Twelve Sharp

Written by Janet Evanovich

Narrated by Lorelei King

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, where bounty hunter Stephanie Plum's life is about to implode in Janet Evanovich's wildest, hottest novel yet!

FIRST A STRANGER APPEARS
While chasing down the usual cast of miscreants and weirdos Stephanie discovers that a crazed woman is stalking her.

THEN THE STRANGER REVEALS HER SECRETS
The woman dresses in black, carries a 9mm Glock, and has a bad attitude and a mysterious connection to dark and dangerous Carlos Manoso …street name, Ranger.

NEXT, SOMEBODY DIES
The action turns deadly serious, and Stephanie goes from hunting skips to hunting a murderer.

SOON, THE CHASE IS ON
Ranger needs Stephanie for more reasons than he can say. And now, the two are working together to find a killer, rescue a missing child, and stop a lunatic from raising the body count. When Stephanie Plum and Ranger get too close for comfort, vice cop Joe Morelli (her on-again, off-again boyfriend) steps in.

Will the ticking clock stop at the stroke of twelve, or will a stranger in the wind find a way to stop Stephanie Plum…forever? Filled with Janet Evanovich's trademark action, nonstop adventure, and sharp humor, Twelve Sharp shows why her audiobooks have been called "hot stuff" (The New York Times), and Evanovich herself "the master" (San Francisco Examiner).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jun 20, 2006
• ISBN: 9781593979126

Janet Evanovich

Bestselling author Janet Evanovich is the winner of the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award and multiple Romantic Times awards, including Lifetime Achievement. She is also a long-standing member of RWA.

Reviews for Twelve Sharp

[bookconcierge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Audio book narrated by Lorelei KingI had gotten a bit tired of this series so stopped a couple of years ago. However, when looking for a new audio book for my daily commute, I came across a couple of the Stephanie Plum series and decided to give them a go. I’m glad I did.Stephanie is up to her usual adventures as a not-too-successful bounty enforcement agent. Vinnie’s out of town, so she, Lula and Connie are left managing the bail bonds office on their own. The plot takes here focuses on Ranger and his private life, and we learn a lot more about him. It all starts when a woman dressed all in black, driving a black “range-mobile” SUV comes to the office and introduces herself as “Mrs. Carlos Manoso” (i.e. Ranger’s wife). She doesn’t appreciate Stephanie putting the moves on her husband, and isn’t about to take Stephanie’s word for it that she and Ranger are only business colleagues.Stephanie tries to ignore her, but something isn’t quite right here. Ranger has left town and he isn’t answering his phone. When a body is discovered things get dangerous quickly, and now Stephanie finds herself looking for a murderer, not just a skip.Of course there is the usual tension between Stephanie, Morelli, and Ranger. And it wouldn’t be a Plum mystery without the usual weirdos and inept criminals, not to mention Grandma Mazur’s trip to the funeral home (they should know by now to weld the casket shut).Lorelei King is a wonderful voice artist, and her reading really added to my enjoyment. My only quarrel with this audio CD is that it begins and ends with an annoyingly sweet music backdrop. PUH-LEEZ! This is Joisey, not a Midwestern church ladies meeting.

[mskeens_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow two Ranger's. Ranger with a wife?? Who everyone assumes that Ranger Murders. Very interesting story this time around however not everything as it is percieved to be. It is another good one and I am looking so forward to the next installment.

[readafew · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Stephanie Plum is back and this time she gets to help Ranger with a problem. A psycho has been stalking Ranger, good enough not be be caught. Now the psycho is messing with his life and Ranger needs Stephanie's help. Once again lots of humor ensues with Lula and Grandma Mazer joining a rock band as well as Stephanie's normal magnetism for the strange and unusual.Not a bad book I enjoyed listening to it and the reader (Lorelei King) does an excellent job. My big complaint is I don't like abridged books because they cut out so much. I wouldn't have listened to this copy if I had known but waited for an unabridged copy instead.

[payday1999-430350 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read all of the Stephanie Plum novels so far and I just love these books. They are a very easy read and are something to read when you just wanna relax after a long day. They are just so humorous and I love all the characters, especially Grandma Mazur. It has a little bit of everything thrown in, while still being lighthearted.

I would recommend these books to anybody.

[jonimfisher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just when I thought the world of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum couldn't get more chaotic and hilarious, along comes Twelve Sharp. The uneasy truce between Ranger and Morelli is really put to the test in this installment when Ranger is on the run for kidnapping. Lula goes off the rails when she joins a rock band. Momma Mazur crashes funerals for fun. A missing child, a woman stalking Stephanie, and a crazy man who eludes Ranger make this story a fast, fast read that sticks in the reader's hands to the very last page.

[csdaley-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It wasn't terrible. There were some laugh out loud moments but the series is barely a shell of the funny it used to be. I only read this because I enjoyed The Heist and thought maybe I could get back into the series. It will probably be a long time before I read another.

[polywogg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

BOTTOM-LINE:A little different from the norm, not a bad thing.PLOT OR PREMISE:Ranger's daughter is kidnapped and Stephanie wants to help. Of course, the arrival of Ranger's supposed wife puts a small crimp in their relationship. And a fake extra Ranger..WHAT I LIKED:The extra help around the office is fun, as is the interviewing of extra bounty hounters. And Ranger is acting very un-Ranger-like, very off balance which is interesting..WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:The whole extra storyline with Lulu, Sweet, Grandma and a band was pretty extraneous.DISCLOSURE:I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.

[shaunesay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a good one in the series, we learn more about the mysterious Ranger.

[bragan_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book twelve (ish) in Evanovich's long-running series about Stephanie Plum, the bounty hunter who's not afraid to admit she's pretty bad at her job. This one kicks off with a strange woman coming after Stephanie while making a surprising claim about Stephanie's occasional bounty-hunting partner and lust interest, Ranger.I've been thinking for a while that this series is getting kind of stale for me, but I have to say, I enjoyed this one more than I have the last few. It might be that I was just in exactly the right mood for it, but I found the humor consistently humorous and the plot actually pretty interesting. Kind of ridiculous, mind you, and, as usual, wrapped up a little too quickly at the end. But interesting.Still not liking the eternal love triangle of doom, though. I might be inclined to resign myself to the fact that it's not going away and just relax and accept it for the sexy tease it's supposed to be, but at this point Ranger's constant sexually pushy behavior is making me feel downright uncomfortable. Which is not what I want in my mindless fun.

[chazzifrazz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Picked this up for a little light read and couldn't put it down. Read 1/2 the first night and finished it the second night.

Stephanie Plum is not a typical bounty hunter by any means. She really doesn't dress the part and things don't always go as planned. She also has an on-again-off-again boyfriend, Joe Morelli, who is a vice cop and a strange and strong attraction to Ranger, a mysterious co-worker.

Business is suffering in the bail bond business and it is time to go after the FTA cases. These are the Failure To Appear, as in no show for court. These folks have skipped their court appearances for a variety of reasons so the bond company rounds them up. The upsurge in cases means a need for more staff. The cast of characters that answer the ad seem to all come from the funny farm.

While this is going on, a woman has started stalking Stephanie. The stalker dresses in black, carries a gun and has bad attitude. She also has a surprising back story and connection to the business...Ranger.

When Ranger's daughter is kidnapped things start getting crazy. There is someone who has been posing as Ranger in more ways than one. Is he involved in the kidnapping? What about the dead body in the SUV that has been parked on the street across from the bail bond office?

Stephanie isn't only tracking the perverts, miscreants and weirdos she is drawn into a hunt for a murderer.

There is never a dull moment in the book and it has a steady flow. Guess it's time to enjoy the other two books of hers I have on the shelf!

[jguidry-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this episode in the Stephanie Plum series. The mystery was interesting. Mostly because it revolved around Ranger's backstory. I really liked learning more about his life. The plot was silly without being overly ridiculous. And, of course, my ladies Lula and Grandma Mazur did not disappoint. I loved hearing about Grandma joining Lula's band.

[dearheart_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Formula-driven story that I still find amusing, even when rereading it all of these years later. Does Stephanie ever improve her skills, make better decisions or choose between Ranger and Morelli? Ah no, not really. But you can count on her to find herself in unusual and funny situations, especially with the cast of regulars as well as bad guys and skips she’s attempting to capture.This one is a little more personal and emotional as Ranger’s daughter is kidnapped by a guy who looks like Ranger, and a woman shows up claiming to be Ranger’s wife and knows that Stephanie has been messing around with her husband. Forget the fact that nothing ever changes and just enjoy the laughs.

[mlg11031112 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After the movie, One for the Money (I loved it), I wanted to read the books. I was half happy and half disappointed (to be fair the first few books were better than the rest - I've read 17 or 18). The writing isn't anything special but there is banter and wit (which is waning). I love her grandma, the ex-hooker, and some other random side characters - that and the witty moments kept me coming back for more.By the time of the 5th book (or at least by the 10th) you would think she would start to get the hang of her job or get a new one - nope. At a certain point she is just a pretty woman of 30ish who can't pick from 2 men (or choose to move on from both), who is bad at her job, and relies on luck and the men in her life to save her (to be fair I think of one time she was saved by a woman).So why do I keep reading? In spite of how annoying she is, and how she is hopelessly in love with 2 mildly mentally abusive men? Despite all the half attractive or good guys being over 6 ft tall for some reason and all the other men are taken or ugly? The reason is the supporting crazy characters, and the fading wit.

[beearedee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Twitter review (140 characters of less):

Ranger is forever my favourite male character after this book. I could not stop reading it. It's funny, intense, and sometimes really sad.

[vincentdarlage · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Easily the best of the series so far. Some very real scary moments.

[judithdcollins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The best Stephanie Plum Series as loved Ranger's double and the suspense. As always love King's voice on audio. Ranger needs Stephanie for more reasons than he can say. And now, the two are working together to find a killer, rescue a missing child, and stop a lunatic from raising the body count. When Stephanie Plum and Ranger get too close for comfort, Vice Cop Joe Morelli (her on-again, off-again boyfriend) steps in. Read them all!

[lushrain · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very good. I liked this book in the series. Lots of Stephanie/Ranger interaction which is always yummy

[y2ash · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I do believe that Twelve Sharp has to be the most realistic of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. In it, someone dangerous and quite crazy is impersonating Ranger. It starts off harmless enough with a stolen line of credit. It soon escalates when the Impersonator kidnaps Ranger's daughter, Julie.

Ranger now has to lie low and chooses Stephanie's apartment to do so. Especially when Fake Ranger begins to make threats against her. Meanwhile, Stephanie's family life is pretty chill except her kooky grandmother wants to join Lula and Sally Sweet's rock band. Not to mention, someone calling themselves Ranger's wife wants to kill Stephanie.

I really enjoyed Twelve Sharp. It was very realistic and very relaxed considering all of the high octane action going on. Most of the time in the Plum series, there's A LOT going on. Usually Stephanie is being threatened while she pines over both Morelli and Ranger along with the FTAs and the family drama. All of that happened in Twelve Sharp but it was very muted.

Stephanie and Lula were very competent in their bounty hunter business and the family drama was not very dramatic. The grandmother joined a band. That was it. The main storyline with Ranger and his daughter was compelling enough that the less is more concept worked here.

[ecw0647 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Yes, they are formulaic. Yes, they are light. Yes, they don’t challenge you. Well, so what. They’re a lot of fun. I’ve read all of the Stephanie Plum series, and I enjoy the formula, the humor, and the zany family (Grandma Mazur’s passion for funeral viewings is hysterically the opposite of the revulsion most of us have for such events.) I sooo empathize with Stephanie’s father who is just trying to hold it together in the presence of Grandma Mazur, who, having shot the Thanksgiving turkey with a .45 in a previous book, has now joined Lula’s band as a singer visiting retirement homes. They decide to practice at Stephanie’s during dinner and all Dad wants to do is watch the Yankees, but the noise, the costumes (Grandma is wearing a studded color and an ice cream cone bra, you get the picture) are driving him to a state Morelli can only describe as similar to victims of a multiple vehicle accident. Very funny scene. The only thing worrying me is that I suspect Grandma Mazur isn’t much older than I. That truly sucks.

In this volume, a Ranger wanna-be is stalking him and kidnaps his daughter, trying to become a pseudo-Ranger. He’s killing people who get in the way; but who cares about the plot. We read these for quirky and very funny characters.

A final note. Several of the one-star reviewers on Amazon complained that Stephanie was immoral and needs to stop sleeping with both Ranger and Morelli. That’s interesting because I had the sense (and my wife agrees) that that is not at all the case and that she has remained faithful to Morelli. Yes, in this one she “sleeps” with Ranger, but only literally and Platonicly. So to those who think Stephanie is immoral, get over it and go back to your Harlequins.

[dpappas_25 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is by far my favorite book of the series that I have read. There was action that kept me on the edge of my seat, and enough love triangle to satisfy. I loved getting to know more about Ranger and finally meeting his daughter. I can't wait to read the next book. I would highly recommend this book.

[jaguar897 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I know they are formulaic and over the top, but the Stephanie Plum series is my go-to series whenever I need something light and comical. As usual Evanovich delivers with this one. I thought this one was actually better than some of the previous ones in the series because Evanovich actually moved a bit away from her usual formula. Stephanie’s car surprisingly makes it in one piece, she doesn’t get as beat up and there were some nice surprises in terms of character development. Also, the mystery person was revealed pretty early in the book so it became more of a beat the clock type of story instead of a who-dun-it type of mystery. I like the changes and I hope that Evanovich continues to veer away from the formula in the future books.

What I didn’t care for though is the damn love triangle. It’s not developing at all. For FFS, even the insipid Sookie has picked a man and gone with it! I don’t understand Stephanie’s commitment issues, her reasons for them or why she can’t make out the difference between lust and love. It’s the one thing I really find annoying in this series.

As usual the secondary characters, like Lula, Grandma Mazur and Stephanie’s father continually deliver comedy relief. I really liked Lula and Sally Sweets in this one. The whole band thing was hilarious. Marvin Pickle, the movie theatre pervert, is also a nice addition to the cast. I also really loved getting to know Ranger better. Mmmm, he’s so damn yummy!

[terribooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My husband and I listened to this on a driving trip. I'll admit that my husband is generally a laugh-out-loud sort of person, but he was laughing as he was driving this weekend. I think this is the funniest of the series so far. I gave it a high rating, not to compare with 4 or 5 star ratings of great literature, but for what it is, Evanovich hit the sweet spot with this one.

[anglersrest_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stephanie does seem to get into some real pickles; and I found this one as funny as the rest of the series. There is less of Grandma and Stephanie appears to be growing up, ever so slightly! and of course more of Morelli and Ranger.....wonderful!

[monicalynn-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow two Ranger's. Ranger with a wife?? Who everyone assumes that Ranger Murders. Very interesting story this time around however not everything as it is percieved to be. It is another good one and I am looking so forward to the next installment.

[senorag163 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was my first read by Evanovich and I am glad I good the audio book instead of the written word. I think it is much better heard. This book had me laughing out loud numerous times and getting strange looks from those around me. Quirky characters, fast paced plot and it was good to be able to jump in without knowing the characters and still be able to follow. I will listen to her other books. A nice, light, fun change of pace to my usual reading.

[dadbrazelton · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Quirky. Very funny in spots.

[tgpistole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you like Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum series, you won't be disappointed with this one.

[tally1302 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This twelfth book in Evanovich's Plum series about a new jersey bounty hunter has to be one of my favourites. While there were fewer laugh out loud moments than some of the others, there was much more character development. And lots of that development had to do with the mysterious Ranger.Of course, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who had not read the rest of the series, even though like all the others it does stand alone.Synopsis--Ranger goes out of town and while he's gone his wife shows up. A shock to all other characters who had no idea he was married. But all is not as it seems... soon Stephanie is plunged into a whirlwind adventure filled with even more drama than usual - involving a kidnapped child, a psycho stalker and even bombs.--This instalment is a whole lot more personal than most others in the series... in a whole lot of ways.

[tadad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this one more than some of the others in the series. It was nice to see Ranger not quite so omnipotent for a change. I confess I don't really see Stephanie's attraction to him compared to Joe...but maybe that's because I'm a guy.

[caklr650 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My fovorite of the Stephanie Plum books I've read so far (1-3) Very funny! Maybe not the best one to start on if you haven't read any others in the series because the book is better when you know some of the history with the other characters.