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In Lisa Gardner’s first-ever short story following thirteen bestselling novels, "The 7th Month" takes listeners between the books and into a day in the life of Boston Detective D.D. Warren.

In her seventh month of pregnancy, D.D. should be taking it easy. Instead, she accepts a small consulting role on the set of a serial killer film shooting in Boston.

D.D. figures she’ll be useful to someone for at least one night, serving as a police expert and making a little extra money in the bargain. It seems like a simple task—until the previous film consultant, a former Boston cop, is found beaten to death. Suddenly D.D.’s date with Hollywood gets serious. Extremely pregnant, on the trail of a killer, and surrounded by a hundred and four murder suspects in the middle of a graveyard, D.D. must quickly unravel a tangled web of lies.

As another cast member is attacked, D.D. realizes that like it or not, her priorities have changed—and her last desperate hope is that she can catch a killer before she and her unborn baby face mortal danger. Packed with the suspenseful storytelling that has turned Gardner’s novels into New York Times bestsellers, "The 7th Month" reveals new insights into a beloved series heroine.

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First published January 1, 2012

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About the author

Lisa Gardner

79 books20.6k followers
Lisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.

Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!

Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 587 reviews
Profile Image for MarilynW.
1,925 reviews4,450 followers
April 12, 2021
The 7th Month (Detective D.D. Warren #5.5) a short story

Sergeant Detective D. D. Warren is seven months pregnant, been assigned to desk duty, and she's not enjoying it. Plus Alex, the baby father, has asked her to move into his place. Too much to think about so D.D. needs a distraction and it comes in the chance to be a cop technical consultant for a movie about a serial killer. Plus this moonlighting job pays really, really well. And then, just like that, there is a real murder connected to this consulting job and now the moonlighting job becomes part of D.D.'s day job. Things get very busy and very serious, very quickly! There is a good amount of humor packed into this short story. 
Profile Image for Norma ~ The Sisters .
748 reviews14.6k followers
February 6, 2017
The 7th Month by Lisa Gardner is a short and quick read. I don't read very many short stories but I had to read this because I have read all the other books in this series. This has been sitting on my Kobo shelf for a while now and I just had to commit to reading it, as well as the other two short stories which I will be reading soon.

I rather enjoyed this. The murder mystery here isn't what actually grabbed my attention. D.D. and Alex's relationship is what is pretty special here. They are so perfect, fun and cute together. D.D. was also her sarcastic, witty, and humorous self here.

Lisa Gardner is one of my favourite authors!
Profile Image for Suz.
1,569 reviews872 followers
January 3, 2022
My first ever audio book experience! Accents I think could be an issue for me with this type of reading. It's a voice I'm not used to and I kept thinking about it, listening to the nuances of the voice, not the story! Also, distraction - I kept doing things where I stopped listening. Nothing major, just would need to work on adjusting myself to stop and listen! My issue though of course..

D.D is 29 weeks pregnant now, and relegated to a desk, reception no less! This is not good enough, and she's bored of course. She jumps, as much as her tummy will let her, at the chance to consult on a movie set on police procedures. Extra cash for her nursery, why not?! D.D is as quick as ever, lots of witty retorts. She's a great lead character.

Alex returns, yay, I really liked him in the prior instalment - and he clearly is smitten with our hard to pin down leading lady - to help solve a crime that has just occurred in relation to the consultant who has mysteriously disappeared. Thus D.D's required presence on set. The exec producer that hired her is jumpy, something's not right and D.D is on the case!

My unusual average rating for this one (and I do feel like I'm letting the team down here) is simply because I found it a tad corny, possibly not helped with the kookie accents when the narrator changed characters? No harm done though, can't wait for the next one, which by all accounts seems ominous due to the very last sentence. D.D, what's going on with you??
Profile Image for Alex is The Romance Fox.
1,461 reviews1,245 followers
February 15, 2016
2,5 stars

The 7th Month, book #5.5 in Lisa Gardner’s Detective D.D. Warren Series, is a short and quick read – the story takes place over 24 hours.

D.D. Warren is now desk-bound, 7 months pregnant and bored out of her mind.
So when she’s approached by a movie producer offering her a job as a police consultant on his latest movie about a serial killer. The plot just never grabbed me……..and page before each chapter outlining the “how-to” guidelines for murder, made no sense to me.

The story wrapped up pretty fast…yes, I know, this is a short story….also never got to know the secondary characters, never mind that I cared nothing for them either.

I have to be honest and say that the only part of this little book that I enjoyed were the scenes between D.D. and her man, Alex. Their relationship is pretty awesome……………and “reading” D.D. thoughts about her man….cute!!!

I am so looking forward to reading the next book.
Profile Image for Jonetta.
2,616 reviews1,338 followers
April 13, 2020
Detective Sergeant D. D. Warren is seven months pregnant and now relegated to desk duty. She gets a request from a desperate movie producer to send a detective to a production site immediately, replacing the retired police consultant they originally hired because he hasn’t shown up for a critical day of shooting. Once she sees the pay rate, D. D. decides it’s tame enough for her to go but soon finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. And, baby Warren might be coming early.

This is really short and what I enjoyed was the narration and focus on D. D. and Alex. The case bored me a bit as it was somewhat convoluted and didn’t have enough page time to properly develop. I love Kirsten Potter’s interpretation of D. D. as she makes her much more likable and interesting in her delivery. It saves the story for me and made the time worthwhile. You’ll have to read/listen to it yourself to determine the outcome.
Profile Image for DeAnn.
1,781 reviews
April 12, 2021
4 short story stars

This was a quick fun short story with D.D. Warren in her seventh month of pregnancy. D.D. is not used to having to do desk duty so she's intrigued with an offer to serve as the police consultant to a movie filming in Boston.

In typical D.D. fashion, there's soon a murder and a case to investigate on the movie set! This one was well worth the read and it adds more to the character development of D.D.!

Marilyn and I are enjoying these!
Profile Image for Fred.
570 reviews95 followers
February 24, 2020
A quick & short book.
Lisa Gardner- 2018
Working at a police desk, Detective D.D. Warren is 7 months pregnant... A film producer’s current “retired” movie policemen consultant is missing. He enters & offers the pregnant D.D. an enormous fee to be the “new” movie police consultant to continue filming......bringing excitement to her.

Can D.D. see through the lies? Money is “laundered” with Boston’s crime bosses & film producers? Find what happened to the “retired” movie policemen consultant?

Extremely pregnant, on the trail of a killer, surrounded by a hundred and four murder suspects in the middle of a graveyard, D.D. must quickly unravel a tangled web of lies. As another cast member is killed, D.D. realizes that like it or not, her priorities have changed – her last desperate hope is she can defeat A Gravestone Killer before she & her “unborn” baby face mortal danger.

Plot took too long for me to get into - for a short book.

Extra Note & Question
The book discusses 7 steps to planning murders....

1 - Who & Why?
2 - Never look back?
3 - Pick “murder kit” & how to use on victim?
4 - Plan for “physiological” overload on you?
5 - The body - disposing or exposing?
6 - Strong alibi - call a friend just before murder?
(so they can say you were talking to them)
7 - Don’t worry with the final step?

These steps sound too simple? Agree?

It's always nice reading a book with your home setting. Being from Boston you know how well the author knows the streets & suburbs as you do. (less)
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
3,465 reviews495 followers
May 13, 2025
The 7th Month by Lisa Gardner
D.D. Warren series #5.5. Gardner Universe #11.5. Police procedural thriller novella. Can be read as a stand-alone but best read in series order.
Detective D.D. Warren isn’t used to being idle and a desk job has her fidgety. To keep herself busy while seven months pregnant, she takes on a consulting job for a serial killer movie being filmed in Boston. The consulting turns to investigation when the former consultant is found beaten to death. Everyone on the movie set is a suspect and D.D. needs to get quick answers when a second cast member is attacked or it might just be her next.

Fast moving, and quick murder and investigation while D.D. is uncomfortable and feeling protective of her unborn child. The usual deep analysis and questioning by D.D. Her sarcasm adds humor to the settings and situations.
Impressively detailed for a novella with a woman trying to ignore her seventh month situation by focusing on her job. There is always another murder to solve.
Profile Image for Karly.
480 reviews173 followers
September 17, 2023
My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ for what it is, a short story with good writing!!

I will keep this short, this is a DD Warren short story (under 100 pages) I have almost read the entire series so I decided to give these shorties a whirl.

This was was ok… we go back to just before DD gives birth, she is involved in a case (of course) and escapades ensue.

I will say, DD seemed heaps nicer in this little shortie than in her other books… but maybe there wasn’t time for her to wind up into super bitch mode. Also she was actually a lot nicer as a pregnant woman than her pre-pregnant / mum self.

This quick book had a little bit of action… I liked most of it… but the ‘reason’ for the baddie… was meh… my least fave type of story is a mob story… so I was pretty engaged but then a bit meh who cares by the end.

The best bit for me was the relationship that DD and Alex have… its wholesome and exactly what cranky Warren needs.

Its good to read but not necessary for the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Faye.
462 reviews47 followers
February 23, 2018
Read: February 2018
Rating: 4/5 stars

DD Warren is seven months pregnant and relegated to desk duty when she is approached about being a police consultant to a movie being filmed nearby. Of course, things aren't as straightforward as they seem and DD must work with an undercover FBI agent to uncover the crime taking place on set.

I liked this interlude between the main novels in the series and it was good to see DD and Alex's relationship on the page again. Of course the highlight of the plot was

I especially love the fact that DD is an older mother - 41 years old at the time of this story - and she gets to be the established career woman as well as a new mum at this stage in her life.
Profile Image for ♥Rachel♥.
2,285 reviews923 followers
May 19, 2017
This was a short story that takes place before the newest upcoming D.D.Warren mystery by Lisa Gardner Catch Me.

D.D. is now seven months pregnant, several months have passed since the last novel Love You More, where D.D. found out she was pregnant by her boyfriend Alex. When we catch up with D.D. she's on desk duty for obvious reasons, and has just been asked by Alex to move in with him. Dead bodies and gruesome crime scenes don't make her bat an eye, but a man that's crazy in love with scares her to death.

While on desk duty, a man comes in looking for a police consultant for a movie that's currently filming. It seems the last consultant has bolted or disappeared. Does D.D. know of anyone? Well boredom makes the decision for her and she heads out for the job.

This was a quick mini mystery that had some nice twists to it but the best part was seeing her and Alex together. I love D.D.'s reaction to Alex when he comes on set to assist her! My heart skipped a beat right along with D.D's. This is a nice segue into the latest story. If you're a fan of the D.D. Warren novels, then I recommend you pick this one up.
Profile Image for Robin.
1,991 reviews99 followers
July 24, 2024
Sgt. D.D. Warren is in her seventh month of pregnancy and is riding a desk at the police station. Movie Producer Don Bigler approaches her at work. He is looking for a cop to act as a consultant on a movie they are currently filming in the city. His former consultant, retired Det. Samuel Chaibongsai, has not shown up for work the last few days. D.D. figures this will be a good way to make some money on her nights off, so she asks her boss if she can take this job. She learns that Det. Chaibongsai has been murdered. D.D. decides to report to the movie set to find out everything she can about the victim and the people working on the movie.

This is a novella in Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren series. It was an OK addition to the series. D.D. is still trying to decide if she should move in with Alex, the baby's father. My rating: 3 Stars.
Profile Image for ♥ Sandi ❣	.
1,657 reviews75 followers
April 10, 2020
2 .5 stars

Short novella - on audio. Two discs, two hours, too simple to really enjoy.

I usually like to grab these book shots that wedge their way in between novels of a series. They are very short and usually give a lot of detail, either clearing up facts from the prior book or setting up what is to happen in the next book. I think this 5.5 series book failed to make the mark. The only plausible addition I see to the overall D. D. Warren series is Warren giving birth to her first child, and that could have very easily been the beginning of the 6th book .

Luckily this was under two hours, so nothing gained but nothing lost.
Profile Image for Becky.
1,677 reviews1,964 followers
March 1, 2013
I got this for free from Audible a couple months back, and I thought it would be a quick listen and an entertaining story. I was 1 for 2, anyway. It was quick at least, though truth be told, I wish it had been shorter.

I've never read, or in this case listened, to a murder mystery that bored me more than this one did. I could barely even bring myself to pay attention, which is bad because it's only an hour and 45 minutes long.

I didn't really care about the characters, probably because I haven't read any of the other books in this series, and didn't know them. But my goodness, when D.D. practically creamed herself when her boyfriend showed up, I thought it was a bit much. You're 41 years old woman, not 16. Get a grip. Dang!

And then the murder tips, which apparently were a blog? I get how they fit in, but it took me quite a while to realize that it wasn't D.D herself. THAT might have been interesting!

So, maybe 1.5 stars for this one? I dunno... it just didn't do anything for me.
Profile Image for Brenda.
5,120 reviews3,026 followers
January 23, 2012
Detective DD Warren was bored! Being 7 months pregnant, she had just been relegated to desk duties, and she was itching to do some real police work. So when a strange little man entered the Boston PD front office, requesting a police officer to help him, she was all ears.

Donnie Bilger was the director of a serial killer film which they were shooting at a cemetery in Boston, and he needed a police expert to advise on the correct protocol thoughout filming. Their former film consultant, Chaibongsai, who was an ex Boston cop, had disappeared, and they needed someone to fill his place immediately, for shooting that night.

So DD decided to fill the role, pulling an all nighter (filming had to be done at night in a cemetery, right?) with the approval of the Chief, and Alex, her partner.

But suddenly, the simple job of police expert becomes a very serious one, as the mutilated body of Chaibongsai is found, and DD discovers she has over 100 murder suspects in the middle of a graveyard! On the trail of a killer, she needs to keep her unborn baby safe, which is proving difficult as another cast member is attacked!

This is Lisa Gardner’s first ever short story, and even though the action takes place in the space of a day, it is still filled with the usual suspense, thrills, twists and turns that we are used to. I loved it!
Profile Image for Michele Harrod.
552 reviews52 followers
November 22, 2012
This was a small e-book, published before the release of Catch Me. Sort of a few chapters that sorted out Sergeant Detective DD Warren having a baby, before she came back armed with a new-born, and a badge in the next full on 'thriller'. Set the tone for DD's new challenge of balancing work and family. I like the characters immensely, so I liked the book, but nothing too intriguing in the plot otherwise. They're an interesting concept these 'short stories' between novels. And e-books. I'm not sure if it was reading an e-book, or the 'short story' itself that felt weird. Am still 'familiarising' myself with my e-book. It just isn't the same as holding the real thing in my hands, and I suspect it will always take second place to it's paper 'predecessor' for me!
Profile Image for J..
23 reviews
May 13, 2012
It is hard to make a $2 eBook be not worth the money, but Lisa Gardner managed to do it with The 7th Month.

Could have been good, but wasted too much of what little story there was in this short story alternating to a fictional "how-to" for murder which did nothing for the story.

Could have been cut down to a prequel chapter in the next book.

I want to encourage authors to release these sort of short stories, as I think they make great fillers in general for readers that can't wait for the next installment, and with the low entry price they are a good way to get people hooked and into a series.

Unfortunately, this is a lousy example of that.
Profile Image for Kasia (kasikowykurz).
2,438 reviews59 followers
November 2, 2025
DNF 42%.

Po prostu nie mam ochoty tego czytać i mam gdzieś, co się tu wydarzy. Nie wiem, jaki to ma wpływ na fabułę, ale jak dla mnie jest to kompletnie niepotrzebny dodatek.
Profile Image for Sandra Hoover.
1,462 reviews258 followers
October 30, 2022
A nice short story allowing readers insight into how D.D. is working things being in the final stage of pregnancy...without losing her identity as a detective. I've enjoyed seeing the progression of this character thus far. She's definitely one of the harder ones to figure out.
Profile Image for Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey).
1,528 reviews484 followers
July 12, 2019
This is a novella. I don't expect much, but I also don't expect a repeat case. The story was weak and we didn't even get an explanation of how D.D. told Alex about the baby. Did she mention the kiss with Bobby. So thank good this only cost me a buck.
Profile Image for Sheila.
2,214 reviews220 followers
September 8, 2016
Novella of DD as a tech consultant on a serial killer movie becomes real life when the murder of the cop she is replacing is discovered. Of course being in labor during the investigation doesn't help.
Profile Image for Sarah Gay (lifeandbookswithme).
768 reviews44 followers
November 7, 2022
D.D. has been put on desk duty as she is in the 7th month of pregnancy. When she is approached to be an advisor on the set of a crime movie, she’s excited for a change of scenery. Upon her arrival, she discovers her predecessor was murdered at his home. She has the night on set to figure out who is guilty.

It was so great to see how D.D. and Alex’s relationship is developing. I like how in each instalment, the reader gets to know D.D. as a human being a little more. I thought involving the film industry made this short story pretty interesting. There was a red herring that added lots of action, although the story did feel a bit rushed in parts.
168 reviews10 followers
June 8, 2017
I seldom (almost never) bother with short stories or novellas, but hey, this is by Lisa Gardner featuring DD Warren, one of my all-time favorite characters, and it was well worth the read.
Profile Image for Barbara Hale.
577 reviews
December 15, 2020
This is a short novella about Sargeant Detective D.D. Warren of the Boston PD who is sidelined to desk duty during the 7th month of her pregnancy. While covering the receptionist's desk during lunch a man comes in to the station saying he needs to talk to a detective. DD is the only one there, and she listens to the man.

He is a movie producer in the middle of filming a murder scene in a local cemetary, and they need a cop to consult. They had a consultant, who was a retired Boston cop, but he stopped showing up, so they needed a replacement immediately.

The money is good, so D.D. agrees to take the gig. However, there is a lot more behind this movie than meets the eye.

It's difficult to write an engaging, suspenseful murder mystery in the form of a short story, so this was really neither engaging nor suspenseful.

But it made the time pass while on the treadmill......and because I'm trying to meet my books read goal for the year, I'm packing in some short ones this month. This one sufficed.
Profile Image for Candace.
950 reviews
March 13, 2022
Sargeant Detective D.D. Warren is seven months pregnant and performing desk duty. A movie producer comes into the Boston Police Department looking for a detective to be a expert consultant for a movie he is filming. D.D. decides to take him up on his offer. She figures for one night she will be useful and the pay is exceptional. About the time D.D. drives up to the movie set, her boss from BPD calls to inform her the previous police consultant was found murdered. Now she changes from expert consultant to detective. She tells her boss she will willow out possible suspects and have a list ready for the Boston Police. The only hang up is there are one hundred and four possible suspects.

This novella starts each chapter with a murder blog entry on how to kill someone. It is a six step planning process. It corresponds with the murder investigation written in each chapter. We get to see a pregnant D.D. in action, coupled with a FBI agent and a blood splatter expert. The plot is simple. There is a lot of information on fraud, money laundering and blood splatter evidence. I move on to the next novel, Catch Me, in the Sargeant Detective D.D. Warren series.
Profile Image for Teresa.
1,048 reviews39 followers
October 4, 2017
I really loved this novella. Since the mystery element wasn't high stakes, it was nice to see more of D.D.'s personal life. And the ending got me excited for the next book to see how things go.
Profile Image for Carolyn.
2,233 reviews
May 5, 2019
Great little novella in this fascinating series. Detective D.D. Warren is finally showing signs of being human! ;)
Profile Image for Christina.
32 reviews
August 30, 2020
Short, quick read in the DD Warren series. Not as captivating as the others, but it was also super short. I enjoyed the mystery and didn’t see the end coming.
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