Complete reading guide — from One for the Money (1994) through the entire Stephanie Plum series, the Fox and O'Hare adventures, and her standalone romantic comedies.
About Janet Evanovich
Janet Evanovich created one of the most beloved series in crime fiction with Stephanie Plum — a Trenton, New Jersey bounty hunter who is spectacularly bad at her job but endlessly entertaining. The series has sold over 400 million copies worldwide, making Evanovich one of the best-selling crime writers in history.
What distinguishes Evanovich from serious crime writers is her total commitment to comedy. Stephanie Plum is not a competent professional — she's a woman who became a bounty hunter because she needed money, who regularly blows up her cars, who cannot choose between two men who have been circling her for twenty-plus novels, and whose cases are consistently ridiculous. The comedy is real and consistent.
Before the Plum series, Evanovich wrote romantic comedies — her 'Full' series — which are lighter, faster, and now cult favourites. They're a good starting point for readers who want her comedy DNA without the long-running series commitment.
Start Here
One for the Money
Stephanie Plum is broke and needs a job. Her cousin Vinnie gives her one: bring in skip Joe Morelli, a cop charged with murder. The problem is that Stephanie is hopelessly unqualified and Morelli is the man who took her virginity in high school. The funniest first chapter in crime fiction.
The numbered novels are the main series. Read in order — the romantic tension between Plum, Morelli, and Ranger is a long-running thread that rewards patience. The 'Between the Numbers' novellas (Plum Lovin', Visions of Sugar Plums, etc.) can be read between the numbered novels.
1
One for the Money
1994
Mystery / Comedy
New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum's first case — bring in Joe Morelli, a cop she has history with. The setup for one of the great running comedy series in crime fiction. Absolutely start here.
A funeral parlour's caskets are going missing and a sniper is loose. Plum investigates while managing her complicated situation with Morelli. The series formula locks in here.
A much-beloved candy store owner disappears. Plum takes the skip, discovers something very wrong, and introduces more of the Trenton gang that readers come to love. The strongest early entry.
Stephanie tracks down a waitress who stole her boyfriend's car — but things escalate quickly into something much more dangerous. Ranger gets more page time here, for fans of the complicated love triangle.
Book 10 is a fan favourite — Stephanie witnesses a crime, ends up on a gang hit list, and has to move in with both Morelli and Ranger simultaneously. The series at peak comedy.
A heist series co-written with Lee Goldberg — a con man and an FBI agent who work together grudgingly. Fast, funny, lighter than Plum.
1
The Heist
2013
Heist Comedy
Con man Nick Fox is caught — so the FBI makes him work with Special Agent Kate O'Hare to catch an even bigger criminal. The setup for a fast, funny heist series that reads like an Ocean's movie.
Fox and O'Hare travel to Europe in pursuit of a priceless stolen relic. The banter deepens and the heist mechanics get more elaborate. A strong second entry.
As of 2026, there are 30 numbered Stephanie Plum novels, plus several 'Between the Numbers' novellas. Evanovich publishes a new Plum novel approximately every year.
Most readers agree the series is strongest in the first 10-15 books. After that the formula becomes very familiar. But if you love Plum, Morelli, and Ranger, the later books still deliver the same comedy energy.
Yes — One for the Money (2012) starring Katherine Heigl. It received poor reviews and no sequel was made.