Alex Barnaby Series
Alex Barnaby is the big sister to Stephanie Plum in terms of the maturity and stakes of the novels. Both series are written by bestselling author Janet Evanovich, who has appeared on the New York Times best seller list multiple times, including a number one spot.. Stephanie Plum is a bounty hunter living in Trenton, and there have been 13 novels written about her exploits. Janet Evanovich's Metro Girl is a new book from the author that explores the life of Alex Barnaby, a totally new character for Evanovich. The character of Alex Barnaby deals with heavier themes and higher stakes than the Plum novels. This time the story starts in Miami. Barnaby is trying to find her brother, but it seems like everyone she encounters in regards to her brother dies. Before long she starts to learn of a buried treasure, and the adversaries that want it. She also encounters Sam Hooker, a love interest who is a hot shot NASCAR driver. The stories are told in much the same way that all of Evanovich's stories are told, with tongue in cheek humor and a willingness to explore themes and situations that some authors wouldn't dare touch upon.
Metro Girl ended up on the New York Times best seller list just like many of Evanovich's other novels, and was just as successful with her fans. Janet Evanovich's web site now gets 9,000 hits daily, which is due to the success of her books, now available in Evanovich audio. Evanovich's newest book in the Barnaby series is called Motor Mouth. Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich is also about Alex Barnaby. All of the main characters from the last book return, including Barnaby, Hooker, Felicia and Rosa-the-cigar-roller. This second novel takes place after the racing season has ended, and it sees Barnaby and Hooker on the lamb from the police. They have been charged with grand theft auto, multiple counts of murder, and are avoiding the NASCAR awards banquet. This story stretches from Miami to North Carolina, and then back to Miami. It features loads of action, humor, and romance, dealing with a seedy underworld of shady characters and dealings. Her website describes it as “an action-packed multi-car-crash of shady dealings, stolen technology, drive-thru windows and destruction of personal property.” The novel was released in 2006, and was met with acclaim similar to other books in her various series. So if you are looking for a healthy dose of action, with a lot of romance and a lot of humor, the Alex Barnaby series might be for you, if you are already a Janet Evanovich fan then you probably already own the two books in the series! |