Look, I went into this expecting disappointment. A 'Between the Numbers' Stephanie Plum novel with supernatural elements? My horror-loving heart wanted to believe, but my genre-savvy brain was screaming 'cash grab.' I was wrong. Mostly.
I listened to this during a late shift at the library, reshelving returns in the mystery section while everyone else had gone home. The fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, the occasional creak of the old building settling—and Lorelei King in my ears making me snort-laugh so hard I nearly dropped a stack of James Pattersons.
The Jersey Devil Deserved Better (But Lula Steals the Show)
Here's my frustration with Plum Spooky: it promises Pine Barrens horror and delivers... comedy with a supernatural garnish. The Jersey Devil gets mentioned like that friend who's 'definitely coming to the party' but only shows up for five minutes. As someone who's done an entire podcast episode on cryptid horror, I wanted more teeth. More dread. More actual spooky. For real tension and genuine mystery, I Am Pilgrim delivers what this book only hints at.
But then Lula opens her mouth—or rather, Lorelei King opens her mouth AS Lula—and I forgot to be annoyed. King's timing and dialect for this character are genuinely hysterical. There's this scene where they're camping in the Pine Barrens and Lula is just... being Lula about the whole situation, and I had to pause because I was laughing too hard to process the next line. King doesn't just voice Lula; she conjures her. You can practically hear the eye rolls and neck movements through the audio alone.
The monkey Carl? Unexpectedly delightful. Martin Munch as the villain? Appropriately unhinged. Earl eating lasagna with Stephanie's family? Pure chaotic energy that Evanovich does so well.
Diesel's Voice: The Elephant in the Pine Barrens
I'm going to be honest—Diesel's voice didn't land for me. He's supposed to be this mysterious, sexy, slightly supernatural guy who shows up at inconvenient moments, and King gives him this... I don't know, it's not BAD, but it doesn't match the character in my head. Some listeners love it. I found myself slightly cringing every time he appeared.
Here's the thing though: King's Lula is so good it compensates. Her Grandma Mazur is pitch-perfect. Her Stephanie has this throaty, self-assured quality that grounds all the absurdity around her. One mediocre character voice in a cast of dozens? I can live with that.
Comedy in a Halloween Costume
This book isn't really trying to be horror. Identicals walks that same genre-blending tightrope, though it leans harder into the mystery elements. Plum Spooky is a comedy mystery wearing a Halloween costume. Once I accepted that, I enjoyed it way more.
The supernatural elements—Diesel's unexplained powers, the cryptid teases, the general weirdness of the Pine Barrens setting—they're window dressing. Fun window dressing, but window dressing nonetheless. If you're coming here for genuine scares, you will be disappointed. If you're coming here for Stephanie Plum being Stephanie Plum with some spooky-adjacent flavor, you'll have a good time.
At 6 hours and 25 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. It's the audiobook equivalent of a fun Halloween party—not actually scary, but festive and entertaining.
Who Gets an Invitation (And Who Should Stay Home)
This is for Stephanie Plum fans who want more of what they love with a seasonal twist. It's for people who want to laugh during their commute or while doing mindless tasks. It's for anyone who needs a palate cleanser between heavier reads.
Skip this if you're expecting real horror. Skip this if you haven't read any Plum novels before—you'll be lost and underwhelmed. Skip this if inconsistent character voices will ruin your experience; Diesel might drive you crazy.
My podcast listeners are going to ask me about this one, and I'll tell them what I'm telling you: it's fun junk food. Not the gourmet horror experience I crave, but sometimes you just want candy corn.
Shirley Jackson Would Not Approve (But I'm Okay With That)
Nobody's going to lose sleep over this book. But Lorelei King's performance elevates what could have been forgettable into something genuinely entertaining. I finished it smiling, which—given my usual diet of psychological terror and existential dread—felt almost rebellious.
Shirley (my cat) was unimpressed. I was entertained. Sometimes that's enough.
