Capital Crimes [Library Binding]

Stuart Woods (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2004

Will Lee, the courageous and uncompromising senator from Georgia, is back - now as President of the United States, in this fifth book of the New York Times bestselling series. When a prominent conservative politician is killed inside his lake cabin, authorities have no suspect in sight. Then two more seemingly isolated deaths - achieved by very different means - are feared to be linked to the same murderer. With the help of his CIA director wife, Kate Rule Lee, Will is thrust in the middle of the deadly game to catch the most clever and professional of killers before he can strike again. From a quiet D.C. suburb to the corridors of power to a deserted island hideaway in Maine, Will, Kate, and the FBI track their man and set a trap with extreme caution and care - and await the most dangerous kind of quarry, a killer with a cause to die for.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this humdrum political thriller, the latest in the Will Lee series (The Run, etc.), William Henry Lee IV, former senator from Georgia, has graduated to the presidency of the United States. He's living comfortably in the White House with his wife, Katharine Rule Lee, director of the CIA, when a series of murders threatens the nation's political equanimity. Ex-CIA man Ted Fay has begun a lone wolf vendetta against selected right-wing big shots. Ted opens the hostilities by sniping hypocritical Republican Sen. Frederick Wallace of South Carolina, a known bigot who spends his free time committing adultery in a remote mountain cabin with his lover of 20 years, African-American Elizabeth Johnson. President Lee turns to longtime Deputy Director Robert Kinney of the FBI to investigate the murder. When Kinney is asked who shot the senator, his answer gives some measure of Wallace's popularity: "We've narrowed the list of people with a motive to about ten thousand." Assassin Ted has a Web site with a rogue's gallery of politicians, judges, media personalities and others whose policies he deems objectionable. As he ingeniously does away with each in turn, a large X is placed over the corresponding picture. Because Will and Kathy are staunch Democrats and Ted is such a partisan killer, the reader knows that neither is in any danger; this defuses suspense other than that generated by a standard cat-and-mouse hunt. And as Ted is the most interesting character in the book, one begins to secretly root for him and his mission, thus confusing the issue even further. This is not Woods's best, but he's such a pro even a lackluster outing still delivers a mildly diverting read.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

After focusing on Stone Barrington and Holly Barker in his most recent books, Woods turns back to the hero of his early novels, Will Lee. Will is now president of the U.S., and his wife, Kate, is the director of the CIA. Both will be put to the test when a prominent conservative senator, Frederick Wallace, is shot dead at his lakeside cabin. Wallace had many enemies and even kept files full of the dirty secrets of his adversaries. But the murder doesn't appear to be an isolated incident after a car bomb kills a conservative radio personality. Someone with weapons skills is targeting conservatives, and Will and Kate need to find out if the person is a former agent of the U.S. government. Traitorous former CIA agent Ed Rawls, on his last legs in an Atlanta prison, thinks he can identify the killer but will help only in exchange for a pardon. The FBI's deputy director, Bob Kinney, is put on the case, but every lead Bob comes up with seems to end up at a dead end--with one more body added to the mix. Though Will doesn't factor heavily into the most exciting sequences, an old friend from the Stone Barrington series shows up and the dogged Kinney pursues the case relentlessly. Exciting reading for Woods' many fans. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Library Binding
• Publisher: San Val (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1417698780
• ISBN-13: 978-1417698783
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,901,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stuart Woods is the author of forty-four novels, including the New York Times-bestselling Stone Barrington series and Holly Barker series. The last twenty-eight of them have been New York Times best-sellers. He is an avid private pilot, flying his own jet on two book tours a year. His latest novel is Santa Fe Edge,to be published on September 21st. You may see his tour schedule and learn more about the author on his website, www.stuartwoods.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced thriller, November 2, 2003

By 

Eileen Rieback (Coral Springs, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Capital Crimes (Will Lee) (Hardcover)

Someone with an impressive array of murderous skills is systematically assassinating right-wing political figures one after another. The FBI and the CIA, who suspect that the killer comes from somewhere in their ranks, join forces to try to track down the assassin. An imprisoned former CIA traitor, who claims to know the identity of the assassin, wants to trade that information for a pardon and freedom.

This is Woods' best Will Lee novel, even though President Will and his wife, CIA head Kate, are peripheral to the action. Woods produces some good character development in both Robert Kinney, a Deputy Director of the FBI, and in Ted, the assassin. The story is very fast-paced. There are plenty of high-tech gadgets, chase scenes, computer hacking, and SWAT team action to keep things interesting. You will find it hard to put this book down.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning!, February 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Capital Crimes (Will Lee) (Hardcover)

This is the fifth book in a long series by Woods, and in my opinion, the best of the lot. He never seems to run out of steam and his characters are always believable and well thought out--as are his plots. Highly recommended.

Also recommended: THE SECOND CHAIR and BARK OF THE DOGWOOD

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Woods...back on target!, November 8, 2003

By 

Karen Kirsch "blazerlib" (Novi, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Capital Crimes (Will Lee) (Hardcover)

I totally enjoyed this Woods novel. His last 2 were not that
interesting to me. Will Lee, as President, and his wife Kate, head of the CIA, are faced with a serial killer who is knocking off big-name right-wing conservatives. How to find the killer?
Someone in prison knows the answer and wants to help. But Kate is hesitant to use this knowledge. Robert Kinney, the prime investigator, steps forward as a strong character...standing up to his media-hungry boss. We question his success up until the final pages. It was a 2 day read for me.