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Stephanie Chalice Mystery #5
Baby Girl Doe
Everyone deserves a well-earned vacation, don’t they? Guess again!
Plans have been made and the bags are packed but Detective Stephanie Chalice is having about as much fun as Michael Vick at an ASPCA fundraiser.
The new story finds Chalice and Lido on the East End of Long Island, vacationing with Max, their new arrival. Things go wrong from the very start. Their vacation rental burns to the ground, bodies pile up, and just to make things interesting, Lido . . . All I’ll say is that you’ll never believe it.
Chalice may be out of her jurisdiction but she's never out of questions or determination and soon connects two unsolved homicides. As always, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and her initial findings plunge her deeper and deeper into the most extraordinary investigation of her career.
Plans have been made and the bags are packed but Detective Stephanie Chalice is having about as much fun as Michael Vick at an ASPCA fundraiser.
The new story finds Chalice and Lido on the East End of Long Island, vacationing with Max, their new arrival. Things go wrong from the very start. Their vacation rental burns to the ground, bodies pile up, and just to make things interesting, Lido . . . All I’ll say is that you’ll never believe it.
Chalice may be out of her jurisdiction but she's never out of questions or determination and soon connects two unsolved homicides. As always, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and her initial findings plunge her deeper and deeper into the most extraordinary investigation of her career.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2014
348 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Kelter
70 books137 followersLawrence Kelter is the bestselling author of the Stephanie Chalice Mystery Series. A resident New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn and residing on Long Island. He often uses Manhattan and Long Island as backdrops for his stories. He is the author of three novels featuring street savvy NYPD detective, Stephanie Chalice: Don't Close Your Eyes, Ransom Beach, and most recently, The Brain Vault. Early in his career, he received direction from bestselling novelist Nelson DeMille, who put pencil to paper to assist in the editing of his first book. He was also a member of a private writing workshop led by the late soap opera legend and AFTRA president, Ann Loring. His novels are quickly paced and routinely have a twist ending.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 22, 2014
I didn't know, when I signed up to review this book, that it was #5 in an established series. I'm usually wary of picking books halfway along, but I have picked up some stories that were far along and managed to get into the plot, making sense of who's who, etc.
I must admit it took a while with this one - I really felt like I'd been dumped into a world I knew nothing about, and there weren't that many cues along the way to clue me in as to who was who and what each was to one another, their backstory, how they got there; I did expect a semblance of explanation to catch up but I failed to find it in the earlier chapters....
And then because I was reading this for review, I ploughed along, and halfway through, then it started to come together and I wasn't like "Lido who?" (trust me, it felt like that at the start!) I know that to readers of this series I will come across as a ditz, because I couldn't make out which character was being referred to (took me a while to grasp that Stephanie and Chalice, used interchangeably, pertained to the same person! But get this - I didn't know these people; I was never really introduced to them....)
I'll admit the mystery kept it going for me. By now, everyone who reads my reviews knows I have serious allergy to I-itis (the overuse of "I" to start every sentence/in every sentence in 1st Person POV), and some parts of this book grated hard on me because of their overuse of I....
But the humour soothed the harsh, and once you make out who is who, then it all falls into place and you can enjoy the story.
My recommendation - start this series from Book1 and keep going; otherwise, you run the risk of being lost like I was.
I must admit it took a while with this one - I really felt like I'd been dumped into a world I knew nothing about, and there weren't that many cues along the way to clue me in as to who was who and what each was to one another, their backstory, how they got there; I did expect a semblance of explanation to catch up but I failed to find it in the earlier chapters....
And then because I was reading this for review, I ploughed along, and halfway through, then it started to come together and I wasn't like "Lido who?" (trust me, it felt like that at the start!) I know that to readers of this series I will come across as a ditz, because I couldn't make out which character was being referred to (took me a while to grasp that Stephanie and Chalice, used interchangeably, pertained to the same person! But get this - I didn't know these people; I was never really introduced to them....)
I'll admit the mystery kept it going for me. By now, everyone who reads my reviews knows I have serious allergy to I-itis (the overuse of "I" to start every sentence/in every sentence in 1st Person POV), and some parts of this book grated hard on me because of their overuse of I....
But the humour soothed the harsh, and once you make out who is who, then it all falls into place and you can enjoy the story.
My recommendation - start this series from Book1 and keep going; otherwise, you run the risk of being lost like I was.
May 30, 2024
It starts off as book 1 in which a man called Bill Alden is rushing to the maternity hospital after his wife is being given an emergency c-section for the birth of their twins, a girl and boy. He gets there too late and his wife has died on the table. He is told that his son has little chance of survival but his daughter is very healthy. He is bereft at the death of his wife and hands his babies over to the state to look after. Little does he know that he is giving her up to a state facility which is experimenting on babies brains. What? We get to hear the girl in later life talking to the woman who runs the home she is in and then quietly killing her.
Moving forward to book 2, many years later two New York cops, Stephanie Chalice and Gus Lido are holidaying on Long Island with their baby son Max. The holiday let they have arrived at is in flames. Panicking that they might not be able to find alternative accommodation as it's a national holiday, a young woman approaches them and says she is the person handling the let of the burnt building but she does have another with some minor repairs ongoing if they wanted that, at a lower price, they did, and it wasn't far from the 1st property. They settle in and the young girl across the road comes over to introduce herself and is happy to babysit.
There appears to be something odd about the fire and Stephanie goes to the police dept to enquire about it. She also goes to see the pathologist conducting the post mortem, which looks a little off. Gus doesn't want to play cop and robbers, he just wants a nice quiet peaceful holiday. Stephanie (although in the book she is mostly called Chalice), is buoyed up with the arson and the what she sees is a murder. Further down the line they come across other murders, mostly of young single college girls and even Gus is thinking why are we still here.
The book travels now between the past and the present and there are a number of twists to the present, suffice to say that Gus suddenly disappears and Stephanie Chalice thinks she has found the links to the girls' murders and the arson case and her husband's sudden disappearance. And she is right. The ending is quite tense as you are not sure how it is going to pan out but I did like the main characters and baby Max and Steph's mom, and I think as this is book 5 there may be a few more adventures on the way for this family!
I'm not sure how people were confused by the beginning, it does clearly state book 1 and the date, and then moved to the present in book 2 and the date and different characters, but they are obviously all going to intertwine somewhere along the line. And I thought his name was Gus, but some are saying Greg. Did I miss something here!! Also I didn't find the raunchy scenes between Steph and Gus to be a problem, two young hot blooded professionals need to let off steam now and again surely!!
ps I like my book cover better, it's waves washing over rocks and there's a lighthouse in the distance
Moving forward to book 2, many years later two New York cops, Stephanie Chalice and Gus Lido are holidaying on Long Island with their baby son Max. The holiday let they have arrived at is in flames. Panicking that they might not be able to find alternative accommodation as it's a national holiday, a young woman approaches them and says she is the person handling the let of the burnt building but she does have another with some minor repairs ongoing if they wanted that, at a lower price, they did, and it wasn't far from the 1st property. They settle in and the young girl across the road comes over to introduce herself and is happy to babysit.
There appears to be something odd about the fire and Stephanie goes to the police dept to enquire about it. She also goes to see the pathologist conducting the post mortem, which looks a little off. Gus doesn't want to play cop and robbers, he just wants a nice quiet peaceful holiday. Stephanie (although in the book she is mostly called Chalice), is buoyed up with the arson and the what she sees is a murder. Further down the line they come across other murders, mostly of young single college girls and even Gus is thinking why are we still here.
The book travels now between the past and the present and there are a number of twists to the present, suffice to say that Gus suddenly disappears and Stephanie Chalice thinks she has found the links to the girls' murders and the arson case and her husband's sudden disappearance. And she is right. The ending is quite tense as you are not sure how it is going to pan out but I did like the main characters and baby Max and Steph's mom, and I think as this is book 5 there may be a few more adventures on the way for this family!
I'm not sure how people were confused by the beginning, it does clearly state book 1 and the date, and then moved to the present in book 2 and the date and different characters, but they are obviously all going to intertwine somewhere along the line. And I thought his name was Gus, but some are saying Greg. Did I miss something here!! Also I didn't find the raunchy scenes between Steph and Gus to be a problem, two young hot blooded professionals need to let off steam now and again surely!!
ps I like my book cover better, it's waves washing over rocks and there's a lighthouse in the distance
April 3, 2024
I did finish this book but found it unbelievable! The main characters themselves have a roll reversal feel to them, maybe because the author is a man and the main character is female.
I feel lots of information about the characters are left out.
Identity theft after 2001 is very hard to get away with, so much of the story did not ring true.
I could write more but will let others figure it out for themselves.
If you enjoy reading about Women who are crime solvers, I suggest you do not read ones who are written by a male author(unless the women and males are equal and sex is not so vulgar).
The read was funny at times, most of the victims were innocent and their disappearance and lack of investigations was a crime in itself.
I feel lots of information about the characters are left out.
Identity theft after 2001 is very hard to get away with, so much of the story did not ring true.
I could write more but will let others figure it out for themselves.
If you enjoy reading about Women who are crime solvers, I suggest you do not read ones who are written by a male author(unless the women and males are equal and sex is not so vulgar).
The read was funny at times, most of the victims were innocent and their disappearance and lack of investigations was a crime in itself.
March 25, 2024
Awesome!
This was definitely a page turner! I almost put it in the line up of to be deleted books. I was a little bit turned off by Stephanie's reference to her hooha and other nicknames for her vagina. At 63, I am nowhere near a prude, but it was excessive, and didn't add to the story line. Then the story line changed, and it was no longer Stephanie worrying about her loose labia, Greg was kidnapped, and all of the questions about all of the people involved in various crimes were answered.
It turned into a book that was difficult to put down, and can't wait to read one of the others!
This was definitely a page turner! I almost put it in the line up of to be deleted books. I was a little bit turned off by Stephanie's reference to her hooha and other nicknames for her vagina. At 63, I am nowhere near a prude, but it was excessive, and didn't add to the story line. Then the story line changed, and it was no longer Stephanie worrying about her loose labia, Greg was kidnapped, and all of the questions about all of the people involved in various crimes were answered.
It turned into a book that was difficult to put down, and can't wait to read one of the others!
March 14, 2024
little let down
I enjoyed the plot and characters mostly. However the division from the second (ie filling in the background to Raven and Raiden’s early lives) was a bit abrupt. At one point I thought I was reading a different book as it was long. The other points I disliked were the references to annal sex and use of rabbits. I did not feel this necessary or vital to the story. It reduced it to a bit trashy and headline grabbing. Over all a reasonable plot, but the way it was written let it down.
I enjoyed the plot and characters mostly. However the division from the second (ie filling in the background to Raven and Raiden’s early lives) was a bit abrupt. At one point I thought I was reading a different book as it was long. The other points I disliked were the references to annal sex and use of rabbits. I did not feel this necessary or vital to the story. It reduced it to a bit trashy and headline grabbing. Over all a reasonable plot, but the way it was written let it down.
December 9, 2024
I guess I wasn’t paying attention but I would have bet the author of this book was a 16 year old girl, as it’s not well written. What started out as 4 separate stories eventually became one hot mess. Does this author ever have real conversations with people? The teenage lingo feels very forced. The book struggles to be a mystery or just some lame attempt of C grade erotica. I’m shocked to find out this wasn’t self published, as I can’t imagine a publisher actually paying an author for this woke garbage.
February 2, 2024
Baby Girl Doe fell short of being a good read. A couple on vacation with their infant son become curious with the deaths of some people. Their curiosity threatens the people responsible for the deaths and they kidnap her husband. The storyline is good, but takes too many side issues. The ending is a little far fetched.
January 18, 2018
Great book
All I can say is read this book. Finished in a day. Stephanie is a badass. Don't worry if you read out of order seems to not make a big difference
All I can say is read this book. Finished in a day. Stephanie is a badass. Don't worry if you read out of order seems to not make a big difference
January 26, 2024
Conspiracy theorists will love this book. The consequences of actions by an entity can last for decades or longer and have devasting effects. The author promotes the complexity of nature vs nuture.
February 1, 2024
Stealing Identities
Missing and murdered people just wouldn't let a vacationing detective not do her job. It was difficult keeping the identities straight in this book.
Missing and murdered people just wouldn't let a vacationing detective not do her job. It was difficult keeping the identities straight in this book.
February 21, 2024
Main characters are engaging and believable. The story got a little confusing at times. I would read another one in the series
February 25, 2024
First Kelter book I read
Enjoyed the basic story of the book but found all the sexual references totally unnecessary and detracted from the book. Would recommend to no one.
Enjoyed the basic story of the book but found all the sexual references totally unnecessary and detracted from the book. Would recommend to no one.
March 29, 2024
Full of action.
There was so much mayhem and people involved I felt disjointed when reading it. However the story line and characters were interesting and humor was fun.
There was so much mayhem and people involved I felt disjointed when reading it. However the story line and characters were interesting and humor was fun.
September 12, 2022
Another excellent book in this series! Outstanding!
March 13, 2014
I've been waiting for what seems like a long time for this, the next Stephanie Chalice book. When we last saw Stephanie, she and Gus were married. She was pregnant. Throwing a baby into a police detective series can change everything and you find yourself reading a story about different people or schizoid parents. I was open minded but concerned. I started this book this morning. Could not put it down.
Stephanie and Gus have rented a vacation cabin on Long Island, wanting to escape the city and NYPD for a couple of weeks and spend time relaxing and enjoying their beautiful little boy. It could have worked, too, had the previously mentioned cabin not burned to the ground as they were arriving. A stroke of luck sat them near a real estate broker while they pondered their options over a meal and soon they found another place - much nicer - for their vacation. Perfect. When Kaley, the young woman living next door stops by to say hi, she inadvertently discloses some disturbing information. A young woman who had previously lived in their rental had disappeared, destroying the family. There was also an unusual incident - a woman had been pushed (not jumped) in front of a moving train. Odd bits of information to most people but to Stephanie it is an intriguing scenario. Throw in an obnoxious handyman, a number of woefully incomplete (to Stephanie) investigations, Ma showing up on their doorstep, arsenic, bodies destroyed by fire, tattoos, fresh fish, bent spoons - well, Stephanie and Gus have different definitions of vacation. Then something happens that Stephanie cannot accept. All the skills our favorite NYPD homicide detective possesses will be needed to survive this vacation.
Welcome back, Stephanie! I've been needing a smart, fun, well-written fast paced bookI could connect with and here it is! I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. (I would have bought it anyway - this series of books had never let me down before, I had my fingers crossed). If you are interested in a smart, funny, very human NYPD homicide detective and some wild cases, this is for you. The book also works well as a stand alone, no need to read the first others first. You'll enjoy past twists and turns and surprises and people just as well after you read this.
Stephanie and Gus have rented a vacation cabin on Long Island, wanting to escape the city and NYPD for a couple of weeks and spend time relaxing and enjoying their beautiful little boy. It could have worked, too, had the previously mentioned cabin not burned to the ground as they were arriving. A stroke of luck sat them near a real estate broker while they pondered their options over a meal and soon they found another place - much nicer - for their vacation. Perfect. When Kaley, the young woman living next door stops by to say hi, she inadvertently discloses some disturbing information. A young woman who had previously lived in their rental had disappeared, destroying the family. There was also an unusual incident - a woman had been pushed (not jumped) in front of a moving train. Odd bits of information to most people but to Stephanie it is an intriguing scenario. Throw in an obnoxious handyman, a number of woefully incomplete (to Stephanie) investigations, Ma showing up on their doorstep, arsenic, bodies destroyed by fire, tattoos, fresh fish, bent spoons - well, Stephanie and Gus have different definitions of vacation. Then something happens that Stephanie cannot accept. All the skills our favorite NYPD homicide detective possesses will be needed to survive this vacation.
Welcome back, Stephanie! I've been needing a smart, fun, well-written fast paced bookI could connect with and here it is! I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. (I would have bought it anyway - this series of books had never let me down before, I had my fingers crossed). If you are interested in a smart, funny, very human NYPD homicide detective and some wild cases, this is for you. The book also works well as a stand alone, no need to read the first others first. You'll enjoy past twists and turns and surprises and people just as well after you read this.
August 13, 2014
Stephanie Chalice is back and just as witty, hard-headed, and strong-willed as ever! Stephanie, Gus (her Adonis like husband and fellow cop), and baby Max are going on vacation. But a series of events starting on the day they arrive at their rental cabin sets things down a different path. Can Stephanie turn off her cop’s intuition long enough to let go and enjoy family time? Not likely!
I love a strong heroine, especially in a male dominated world (because let’s face it… the world of cops… yea…enough said). Stephanie doesn’t take any crap, doesn’t hold any punches, and says what’s on her mind. Most of the time one or all of those things end up getting her into trouble.
There are a lot of players in this book, but that is typical of Kelter’s writing style. He keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing to the very end. Once you think you have it all figured out, there’s another twist in the plot and you are led down a path you didn’t even know existed.
This series is a fantastic read and Baby Girl Doe lives up to the hype the rest of the series has created. It’s fast-paced, action packed, full of humorous dialogue… you won’t be able to put it down! Books one through four are all on sale right now for a mere 99 pennies each! Check out the entire series. Even though Baby Girl Doe is #5 in the Stephanie Chalice series, it can be read as a stand alone. This book will not disappoint those who love a good mystery/suspense book.
I love a strong heroine, especially in a male dominated world (because let’s face it… the world of cops… yea…enough said). Stephanie doesn’t take any crap, doesn’t hold any punches, and says what’s on her mind. Most of the time one or all of those things end up getting her into trouble.
There are a lot of players in this book, but that is typical of Kelter’s writing style. He keeps you on your toes and keeps you guessing to the very end. Once you think you have it all figured out, there’s another twist in the plot and you are led down a path you didn’t even know existed.
This series is a fantastic read and Baby Girl Doe lives up to the hype the rest of the series has created. It’s fast-paced, action packed, full of humorous dialogue… you won’t be able to put it down! Books one through four are all on sale right now for a mere 99 pennies each! Check out the entire series. Even though Baby Girl Doe is #5 in the Stephanie Chalice series, it can be read as a stand alone. This book will not disappoint those who love a good mystery/suspense book.
March 8, 2014
Stephanie Chalice is back.....
Stephanie, Kelter's worthy fictional rival to James Patterson's Lindsay Boxer is back, with hubby and baby in tow, and we meet her getting used to motherhood and going on vacation. Then again, our Stephanie is not one for relaxing, and this vacation is no different.
This book is a joy to read, full of slow suspense and layering of the plot all set to the backdrop of her relationship with her new son and our loveable eye candy Lido.
I really enjoy this series, and I was not disappointed by this instalment. Kelter is one of my favourite authors, and I always keep my eye on his endeavours.
Rachel Dove
The Kindle Book Review
June 14, 2014
BABY GIRL DOE
I found the book extremely boring; at first and long winded as well. the story was a good one, if you could get over the fact that it was OBVIOUSLY written by a horny man. it did turn out to be a half-way good story that I probably would not bother with again.
I found the book extremely boring; at first and long winded as well. the story was a good one, if you could get over the fact that it was OBVIOUSLY written by a horny man. it did turn out to be a half-way good story that I probably would not bother with again.
May 28, 2015
Wonderful
I began reading about Detective Chaleesee way back. None of her stories ever disappointed me. Baby Girl Doe was full of twists and turns and completely exciting.It was really great to Max in this story. I'm looking forward to Stephanie, Gus and the G-Man next adventure.
I began reading about Detective Chaleesee way back. None of her stories ever disappointed me. Baby Girl Doe was full of twists and turns and completely exciting.It was really great to Max in this story. I'm looking forward to Stephanie, Gus and the G-Man next adventure.
April 7, 2016
Baby Girl Doe
I really did not enjoy this book. It jumped around to much . It was hard to keep up with the story. It jumped back and fourth. I did not enjoy book five. There is another book in this series which I am going to read . I hope it is better.
I really did not enjoy this book. It jumped around to much . It was hard to keep up with the story. It jumped back and fourth. I did not enjoy book five. There is another book in this series which I am going to read . I hope it is better.
May 3, 2016
Enjoyed
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would! Did not want to put it down until the last sentence. Plot was inventive. Characters well developed. Makes me want to read more in the Stephanie Chalice series
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would! Did not want to put it down until the last sentence. Plot was inventive. Characters well developed. Makes me want to read more in the Stephanie Chalice series
May 10, 2016
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.
This is the first book I've read by this author but it definitely won't be the last. The characters were great and I have fallen in love with Gus and Stephanie. Great book. Put it on your must read list.
This is the first book I've read by this author but it definitely won't be the last. The characters were great and I have fallen in love with Gus and Stephanie. Great book. Put it on your must read list.
February 27, 2015
nature vs nurture? multiple murders, arson...even on vacation, Stephanie can't resist a puzzle such as this. then her husband is assaulted and kidnapped. ends well.
June 24, 2015
Excellent
I have read all the Stephanie Chalice books, out so far. I think this one is the best. Hope there are many more. If so, let me at them. I could NOT put it down.
I have read all the Stephanie Chalice books, out so far. I think this one is the best. Hope there are many more. If so, let me at them. I could NOT put it down.
May 9, 2016
An enjoyable mystery / thriller
An enjoyable mystery / thriller. Its plot contains plenty of twists and turns and keeps you guessing until the very end.
An enjoyable mystery / thriller. Its plot contains plenty of twists and turns and keeps you guessing until the very end.
December 21, 2015
Bad Vacation
Arriving at Montauk, Stephanie finds their rental house in flames. After finding a place to stay, things just get worse.
Arriving at Montauk, Stephanie finds their rental house in flames. After finding a place to stay, things just get worse.
May 11, 2016
Skip read
I was so sick of how gorgeous and horny this couple was continuously throughout the book. The plot was scattered all over the place. Just not good at all.
I was so sick of how gorgeous and horny this couple was continuously throughout the book. The plot was scattered all over the place. Just not good at all.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews