Stephanie Plum is a fictional character and the protagonist in a series of novels plum perfect rose by Janet Evanovich. As of 2021, Stephanie has appeared in 28 full-length novels, four holiday novellas, and a short story in a compilation of various authors’ works.
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The first book, One for the Money, was adapted as a 2012 film starring Katherine Heigl as Stephanie. Evanovich admits that Stephanie Plum’s character is inspired by her own, in both history and “similar embarrassing experiences”. Evanovich says, “I wouldn’t go so far as to say Stephanie is an autobiographical character, but I will admit to knowing where she lives. Like Evanovich, Stephanie originates from New Jersey, although Janet hails from South River and Stephanie was born in Trenton, New Jersey, the city where the series is set.
At the beginning of the first book, One for the Money, Stephanie has been laid off from her job as a lingerie buyer, she is being forced to sell off her appliances one by one in order to pay her rent, and her car is repossessed. This last straw prompts her to turn to her cousin Vinnie, owner of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, for a job. When the series begins, Stephanie Plum is single and living with her hamster, Rex, in an apartment building with predominantly elderly neighbors. She revisits her parents who live several miles away in the Burg for meals, “family time,” and pineapple upside-down cake.
While Stephanie finds her family stressful, they often give her tips or connections which assist in her job. Lula was introduced as a minor character working as a hooker in the first book in the series, One For the Money. In Two For the Dough, she becomes Vinnie’s filing clerk and Stephanie’s occasional partner. Her ties to the Mafia are hinted at but never fully explored. She is short and curvy with a hairy upper lip. Stephanie went to school with her little sister Tina. She is occasionally described as Betty Boop with a moustache.
Mary Lou Stankovic is Stephanie’s best friend. Married to Lenny Stankovic with children and a dog. Stephanie occasionally pays her a visit, usually to talk about Morelli. Maiden name is Mary Lou Molnar. In the film, Mary Lou is played by Annie Parisse and Lenny by Danny Mastrogiorgio.