One for the Money (novel)

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One for the Money

1994 Paperback cover
Author Janet Evanovich
Country United States
Language English
Series Stephanie Plum
Genre(s) Crime novel
Publisher St. Martin's Press
Publication date August 26, 1994
Media type Print (Hardcover, Paperback)
Pages 288 pp.
ISBN ISBN 0-684-19639-5
Followed by Two for the Dough

One For the Money is the first novel by Janet Evanovich featuring the bounty hunter Stephanie Plum. It was published in 1994 in the United States and in 1995 in Great Britain. Like its successors, Two For The Dough and Three To Get Deadly, One for the Money is a long-time best-seller, appearing for 75 consecutive weeks on the USA Today list of 150 best-selling novels, peaking at number 59.[1]

Before this novel, Evanovich wrote 11 marginally successful romance novels published in limited amounts per month. She then "ran out of sexual positions and decided to move into the mystery genre."[2] Before writing One For the Money, her first mystery novel, Evanovich spent two years investigating the world of law enforcement, shadowing both Bail Enforcement Agents and the Trenton police, observing their actions and the equipment they carried. She also learned how to shoot a gun.[3]

One For the Money was named a New York Times Notable Book, a Publishers Weekly "Best Book of 1994," and a USA Today "Best Bet." For this book, Evanovich also won the Dilys Award, one of only three authors to do so for their first mystery (the others being Julia Spencer-Fleming and Louise Penney).

This novel introduced characters that would frequent the subsequent novels. As of July 2007, there are thirteen published numbered novels, two novella, and one short story in the Stephanie Plum series.

Contents

[edit] Title Origins

The title originates from the saying, "One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go."

[edit] Plot summary

Stephanie Plum is out of a job. After caving under pressure from her mother, Stephanie blackmails her cousin Vinnie into giving her a job, any job. She ends up as a temporary bounty hunter. As she starts to leave something on Vinnie's assistants desk catches her eye. Connie, Vinnie's assistant, reluctantly gives her her first assignment - to bring in vice cop Joseph Morelli, who is wanted for murder. Stephanie's past with Morelli includes two sexual encounters and a hit-and-run incident, but Stephanie isn't letting anything stand in the way of her $10,000 payday.

[edit] Car death

  1. Mazda Miata, repossessed by Lenny Gruber
  2. Chevy Nova, vandalized, muffler, tail pipe, and radio missing
  3. Joe's Cherokee, blown up

[edit] Adaptations

One for the Money was optioned by Tri-Star Motion Pictures[4] shortly after being published and has been in "pre-production" ever since. When asked about the status of the movie, Janet Evanovich commented, "Hard to believe they've been sitting on this multi-million dollar franchise for all these years but go figure."[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ “Best-selling Books Database”, USA Today, <http://asp.usatoday.com/life/books/booksdatabase/default.aspx?sortBy=author&lastValue=10&searchType=2&searchValue=janet%20evanovich>. Retrieved on 16 July 2007 
  2. ^ Hayward, Mike (2006), Janet Evanovich discusses Twelve Sharp and much else, <http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm?author_number=232>. Retrieved on 16 July 2007 
  3. ^ White, Claire E., A Conversation With Janet Evanovich, <http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jan99/evanovch.htm>. Retrieved on 16 July 2007 
  4. ^ One For the Money at IMDB.com, <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0777262/combined>. Retrieved on 16 July 2007 
  5. ^ Hayward, Mike (2006), Janet Evanovich discusses Twelve Sharp and much else, <http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm?author_number=232>. Retrieved on 16 July 2007 


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