Two for the Dough

In Janet Evanovich's 'Two for the Dough,' the irrepressible New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum returns, this time tasked with bringing in Kenny Mancuso. Fresh from the army, suspiciously wealthy, and having just shot his best friend, Kenny presents a unique challenge for Stephanie. Armed with her usual array of unconventional weaponry and a growing sense of resilience, Stephanie navigates Trenton's underbelly, encountering corpses, funeral parlors, and increasingly dangerous situations. Her attempts to follow leads are complicated by the unsolicited 'help' of her family, most notably her pistol-packing Grandma Mazur, whose love for wakes becomes a surprisingly effective, albeit chaotic, cover. Further complicating matters is the involvement of fast-talking vice cop Joe Morelli, who happens to be Kenny's cousin and whose undeniable chemistry with Stephanie adds a simmering romantic tension. As embalmed body parts start appearing on her doorstep and Stephanie becomes the target of a truly loathsome adversary, she must learn to rely on her wits—and a little luck—to survive and bring her elusive quarry to justice, proving that some lessons are learned the hard way.