Rating: 
Summary: Good entertainment
Review: In Orchid Blues, Stuart Woods brings back Holly Barker, the small-town police chief initially featured in Orchid Beach. As with the first book - and, in fact, most of his books - Woods has written a lightly entertaining book, the type of book that is often referred to as a beach read. It may not be deep, but it is a fast, fun read.For Woods fans, this book is kind of a meeting place for characters from his other books. Stone Barrington has a guest appearance that is rather needless; there is no real reason why his role couldn't have been filled by some other character; at least he doesn't sleep with Holly, which makes her the first beautiful woman he hasn't slept with within a couple chapters of meeting. Will Lee, Woods other series character, is referred to although he does not appear. Finally, the neo-Nazi group, the Elect, makes another appearance with their usually plans to overthrow the government. Although I would guess this is technically a Holly Barker novel, it actually focuses more on her father, Ham, who is recruited to infiltrate the Elect, who may be responsible for the death of Holly's fiance. Ham is an interesting if a little too perfect, and the villains he contends with are a bit one-dimensional, even if they are reasonably clever. Holly's role tends to be more behind-the-scenes. Woods doesn't dispose of his series characters easily, and Holly and Ham will be back in Blood Orchid, which just came out in hardcover. My guess is that Stone will be back and that he and Holly will eventually hook up and the two series will converge. This book can stand alone, however, so it will be good for both Woods fans and those who just want some light entertainment. You may not feel that you have read a classic, but you will have fun.
Rating: 
Summary: TWO VOICES = TWICE AS GOOD AUDIO
Review: Just as two heads are better than one two voices, those of Dick Hill and Susie Breck, beat one in this satisfying reading of the second adventure of Police Chief Holly Barker and her erstwhile companion, Daisy, an unbelievable Doberman. Holly isn't thinking work but wedding as she's about to tie the knot with her boyfriend, Jackson Oxenhandler. The path to the altar turns rocky when a crime occurs - a bank robbery in Orchid Beach, Florida, and a vicious one at that as the thieves take everything with them except for a dead body. Her investigation takes Holly and her father, Ham, a retired Army sergeant to a rather strange town, Lake Winachobee. Despite its name not much is placid in this little burg as it turns out to be a hotbed of white supremacists who are planning the assassination of an important leader. Stuart Woods has once again proffered a rapid fire plot and a stunning conclusion. - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: Stuart Woods does it again!
Review: My dad sent me this book and I loved it! I read it in 3 days ( and thats not easy considering I have four kids and work from home!) I couldn't put it down. Its a quick and easy read with all the action and drama we've come to expect from Staurt Woods. Its a great story and hooks you right away. If you have ever enjoyed a book by S. Woods, this one you MUST read! Enjoy it!
Rating: 
Summary: Not the worst book I ever read - but......
Review: My first Woods' novel and based on what I have read I will give him another try - but please...the story line was pretty thin - I kept finding inaccuracies and since I had never read Woods before I didn't get the "Stone Barrington" character - I just could not figure out the point.
If you are sitting in an airport - completely bored - buy it - you can finish it before you get home!
Rating:
Summary: A Plot to Nowhere....
Review: Orchid Beach Police Chief, Holly Barker, is working on a bank robbery and murder that's hit close to home, and turned very personal. The well planned crime was almost perfectly executed, and the thieves didn't leave a shred of evidence behind, except for the body of an innocent bystander. Now they're four million dollars richer, and Holly is on a mission to find the culprits and bring them to justice. As she begins investigating what appears to be an inside job, she discovers evidence that points to an unknown little town inhabited by a mysterious and closed-mouth group of gun lovers. With the help of an old FBI friend, and her father, retired Army chief master sergeant, Ham, the three decide to infiltrate this clan, and find out what's really going on..... Stuart Woods' latest is a silly and mindless read that goes nowhere. The writing is uninspired, the dialogue, inane, and the story line thin, and neither suspenseful nor very compelling. This book needs to be tightened up and given some direction. His characters are lifeless and one dimensional, and need to be fleshed out. At times, it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys, and even harder to care. Mr Woods' all time favorite character, Stone Barrington, makes a cameo appearance, but it's never clear why he's there, and he adds nothing to the plot. Add to that a predictable ending, with a lot of loose ends left hanging, and you have the makings of a mediocre novel, at best. There are a lot of great thrillers out there, unfortunately Orchid Blues isn't one of them.
Rating:
Summary: Good for my particular mood
Review: Reviews of Stuart Woods' books seem to fall into three categories: Those who love them, those who find them shallow, and those who pine for the Woods of old whose books were so full of suspense and intrigue with great plots and lots of imagination. But not every book can be Chiefs (his first novel) or Imperfect Strangers (an early non-series novel). But they are still fast easy reads, great for the DC Metro commute. Holly Barker is back for a second time. She's is still an appealing enough character and the story has some interesting moments. There is little imagination to the plotting and its all fairly predictable. Still, there are characters to like and root for, Holly, her father Ham, and her dog Daisy. And beyond those who seem to wear a sign saying "I'm Evil: Hate Me" there are always one or two about whom we are not to sure. The FBI Agent from the first Holly Barker novel, Harry Crisp, plays a real jerk, something of a comedown from the first book. The idea of putting Ham up for this "job" with the bad guys, consdidering the stakes involved, is rather silly. But as other reviewers have pointed out, Woods is still very good on the action scenes. I wonder if other readers have noticed, as I did, Holly's strange reaction to Oxenhandler's death. And how long did it take to figure out who was in the line at the bank with him? True, Woods is no Hemmingway or Faulkner, as another reviewer pointed out. Sad to say, he started out like one of them, but he's more a franchise now, as indicated in the author's note that is so annoying and which now appears at the end of each of his books.
Rating: 
Summary: Still entertaining after all these years
Review: Reviews of Stuart Woods' books seem to fall into three categories: Those who love them, those who find them shallow, and those who pine for the Woods of old whose books were so full of suspense and intrigue with great plots and lots of imagination. But not every book can be Chiefs (his first novel) or Imperfect Strangers (an early non-series novel). But they are still fast easy reads, great for the DC Metro commute. Holly Barker is back for a second time. She's is still an appealing enough character and the story has some interesting moments. There is little imagination to the plotting and its all fairly predictable. Still, there are characters to like and root for, Holly, her father Ham, and her dog Daisy. And beyond those who seem to wear a sign saying "I'm Evil: Hate Me" there are always one or two about whom we are not to sure. The FBI Agent from the first Holly Barker novel, Harry Crisp, plays a real jerk, something of a comedown from the first book. The idea of putting Ham up for this "job" with the bad guys, consdidering the stakes involved, is rather silly. But as other reviewers have pointed out, Woods is still very good on the action scenes. I wonder if other readers have noticed, as I did, Holly's strange reaction to Oxenhandler's death. And how long did it take to figure out who was in the line at the bank with him? True, Woods is no Hemmingway or Faulkner, as another reviewer pointed out. Sad to say, he started out like one of them, but he's more a franchise now, as indicated in the author's note that is so annoying and which now appears at the end of each of his books.
Rating:
Summary: A Fast Read
Review: Stuart Wood's Orchid Blues is a fast read ... his chapters are short, making you want to read on & on. Having only read one of Sutart's books (Orchid Blues), I am definitely going to read more of them. You know there's violence; you know there's mystery; you know there's accuracy. I read it so fast, I didn't even look at the back to see how it ended! Now that's a good mystery! And no swearing ... I am now going to read Blood Orchid. And since Holly meets up with Stone, I will then go on to read the series of crime scenes he's involved in. Thank you, Stuart Woods.
Rating:
Summary: A Fast Read
Review: Stuart Wood's Orchid Blues is a fast read ... his chapters are short, making you want to read on & on. Having only read one of Sutart's books (Orchid Blues), I am definitely going to read more of them. You know there's violence; you know there's mystery; you know there's accuracy. I read it so fast, I didn't even look at the back to see how it ended! Now that's a good mystery! And no swearing ... I am now going to read Blood Orchid. And since Holly meets up with Stone, I will then go on to read the series of crime scenes he's involved in. Thank you, Stuart Woods.
Rating:
Summary: Too many concurrent series?
Review: Stuart Woods first came to my attention in "Chiefs", the genesis of the Lee Family saga, that family's current generation now represented by President Will Lee, who inherited more than the names of his police chief grandfather and Georgia governor father ("Chiefs" was their story). Another currently-running series is the Stone Barrington series, whose hero--suave babe-magnet lawyer-investigator--was once a New York City Police detective. Although Barrington seems far too smooth to have ever been an NYPD cop. You see a guy whose name is two last names and you think "preppie". This story is volume two of the Holly Barker saga, the first book being "Orchid Beach", the latest being recent hardcover release "Blood Orchid". The premise of this series is hardly preposterous at all--a lady police chief of a small Florida town who served as an Army MP officer, Since she commanded an MP unit, she was probably a major. Her father is Hamilton "Ham" Barker, a retired career master sergeant who plays a mentor role. Don't knock it--it works in "Crossing Jordan". But all in all, Holly strikes me as the type of cop Patricia Cornwell would think up--capable and with enough presence to make her gender a non-issue. She's obviously well past having to prove herself "just because she's a girl". And, also as Cornwell would write about a lady cop, the emphasis is on putting criminals away like cops are supposed to do, not putting some sneering sexist oinkmeister in his place. Anyway, the story begins with tragedy: on her wedding day, Holly's husband-to-be stops at the bank and gets blown away in a holdup. In the course of the investigation, Holly has to deal with a Bureau agent who faces a dilemma--how does he crowd "the locals" out of this case when "the locals" are a good friend? Stone Barrington does a cameo in this story. Will Lee plays an "offstage" role--he's targeted in a Presidential assassination plot connected with the robbery Holly's fiance died in. Also in the course of the investigation, Holly and her father turn up a supposedly nonexistent town that's an emcampment for a group of local gun nuts who turn out to be The Elect. If you read "Grass Roots" this group figured in a plot against President Lee when he was still running for the Senate. If at first you don't succeed, yadda-yadda...But somehow, despite all the good foundational elements, some of them proven stuff from Woods' other work, despite the superb quality of Woods' other work--the story just doesn't get off the ground. I've got "Orchid Beach" on my wishlist--somehow that one got by me. Maybe that one and the new "Blood Orchid" will prove this book to be a temporary slump. Or maybe Woods shouldn't try to carry on too many concurrent series at once, I don't know.
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