try to help an acquaintance and end up with a Saran-Wrapped dead body. Wishing to get rid of the body, but also wanting to make sure the police know who he is, they use a magic marker to write the man’s name on the wrap and leave him in Sam’s rival’s truck. By now you may be noticing some similarities to Stephanie when she’s out rounding up bail jumpers with Lula. The fun and danger only increase as Barney, Sam and an assortment of zany characters stumble through threats, kidnapping and being wanted by the police.

Barney and Sam will probably never replace Stephanie and Morelli (or Ranger), but they are a lot of fun and will satisfy that Evanovich itch until Lean Mean 13 comes out.


Alice Kendall, Parkway Village Branch Library

Labels: Mystery, Reviews by Alice Kendall