My second Stone Barrington novel, and this one was better than the first. I think it has been a while since I read a novel from the late 90s (my other vice - dystopia, is not that olda genre, at least the more recent YA series), so I really enjoyed the faxes, looking for payphones, etc. the characters had to engage in to get in touch with each other. Was it really that recent that we all decided to be constantly available?I would have given this one five stars - I loved the plot. At first, I didn't get certain parts of it that later become clear. This one was pretty intricatly woven. There was something that kept bothering me about this book, and I knew it had something to do with the various sexual vignettes throughout the book. They were well written and believable, so that wasn't it. It was more about what it said about the characters, particularly Stone. A great character will always have flaws, but a fantastic character will agonize over having those flaws and fight coming to terms with them. In other words, a fantastic character has a conscience. That was sorely lacking in Stone Barrington. I think early on we are told once that he was never good at resisting women - o well, so be it. That didn't quite do it for me.That also leads me to my only real criticism of the plot. (MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!) If Allison was in on the scam from the beginning, then why did she so easily endager all of this by sleeping with Stone? There isn't a single indication in the book that they really were unhappy or that she didn't trust him, so why was the sexual relationship necessary?All in all, great read....I'm onmy third one: "Loitering with Intent"
In St. Marks, death by murder is punishable by hanging. Little did Stone Barrington know that his long-awaited vacation was going to be interrupted by a legal case from Hell.Stone Barrington is a retired cop and a New York lawyer on a beautiful Caribbean island alone. He has been stood up by his girlfriend who has an exclusive interview in the States with her ex-boyfriend and Hollywood’s top leading man. Just when he starts to relax and enjoy his vacation, Allison Manning sails in on a huge yacht, alone, claiming she buried her husband at sea after he suffers a fatal heart attack, but is that the true story? The minister of justice, Sir Winston Sutherland charges her with murder, but Stone is not convinced.Allison Manning is a beautiful young American widow who is fighting for her life in a foreign land, but will she have a chance with the help of an aging barrister on the island and Stone Barrington? Is her attraction to Stone a ruse? Is she telling the truth about what happened to her husband?Sir Winston Sutherland is a power-hungry official who will stop at nothing to make a name for himself by prosecuting Allison Manning for the murder of her husband. With St. Mark’s justice system on his side, it’s a huge possibility.With all of the books I have read, I’m surprised that I have missed Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington series. This was a fast-paced, suspense thriller with plenty of plot twists and surprises right up until the end of the book. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, it throws you for a loop. A great read that will keep you entertained until the end.
What do You think about Dead In The Water (1998)?
Stone Barrington only wants a winter getaway from the chill of New York in the beautiful, tropical Caribbean paradise of St. Mark's. But what the lawyer and ex-cop gets instead is the chance to defend Allison Manning. The beautiful young woman stands accused of killing her rich husband on board their luxurious yacht and then burying him at sea.Stone isn't exactly conversant with the island country's law, but this much is clear to him: Allison is being railroaded by the perverse sense of justice of a prosecutor who will do anything to stay in office. Donning the robe and wig of a British barrister, Stone does everything he can to save Allison - from publicizing the case all over the American press to conducting the kind of smart tough investigation that money can't buy. Just when he has the jury in the palm of his hands, a shocking reversal of fortune changes everything. And what was once a sure thing begins to look a lot like a death sentence.I am not quite sure why I torture myself reading this series. The person who wrote the description on the back of the book clearly hasn't read it. Stone is incompetent, sketchy, and full of bad judgment.
—Rebekkila
Not a badly written book, average. However, this book was written by a man for men, as the main character, a lawyer winds up in bed with the other main female character quite a bit. She's daft. She's facing a possible hanging in a week, facing accusations of killing her husband out at sea and after that putting into port on St. Marks. There the abbreviated and corrupt form of British rule of law is bent on charging her with this crime, which it appears she didn't commit. All she thinks about is going to bed with the lawyer. I read about 1/4 to 1/3 of this book and just can't continue. It's a waste of my time.
—Sharon
The third in the Stone Barrington series, and much like the first two, very easy and fast reading with a decent plot. In this installment, Barrington has arrived in St. Marks where he has rented a boat to sail for a week with girlfriend Arrington Carter. Unfortunately, Arrington is delayed due to weather in New York, and Barrington must wait for her - and does so by spending time at the local bar. During his first night, another yacht docks in the harbor, with two policeman immediately boarding and taking the single passenger, a beautiful woman, off the boat in cuffs. The woman, Allison Manning, was sailing with her husband, when he befell a heart attack, and died at sea. She gave him a sea burial, and sailed to the nearest port - where she now stands on trial for murder. Barrington attends her arraignment the next morning, discovers she is an American and offers his legal services to ensure justice is served and her innocence proven. The mystery begins here, as the reader has to determine if Manning is indeed innocent, or if she had a hand in murder. Woods' gives clues that lead to either side throughout the novel, and although there weren't the twists and turns I typically enjoy, this nonetheless was fun to read with a satisfying ending.
—Mike Tueros
