Stephanie Plum is a fictional character and the protagonist in a series of novels written by Janet Evanovich. She is a spunky combination of Nancy Drew and Dirty Harry, and — although a female bounty hunter — is the opposite of Domino Harvey. She is described by the author as “incredibly average and yet heroic if necessary.” Evanovich claims the inspiration for Stephanie’s character came after watching Midnight Run starring Charles Grodin and Robert De Niro, adding, “If Mickey Spillane wrote Archie and Veronica, Stephanie would be Betty.” As the series has progressed, Stephanie has become more stable and responsible, and a better bounty hunter. “But truthfully,” Evanovich says, “Stephanie has stayed the same more than she’s changed.” As of July 2014, Stephanie has appeared in 21 full-length novels, four holiday novellas, and a short story in a compilation of various authors’ works.