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Lover Boy #1
Lover Boy
A lustful physician and a beautiful detective clash in a comedy caper involving a billionaire’s murder, his stunning widow and an amorous, aging assassin.
Dr. Joseph Peck, a respected and caring physician, has one vice – he’s addicted to love. And one unusual secret – his best friend since high-school is a retired Mafia Don.
Anna Franklin, stunning, ruthless and intelligent, learns this secret. She also discovers her husband will soon be seeking divorce, relegating her to a prenup pittance instead of billions were he to die – soon.
Anna, seeking the friends’ assistance in arranging this speedy demise, offers both men millions of dollars plus an extra quid pro Joe for the good doctor – sexual romps sufficiently intense to make his recent carnal dry-spell a vague memory. The Don knows but one ex-associate to call upon for the hit – another retiree, known as Lover Boy, who despite being on Social Security, is still quite able to live up to his deadly reputation – and nickname.
Their one obstacle? – Detective Jane Rieger, a beautiful, troubled cop with a checkered past whose love life has also recently turned non-existent. Committed to unraveling the conspiracy, the detective soon realizes that bringing everyone to justice will have the unintended consequence of adding to her growing list of personal woes. Thus, she will face more than one grim, difficult choice.
Lover Boy is a crime caper mixing humor with pathos, filled with quirky characters and often hilarious dialogue – all leading to an unexpected conclusion not soon forgotten.
Dr. Joseph Peck, a respected and caring physician, has one vice – he’s addicted to love. And one unusual secret – his best friend since high-school is a retired Mafia Don.
Anna Franklin, stunning, ruthless and intelligent, learns this secret. She also discovers her husband will soon be seeking divorce, relegating her to a prenup pittance instead of billions were he to die – soon.
Anna, seeking the friends’ assistance in arranging this speedy demise, offers both men millions of dollars plus an extra quid pro Joe for the good doctor – sexual romps sufficiently intense to make his recent carnal dry-spell a vague memory. The Don knows but one ex-associate to call upon for the hit – another retiree, known as Lover Boy, who despite being on Social Security, is still quite able to live up to his deadly reputation – and nickname.
Their one obstacle? – Detective Jane Rieger, a beautiful, troubled cop with a checkered past whose love life has also recently turned non-existent. Committed to unraveling the conspiracy, the detective soon realizes that bringing everyone to justice will have the unintended consequence of adding to her growing list of personal woes. Thus, she will face more than one grim, difficult choice.
Lover Boy is a crime caper mixing humor with pathos, filled with quirky characters and often hilarious dialogue – all leading to an unexpected conclusion not soon forgotten.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2020
70 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Kronwith
8 books29 followersStephen Kronwith, M.D., Ph.D., lives in Floral Park, New York. A Brooklyn native, he’s had a unique and varied career path: first as a university professor of mathematics, then as a programmer for IBM, and ultimately as a pediatric ophthalmologist in both private and academic practice for over three decades.
Though he had long dreamed of writing fiction, the demands of his medical career left little time—until retirement. He began writing his debut novel, Lover Boy, six months before retiring, and despite the challenges of working through the early chaos of the COVID crisis, he completed the manuscript within eight months. Lover Girl followed more quickly, aided by pandemic restrictions and newly found creative freedom.
He is now preparing to release Book #3 in the Detective Jane Rieger-Franklin mystery series, Bloody Deeds, available for pre-order now and on sale March 15 2026
Though he had long dreamed of writing fiction, the demands of his medical career left little time—until retirement. He began writing his debut novel, Lover Boy, six months before retiring, and despite the challenges of working through the early chaos of the COVID crisis, he completed the manuscript within eight months. Lover Girl followed more quickly, aided by pandemic restrictions and newly found creative freedom.
He is now preparing to release Book #3 in the Detective Jane Rieger-Franklin mystery series, Bloody Deeds, available for pre-order now and on sale March 15 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 20, 2021
There’s the old saying, “Man plans, and God laughs.”
As he plans a most unorthodox strategy to attain lifelong financial security, Dr. Joseph Peck, ophthalmologist and narrator in Stephen Kronwith’s sharp, witty and wildly entertaining novel Lover Boy, reflects on hearing some weird sounds in the night, “Now that I think about it … I’m more and more convinced they were the reverberations of The Big Guy himself — laughing His Almighty ass off.”
Peck says his story will “detail the consequences of an exceptionally unholy trinity of obsessions — sex, greed and sex … and incorporate murder, betrayal and comic relief to spice things up.” The author delivers emphatically on those claims.
DYNAMIC AND QUIRKY CHARACTER COMBINATIONS
Far be it for the good doctor to hatch said scheme by himself. Actually, it is the initial brainchild of the ravishingly beautiful Anna Franklin, whose daughter is a patient of Peck. Anna learns that her billionaire husband Jonathan is planning a divorce after the New Year that will deprive her of a lofty inheritance, leaving her with a measly million or so a year.
She discovers Peck’s lifelong best friend happens to be retired mob boss Anthony Esposito. Using her finely crafted art of seduction, Anna convinces Peck to reach out to his ex-mafia friend and arrange a hit on her husband before the New Year, thus squelching plans for the divorce and ensuring her huge payday.
Envisioning a hefty payout for himself — as well as a lifetime of erotic bliss with Anna — Peck contacts Anthony, who knows just the guy to handle the job: Sammy Vivino, a 73-year-old retired hitman for the Esposito family, better known in crime circles as Lover Boy.
LOVE AND LET DIE?
Vivino, who earned the nickname by always having women on each arm and at his beck and call, is a perfectionist (he’d have to be) who accounts for every detail and every scenario. It’s marvelous to watch him think, anticipating how he will cover his tracks and ensure a successful outcome.
Jonathan Franklin, in his expansive backyard, makes a nightly routine of hitting a bucket of golf balls into an adjacent lake. That’s all Lover Boy needs to know to reintroduce one of his signature kills: death by golf ball.
Author Kronwith creates characters who are riotous, intelligent, and, in their own ways, relatable and often lovable. Perhaps none more so than the troubled and attractive Jane Rieger, a detective assigned to close the case of Franklin’s seemingly routine death by accident, only to find herself with a murder investigation.
CLEVER NODS TO CLASSIC WIT AND WISDOM
Peck advises that men should consider the story “a cautionary tale, a public service reminder that when making critical, life-altering decisions, let your brain dictate your actions — not your genitals.” For women, he says they will “need to decide if the actions of the formidable, female characters are worthy of your acclaim — or denunciation. Or possibly both.”
The book is sprinkled with references to fine literature, as both Anna and Jane are well read and often able to insert their knowledge into the dialogue. At one point, during a press conference with Jane at the podium, she steals the moment by embarrassing an unctuous financial reporter. The reporter tries to win over his media brethren by quoting Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes of “suspecting no one and everyone.” Jane corrects the exact quote and points out that the words of wisdom actually are from the mouth of Inspector Clouseau, of Pink Panther movie notoriety.
LIGHT AND BREEZY, DELIGHTFULLY SLEAZY
Kronwith has written a magnificent, comedic crime caper with a plot as tight as the plan itself to kill Franklin and run away with his billions. The story develops at an easy, brisk, enjoyable pace, with new elements and revelations surfacing throughout.
For all the machinations, perhaps the ultimate story outcome is best captured in another literary quote interjected by Kronwith from William Shakespeare: “To do a great right, do a little wrong.”
Lover Boy was featured as one of our 16 Favorites From 2020 That You Probably Never Heard Of.
As he plans a most unorthodox strategy to attain lifelong financial security, Dr. Joseph Peck, ophthalmologist and narrator in Stephen Kronwith’s sharp, witty and wildly entertaining novel Lover Boy, reflects on hearing some weird sounds in the night, “Now that I think about it … I’m more and more convinced they were the reverberations of The Big Guy himself — laughing His Almighty ass off.”
Peck says his story will “detail the consequences of an exceptionally unholy trinity of obsessions — sex, greed and sex … and incorporate murder, betrayal and comic relief to spice things up.” The author delivers emphatically on those claims.
DYNAMIC AND QUIRKY CHARACTER COMBINATIONS
Far be it for the good doctor to hatch said scheme by himself. Actually, it is the initial brainchild of the ravishingly beautiful Anna Franklin, whose daughter is a patient of Peck. Anna learns that her billionaire husband Jonathan is planning a divorce after the New Year that will deprive her of a lofty inheritance, leaving her with a measly million or so a year.
She discovers Peck’s lifelong best friend happens to be retired mob boss Anthony Esposito. Using her finely crafted art of seduction, Anna convinces Peck to reach out to his ex-mafia friend and arrange a hit on her husband before the New Year, thus squelching plans for the divorce and ensuring her huge payday.
Envisioning a hefty payout for himself — as well as a lifetime of erotic bliss with Anna — Peck contacts Anthony, who knows just the guy to handle the job: Sammy Vivino, a 73-year-old retired hitman for the Esposito family, better known in crime circles as Lover Boy.
LOVE AND LET DIE?
Vivino, who earned the nickname by always having women on each arm and at his beck and call, is a perfectionist (he’d have to be) who accounts for every detail and every scenario. It’s marvelous to watch him think, anticipating how he will cover his tracks and ensure a successful outcome.
Jonathan Franklin, in his expansive backyard, makes a nightly routine of hitting a bucket of golf balls into an adjacent lake. That’s all Lover Boy needs to know to reintroduce one of his signature kills: death by golf ball.
Author Kronwith creates characters who are riotous, intelligent, and, in their own ways, relatable and often lovable. Perhaps none more so than the troubled and attractive Jane Rieger, a detective assigned to close the case of Franklin’s seemingly routine death by accident, only to find herself with a murder investigation.
CLEVER NODS TO CLASSIC WIT AND WISDOM
Peck advises that men should consider the story “a cautionary tale, a public service reminder that when making critical, life-altering decisions, let your brain dictate your actions — not your genitals.” For women, he says they will “need to decide if the actions of the formidable, female characters are worthy of your acclaim — or denunciation. Or possibly both.”
The book is sprinkled with references to fine literature, as both Anna and Jane are well read and often able to insert their knowledge into the dialogue. At one point, during a press conference with Jane at the podium, she steals the moment by embarrassing an unctuous financial reporter. The reporter tries to win over his media brethren by quoting Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes of “suspecting no one and everyone.” Jane corrects the exact quote and points out that the words of wisdom actually are from the mouth of Inspector Clouseau, of Pink Panther movie notoriety.
LIGHT AND BREEZY, DELIGHTFULLY SLEAZY
Kronwith has written a magnificent, comedic crime caper with a plot as tight as the plan itself to kill Franklin and run away with his billions. The story develops at an easy, brisk, enjoyable pace, with new elements and revelations surfacing throughout.
For all the machinations, perhaps the ultimate story outcome is best captured in another literary quote interjected by Kronwith from William Shakespeare: “To do a great right, do a little wrong.”
Lover Boy was featured as one of our 16 Favorites From 2020 That You Probably Never Heard Of.
April 14, 2021
Dr Peck is a physician who loves to “love”, spreading himself around as much as he can. He is contacted by Anna Franklin, who wants to see her husband no longer among the living and is willing to give Dr Peck what he wants, as well as millions to his dear friend, a Mafia boss. On the case is detective Rieger, who is struggling to unravel all the clues and solving this case, while keeping her personal life under wraps.
Billed as a Crime Caper, this book is more of an erotica story in my eyes. Plenty of sex grace the pages, with our main character, Dr Peck as the primary instigator for most of these. With this in mind, the book has the overarching plot of a crime story, but that is overshadowed by the frequent intimate encounters for all the characters. Enjoyable story, just not what I thought it would be based on the synopsis.
Billed as a Crime Caper, this book is more of an erotica story in my eyes. Plenty of sex grace the pages, with our main character, Dr Peck as the primary instigator for most of these. With this in mind, the book has the overarching plot of a crime story, but that is overshadowed by the frequent intimate encounters for all the characters. Enjoyable story, just not what I thought it would be based on the synopsis.
October 8, 2021
Nice and unusual
Humorously witty crime story with an unconventional point of view. You have to be a little immoral to enjoy it besi.
Humorously witty crime story with an unconventional point of view. You have to be a little immoral to enjoy it besi.
May 31, 2021
A fun, amusing read. Interesting plot and nicely written.
It was difficult at some points to appreciate that Doctor Peck was narrating the story but did not significantly detract from my enjoyment of it.
It was difficult at some points to appreciate that Doctor Peck was narrating the story but did not significantly detract from my enjoyment of it.
May 25, 2021
Golf is a dangerous sport
First time I've read a book by this author. Not a real thriller or cosy murder, nor a laugh out loud story - although it does have a number of humorous moments. It was a reasonably good pass-the-time entertaining read. The story revolves around various characters with various interconnecting links, and the basics are created by the age old core of sex and money. A bit of swearing, but not enough to worry readers, I believe. (I don't exactly know why, but there is an over use of poetic &/or literature quotes within the dialogue. I don't know why they had been included. )
For me, really a 3.5 star rating read.
First time I've read a book by this author. Not a real thriller or cosy murder, nor a laugh out loud story - although it does have a number of humorous moments. It was a reasonably good pass-the-time entertaining read. The story revolves around various characters with various interconnecting links, and the basics are created by the age old core of sex and money. A bit of swearing, but not enough to worry readers, I believe. (I don't exactly know why, but there is an over use of poetic &/or literature quotes within the dialogue. I don't know why they had been included. )
For me, really a 3.5 star rating read.
July 8, 2021
Different to my normal read
Reading a story with several key characters and their part in the escapade where the writer is a character himself was a bit strange though I did mostly get used to it. Also reading a story where said character keeps hinting at the outcome also strange. However I did enjoy the book and had chuckles along the way. In fact I downloaded the next book Lover Girl so I no doubt have to go through all the strangeness again but I'm sure I will enjoy that too. Very different.
Reading a story with several key characters and their part in the escapade where the writer is a character himself was a bit strange though I did mostly get used to it. Also reading a story where said character keeps hinting at the outcome also strange. However I did enjoy the book and had chuckles along the way. In fact I downloaded the next book Lover Girl so I no doubt have to go through all the strangeness again but I'm sure I will enjoy that too. Very different.
Read
January 15, 2021Kronwith has written a magnificent, comedic crime caper with a plot as tight as the plan itself to kill Franklin and run away with his billions. The story develops at an easy, brisk, enjoyable pace, with new elements and revelations surfacing throughout.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/01/15/a-lov...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/01/15/a-lov...
January 28, 2021
A very nice surprise, especially for these unfunny times. I found myself laughing, often at loud, almost every other page. Add to the comedy an interesting detective procedural with quite a clever plot device that all fans of the early James Bond films will enjoy. And a twist at the end. All make for a very enjoyable read. Hoping for a sequel.
October 30, 2020
Great romance, comedy, mystery!
Different than a regular romance, without the predictable ending! Fun read with some hints of Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiasen tossed in!
Different than a regular romance, without the predictable ending! Fun read with some hints of Tim Dorsey or Carl Hiasen tossed in!
January 10, 2021
This is a delightful caper novel. Breezy style and populated with fascinating, believable characters. The ending really surprised me and left me satisfied. Hope there will be a sequel.
Fred
Fred
May 28, 2021
Fun
Although the subject matter is series, this is a rather light heated look at modern life. It's reminiscent of a Carl Hiassen story. Not too bad for a first effort.
Although the subject matter is series, this is a rather light heated look at modern life. It's reminiscent of a Carl Hiassen story. Not too bad for a first effort.
May 20, 2023
A silly but fun mystery.
December 12, 2023
Received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway. I DNF at 25%. The book did not hold my attention.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews