Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich (2007, Hardcover)

I am wondering if I didn't have an open mind, or if I was expecting too much maybe? I have read every Stephanie Plum book at least five times. I can't wait to buy them. With this book, I could put it down, and come back later, and not feel like I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I don't feel Janet Evanovich even wrote the book without a major ghostwriter helping. Stephanie was bland, Ranger all of a sudden is a talking guy who says "dude". Ranger and Joe are falling all overthemselves for Ms. Plum who shows no great emotional yearing for either one. Grandma has a potty mouth now. She has a boyfriend who mysteriously disappears into an assisted living and nothing else is said. (enough about the colostomy aspect). So many inconsistencies with the other books. Joe is always parked at Stephanie's. They were always at Joe's before. He doesn't have a washer or dryer, but he does in the other books. He cooks in this book, but in other books, his cooking skills run to toast and hot chocolate. In this book, Stephanie's mom's name is Helen. In all the other books, it is Ellen. The car at the end of the last book is a different car than this book. Her neighbor across the hall has always been Mr. Wolesky...now it is a different name. Albert, Vinnie, Valerie, the neighbors, the cop friends...all MIA. This book felt phoned in. I think Janet is writing so many books now, she is becoming another Nora Roberts. Just crank them out. So sad.........