Dead in the Water: A Novel (Stone Barrington Novels) [Kindle Edition]

Stuart Woods (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

City Attorney Stone Barrington is on the small island of St. Marks off the coast of Antigua for vacation. His live-in girlfriend is unable to join him. Since he is at loose ends, he attends the coroner's inquest into the death of Paul Manning, a famous mystery writer who was sailing across the Atlantic when, according to his wife, he died. She is arrested for murder because the island prosecutor has political ambitions of being the next prime minister, and a good murder case is just what he needs. Manning was heavily insured, and within a day or so, $15 million is paid to his estate and then transferred to a Cayman Island account. Barrington takes on Allison Manning's defense with the help of a local barrister. Best-selling author Woods (Dirt, LJ 9/15/96) knows how to entrance the reader with glitz, a good story, and lots of suspense. No one here is quite what he or she appears to be, and Barrington must use all of his legal abilities to save his client. This will be very popular and is for all libraries.
-?Jo Ann Vicarel, Cleveland Heights-Univ. Heights P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Millionaire author Paul Phillips Manning died on board his yacht while on a Caribbean cruise with his sexy young wife, Allison. She claims he had a heart attack, and due to the climate and distance from port, she was forced to dispose of the body at sea. Sir Winston Sutherland, the minister of justice on the tiny island of St. Marks, isn't buying it and charges her with homicide. The trial and the execution could both be completed within a week. Vacationing New York lawyer and investigator Stone Barrington comes to the damsel's aid and soon winds up in her bed. Now in his fourth appearance, the suave and priapic Barrington soon finds himself embroiled in a case in which nothing is as it seems, from Allison's story to Manning's death to the agenda of the Charles Laughton^-like Sir Winston Sutherland. This is a cleverly plotted, witty crime caper with a dash of sex, a likably roguish hero, and a surprising twist at the finish. Great for lightweight summer reading. Wes Lukowsky

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 585 KB
• Publisher: HarperCollins e-books; Reprint edition (March 17, 2009)
• Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FC11D8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,533 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #40 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Mystery & Thrillers > Thrillers > Legal
  • #50 in Books > Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Thrillers > Legal

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

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dead In The Water but Not Dead Reading, January 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead in the Water: A Novel (Hardcover)

This is the first book I have read by Mr. Woods. The plot combined with Mr. Woods writing style made for exciting reading. I found it extremely hard to put down. I often found myself feeling sorry for Allison and Stone as well as thinking "She Did It", only to find myself a few pages later thinking "She Didn't Do It". Later in the book I found myself thinking, "Insurance Scam". I won't spoil the book by telling you what happens or if she did or didn't do it. What I will tell you is that this is definatly a must read book with a fantastic ending. Being the first book I have ever read by Mr. Stuart I was plesantly surprised to find that there was nothing about this book I didn't like. Easy, smooth flowing reading. I will definatly be reading more of Stuart Woods writing. Even though this book is not listed as a legal thriller, I would rank it right up with authors suchs as John Grishim and Brad Meltzer's"Dead Even". Let me take a minute and reiterate that this is a great book and a must read for any avid reader.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I Thought I was the only one!, September 20, 2001

By 

J. Villeneuve "jayvil" (Newtown, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dead in the Water (Mass Market Paperback)

I was very pleased to see someone else comment on the slow dim dialogue in this book - it was PAINFUL. Page after page was spent on such exciting things as preparing a Caesar salad and other exciting tangents. The story moved slooowly and the plot, characters and ending were all terribly lacking. None of these lacked as much as the motivation for ANY character. I was so moved by how poorly this book ended that I had to come here and "warn" others! I am not a tough critic, but this book was a stinker.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dead in the Water: Page-turner extraordinaire, November 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dead in the Water (Mass Market Paperback)

Stuart Woods' novel Dead in the Water is a suspenseful tale of murder, romance, and deception. Woods has crafted a story that captures the reader's attention from the opening paragraph until the closing lines. Never is there a dull moment in this thriller. The reader follows the adventures of Stone Barrington, an ex-cop turned lawyer who is intriguing yet refreshingly real. Stone's tropical vacation is interrupted when he meets murder suspect Elizabeth Manning. Through his own good will, he decides to defend this mysterious beauty who stands to lose her life if found guilty. The case has a new twist at every corner, and somehow it never manages to get dull. The story rises to higher levels of suspense as Stone and his client become romantically and passionately involved. The characters develop nicely throughout the novel. As the story line progresses, the reader develops a seemingly intimate relationship with the novel's protagonists and exhibits genuine concern for their well-being. Woods should be commended for this stellar literary accomplishment. By constantly introducing new elements into the complexity of the plot, Woods manages to keep the reader guessing. In fact, the novel's outcome is not clear until the final pages; therefore, no reader can willingly put it down without finishing. The story's conclusion is slightly far-fetched but enjoyable and ironic nonetheless. Woods' endeavor is a page-turner extraordinaire and a treat for anyone lucky enough to pick it up. Dead in the Water receives four out of five stars. Highly recommended.