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Stakeouts and Strollers
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15 copies available
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Amateur private investigator and new dad Charlie Shaw gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to track down a young girl’s missing father in Rob Phillips’ award-winning debut.
Charlie Shaw is low on sleep. And cash. Otherwise, life is going pretty well for the ex-crime reporter: He’s happily married to his college sweetheart, he’s a first-time dad to the most adorable baby girl in existence, and he’s making ends meet as a rookie PI. But when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a frightened sixteen-year-old runaway on a stakeout-gone-wrong, his world gets a little more complicated.
Friday is looking for her estranged father Shawn, an unreliable alcoholic who left when she was young—and who also happens to be her only shot at avoiding the foster care system since her mother’s death a few weeks earlier. At first, Charlie believes the man is simply hiding out somewhere, avoiding his responsibilities as usual, but the more he investigates, the more unsettling—and dangerous—Shawn’s disappearance becomes. When his own family is threatened, Charlie realizes he’s in over his head, but can he back out now that he’s begun to care for Friday as his own?
A perfect blend of humor and high stakes, Stakeouts and Strollers is a heartwarming story of fatherhood, family, and what it really means to be a “Girl Dad.”
Charlie Shaw is low on sleep. And cash. Otherwise, life is going pretty well for the ex-crime reporter: He’s happily married to his college sweetheart, he’s a first-time dad to the most adorable baby girl in existence, and he’s making ends meet as a rookie PI. But when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a frightened sixteen-year-old runaway on a stakeout-gone-wrong, his world gets a little more complicated.
Friday is looking for her estranged father Shawn, an unreliable alcoholic who left when she was young—and who also happens to be her only shot at avoiding the foster care system since her mother’s death a few weeks earlier. At first, Charlie believes the man is simply hiding out somewhere, avoiding his responsibilities as usual, but the more he investigates, the more unsettling—and dangerous—Shawn’s disappearance becomes. When his own family is threatened, Charlie realizes he’s in over his head, but can he back out now that he’s begun to care for Friday as his own?
A perfect blend of humor and high stakes, Stakeouts and Strollers is a heartwarming story of fatherhood, family, and what it really means to be a “Girl Dad.”
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 17, 2026
15 people are currently reading
25130 people want to read
About the author
Rob Phillips
2 books81 followersRob's debut novel, STAKEOUTS AND STROLLERS, won the Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Award. STAKEOUTS AND STROLLERS is now available for preorder (publication date 3/17/26).
Rob grew up in the Dallas area, where he became an Emmy-winning sportswriter covering the Dallas Cowboys for print, radio and television. Rob and his wife are proud parents to a spunky senior King Charles spaniel and a lively young daughter who’s still waiting for her first stakeout.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robphillips...
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Rob-P...#
Rob grew up in the Dallas area, where he became an Emmy-winning sportswriter covering the Dallas Cowboys for print, radio and television. Rob and his wife are proud parents to a spunky senior King Charles spaniel and a lively young daughter who’s still waiting for her first stakeout.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robphillips...
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Rob-P...#
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
October 20, 2025
first Cozy with a male lead but w9nt be my last
Read
March 6, 2026Stakeouts and Strollers, is a gender-flipped Finlay Donovan type comic thriller that features a new dad and PI getting into dark investigative hijinks.
Though the writing in S and S was amusing, I also thought it was dialogue-heavy and sometimes lacking in grounding. I often had to go back and re-read to clarify what was going on.
Charlie, the main character, is a former reporter, new dad, and newbie PI who starts out going on stakeouts with a baby monitor.
Me: What? Is he leaving the baby home alone? What is the range of this baby monitor?
I finally decided that his wife Ryan (a marketing exec who looks great even though she has no time for the gym) must be either trying to sleep or on a very long maternity leave (their daughter is six months old). Thankfully they hire a saint of night nurse so he can finally stop dragging the monitor around and get to his PI work.
While we're on the topic of wives and women, I agreed with this reviewer that some of the main character's descriptions of women gave me pause. Yes, many men describe women based on their level of attractiveness. So while that did ring true, in a cozy mystery that seems primarily targeted to women, I would have loved to see another character call him out on it (maybe the Gen Z teenager he befriends?) Charlie's love for his daughter is obvious and his desire to be a great #GirlDad is admirable, but I would have loved some more self-reflection on what that entails, and maybe a tiny bit of personal growth along with the crime solving?
Overall, I felt the comic/domestic aspect mixed with hard core baddies did not work nearly as well for me as it does in the Finlay Donovan books. But other readers have enjoyed this book, so if you love comic cozies, don't let my opinion stop you!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Though the writing in S and S was amusing, I also thought it was dialogue-heavy and sometimes lacking in grounding. I often had to go back and re-read to clarify what was going on.
Charlie, the main character, is a former reporter, new dad, and newbie PI who starts out going on stakeouts with a baby monitor.
Me: What? Is he leaving the baby home alone? What is the range of this baby monitor?
I finally decided that his wife Ryan (a marketing exec who looks great even though she has no time for the gym) must be either trying to sleep or on a very long maternity leave (their daughter is six months old). Thankfully they hire a saint of night nurse so he can finally stop dragging the monitor around and get to his PI work.
While we're on the topic of wives and women, I agreed with this reviewer that some of the main character's descriptions of women gave me pause. Yes, many men describe women based on their level of attractiveness. So while that did ring true, in a cozy mystery that seems primarily targeted to women, I would have loved to see another character call him out on it (maybe the Gen Z teenager he befriends?) Charlie's love for his daughter is obvious and his desire to be a great #GirlDad is admirable, but I would have loved some more self-reflection on what that entails, and maybe a tiny bit of personal growth along with the crime solving?
Overall, I felt the comic/domestic aspect mixed with hard core baddies did not work nearly as well for me as it does in the Finlay Donovan books. But other readers have enjoyed this book, so if you love comic cozies, don't let my opinion stop you!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlie is a former investigative journalist & new dad turned private investigator in what is hopefully book one of a new series.
While doing an investigation into a potential cheating spouse, Charlie ends up in the middle of another much larger (& unpaid) investigation involving a 16-year-old girl looking for her missing father.
This title has a touch more violent situations than a traditional cozy mystery but still has lots of cozy type aspects to it, so be forewarned.
I'll definitely be looking for a follow-up title!
Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur for an advance copy.
While doing an investigation into a potential cheating spouse, Charlie ends up in the middle of another much larger (& unpaid) investigation involving a 16-year-old girl looking for her missing father.
This title has a touch more violent situations than a traditional cozy mystery but still has lots of cozy type aspects to it, so be forewarned.
I'll definitely be looking for a follow-up title!
Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur for an advance copy.
December 28, 2025
A journalist turned private investigator goes all out after a cheating case leads to meeting a teenaged girl looking for her father. Being a new father to a daughter & having a deceased sister, Charlie gets suckered into looking for the missing father and quickly his cases collide & turn deadly.
S & S felt longer than necessary to me. Some of the at home banter & stakeouts with Charlie thinking about food & snacks could have been cut out. I realize this was in a way for the authors daughter & he wanted to portray Charlie as a good girl dad but it was too much & ended up annoying for me. Or maybe it just took too long to get my reading time in & that’s just how it felt as thought every time I picked up the book it was filled with fluff.
The book was still enjoyable & I haven’t looked into whether this will turn into a series or just a stand alone & another book with Charlie venturing into PI work could be fun especially if it was funnier. Charlie has a mouth in a way but it would play off better if he was funnier especially as his wife Ryan is boring.
I appreciate that this books stayed classy & that Charlie wasn’t gross around ladies.
Overall, the book is good, story & writing with the exception of the teenager Friday who doesn’t quite talk or seem like a young teenager. For one example: “It just rang off the hook” is said by the teen. I’ve never heard a teen say this let alone think they would know what it means. Friday also talks to similar in a fashion to Charlie-in a manner of a much older person.
This book I would recommend to cozy book readers
S & S felt longer than necessary to me. Some of the at home banter & stakeouts with Charlie thinking about food & snacks could have been cut out. I realize this was in a way for the authors daughter & he wanted to portray Charlie as a good girl dad but it was too much & ended up annoying for me. Or maybe it just took too long to get my reading time in & that’s just how it felt as thought every time I picked up the book it was filled with fluff.
The book was still enjoyable & I haven’t looked into whether this will turn into a series or just a stand alone & another book with Charlie venturing into PI work could be fun especially if it was funnier. Charlie has a mouth in a way but it would play off better if he was funnier especially as his wife Ryan is boring.
I appreciate that this books stayed classy & that Charlie wasn’t gross around ladies.
Overall, the book is good, story & writing with the exception of the teenager Friday who doesn’t quite talk or seem like a young teenager. For one example: “It just rang off the hook” is said by the teen. I’ve never heard a teen say this let alone think they would know what it means. Friday also talks to similar in a fashion to Charlie-in a manner of a much older person.
This book I would recommend to cozy book readers
November 26, 2025
This book is a breath of fresh air with Charlie
Front and center in what would appear to be
a fairly traditional ‘cozy,’ until things start to
get far too real. The characters are both
lovable, (Friday) and hugely problematic-
Pretty much everyone outside Charlie’s
lovely family - wife Ryan, (and others)
and mysteriously the whole story comes
together very nicely. I’d love to learn there
will be a sequel - perhaps a series is planned?
The core characters are all young enough
and Friday is a great character. There are
LOTS of things that still need to be “fixed”
in the character’s lives !
My thanks to St Martin’s Press
for the download of the book for
review purposes.
Front and center in what would appear to be
a fairly traditional ‘cozy,’ until things start to
get far too real. The characters are both
lovable, (Friday) and hugely problematic-
Pretty much everyone outside Charlie’s
lovely family - wife Ryan, (and others)
and mysteriously the whole story comes
together very nicely. I’d love to learn there
will be a sequel - perhaps a series is planned?
The core characters are all young enough
and Friday is a great character. There are
LOTS of things that still need to be “fixed”
in the character’s lives !
My thanks to St Martin’s Press
for the download of the book for
review purposes.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
TL/DR: A charming and enticing premise that shows promise but needs more rigorous edits to bridge logic gaps and fix the pervasive, problematic male gaze. 2 Stars
A huge thank you to Minotaur Books for providing me with both digital and physical ARC copies of Stakeouts and Strollers in exchange for my honest feedback of this upcoming release!!
I do wish I bared better news but I regretfully, am going to have to give this one a 2 star. I wanted to enjoy this; it sounded like a cute premise, and something that I could find a bit of comradarie in, given that I am deep in the baby days trenches myself. However, while the book has its good moments, significant logic gaps and implicit biases ultimately ended up being quite big red flags for me.
The Author's Intent vs. The Male Gaze
Explicitly, this story is about the appreciation of woman. Charlie, the main character, is surrounded by women in every stage of life (from childhood to a nurturing grandmother figure), and he loves them all deeply. However, this is implicitly undermined by the male gaze.
On Page 39, Charlie reminisces about his wife's glamorous appeal, but implies that that’s over now with a baby. This immediately followed by a compliment on another woman’s appearance. This almost suggests that a woman’s attractiveness is a competition, heavily weighted by physical appearance. The objectification continues with descriptions of a bartender's shorts (Page 74). This was the big one for me because it draws unnecessary attention to the female anatomy where a description such as "low-cut jean shorts" would have sufficed. And he describes another woman as wearing a provocative outfit on Page 130. These felt like oversights and ultimately, didn’t sit right with me, especially coming from a supposedly loving husband and father, and what should’ve been a professional.
Infant Development
At six months, the baby Callie, has reportedly gained 9 lbs since birth and is teething a lot (Pages 6, 12). By Page 100, a medical professional suggests she will be talking soon. As a mother of a 10 month old, I found this all highly improbable. My son is in the 50th percentile of weight (so very average), and Callie sounds huge to me; my son also only began complex babbling (strings of sounds) at 8 months, and he’s still working on his first two teeth. Callie is performing these milestones far ahead of schedule. It’s not impossible, but it’s also not the typical experience and yet, the narrative doesn’t acknowledge her as a developmental outlier.
The Super Nurse
The night nurse, Grace, feels more like a servant than a professional. She cooks, cleans, vacuums, and takes cares of, not only the baby, but also a teenager she didn’t sign up for. She does this 24/7 (Pages 83, 142, 149). Now, I’m no expert on night nurses, but surely, this is too much. I’m pretty sure their job is literally just to take care of the baby AT NIGHT as the job title implies. With that said, she did add the unique layer of having a sort of nurturing grandmotherly figure in the story which was nice!!
Parental Neglect
Finally, the parents felt somewhat irresponsible. While going to work is commendable, their over-reliance on Grace, the night nurse, as a means to go to work is questionable. Grace has only a temporary presence in their life. How were they managing before, how will they continue to manage now that Grace’s job is done?? Not to mention, the mother’s suggestion on Page 281 to go on vacation without their 6 month old daughter is unfathomable to me. The ease of freedom they seem to have with a child this age, does not resonate with the reality of new parenthood.
Narrative Clutter
* Dialogue as Exposition: Ryan (Charlie’s wife) telling Charlie that he lost his sister when he was young (Page 82) felt like exposition for the reader rather than natural dialogue.
* The Whodunnit Transparency: I identified the culprit by because the antagonist’s behavior was too overt.
* Character Consistency: Charlie’s aspirin intake seems unusually high and he needs to work on his cover-stories (Page 32).
The Verdict
Stakeouts and Strollers has the bones to be an enjoyable novel. The premise is cute and enticing, the Ford bassinet was a hilariously relatable parenting touch, and the ending provides a satisfying resolution for Friday. However, it lacks the accuracy to resonate with mothers, and yet the ‘cutesy’ concept may not appeal to traditional mystery readers. I’m not really sure who the target audience would/should be. Some more editing could fix the infant milestone gaps and the male gaze which would make it a great read for mothers. For now though, it feels like a promising but unpolished draft.
A huge thank you to Minotaur Books for providing me with both digital and physical ARC copies of Stakeouts and Strollers in exchange for my honest feedback of this upcoming release!!
I do wish I bared better news but I regretfully, am going to have to give this one a 2 star. I wanted to enjoy this; it sounded like a cute premise, and something that I could find a bit of comradarie in, given that I am deep in the baby days trenches myself. However, while the book has its good moments, significant logic gaps and implicit biases ultimately ended up being quite big red flags for me.
The Author's Intent vs. The Male Gaze
Explicitly, this story is about the appreciation of woman. Charlie, the main character, is surrounded by women in every stage of life (from childhood to a nurturing grandmother figure), and he loves them all deeply. However, this is implicitly undermined by the male gaze.
On Page 39, Charlie reminisces about his wife's glamorous appeal, but implies that that’s over now with a baby. This immediately followed by a compliment on another woman’s appearance. This almost suggests that a woman’s attractiveness is a competition, heavily weighted by physical appearance. The objectification continues with descriptions of a bartender's shorts (Page 74). This was the big one for me because it draws unnecessary attention to the female anatomy where a description such as "low-cut jean shorts" would have sufficed. And he describes another woman as wearing a provocative outfit on Page 130. These felt like oversights and ultimately, didn’t sit right with me, especially coming from a supposedly loving husband and father, and what should’ve been a professional.
Infant Development
At six months, the baby Callie, has reportedly gained 9 lbs since birth and is teething a lot (Pages 6, 12). By Page 100, a medical professional suggests she will be talking soon. As a mother of a 10 month old, I found this all highly improbable. My son is in the 50th percentile of weight (so very average), and Callie sounds huge to me; my son also only began complex babbling (strings of sounds) at 8 months, and he’s still working on his first two teeth. Callie is performing these milestones far ahead of schedule. It’s not impossible, but it’s also not the typical experience and yet, the narrative doesn’t acknowledge her as a developmental outlier.
The Super Nurse
The night nurse, Grace, feels more like a servant than a professional. She cooks, cleans, vacuums, and takes cares of, not only the baby, but also a teenager she didn’t sign up for. She does this 24/7 (Pages 83, 142, 149). Now, I’m no expert on night nurses, but surely, this is too much. I’m pretty sure their job is literally just to take care of the baby AT NIGHT as the job title implies. With that said, she did add the unique layer of having a sort of nurturing grandmotherly figure in the story which was nice!!
Parental Neglect
Finally, the parents felt somewhat irresponsible. While going to work is commendable, their over-reliance on Grace, the night nurse, as a means to go to work is questionable. Grace has only a temporary presence in their life. How were they managing before, how will they continue to manage now that Grace’s job is done?? Not to mention, the mother’s suggestion on Page 281 to go on vacation without their 6 month old daughter is unfathomable to me. The ease of freedom they seem to have with a child this age, does not resonate with the reality of new parenthood.
Narrative Clutter
* Dialogue as Exposition: Ryan (Charlie’s wife) telling Charlie that he lost his sister when he was young (Page 82) felt like exposition for the reader rather than natural dialogue.
* The Whodunnit Transparency: I identified the culprit by because the antagonist’s behavior was too overt.
* Character Consistency: Charlie’s aspirin intake seems unusually high and he needs to work on his cover-stories (Page 32).
The Verdict
Stakeouts and Strollers has the bones to be an enjoyable novel. The premise is cute and enticing, the Ford bassinet was a hilariously relatable parenting touch, and the ending provides a satisfying resolution for Friday. However, it lacks the accuracy to resonate with mothers, and yet the ‘cutesy’ concept may not appeal to traditional mystery readers. I’m not really sure who the target audience would/should be. Some more editing could fix the infant milestone gaps and the male gaze which would make it a great read for mothers. For now though, it feels like a promising but unpolished draft.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For a case that started out simply enough with what is surely standard private detective assignments, to "Get photos of the cheating spouse", this one escalated fast. True, Charlie spends lots of time checking the family's baby cam to simply look at new baby Callie sleeping, burping, crying -- which she does lots of -- but he shows a focus and tenacity probably born as much from his days as an investigative reporter as any PI training. You'll quickly find out that his idea of having a plan is, well, winging it, but he has a heart of gold and, oh, he loves being a girl dad. He impulsively takes 16-year of runaway Friday Finley not only under his wing -- though she exhibits some pretty fierce survival skills herself as the story goes along -- and takes her home with him. Oh, and instantly considers her search for her missing father his case, too. Yep, he's definitely a born girl dad. You'll find out a bit more of what may have guided his impulses later. Nor does he back down as the case takes on, let's see, elements of a nasty goon with a snake tatoo, owned cops, gambling, drugs, protection rackets and more. And those are just the highlights.
I don't want to reveal much more of the plot as part of the fun is to be amazed at how a simple "get some photos" case turns deadly. I found myself instinctively liking Charlie, even if I did shudder at the idea of him having Callie along, albeit in her car seat, on a surveillance job. Needless to say, Callie's mother was not pleased but rolled with it far better than many of us might have. Must have been the lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion of being a new mom. Lucky for them baby nurse Grace appears in a timely fashion, joining the now quite crowded home. I definitely hope, assuming this is going to be a series, she makes frequent appearances as I liked her calm manner no matter what was thrown at her. Charlie's friends, with their legal backgrounds, were also likable, his detective agency boss even going so far as to fire him at one point because he was, let's say, rash. In other words, he cared for Charlie just as the rest do. There's humor, too, flowing through the plot, often interspersed with tense action scenes, so be ready to hold onto your proverbial hat at times. And, oh, yes, Callie is adorable and, I promise, safe. I somehow felt like I should toss in that "no babies were harmed" bit. Grin.
As for Friday's quest to find her missing father and avoid foster care after her mother's recent death, it gets complicated. There's every indication he's probably dead. Let's face it, when you cross the wrong crowd, your life expectancy isn't likely to be long. Friday is resilient, however, and ready to do whatever it takes to find him, dead or alive. Like Charlie, she has some rash moments, too, but, hey, that's giving away a plot hint. Nope, no more. Read the book. While some may find it a slow start, trust me, it picks up quickly...well, aside from moments spent admiring Callie. Uh, Charlie, you might want to save some phone battery. You know. Just in case you need it? Thanks #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for introducing me to Charlie and this interesting cast of probably regulars. There's something about girl dads and the hint of what is to come has me ready for the next installment.
I don't want to reveal much more of the plot as part of the fun is to be amazed at how a simple "get some photos" case turns deadly. I found myself instinctively liking Charlie, even if I did shudder at the idea of him having Callie along, albeit in her car seat, on a surveillance job. Needless to say, Callie's mother was not pleased but rolled with it far better than many of us might have. Must have been the lack of sleep and sheer exhaustion of being a new mom. Lucky for them baby nurse Grace appears in a timely fashion, joining the now quite crowded home. I definitely hope, assuming this is going to be a series, she makes frequent appearances as I liked her calm manner no matter what was thrown at her. Charlie's friends, with their legal backgrounds, were also likable, his detective agency boss even going so far as to fire him at one point because he was, let's say, rash. In other words, he cared for Charlie just as the rest do. There's humor, too, flowing through the plot, often interspersed with tense action scenes, so be ready to hold onto your proverbial hat at times. And, oh, yes, Callie is adorable and, I promise, safe. I somehow felt like I should toss in that "no babies were harmed" bit. Grin.
As for Friday's quest to find her missing father and avoid foster care after her mother's recent death, it gets complicated. There's every indication he's probably dead. Let's face it, when you cross the wrong crowd, your life expectancy isn't likely to be long. Friday is resilient, however, and ready to do whatever it takes to find him, dead or alive. Like Charlie, she has some rash moments, too, but, hey, that's giving away a plot hint. Nope, no more. Read the book. While some may find it a slow start, trust me, it picks up quickly...well, aside from moments spent admiring Callie. Uh, Charlie, you might want to save some phone battery. You know. Just in case you need it? Thanks #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for introducing me to Charlie and this interesting cast of probably regulars. There's something about girl dads and the hint of what is to come has me ready for the next installment.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stakeouts and Strollers is a fresh, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt debut that blends private investigation with new-parent exhaustion in a way that feels both original and deeply relatable.
Charlie Shaw is not your typical cozy mystery protagonist. As a furloughed journalist, he’s easing—sometimes awkwardly—into life as a private investigator while also learning how to be a first-time dad to his infant daughter, Callie. The juggling act is real: sleepless nights, self-doubt, and the constant feeling that he’s slightly in over his head. Charlie is just the right mix of overconfident and unsure, which makes him incredibly human and relatable.
What begins as a fairly standard case—tracking an unfaithful wife for a wealthy client—quickly becomes something much bigger when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a teenager determined to find the father who abandoned her years ago. Despite everyone in his life urging him to focus on his daughter and leave Friday’s drama to someone else—including his supportive wife and his boss—Charlie can’t walk away. His refusal to abandon Friday, even at personal risk, gives the novel its emotional core.
There are two mysteries at play here, and as they begin to intertwine, the plotting becomes seamless and propulsive. The pacing is snappy, with sharp dialogue and a strong sense of place in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. There’s plenty of action and danger, but no gore, making it an accessible and engaging read. When the connections between the cases finally come into focus, the resolution is satisfying and packed with emotional payoff. The ending definitely delivered all the feels—and cleverly tees up what I hope will be Charlie’s next case.
One of the most delightful surprises is how well the supporting cast is drawn. Grace Chen, the night nurse hired to help Callie sleep, is absolute perfection. She’s far more than a sleep consultant—she’s wise, grounded, and radiates positivity without ever feeling saccharine.
"Grace, have you ever had a bad day? That's entirely up to me. And for that reason, no."
Friday herself is a compelling mix of damaged and street-smart, vulnerable yet tough. Every character feels purposeful and fully realized.
It’s also worth noting how unusual and refreshing it is to see a male protagonist in the cozy mystery genre—especially one who genuinely relishes being a girl dad. The humor surrounding sleep deprivation and new-parent panic is spot-on and often laugh-out-loud funny.
As a debut, Stakeouts and Strollers is incredibly assured. The award recognition it has already received feels well deserved, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Charlie’s investigative (and parenting) journey takes him next.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
Charlie Shaw is not your typical cozy mystery protagonist. As a furloughed journalist, he’s easing—sometimes awkwardly—into life as a private investigator while also learning how to be a first-time dad to his infant daughter, Callie. The juggling act is real: sleepless nights, self-doubt, and the constant feeling that he’s slightly in over his head. Charlie is just the right mix of overconfident and unsure, which makes him incredibly human and relatable.
What begins as a fairly standard case—tracking an unfaithful wife for a wealthy client—quickly becomes something much bigger when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a teenager determined to find the father who abandoned her years ago. Despite everyone in his life urging him to focus on his daughter and leave Friday’s drama to someone else—including his supportive wife and his boss—Charlie can’t walk away. His refusal to abandon Friday, even at personal risk, gives the novel its emotional core.
There are two mysteries at play here, and as they begin to intertwine, the plotting becomes seamless and propulsive. The pacing is snappy, with sharp dialogue and a strong sense of place in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. There’s plenty of action and danger, but no gore, making it an accessible and engaging read. When the connections between the cases finally come into focus, the resolution is satisfying and packed with emotional payoff. The ending definitely delivered all the feels—and cleverly tees up what I hope will be Charlie’s next case.
One of the most delightful surprises is how well the supporting cast is drawn. Grace Chen, the night nurse hired to help Callie sleep, is absolute perfection. She’s far more than a sleep consultant—she’s wise, grounded, and radiates positivity without ever feeling saccharine.
"Grace, have you ever had a bad day? That's entirely up to me. And for that reason, no."
Friday herself is a compelling mix of damaged and street-smart, vulnerable yet tough. Every character feels purposeful and fully realized.
It’s also worth noting how unusual and refreshing it is to see a male protagonist in the cozy mystery genre—especially one who genuinely relishes being a girl dad. The humor surrounding sleep deprivation and new-parent panic is spot-on and often laugh-out-loud funny.
As a debut, Stakeouts and Strollers is incredibly assured. The award recognition it has already received feels well deserved, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Charlie’s investigative (and parenting) journey takes him next.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Mar. 17, 2026
Charlie Shaw is a new dad, and is easing into his role as a private investigator, after being let go from his job as a journalist. While investigating the unfaithful wife of a wealthy client, Charlie comes across a young woman named Friday Finley, who embroils Charlie in a dangerous and possibly fruitless search for Friday’s dad, a deadbeat who disappeared on her years ago. Everyone in Charlie’s life, including his beloved wife, Ryan, and his current boss, tell Charlie to focus on his infant daughter and to leave Friday and her drama for someone else. But Charlie can’t leave Friday to search for her father alone, even if it means putting his own life in danger.
“Stakeouts and Strollers” is the debut novel by Rob Phillips, a former sportscaster-turned-author, and “Stakeouts” is already an award winner, taking home the Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Award.
“Stakeouts” is narrated by Charlie, who has had his life turned upside down by a forced change in career, as well as the birth of his first child. “Stakeouts” is unusual in that it has a male protagonist, which is uncommon in the cozy mystery genre, not to mention one who is relishing being a first-time girl dad, but I am all for it.
There are two mysteries for the price of one in Phillips’ novel, with the initial investigation into the cheating wife colliding with Friday’s missing Dad, yet both mysteries are connected, so the plot is seamless and flowing. There is a lot of action, but very little gore and blood, since Charlie doesn’t carry a gun, which, once again, makes “Strollers” a unique standout in the mystery genre.
After significant drama, action and twists and turns, both mysteries are solved in a satisfying way. The interwoven story lines connect in realistic and believable ways, leading to a happily-ever-after ending that brought on all the feels. The final pages of “Stakeouts” let readers know that Charlie will be back, as another investigation is placed in his lap as the story draws to a close.
I have been reading a lot of mystery novels lately, and a lot of authors are trying to find ways to make their entries in the genre different from the rest and I think Phillips has found a way to do that, giving “Strollers” an uncharacteristic protagonist. I look forward to seeing Charlie again in future installments of Phillips’ debut mystery series.
Expected publication date: Mar. 17, 2026
Charlie Shaw is a new dad, and is easing into his role as a private investigator, after being let go from his job as a journalist. While investigating the unfaithful wife of a wealthy client, Charlie comes across a young woman named Friday Finley, who embroils Charlie in a dangerous and possibly fruitless search for Friday’s dad, a deadbeat who disappeared on her years ago. Everyone in Charlie’s life, including his beloved wife, Ryan, and his current boss, tell Charlie to focus on his infant daughter and to leave Friday and her drama for someone else. But Charlie can’t leave Friday to search for her father alone, even if it means putting his own life in danger.
“Stakeouts and Strollers” is the debut novel by Rob Phillips, a former sportscaster-turned-author, and “Stakeouts” is already an award winner, taking home the Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Award.
“Stakeouts” is narrated by Charlie, who has had his life turned upside down by a forced change in career, as well as the birth of his first child. “Stakeouts” is unusual in that it has a male protagonist, which is uncommon in the cozy mystery genre, not to mention one who is relishing being a first-time girl dad, but I am all for it.
There are two mysteries for the price of one in Phillips’ novel, with the initial investigation into the cheating wife colliding with Friday’s missing Dad, yet both mysteries are connected, so the plot is seamless and flowing. There is a lot of action, but very little gore and blood, since Charlie doesn’t carry a gun, which, once again, makes “Strollers” a unique standout in the mystery genre.
After significant drama, action and twists and turns, both mysteries are solved in a satisfying way. The interwoven story lines connect in realistic and believable ways, leading to a happily-ever-after ending that brought on all the feels. The final pages of “Stakeouts” let readers know that Charlie will be back, as another investigation is placed in his lap as the story draws to a close.
I have been reading a lot of mystery novels lately, and a lot of authors are trying to find ways to make their entries in the genre different from the rest and I think Phillips has found a way to do that, giving “Strollers” an uncharacteristic protagonist. I look forward to seeing Charlie again in future installments of Phillips’ debut mystery series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Stakeouts and Strollers, by Rob Phillips, from St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.
⭐ 2 ⭐
Sweet premise, but so much of this book was implausible that I simply could not suspend disbelief.
Also? Infants, while delightfully engaging (and quite often primordially terrifying) in real life?
Their behavior doesn’t translate so as to be riveting on the written page. Well, at least not on these written pages. The parts of the book that involved the main character’s baby—and there were many, many, MANY such parts—were, to put it kindly, boring.
And speaking of boring, Oh Sweet Jesus the amount of dialogue in this book. I suddenly completely understood why the character of Martin Ellingham in the British TV series Doc Martin (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408381/) would abruptly bark at people, “Stop talking!” Because that is exactly how I felt for a goodly part of the last third of Stakeouts and Strollers.
Which has a really ugly cover, to boot.
All that said, good luck to Rob Phillips with what promises to be a series, because he had what it took to write a book and get it out to the world. Just not for me.
DESCRIPTION
Amateur private investigator and new dad Charlie Shaw gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to track down a young girl’s missing father in Rob Phillips' 2024 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Mystery Novel award-winning debut.
Charlie Shaw is low on sleep. And cash. Otherwise, life is going pretty well for the ex-crime reporter: he’s happily married to his college sweetheart, he’s a first-time dad to the most adorable baby girl in existence, and he’s making ends meet as a rookie PI. But when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a frightened sixteen-year-old runaway on a stakeout-gone-wrong, his world gets a little more complicated.
Friday is looking for her estranged father Shawn, an unreliable alcoholic who left when she was young—and who also happens to be her only shot at avoiding the foster care system since her mother’s death a few weeks earlier. At first, Charlie believes the man is simply hiding out somewhere, avoiding his responsibilities as usual, but the more he investigates, the more unsettling—and dangerous—Shawn’s disappearance becomes. When his own family is threatened, Charlie realizes he’s in over his head, but can he back out now that he’s begun to care for Friday as his own?
A perfect page-turning blend of humor and high stakes, Stakeouts and Strollers is a heartwarming story of fatherhood, family, and what it really means to be a “Girl Dad.”
Received a complimentary copy of Stakeouts and Strollers, by Rob Phillips, from St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.
⭐ 2 ⭐
Sweet premise, but so much of this book was implausible that I simply could not suspend disbelief.
Also? Infants, while delightfully engaging (and quite often primordially terrifying) in real life?
Their behavior doesn’t translate so as to be riveting on the written page. Well, at least not on these written pages. The parts of the book that involved the main character’s baby—and there were many, many, MANY such parts—were, to put it kindly, boring.
And speaking of boring, Oh Sweet Jesus the amount of dialogue in this book. I suddenly completely understood why the character of Martin Ellingham in the British TV series Doc Martin (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408381/) would abruptly bark at people, “Stop talking!” Because that is exactly how I felt for a goodly part of the last third of Stakeouts and Strollers.
Which has a really ugly cover, to boot.
All that said, good luck to Rob Phillips with what promises to be a series, because he had what it took to write a book and get it out to the world. Just not for me.
DESCRIPTION
Amateur private investigator and new dad Charlie Shaw gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to track down a young girl’s missing father in Rob Phillips' 2024 Minotaur Books/Malice Domestic Best First Mystery Novel award-winning debut.
Charlie Shaw is low on sleep. And cash. Otherwise, life is going pretty well for the ex-crime reporter: he’s happily married to his college sweetheart, he’s a first-time dad to the most adorable baby girl in existence, and he’s making ends meet as a rookie PI. But when Charlie meets Friday Finley, a frightened sixteen-year-old runaway on a stakeout-gone-wrong, his world gets a little more complicated.
Friday is looking for her estranged father Shawn, an unreliable alcoholic who left when she was young—and who also happens to be her only shot at avoiding the foster care system since her mother’s death a few weeks earlier. At first, Charlie believes the man is simply hiding out somewhere, avoiding his responsibilities as usual, but the more he investigates, the more unsettling—and dangerous—Shawn’s disappearance becomes. When his own family is threatened, Charlie realizes he’s in over his head, but can he back out now that he’s begun to care for Friday as his own?
A perfect page-turning blend of humor and high stakes, Stakeouts and Strollers is a heartwarming story of fatherhood, family, and what it really means to be a “Girl Dad.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I’m not sure if Stakeouts and Strollers is supposed to be funny, or just be a mystery that has a baby in it.
It is in fact a mystery that does in fact have a baby in it, though the baby has almost nothing to do with the mystery. If it was intended to be funny, then I really struggled to catch on to that. Perhaps because the book felt like it kept going off on tangents, despite almost everything tying into the mystery itself.
Charlie is a former reporter who is trying his hand at being a private investigator while being husband to a more decisive wife and father to Callie, his six month old precious wecious baby girl that can’t do a single itty bitty thing wrong because she’s just the most adorable creature in the world. We know this despite the fact that Charlie and Ryan hire Grace to sleep train Callie because Charlie is constantly gushing over her to the reader.
Beyond the fact that he’s father to a daughter, which makes him a sucker for Friday, who does actually have something to do with the mystery, Ryan and Callie have almost nothing to do with the main storyline of the book. It’s like Phillips put them in to show that a loving family man can be a successful crime solver, but then made them too much a part of the book.
As for the mystery, Charlie is observing an adulterous wife when he catches sight of a young girl, Friday, watching them too. Though we could have skipped the entire book if Charlie hadn’t have burned through his phone’s battery watching Callie through the baby monitor app on his phone during a stakeout.
Anyhoo, he does, so he crosses paths with Friday as she’s trying to find her father, who is nowhere close to winning a father of the year award and is mixed up with some bad folks from the seedy part of the Bay Area. Turns out he has taken things from them and they’re looking for him too. And there may be an even bigger player involved who connects back to the reason Charlie got involved in the first place.
Charlie, despite probably being pretty smart, seems to bumble his way towards finding Friday’s father and the various other players involved, while dragging in his boss, a friend in SFPD, and getting a lot of knocks and bumps along the way.
I really enjoyed Kat Ailes Expectant Detectives books, so I was hoping this would be similar, except with a dad instead of a mom. Instead I never got interested in the characters or the storyline, which felt awfully convoluted for the final reveal. This one didn’t do it for me.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It is in fact a mystery that does in fact have a baby in it, though the baby has almost nothing to do with the mystery. If it was intended to be funny, then I really struggled to catch on to that. Perhaps because the book felt like it kept going off on tangents, despite almost everything tying into the mystery itself.
Charlie is a former reporter who is trying his hand at being a private investigator while being husband to a more decisive wife and father to Callie, his six month old precious wecious baby girl that can’t do a single itty bitty thing wrong because she’s just the most adorable creature in the world. We know this despite the fact that Charlie and Ryan hire Grace to sleep train Callie because Charlie is constantly gushing over her to the reader.
Beyond the fact that he’s father to a daughter, which makes him a sucker for Friday, who does actually have something to do with the mystery, Ryan and Callie have almost nothing to do with the main storyline of the book. It’s like Phillips put them in to show that a loving family man can be a successful crime solver, but then made them too much a part of the book.
As for the mystery, Charlie is observing an adulterous wife when he catches sight of a young girl, Friday, watching them too. Though we could have skipped the entire book if Charlie hadn’t have burned through his phone’s battery watching Callie through the baby monitor app on his phone during a stakeout.
Anyhoo, he does, so he crosses paths with Friday as she’s trying to find her father, who is nowhere close to winning a father of the year award and is mixed up with some bad folks from the seedy part of the Bay Area. Turns out he has taken things from them and they’re looking for him too. And there may be an even bigger player involved who connects back to the reason Charlie got involved in the first place.
Charlie, despite probably being pretty smart, seems to bumble his way towards finding Friday’s father and the various other players involved, while dragging in his boss, a friend in SFPD, and getting a lot of knocks and bumps along the way.
I really enjoyed Kat Ailes Expectant Detectives books, so I was hoping this would be similar, except with a dad instead of a mom. Instead I never got interested in the characters or the storyline, which felt awfully convoluted for the final reveal. This one didn’t do it for me.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlie may not be the best private investigator, but he is definitely shaping up to be an awesome Girl Dad. It is obvious he is new to the the PI-game, but he can lean on his past as well as his boss. To say that Charlie was bumbling through is kind of an understatement. There is also a bit of luck, maybe more than a little, that keeps him alive. His boss, a former highly respected and decorated cop, is a great mentor, supporter, and butt-kicker. Charles is also fortunate to have a supportive wife, Ryan. She is not thrilled about the possibility of Charlie getting hurt and leaving their less than a year old daughter, but she is still in his corner. I think the title may be a bit misleading to some. While there is a baby, not a lot of baby strollers in the cases, which is a good thing.
This story is a quasi-cozy mystery as it has some tame violence compared to most cozy mysteries. No real red herrings, but definitely a lot of distractions.
I really liked the characters. Baby whisperer, Grace. Fiesty and good with a Louisville Slugger, Friday. Strong, silent but “deadly”, Powell. Even bumbling newly minted PI Charles.
The writing is very good. It’s rare that I highlight passages and share with others, but I did that with this book.
All that, and I didn’t mention the case/mystery. The main reason is that it took some time to get the primary case (see mention of distractions above). Looking back, I think I “forgave” this because one of the distractions was Ryan’s and Charlie’s lack of sleep, hence the baby whisperer, Grace. It is hard to think straight when there is a lack of sleep.
I spent at least a couple of nights fighting to keep my eyes open, anxious to see what Charlie got up to next.
Thank you to #StMartinsPress, #MinotaurBooks, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts
Happy Reading!
This story is a quasi-cozy mystery as it has some tame violence compared to most cozy mysteries. No real red herrings, but definitely a lot of distractions.
I really liked the characters. Baby whisperer, Grace. Fiesty and good with a Louisville Slugger, Friday. Strong, silent but “deadly”, Powell. Even bumbling newly minted PI Charles.
The writing is very good. It’s rare that I highlight passages and share with others, but I did that with this book.
All that, and I didn’t mention the case/mystery. The main reason is that it took some time to get the primary case (see mention of distractions above). Looking back, I think I “forgave” this because one of the distractions was Ryan’s and Charlie’s lack of sleep, hence the baby whisperer, Grace. It is hard to think straight when there is a lack of sleep.
I spent at least a couple of nights fighting to keep my eyes open, anxious to see what Charlie got up to next.
Thank you to #StMartinsPress, #MinotaurBooks, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts
Happy Reading!
December 9, 2025
Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley
Both Charlie and Ryan Shaw would appreciate a good night’s sleep, if only their six-month-old daughter, Callie, would cooperate. But the baby is teething . . . .
Ryan is a bit concerned to discover that Charlie, a newly-minted private investigator working for retired San Francisco Police Inspector Dwayne Powell, had taken Callie with him on his stakeout earlier in the day. “Surveillance,” he tells his wife.
And all goes well until his camera doesn’t work and he misses getting the pictorial evidence he needs for the case. But another attempt proves successful and Charlie continues his assignment [interspersed with thoughts of Callie].
And then, in a stakeout gone sideways, he meets Friday Finley.
=========
This quasi-cozy tale, presented with a heft dose of cute, funny, and charm, is an interesting blend of family dynamics, father-and-daughter relationships, and an intriguing mystery. Quirky, yet believable, characters, a captivating mystery, and a delightful glimpse into the world of fathers and daughters all work together to keep the pages turning in this not-quite-cozy mystery tale.
There is much to appreciate in this tale of fathers and daughters, of stakeouts and whodunits. Heartfelt, humorous, and entertaining, the story takes a few unexpected twists and turns as it heads toward a denouement readers are sure to find acceptable.
There’s only one disconnect here and it is the overuse of a particularly objectionable expletive that is likely to cause some cozy readers to choose to abandon the book.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#StakeoutsandStrollers #NetGalley
Both Charlie and Ryan Shaw would appreciate a good night’s sleep, if only their six-month-old daughter, Callie, would cooperate. But the baby is teething . . . .
Ryan is a bit concerned to discover that Charlie, a newly-minted private investigator working for retired San Francisco Police Inspector Dwayne Powell, had taken Callie with him on his stakeout earlier in the day. “Surveillance,” he tells his wife.
And all goes well until his camera doesn’t work and he misses getting the pictorial evidence he needs for the case. But another attempt proves successful and Charlie continues his assignment [interspersed with thoughts of Callie].
And then, in a stakeout gone sideways, he meets Friday Finley.
=========
This quasi-cozy tale, presented with a heft dose of cute, funny, and charm, is an interesting blend of family dynamics, father-and-daughter relationships, and an intriguing mystery. Quirky, yet believable, characters, a captivating mystery, and a delightful glimpse into the world of fathers and daughters all work together to keep the pages turning in this not-quite-cozy mystery tale.
There is much to appreciate in this tale of fathers and daughters, of stakeouts and whodunits. Heartfelt, humorous, and entertaining, the story takes a few unexpected twists and turns as it heads toward a denouement readers are sure to find acceptable.
There’s only one disconnect here and it is the overuse of a particularly objectionable expletive that is likely to cause some cozy readers to choose to abandon the book.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#StakeoutsandStrollers #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
While this was a good debut, I do think the story was a little boring. From the cover and the blurb I thought this would focus on our main character Charlie juggling being a new PI in between diaper changes and bottle feedings. While that would have been stressful and unrealistic - I don't think that it was a driving factor throughout the plot of the story and his past with his sister was a more consistent driving factor.
I think that the mystery plot line was fine, but never really spiked my blood pressure. The reveal at the end felt a little anti-climatic and there weren't any red herrings or other plot lines to muddy up the mystery.
Some thoughts I had while reading:
- Mentions of COVID kind of took me out of the story.
- the non-chalance, guys just immediately walking into each others home and discussing fishing after getting beat up.
- The fact that Friday just said no cops and we didn't call anyone. Also someone should have called CPS, she was underage.
- HE JUST PULLED A LIFELESS BODY OUT OF THE TRUNK OF A CAR AND CARRIED IT ACROSS A GAS STATION AND NO ONE SAW ANYTHING?!?! IN CALIFORNIA?
- There was too much emphasis on him eating, at one point he ate like 4 times in the span of one night.
My final thought - the author needs to have more faith in his readers that they are following along (the storyline wasn't that hard to follow). But the amount of time that we rehased the plot and how everything was connected was frusterating to read. This isn't TV, I'm not looking at my phone while this is on in the background - I'm locked in. Some explaining is fine, but this had too much.
I think that the mystery plot line was fine, but never really spiked my blood pressure. The reveal at the end felt a little anti-climatic and there weren't any red herrings or other plot lines to muddy up the mystery.
Some thoughts I had while reading:
- Mentions of COVID kind of took me out of the story.
- the non-chalance, guys just immediately walking into each others home and discussing fishing after getting beat up.
- The fact that Friday just said no cops and we didn't call anyone. Also someone should have called CPS, she was underage.
- HE JUST PULLED A LIFELESS BODY OUT OF THE TRUNK OF A CAR AND CARRIED IT ACROSS A GAS STATION AND NO ONE SAW ANYTHING?!?! IN CALIFORNIA?
- There was too much emphasis on him eating, at one point he ate like 4 times in the span of one night.
My final thought - the author needs to have more faith in his readers that they are following along (the storyline wasn't that hard to follow). But the amount of time that we rehased the plot and how everything was connected was frusterating to read. This isn't TV, I'm not looking at my phone while this is on in the background - I'm locked in. Some explaining is fine, but this had too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
This was a different type of mystery. It’s a little more hard core than a regular cozy, but not as hard as James Patterson or Michael Connelly. Charlie is a brand new PI (thanks to a little fancy paperwork by his boss) who is obsessed with his new baby daughter, which leads to a dead battery on his phone and missing the money pictures of the cheating woman he’s supposed to be following. But when he meets a young (16 yr old) girl who seems to be in trouble while on his stakeout, he knows he has to help her. Unfortunately, helping her leads to all sorts of other problems, including threats to his own family and he can’t have that. The answer is to solve the problems, even when they become dangerous not just for him, but his boss, his cop friend, the girl…and his family.
I loved Charlie. He’s so incredibly inept when it comes to surveillance, which is a surprise since he used to be an award-winning crime reporter for the paper. He adores his family, and, by extension, the young girl. The settings are well-done and the reasons behind the bad guys being who they are twisted, but believable. And there’s a satisfying ending (with a dangling thread that lets us know there will be more).
Recommended.
I loved Charlie. He’s so incredibly inept when it comes to surveillance, which is a surprise since he used to be an award-winning crime reporter for the paper. He adores his family, and, by extension, the young girl. The settings are well-done and the reasons behind the bad guys being who they are twisted, but believable. And there’s a satisfying ending (with a dangling thread that lets us know there will be more).
Recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy, and I am confident many readers will find the protagonist likeable, be amused by the secondary characters, and enjoy the SF setting. I'm hoping for a series.
The Bay Area is the best area, but it is also unimaginably expensive, especially for a family with a new addition included. It's no surprise that Charlie is out trying to make some cash as a private investigator. What is surprising is that the central case is less interesting than the relationship that Charlie and his whole family develop with Friday, a young woman he encounters while on the job.
I enjoyed the pacing and the development of these characters: especially the way their growing connections are revealed. Also, even for a cozy, there's a detectably lighter and more hopeful feel to many elements of this. I've said it before and look forward to when it is no longer true, but this dumpster fire we actually live in requires some joy, even when it's packaged in unexpected places. I will take it.
There's a nice potential setup for a sequel here, and I hope we get one.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ana Couto at St. Martin's Publishing Group for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy, and I am confident many readers will find the protagonist likeable, be amused by the secondary characters, and enjoy the SF setting. I'm hoping for a series.
The Bay Area is the best area, but it is also unimaginably expensive, especially for a family with a new addition included. It's no surprise that Charlie is out trying to make some cash as a private investigator. What is surprising is that the central case is less interesting than the relationship that Charlie and his whole family develop with Friday, a young woman he encounters while on the job.
I enjoyed the pacing and the development of these characters: especially the way their growing connections are revealed. Also, even for a cozy, there's a detectably lighter and more hopeful feel to many elements of this. I've said it before and look forward to when it is no longer true, but this dumpster fire we actually live in requires some joy, even when it's packaged in unexpected places. I will take it.
There's a nice potential setup for a sequel here, and I hope we get one.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ana Couto at St. Martin's Publishing Group for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
😩 Tired of thrillers where the detective has nothing to lose? This one gives you a rookie PI balancing baby bottles and bullets with everything on the line.
First Line: Usually the booze made him angry. Tonight, Shawn Finley felt introspective.
Reasons to Read:
🕵️ Rookie PI Life – Sleep-deprived new dad Charlie is juggling diapers and detective work when a simple stakeout spirals into something far darker.
👧 Runaway Mission – Sixteen-year-old Friday is desperate to find her estranged father before she’s forced into foster care, pulling Charlie into a case that feels personal fast.
⚠️ Family on the Line – As the search uncovers dangerous truths, Charlie must decide how far he’ll go to protect Friday… and his own family.
Thoughts: Again, I seem to be squarely in my mystery era yet again, and this book was another fun little contemporary mystery read. Charlie and his wife Ryan are really caring and loving characters, despite being totally sleep deprived from having a baby. And when you look at it that way, I am kind of surprised that Charlie has the ability to piece this mystery together. However, it all connects and while it’s not shocking or twisty, it does lend itself to being a good time. And that’s what I want from a book.
First Line: Usually the booze made him angry. Tonight, Shawn Finley felt introspective.
Reasons to Read:
🕵️ Rookie PI Life – Sleep-deprived new dad Charlie is juggling diapers and detective work when a simple stakeout spirals into something far darker.
👧 Runaway Mission – Sixteen-year-old Friday is desperate to find her estranged father before she’s forced into foster care, pulling Charlie into a case that feels personal fast.
⚠️ Family on the Line – As the search uncovers dangerous truths, Charlie must decide how far he’ll go to protect Friday… and his own family.
Thoughts: Again, I seem to be squarely in my mystery era yet again, and this book was another fun little contemporary mystery read. Charlie and his wife Ryan are really caring and loving characters, despite being totally sleep deprived from having a baby. And when you look at it that way, I am kind of surprised that Charlie has the ability to piece this mystery together. However, it all connects and while it’s not shocking or twisty, it does lend itself to being a good time. And that’s what I want from a book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlie Shaw, former newspaper crime writer, it working as a rookie private investigator. Despite a lack of cash, things are pretty good for Charlie. He's married to his high school sweetheart and is the father of a six-month old daughter. While tailing a woman whose husband suspects her of cheating, he sees the other man attacked and beaten by someone unknown. He also notices that he isn't the only one watching.
Friday Finlay is sixteen and looking for her father. Her mother has just died, and she hasn't seen her father for a number of years. He did communicate with her occasionally but has dropped off the radar. Charlie agrees to help her find her father not knowing what a can of worms he's opening for himself. Friday's father was working for a couple of local mobsters when he dropped out of sight. They want to find him too since he didn't leave empty handed.
As Charlie and Friday search them find themselves involved in illegal gambling, drug dealing and murder.
I really enjoyed this story. Charlie was a great character filled with a reporter's curiosity and a girl dads caring not only for his own daughter but for Friday too. I liked Charlie's point of view and his snark.
Friday Finlay is sixteen and looking for her father. Her mother has just died, and she hasn't seen her father for a number of years. He did communicate with her occasionally but has dropped off the radar. Charlie agrees to help her find her father not knowing what a can of worms he's opening for himself. Friday's father was working for a couple of local mobsters when he dropped out of sight. They want to find him too since he didn't leave empty handed.
As Charlie and Friday search them find themselves involved in illegal gambling, drug dealing and murder.
I really enjoyed this story. Charlie was a great character filled with a reporter's curiosity and a girl dads caring not only for his own daughter but for Friday too. I liked Charlie's point of view and his snark.
November 29, 2025
From the ending of this novel, I can assume that “Stakeouts and Strollers” is going to be the beginning of series starring our sleep deprived new parent protagonist, Charlie.
Charlie isn’t the best detective, but he does love his newborn daughter. And his heart is definitely in the right place when he tries to help out a teen looking for their father.
From the blurb, I had assumed this was going to be in the vein of early Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum novels minus all the relationship drama. It wasn’t that. Parts of it felt like dark noir. But it wasn’t that. And that was part of my problem with this book. It feels like there are a bunch of ideas the author has for how this series should look and it all got thrown into one novel in case the series isn’t allowed to go further.
The author shows a lot of skill in his writing and hopefully will fine tune the tone of the series in future books. This book is good enough to warrant sticking around just to see how the series, writing, and characters develop.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Charlie isn’t the best detective, but he does love his newborn daughter. And his heart is definitely in the right place when he tries to help out a teen looking for their father.
From the blurb, I had assumed this was going to be in the vein of early Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum novels minus all the relationship drama. It wasn’t that. Parts of it felt like dark noir. But it wasn’t that. And that was part of my problem with this book. It feels like there are a bunch of ideas the author has for how this series should look and it all got thrown into one novel in case the series isn’t allowed to go further.
The author shows a lot of skill in his writing and hopefully will fine tune the tone of the series in future books. This book is good enough to warrant sticking around just to see how the series, writing, and characters develop.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went into this book expecting the cuteness and fun factor to be more tightly woven into the mystery. While I did enjoy the book, it didn’t quite hit all the notes I was hoping for. The premise was charming, and there were moments that absolutely worked for me, but the cozy elements and the investigation didn’t always feel as connected as they could have been.
That said, there was still a lot here I liked. The writing was easy to settle into and the tone was light. I appreciated the warmth around the family dynamic even if I wanted it to play a bigger role in the mystery itself. This isn’t a cozy in the traditional sense, and readers expecting full-on hijinks may feel that too, but it’s still an enjoyable enough read.
Single POV
Safe - not a romance although it is sweet between H and his wife
Triggers
That said, there was still a lot here I liked. The writing was easy to settle into and the tone was light. I appreciated the warmth around the family dynamic even if I wanted it to play a bigger role in the mystery itself. This isn’t a cozy in the traditional sense, and readers expecting full-on hijinks may feel that too, but it’s still an enjoyable enough read.
Single POV
Safe - not a romance although it is sweet between H and his wife
Triggers
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stakeouts & Strollers is a delightfully debut that mixes laugh-out-loud humor with heartfelt moments, following a new parent who’s juggling sleepless nights, diaper blowouts, and the unexpected chaos of a private investigation. It’s a story that somehow feels both wildly original and totally relatable—because who hasn’t tried to solve life’s mysteries while barely keeping it together?
The story balances humor, heart, and suspense so well. Just when you think you have things figured out, the plot throws in new twists, secrets, and moments of tension that keep the pages turning. I loved how the two mysteries unfold alongside each other, gradually weaving together in ways that feel natural and believable.
After all the drama, stakeouts, and unexpected turns, the resolutions were incredibly satisfying. Everything connects in a way that makes sense, and the emotional payoff delivers a truly feel-good happily-ever-after that left me smiling.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with humor, relatable life moments, and a touch of heart, this one is definitely worth adding to your TBR. 🕵🏽♀️👶📚✨
The story balances humor, heart, and suspense so well. Just when you think you have things figured out, the plot throws in new twists, secrets, and moments of tension that keep the pages turning. I loved how the two mysteries unfold alongside each other, gradually weaving together in ways that feel natural and believable.
After all the drama, stakeouts, and unexpected turns, the resolutions were incredibly satisfying. Everything connects in a way that makes sense, and the emotional payoff delivers a truly feel-good happily-ever-after that left me smiling.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with humor, relatable life moments, and a touch of heart, this one is definitely worth adding to your TBR. 🕵🏽♀️👶📚✨
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Investigative reporter Charlie Shaw has a new baby girl and a new job as a private investigator. While working on a case he connects with Friday Finley, a teenager looking for her missing father. Charlie agrees to help Finley, assuming her father is a dead-beat dad, but the more he searches, the more complicated and dangerous the case becomes to everyone taking part in the hunt.
Charlie is not a great PI, but his background as a reporter helps him untangle a very twisty story. Along the way we are introduced to his family, his no-nonsense boss, several other interesting characters (good guys and bad,) and of course, Finley. I thought the character development was strong, and that Phillips did a good job of tying the many elements of his story together.
This is a good fit for readers who like cozy mysteries with a bit of an edge. There is some violence, but most of it takes place off page. All in all, an entertaining debut. I would recommend.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Charlie is not a great PI, but his background as a reporter helps him untangle a very twisty story. Along the way we are introduced to his family, his no-nonsense boss, several other interesting characters (good guys and bad,) and of course, Finley. I thought the character development was strong, and that Phillips did a good job of tying the many elements of his story together.
This is a good fit for readers who like cozy mysteries with a bit of an edge. There is some violence, but most of it takes place off page. All in all, an entertaining debut. I would recommend.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlie Shaw is an ex-reporter trying his hand at being a detective. While getting evidence of infidelity for a client, he unexpectedly put himself in danger when asking a young girl if she was ok. Friday was at the same stakeout spot looking for her estranged dad. What they both witnessed was a thug beating up a guy. That thug was a hitman for a local Irish gang. That gang also had hired Friday's father as a bartender in a local establishment, before he disappeared. As the story went on, there were kidnappings, thefts and murders. So where does the "Strollers" from the title come in? Charlie is also dad to a baby girl, who he has to occasionally take with him when he goes on stakeouts.
This book might sound dark, but it had humor and touches of loving warmth. I though it was well written and easy to follow. I liked the good guys and disliked the bad guys. Sometimes it is nice to read a book that has logical time sequences, predictability and charm. This book fit that niche for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book to read and review.
This book might sound dark, but it had humor and touches of loving warmth. I though it was well written and easy to follow. I liked the good guys and disliked the bad guys. Sometimes it is nice to read a book that has logical time sequences, predictability and charm. This book fit that niche for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book to read and review.
March 9, 2026
In reality this is a 3.5 star book
I enjoyed it as a whole, I was honestly trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together but there was a lot of dialogue that I felt was almost too "normal" if that makes sense, for example there were plenty of times the MMC just said "Yeah." to his wife. This being a debut novel and most likely series I'm sure that will get polished as time goes on.
Charlie Shaw as a character, a former investigator for a newspaper turned rookie PI, was an actual good family man just trying to make a living for him and his new family. Even if that means getting shot or hit on the head a couple of times in a number of weeks.
I would say I look forward to the next one because I'm curious as to how he can persuade his wife to say yes to the new assignment.
I am also really not a fan of the cover, which I get we are not suppose to judge a book by its cover, but it certainly wouldn't make me want to pick it up right away. I also expected the baby to actually be on the stakeouts with him 'cause of it, which luckily she wasn't
I enjoyed it as a whole, I was honestly trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together but there was a lot of dialogue that I felt was almost too "normal" if that makes sense, for example there were plenty of times the MMC just said "Yeah." to his wife. This being a debut novel and most likely series I'm sure that will get polished as time goes on.
Charlie Shaw as a character, a former investigator for a newspaper turned rookie PI, was an actual good family man just trying to make a living for him and his new family. Even if that means getting shot or hit on the head a couple of times in a number of weeks.
I would say I look forward to the next one because I'm curious as to how he can persuade his wife to say yes to the new assignment.
I am also really not a fan of the cover, which I get we are not suppose to judge a book by its cover, but it certainly wouldn't make me want to pick it up right away. I also expected the baby to actually be on the stakeouts with him 'cause of it, which luckily she wasn't
December 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Stakeouts and Strollers!!
I really enjoyed this book as it was a cozy mystery but completely filled with action! There was never a dull moment during this book, and our main characters were all likable enough to root for the whole time! This book was very reminiscent to me of the Finlay Donovan Series, so if you like those books, I think you’d also like this book.
My only issue with this book (which isn’t really a big deal) was how unrealistically patient our main character’s wife and boss were with his shenanigans. Yes, Charlie (our main character) was doing everything he did for the right reasons, but if I were his boss or wife I’d definitely have some choice words for him, so I wish we got a little more into the conflict there or even just the relationship Charlie has with his family at home.
Overall, this was a great read and I’d highly recommend as a fun and cozy mystery!
I really enjoyed this book as it was a cozy mystery but completely filled with action! There was never a dull moment during this book, and our main characters were all likable enough to root for the whole time! This book was very reminiscent to me of the Finlay Donovan Series, so if you like those books, I think you’d also like this book.
My only issue with this book (which isn’t really a big deal) was how unrealistically patient our main character’s wife and boss were with his shenanigans. Yes, Charlie (our main character) was doing everything he did for the right reasons, but if I were his boss or wife I’d definitely have some choice words for him, so I wish we got a little more into the conflict there or even just the relationship Charlie has with his family at home.
Overall, this was a great read and I’d highly recommend as a fun and cozy mystery!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlie Shaw was a investigative reporter now turned PI and new Dad. His world is about watching and waiting. His current case is about a philandering wife. However, after tailing the wife to meet up with the boyfriend, he encounters a teen named Friday Finley, and when those two worlds collide, his case turns into a whole lot more than a cheating spouse. Crooked cops, wanna-be gangsters, high ranking corporate players and Friday's missing day all roll together to create a mystery worth exploring.
The characters are well written, the reader can definitely see the adoration, love and tiredness between Charlie, his wife and their lovely baby girl. Add in a prickly teenager, an even pricklier boss and tried and true cop and you have the characters with actual character. It is a fun read, a good mystery and a lovely nod to what makes a family, well family. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press.
The characters are well written, the reader can definitely see the adoration, love and tiredness between Charlie, his wife and their lovely baby girl. Add in a prickly teenager, an even pricklier boss and tried and true cop and you have the characters with actual character. It is a fun read, a good mystery and a lovely nod to what makes a family, well family. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stakeouts and Strollers follow Charlie Shaw who is a new father. Charlie and his wife Ryan are struggling with getting their new baby to sleep through the night so they hire Grace to help take care of Callie so they can get a good night's sleep. Charlie is a new PI that used to be an investigative journalist. When he is working a case, he comes across Friday who is searching for her father. He decided he is going to help Friday find her father.
Overall, I would recommend this book. I enjoyed the characters in the book. Each one had a different personality that brought something to the story. I was wondering how everything was going to get tired together at the end, but Rob did a nice job, and it didn't feel like the ending was rushed or just throw together like some books. I enjoyed Charlie and how he viewed and approached the situations. I do hope there are more to come.
Thank you Netgalley and St. martin's Press for an ARC copy.
Overall, I would recommend this book. I enjoyed the characters in the book. Each one had a different personality that brought something to the story. I was wondering how everything was going to get tired together at the end, but Rob did a nice job, and it didn't feel like the ending was rushed or just throw together like some books. I enjoyed Charlie and how he viewed and approached the situations. I do hope there are more to come.
Thank you Netgalley and St. martin's Press for an ARC copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Charlie is a brand‑new PI and dad. Unfortunately, too many baby pictures ends up derailing his stakeout. When he crosses paths with Friday Finley, a sixteen‑year‑old who seems in need of help, he lands in something much bigger then the cheating case he was on. His attempt to protect her quickly turns into danger for his own family.
What I enjoyed most is how the book blends cozy‑mystery charm with a more layered plot. Charlie isn’t a polished investigator yet, but he’s determined, good‑hearted, and willing to take risks to do the right thing. The story threads which include corruption, family loyalty, danger, humor, come together smoothly.
The family elements add warmth, and the secondary characters, especially Friday, give Charlie real motivation. It’s a light, engaging mystery with heart, perfect for readers who want something detailed but not too intense.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
What I enjoyed most is how the book blends cozy‑mystery charm with a more layered plot. Charlie isn’t a polished investigator yet, but he’s determined, good‑hearted, and willing to take risks to do the right thing. The story threads which include corruption, family loyalty, danger, humor, come together smoothly.
The family elements add warmth, and the secondary characters, especially Friday, give Charlie real motivation. It’s a light, engaging mystery with heart, perfect for readers who want something detailed but not too intense.
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The reviews complaining "not enough baby helping to solve the mystery" are really making me laugh. The main character is a new dad, not getting enough sleep, and his family is tangentially involved in the story. While the baby does not help to solve the mystery, her existence is certainly a large part of his life and emotional state, which I think is good enough. I found this well-written, fast-moving, and with enough twists and turns to keep me interested and engaged. The writing made you care about the characters' well-being and their final outcomes.
While cozy mysteries are one of my preferred genres, I feel like there aren't enough of them that feature male leads, so this was a nice departure from my norm. I would read more in the series and hope that Phillips continues with the character.
I received an ARC from NetGalley (which I enjoyed even though the baby didn't even BOTHER TO HELP SOLVE THE CRIME!)
While cozy mysteries are one of my preferred genres, I feel like there aren't enough of them that feature male leads, so this was a nice departure from my norm. I would read more in the series and hope that Phillips continues with the character.
I received an ARC from NetGalley (which I enjoyed even though the baby didn't even BOTHER TO HELP SOLVE THE CRIME!)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Charlie is a journalist turned private investigator and his first case is to get photo evidence of a cheating spouse. Charlie also has a 6 month old daughter he loves. His phone battery dies (because he was watching the baby monitor) and he misses getting the photos he needed. He tries again and on this second stakeout it witnesses more things than he bargained for. A 16 year old girl witnesses them too. Charlie is a charming and very helpful person (almost to a fault). He is trying to help the girl find her father when he gets himself into trouble, and keeps pursuing things anyway. There are plenty of fights, threats and plenty of problems in this book. I enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading. I liked seeing a good father figure helping out people who need it.
Thank you to Rob Phillips, NetGalley and St. Martins Press - Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: March 17, 2026
Thank you to Rob Phillips, NetGalley and St. Martins Press - Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: March 17, 2026
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