Rating: 
Summary: Perhaps Woods' worst book
Review: Overly contrived, poorly plotted, poorly written and poorly edited (several typographical errors). The reader must make so many leaps of faith it beggars the imagination. The characters aren't sympathetic. You really don't care what happens to them. And what happens to them is so forced it's laughable. Don't bother with this book
Rating: 
Summary: NEW CHARACTER FOR HOPEFULLY A NEW SERIES! GOOD READ!
Review: this was a light bit of fluff that i enjoyed in just a couple of readings....i'd like to see more of this character as stone was getting rather predictable...still good though!....i enjoyed my sojourn at orchid beach and hope that woods will take us back there....daisy was the real winner...just need to train my dog to perform at the refrigerator as daisy does.........i'm still waiting and hoping that we'll get another 'chiefs' one of these days.....but in the interim, i'm still enjoying all of woods' books...........
Rating: 
Summary: I love ya Stuey, but you're losing me....
Review: Remember Chiefs? One of the best. How about Palindrome, Dead Eyes, Grass Roots? Great books. While reading Orchid Beach, I felt as though I was reading a Nancy Drew mystery.
Rating:
Summary: Lousy! Must have phoned this one in.
Review: I have read just about all of Stuart Woods books and this one just doesn't cut it. It starts off good and intriguing but within the first third of the book everything just gets too pat, there seems to be no development of the characters and the story is more than outrageous, it is bizarrely improbable. Holly, the main character never shows the color of classic Wood's characters like Stone Barrington or Dino, his former police partner. Once I was halfway through I couldn't decide whether to finish the book or bag it. I still really like Stuart Woods but I feel this book must have been pushed out the door to make a publishing commitment, or surely something like that. Unless you are a Woods die hard (which I pretty much am) I would pass on this one.
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Summary: Wood's novels get dopier and dopier-shallow,shallow.shallow
Review: I have read every one of Wood's books, starting with his first, "Chiefs" which was good. But he has gone downhill ever since. I now read them only to satisfy myself that he is getting worse with each outing. His characters are cardboard and his dialogue and plots are pathetic. What happened to this novelist? The loose ends in his plots are never picked up, and in one page he covers territory and decisions that other writers would spend chapters developing, with some depth. His favorite lines seem to be "good idea" or "I agree", so that further development of the theme becomes unnecessary. In his latest book, for example, in one page, his heroine goes from being a major in the service to agreeing to become a police chief without asking one question about her new job from a person she met just a minute ago--PURE WOODS!!!
Rating:
Summary: typically good Woods fare...
Review: Stuart Woods' Orchid Beach is another consistent work by this author. While not his best, Woods once again writes a compelling and believable story, with deep and interesting characters, and evocative descriptions of place, as well as his usual indulgence in describing the finer things in life, all the while keeping the reader hooked to a fast-paced tale. For fans of Woods, another winner; for others, a pretty good introduction to this author.
Rating:
Summary: Good work but somewhat different for Woods
Review: Brigadier General announced that Colonel James Bruno was not guilty on all three charges (sexual harassment, attempted rape, and conduct unbecoming an officer). At the time of the verdict, military police Sergeant Holly Barker, who filed the complaint, knew her military career was over. That night, Holly meets with Chet Marley, Chief of the twenty-four person Orchid Beach, Florida police force, who offers her the position of being his deputy. After obtaining more details, she accepts the job.However, the night before she reports to duty, the sleepy town is rudely awakened when Chet and local dog trainer Hank Doherty are murdered. Holly begins to investigate what happened to her boss, but there are no clues. No one, including her staff, will cooperate with the out-of-towner except for her new found lover and her canine. As she stubbornly continues to inquire into the homicides, Holly places her new job on the line and even places her self in danger. Fans of Stuart Woods or anyone who loves an ultra-packed, non-stop action who-done-it will devour ORCHID BEACH. The novel is populated with well designed twists, turns, and red herrings. However, for many readers, the murder mystery remains dead in the water because there are way too many feminine issues buried throughout the story line with none of them properly developed. If it is action, action, and action the reader covets, than this is the novel for them. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: quick paced read..
Review: this is my first stewart woods book..and I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with it. The dialogue flows pretty easily and the pacing was very fast. I read the book in a couple of days. Good action and plenty of twists and turns that I didn't see comming from start to finish. Definetly worth a look for anyone who's a fan of good crime/mystery novels. I'll definetly be reading Woods' other works!
Rating: 
Summary: great disappointment
Review: I agree with many reviewers, I also saw this book as a nearly perfect one until I reached the end of the story. But, once I turned the last page I was ready to scream in disappointment - what a stupid thing where the puzzle does not a single fitting piece.
Rating:
Summary: Reliable, steady book
Review: I have only read a couple of Stuart Wood's book that have fallen below the average mark. Most of his writing is pretty consistant, gets right to the story, and usually interesting. This book features a good story and good characters. You won't be disappointed.
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