One of the things I just love about the Stephanie Plum books is that I know I can sit down and relax so I can just enjoy some good humor. This newest volume gives Lula the limelight after she is a witness to the decapitation of Stanley Chipotle, one of those famous TV chef's. The problem is the guys were hired to take him out noticed that she saw, and now they are out to make sure she can't say anything to anyone.

The former 'ho turned investigative sidekick turns to her friend Stephanie to try and get to the bottom of things, as well as for a place to stay as she hides away. Along with Grandma Mazur, Stephanie and Lula decide they are going to enter the quickly approaching BBQ competition with the hopes of using it to finger the murderers. Unfortunately for Stephanie's friends and family, they are the guinea pigs for any number of test runs.

As if that was not enough for Stephanie to deal with, she is also drawn deeper into the mysterious world of Ranger. He has troubles of his own because a number of his Range-man clients are being robbed. He knows that it must somehow be an inside job and is hoping she will be able to come in, undercover, so she can sort out who is doing it.

This does nothing to help her recently troubled relationship with her former-boyfriend Joe Morelli. He is worried about her connections to Range-man while also being the lead detective on the Chipotle case. Of course, the fact that Stephanie's arch-nemesis Joyce Barnhardt has decided to replace her has not helped things out.

The book is full of the usual high-jinx that center around the bizarre characters in Stephanie's life. In fact, the newest one is a hirsute fireman with a taste for woman's clothes, BBQ recipes, and cleaning house. These books are laugh out loud funny, and the fact that this volume brings back Grandma Mazur front and center guarantees laughter.