They build. She is really good at re-intro'ing characters, but from the start is the best. Each is a stand-alone mystery so you won't lose the flavor if you enter mid-series.
That was my favorite series. Susan is gone far too soon.
Evanovich is funny, but it's not the same as a female Magnum PI that is as tomboy as I am. I laughed out loud the first time she mentioned her all purpose dress. I do that! The Stephanie Plum series is much more over the top, it can be hard to suspend disbelief. The One For the Money movie was, imo, ho hum. not at all what I pictured any of the characters, but that's ok, I just didn't find the movie to be particularly well done. I would watch another if they made it.
I got lost in the Kay Scarpetta series by ... Patricia Cromwell, I want to say? There were a lot of them and I did find a lot of "wait, what?" in those when I hopped around. not for the squeamish, she is, among other things, a medical examiner.
Gosh, I am getting excited to think about catching up on my reading after I have my shoulder fixed!!! I want a hammock but not advisable.