This book is one of five really good mysteries I’ve read this year, and my only regret is that I’d read it a lot sooner. Author Lawrence Kelter has a knock-it-out-of-the-park first, with smart, sexy NYPD police detective. Stephanie Chalice.
The book starts with a murder that is cleverly connected to the kidnapping of a wealthy woman’s adopted autistic son. It soon becomes clear that the author has more in mind with this very original premise. To whit: kidnappers of an autistic savant (who is compelled to write out the quatrains of the Nostradamus) make the boy a pawn in a bidding war. But wait! There’s more! I won’t do a spoiler here, but believe me, you’re in for a treat, and if you think you can guess the exciting conclusion of this rollicking suspense novel, you’re a better wo/man than I, and I write mysteries with a woman protagonist, and thought I knew what was coming, only to be side swiped. All I can say is, wow! Somebody needs to make a movie out of this book!

This book is one of five really good mysteries I’ve read this year, and my only regret is that I’d read it a lot sooner. Author Lawrence Kelter has a knock-it-out-of-the-park first, with smart, sexy NYPD police detective. Stephanie Chalice.
The book starts with a murder that is cleverly connected to the kidnapping of a wealthy woman’s adopted autistic son. It soon becomes clear that the author has more in mind with this very original premise. To whit: kidnappers of an autistic savant (who is compelled to write out the quatrains of the Nostradamus) make the boy a pawn in a bidding war. But wait! There’s more! I won’t do a spoiler here, but believe me, you’re in for a treat, and if you think you can guess the exciting conclusion of this rollicking suspense novel, you’re a better wo/man than I, and I write mysteries with a woman protagonist, and thought I knew what was coming, only to be side swiped. All I can say is, wow! Somebody needs to make a movie out of this book!

This book is one of five really good mysteries I’ve read this year, and my only regret is that I’d read it a lot sooner. Author Lawrence Kelter has a knock-it-out-of-the-park first, with smart, sexy NYPD police detective. Stephanie Chalice.
The book starts with a murder that is cleverly connected to the kidnapping of a wealthy woman’s adopted autistic son. It soon becomes clear that the author has more in mind with this very original premise. To whit: kidnappers of an autistic savant (who is compelled to write out the quatrains of the Nostradamus) make the boy a pawn in a bidding war. But wait! There’s more! I won’t do a spoiler here, but believe me, you’re in for a treat, and if you think you can guess the exciting conclusion of this rollicking suspense novel, you’re a better woman than I, and I write mysteries with a woman protagonist, and thought I knew what was coming, only to be side swiped. All I can say is, wow! Somebody needs to make a movie out of this book! ( )

Ransom Beach is an excellent alternative to a lot of the crime/ detective stories readers are bombarded with lately. It's a quick moving story and Stephanie Chalice is such a real and easy to relate to female character. Just like all of Lawrence Kelter's novels, Ransom Beach holds your attention from start to end with just as much humor as there are plot twists and quirky elements. ( )