Strategic Moves: A Stone Barrington Novel

Typical Stone Barrington. A bit too much Herbie Fisher. Would like to have more Holly Barker. The story about Herbie getting married to a woman who just happens to manage billions of dollars is stretching just a bit. I wish all Stuart Woods' books were longer. I finish them in about a day and a half.

I just became hooked on stone barring ton novels by Stuart woods. I am reading them out of order but so what. I enjoy them anyway. Family members have discussed these books for years. Now I know. Can't wait to read more!

Here is another well told tale by the splendid writer Stuart Woods. Stone Barrington is an old friend by now and each adventure is a joy to read. Although the author has written a large number of novels, each one is fresh and enjoyable. Keep up the great work Mr. Woods.

I have to swallow my Stone Barrington envy; what with a new woman for every adventure; Knob Creek at the cocktail hour and Elaine's for dinner most every night of the week, this was an enjoyable and fun read. To make matters worse Stone starts this adventure with a new jet airplane and a million bucks bonus from his "Of Counsel" law firm, but the action picks up after a slow start when Stone takes a trip to Iraq with a new client to pick up a bad guy for Lance Cabot, of CIA renown. Mr. Woods is lucky I can suspend reality and go with the flow because the bad guy escapes a flying C-17 Cargo jet in a 550 Mercedes and then parachutes to safety while the Mercedes goes on to land in a swimming pool in Newburgh, NY. But alas, the bad guy is really the good guy and Lance Cabot a Benedict Arnold who Stone easily thwarts with every sneaky gambit the CIA agent tries to pull off. I won't give away the rest of the story other than to say the action is akin to Mr. Woods earlier works despite the fact that Dino is still window dressing who is too busy with a double homicide to get involved except for dinner at Elaine's late.

Another fine read featuring the lawyer/dedective/adventurer Stone Barrington. Stone's past leads him to a more affluent life. But danger lies just ahead..avoidable in this book but sure to be a part of the sequel to come. Poor Stone, he does not get laid as much as usual...he needed to slow down.

This is another great book. It is by Stuart Woods. I read all of his books in one day. They are fast pace, involve sex, killing, mystery, fancy cars, food I wish I was eating and drinking. This one has old name and old places in that you will recognize from other books. But, could still pick this one up for the first read and enjoy. Try it.

The story lacked the usual themes writen by Mr. Woods. I had reserved it at my library and was toold I was on the waiting list at #167 so I THOUGHT it would be an exceptional story,so I bought it instead.

Yes I know this will be a disappointment to those of us who so admire him. How else to explain his many talents if not inherited from another planet? After all if he isn't the real super man, he's a mere mortal like....you! Good grief how can he be so accomplished and me just an ordinary guy. Gheeze I must not have tried hard enough when I had the opportunity. Oh well kinda fun to live vicariously thru his life; fabulously wealthy, pilot of his own jet plane, bedding fantastically beautiful & accomplished women, advisor to the world's elite, critical to the free world's success. Oh to be even half of a Stone Barrington...should keep one happy for a lifetime.

My review title above says it all. Mr. Woods surely spends no more than one day thinking about his plots, spends one day writing his books, and has only a third grade vocabulary and understanding of grammar - since there are few sentences more than 8 words in length and few words more than four letters long. To top if off, the printing is double spaced to make the book look bigger, and there are over 50 chapters - I say again, 50 chapters - each only about three double spaced pages long. There is absolutely NO character development, the protagonist (big word there that Mr. Woods may have to look up) beds practically every woman he meets during or after one date, and is, I suspect, a characterization (another big word) of Mr. Wood's self-image. I infer that by the autor's photo on the dust cover of himself sitting open-shirted in what appears to be an expensive restaurant...beneath a photo of Jackie Kennedy; perhaps hoping to look sexy like his protagonist.

Don't bother with this book unless you have been drinking heavily and cannot understand anything above a third-grade level. If you want to read a mystery by an author who knows what he is talking about and how to write beautifully, try the books of Archer Mayor. Now there's a writer worth the time.

Another solid Stone Barrington novel. These never fail to entertain me - Stone is the kind of guy that everybody wants in their life, along with his Detective friend Dino. The books are solid thrillers, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader highly engaged and the characters are engaging and complex so they just come alive on the page. The small details given to even the smaller characters are what really sets apart these from so many others. If you haven't read any of these yet....no time like the present to get a little Stone Barrington into your life!

I have read all of the Stone Barrington series, but it had been a year since the last one came out. I felt lost with all the references to earlier people, places, and events that I couldn't remember. I also felt like there were too many story lines attempted, and none of them really developed into anything very exciting. I feel like my copy was missing some pages; was the murder of Adele ever resolved? And how cold, even for Stone, to take another woman to the Maine house for a weekend just days after the 1st one was murdered! Some of the Barrington series are definitely better than others, but this one is the worst by far. Maybe I have graduated to more talented writers. Sorry Mr. Woods; you just don't cut it anymore.

I was very disappointed in Woods last Ed Eagle novel "Santa Fe Edge", which I thought was a waste of time. Having enjoyed many of Stuart Woods earlier works I wrote "Edge" off as an aberration. But Woods has come up with yet another clunker.

As was the case with "Santa Fe Edge" this book tries to juggle multiple story lines with NONE of them being fleshed out satisfactorily. We start of with Stone Barrington and dorky client Herbie Fisher who has recently married. Herbie is worried that his new family might be involved in some financial shenanigans. Early on in the story Stone meets - and, naturally, beds - Adele who is the aunt of Herbie's wife. Adele is then murdered execution style in her apartment while waiting for Stone and other dinner guests to arrive. This has the excellent makings of a murder mystery with illicit financial goings on to boot. This all happens within the first few chapters of the book and then Adele and her murder are NEVER mentioned again!

Next up is a journey to Iraq with a stopover in Spain on the way back to pick up fugitive from justice named Erwin Gelbhardt who prefers to be called Pedro! Erwin/Pedro's claim to shame is that he's an arms dealer who will sell to anyone who has the money. On the flight back, while CIA agents Holly Barker and Todd Bacon sleep, Erwin/Pedro escapes by lowering the plane's cargo door while in flight and driving off the plane in a Mercedes. Erwin/Pedro manages to survive by parachuting out of the car. This enables him to return a short time later to hire Stone as his attorney as he attempts to square away all his wrong doings by passing along to the CIA a major piece of information.

During his days as an arms dealer Erwin/Pedro has made numerous illegal contacts throughout the world. In exchange for the CIA allowing him and his family to live in peace, he will reveal the hiding place of Osama Bin Laden!

Now we switch back to the financial plot involving Herbie's new wife and brother-in-law.

Now we head back to find the CIA and Israeli Mossad trying to get their mitts on Pedro.

Then it's back to Stone trying convince an old girl friend who's now a federal prosecutor that Herbie's extended family is up to no good.

At the end of the book the reader is left to wonder if: (1) Adele's killer has ever been caught because it seems as if Woods had totally forgotten she was ever in the story! ; (2) Bin Laden has still managed to survive (Lance Cabot tells Stone that the area around Tora Bora has been obliterated but there's been no confirmation of Bin Laden having been there)!! ; (3) Herbie's wife and brother-in-law have ever attempted their financial crime, much less gotten away with it!!!

Interesting thing about this book is that like almost all Stuart Woods novels it's an entertaining read. But the plot lines go absolutely nowhere. Every loose end remains dangling and, I swear to God, if I have to read about one more meal at Elaine's and what wine went with it, I'm going to scream!

P.S. - Actually one loose end IS tied up. At their last meeting Erwin/Pedro hands Stone a check for $100,000. This is for the homeowner who's pool was damaged by the Mercedes which was driven off the plane!

Stuart Woods has filled the shoes of Micky Spillane for the early 21st century. This is enjoyable light reading. It is just a lot of fun. The casting is from Damon Runyon. This is true to the genre. While not heavy literature, it is none the less well written and enjoyable. I must admit to being a fan. I read Stuart Woods as relief from heavier tomes. This is light reading. Perfect for a 3 hour flight!

Attorney and former NYPD officer Stone Barrington continues to headline Stuart Woods's series of crime and intrigue. In STRATEGIC MOVES, Stone is rewarded a healthy bonus by the prestigious law firm of Woodman & Weld for bringing in a new high-profile client, Strategic Services. He works for them "as counsel" in cases they choose to defer, and the offer of a partnership is dangled as well.

The setting is Elaine's, Stone's favorite restaurant, which is where he receives the generous check. Much of the action takes place here, which enhances the lifestyle he enjoys. He's often joined by his good friend, Lt. Dino Bachetti, of the NYPD. Tonight they wine and dine in lavish style to celebrate Stone's good fortune.

The following evening Stone attends Herbie Fisher's wedding. Herbie, a lovable former client who bets on the horses, has landed an upper bracket society wife, Stephanie, financier Jack Gunn's daughter. At dinner, Stone is paired with Stephanie's aunt, Adele, a wealthy widow. Herbie intends to invest much of the remaining $10 million from his big lottery win with Jack's firm. However, Stone cautions him to wait when his company comes under legal scrutiny. Herbie's honeymoon is canceled when Jack is arrested because a great deal of money is missing. Adele asks for Stone's advice about her assets with Jack's company, as does Herbie. Stone suggests that they both wait out the audit.

Meanwhile, Strategic Services has invested $10 million with Jack. A Board of Directors meeting has been called. CEO Mike Freeman is approached by the U.S. government in the person of Lance Cabot, director of intelligence operations at the CIA. Stone has contracted with Lance's office in the past but sees no conflict with Strategic Services making a deal with him. Lance, not always open in negotiations, hires them to fly to Iraq, ferry large cargo material back to the U.S. and extract a political individual from a brief landing in Europe and return home. Stone is invited to fly with them as a tourist; the promise of more missions appears likely.

Stone's sexual relationship with Adele blossoms when he surprises her with a trip to his island cabin in Maine for the weekend. They appear compatible, but violent events slam the attraction to a halt when Adele invites him to dinner one evening. She's brutally murdered before the anticipated supper, and Stone calls on Dino to investigate. The Gunn family's monetary troubles reach ugly tentacles closer to Stone with her death. Herbie tries his attorney's patience, with the on-and-off-again honeymoon trip now set for a Caribbean island. His wife and her brother appear more than likely to know about the missing company money.

Woods writes with excellent knowledge of aviation and flying planes, ranging from personal to corporate jet aircraft. The huge cargo plane that Strategic Services takes to Iraq is described in great detail, with the interior setup written vividly. Stone's experience with smaller airplanes comes in handy as he travels to Maine. When the cargo plane loses its political extractee, the incident is revealed with hilarity. Woods pictures Pablo, the reformed arms dealer, with sympathy, his need of Stone as attorney becoming apparent.

What also becomes apparent is Stone's uncomfortable relationship with Lance. Trust is a major issue, and his status with his own clients even comes into play. Lance, though a government player, becomes a questionable good/bad guy. Pablo is willing to divulge information from his dubious past but holds an ace card, to be played when his family is guaranteed safety.

Stone Barrington is charming, witty, and a smart and likable hero, notwithstanding his appetites for sexual satisfaction, chronicled with class. Woods takes Stone from one encounter to future trysts, an integral part of his character. STRATEGIC MOVES promises a rapid-fire action but full development of all characters written. I'll anticipate with great enthusiasm the next installment of the series.

--- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad

I have read many Stone Barrington and Holly Barker and Will Lee books by Stuart Woods and found most of them not only entertaining but also well done with clever plots. This one does not fit that description! The characters seem stilted with no emotion (a woman Stone slept with was murdered and he showed no emotion), the dialogue is third rate, and there was not a satisfying ending - it seemed as if he had written all he wanted to and didn't care about tying up the loose ends. The murdered woman's death was never solved and seemed to have been forgotten. I won't read any more of Stuart Woods' books. I don't recommend this one.

Some books can make you feel jittery, nervous or negative...while and afer you read them. But not this book. I was just fun. I read all kinds of fiction and nonfiction, and it is nice to read books where you actually feel good reading them (I listened to this one, as I do most books I "read").

BTW, this book came out two years after the 100th ANNIVERSARY of the creation of the MI6 (of British Secret Intelligence Service) which was started in 1909. One of the characters in the book was banished from the MI6 in the story.

In the 19th century writers such as Jules Verne and Charles Dickens serialized their works in the written media of the day. In the last 20 years it seems that every author had realized the monetary gains to be made from this form of story telling and we have an endless supply of books about the same characters doing essentially the same things in the same way. Now Wood's joins the circle of Tom Clancy and Jack Higgins among others in publishing works about the same characters ad nauseum. How many times can you read about the same individuals eating at the same two places, Elaine's and the Four Season's. Woods should have his own table and 'free lunch' at both these spots from the advertising he is giving them.
In his current work nothing really happens and nothing is settled except that a number of future works are inevitable and one must spend more money to find out what happens. For me, I am done and I really don't care what happens to Stone Barrington and his little group of characters.

I kept reading, turning pages, expecting the book to pick up and get interesting eventually. It never did. None of the characters is fleshed out, the story is thin & shallow - almost non-existent. The main character, Stone Barrington is supposed to be charming I guess, but he comes off as dull and insipid. Tons of money, cars, planes just drop in his lap for no apparent reason. A woman was murdered & it was never explained by whom or why, or what that had to do with the story. Then the story just stopped. I was left thinking, what the.............. Complete waste of time and money.

THE NEW STONE BARRINGTON
This is #19 in a series featuring rich lawyer Stone Barrington. In some previous novels Barrington was portrayed as charming and clever, in others as an arrogant, unprincipled self-serving ass. In this one he is merely human---an obnoxious, self-absorbed, lazy human---but human. Most previous novels featured a string of uninspiring excessive graphic sex scenes with numerous, usually married, women, which read as as though writen by a teenage boy, with no actual knowledge of women. Uncharacteristically, in "Strategic Moves" Barrington confines himself to sex with only one unmarried woman (at a time); is almost romantic, or at least minimally considerate, and the sex scenes are almost "tasteful". Almost unbelievably, he even dines in a restaurant other than "Elaine's". (Note that since Elaine actually died in 2010, and the restaurant permanently closed in 2011, Woods no longer has any incentive to shamelessly plug it).

THE STORY
The novel appears to have been built around the vision of a Mercedes driving out of the back ramp of a cargo jet in flight. For flavor, the driver is a charming German arms dealer who wants to be called "Pablo". The "story" (i.e., there isn't really any plot) unravels from those two premises, essentially a "stream of consciousness" of mostly implausible events. Storylines are opened and then just dropped and forgotten with no resolution. The "story" (such that it is) could be the first third of a potentially pretty good novel---but Woods apparently reached his contractual page count and just stopped writing before the novel really got going. That it "could" be a pretty good novel assumes that Woods could tie together all the dangling strings---which is highly doubtful.

CHARACTERS
The characters are very interesting, but erratically developed. Cabot is portrayed as much more of an obnoxious jerk than in previous novels, apparently simply to create a little conflict. As in all Wood novels, the female characters are an interchangeable blur. Otherwise there is little development, but Wood's fans already know Barrington, Dino, Cabot, and Holly who have been developed in the previous 18 or so novels.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE
Fortunately, Stuart Woods is a sufficiently talented author, that his random mutterings would be (and are) entertaining. If only Woods would use his formidable powers for good...

VERDICT
A very entertaining very light read for Stone Barrington fans, 4-stars. For new readers, think 1-2 stars. For new readers, I suggest "Iron Orchid" or "Loitering with Intent" instead. On the other hand, there is something to be said for NOT getting hooked on an author who will disappoint you more often than not. There are few more talented authors, but there are many equality talented and more conscientious and consistent authors, who are more deserving of a following.

> Click on “Stoney” just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

No imagination! How is it everyone leaves Stone something big in their wills. They all seem to barely know him, yet they bequeath him: homes (aunt and cousin) stock and airplane ( Jim Hackett) I am surprised Elaine didn't leave him the restaurant in her will (or did she?) Stupid premise!

Book goes from one story line to the next without resolving any of them. Story starts out with a murder, that gets forgotten about. Then moves onto two other story lines that are badly given the attention either one deserves

This was our first 'Stone Barrington' book. My husband and I listened to on a 'play away' and enjoyed it...however, I was very disappointed that we never found out her murdered his 'girlfriend' and that he 'jumped into another relationship (and bed), without hesitation...I kept waiting for the 'new' woman to be murdered, too, and that would connect it all somehow...we may or may not read (or listen) to another one in this series.

One cannot get too much of Stuart Woods' crime novels, his superb, brisk, witty language, his likable heroes and villains, his plots and suspense, his ability to grasp our interest and hold it tight, and Stone Barrington's sexual adventures. Herbie, who won tens of millions in a lottery and who foolishly falls into one problem after another marries and finds more problems, and Stone Barrington needs to protect him from himself and others. There appears to be a Bernie Madoff type ponzy scheme going on, but the forensic accountants can't find it? What's going on? Who's taking the money and how? Will Stone be able to protect his, Herbie's, and his legal firm's millions of dollars? If so, how? Someone wants to kill a woman Stone is involved with. Can he save her? Stone becomes entangled in a CIA somewhat illegal matter and Lance Cabot, a high CIA official, is giving Stone grief about it. Stone is drawn into the affairs of a likable thief and con artist Pablo Estancia. These are just some of the adventures in this very enjoyable novel.

Woods is hardly great literature, but I have always enjoyed his books for light reading, much the way I also enjoy an occasional romance novel. But this one was just plain awful - as if the author got bored writing it about 3/4 of the way through and couldn't figure out how to end it. Plot lines were left either unresolved or resolved in ways that made no logical sense.

I am fully hooked on the stone Barrington series. I am now going through the list to read all of them.
My wife is not speaking with me. Told her I can't start any of her "honey do's" until I'm done with the series!
Well, I guess it's gonna be the downstairs sofa for a while......

I have read all the Stone Barrington series, as well as all the other Stuart Woods books. It seems like for the past five years or so, all of the Stone Barrington books are quickly written, with the same plot. First, meal at Elaine's, Stone meets woman, beds her, she is murdered, some sort of mystery also going on, then Stone inherits something big.
For the first time ever, I forced myself to finish this one. I am really disappointed. I love a good series, but this one has jumped the shark.

These novels are all starting to run into one another. It's getting kind of tiresome to read over and over again about how to fly an airplane, how his house was built, what a bitch Elaine is, etc. And please if you're going to be a paid advertiser for knob Creek whiskey at least disclose it

This is one of the better Stone Barrington novels. There is a lot more dialog and meat to the plot and a lot less graphic sex. Stone really takes control in this latest adventure. He has entanglements with Herbie Fisher, the FBI, Strategic Services, the CIA, and the NYPD. Holly Barker makes an appearance and Herbie gets married - a very rich young lady with enormous financial smarts. Lance Cabot (CIA) is a thorn in Stone's side, as usual. Several murders, esponiage, and general trouble follow Stone around.

Love witty dialogue, but hate sex outside of marriage. I will keep looking for legal thriller author who entertains within morality. Also, the story moved along too fast for even the author. Unsolved murder was kinda forgotten along the way.

This book has cardboard characters, ridiculous plot line, dialog for dummies and those are the high points. I am giving it 2 stars since Mr. Woods seems to make a living this way and who can argue with that. This was my first and last book of this series.