Swimming to Catalina (Cassette, abridged)

Rating:
Summary: One of Stuart Woods' best in recent years.
Review: The action in Swimming to Catalina never stops, so there's no good time to put the book down. Stone Barrington's adventures lead to the fast lane in Hollywood. Stuart Woods is a great story teller who manages to intertwine his humor with a great sense of suspense. If you like Stuart Woods, this is one you won't want to miss.

Rating:
Summary: You'll read this book in one sitting.
Review: The caracters are all very intriging while the story line keeps you guessing. The plot moves quickly and cleanly through A Hollywoods Star's life That includes kidnapping and murder, without the usual sleze. As handsome as the leading man is described, you still fall in live with Stone Barrington, again!

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable
Review: The hero of "Swimming to Catalina" performs such unbelievable feats, as if he were a hybrid of Superman and Houdini, the story falls apart. It might have been different if the tale had been told in the form of "camp" or satire, but it was not.

Rating:
Summary: Read it before "Dead in the Water" for a special treat
Review: These two books go together, and this was the second chronologically. But I didn't know that before reading them, and read this one first. The first chapter gives an insight to the ending of "Dead in the Water", but believe it or not, knowing that made "Dead in the Water" more enjoyable for me. I found both these books to be real page turners. I read this one during layovers and on the plane while making a business trip. When I got where I was going, I rushed out to a local bookstore for something else by Woods, and ended up with "Dead in the Water". Suspenseful, entertaining, thoroughly enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Stone Barrington, at it again!
Review: This book has the same page-turning quality as New York Dead. It is the fourth book in the Stone Barrington series. This time, Stone is caught in a mystery dealing with his past love, Arrington. She has now married Vance Calder, who appeared previously in the series, and has vanished! It is up to Stone to find her, and he is not going to stop until he does. Does he still deeply care for Arrington? Will he discover her, or her body? Who is behind all this? These are some of the questions you will find haunting you until you finish this book! It is definitely one of Woods' best!

Rating:
Summary: Stone Barrington, at it again!
Review: This book has the same page-turning quality as New York Dead. It is the fourth book in the Stone Barrington series. This time, Stone is caught in a mystery dealing with his past love, Arrington. She has now married Vance Calder, who appeared previously in the series, and has vanished! It is up to Stone to find her, and he is not going to stop until he does. Does he still deeply care for Arrington? Will he discover her, or her body? Who is behind all this? These are some of the questions you will find haunting you until you finish this book! It is definitely one of Woods' best!

Rating:
Summary: Not His Best
Review: This book should have been 200 pages thinner. It is boring for the first half. Woods seems to think that sex and mildly finny banter will sustain the book until the real story takes off. A smattering of plot is established and characters are introduced in the first 200 pages, but it all could have been done much more economicaly. The second half is fun, but still not up to Woods fine standard set by his previous books. If you don't have anything else to read, or if you need some light reading in between Andrew Vachss and J. L. Burke novels, this is light weight relief. Not awful, but not his best.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book it was fast pase and never slowed down
Review: This book was fast paced and never slowed down for a second I recomend this book to every one.

Rating:
Summary: A first time reader
Review: This is the first novel I've read by Stuart Woods and now I see I should have read "Dead in the Water" first, but nonetheless, it was a good read. The story takes retired detective now lawyer, Stone Barrington, to Hollywood to help search for his former girlfriend Arrington who has married the famous actor, Vance Calder. Stone is surprised after he arrives to find that Calder isn't as worried about Arrington as he had first appearred to be. He is given first class treatment, a fancy car, nice hotel, even a part in Vance's new movie,and is then shuffled out of town in a hurry which only makes Stone determined to find out what is really going on with Arrington, especially since Calder has told Stone that Arrington is pregnant and there is a chance that Stone could be the father. The reader is led on a chase with important Hollywood types who want to see him dead. He narrowly escapes death after being tossed overboard into the Pacific ocean with an anchor tied to his waist. Stone figures out that Arrington is being held against her will and won't stop until he has found her. That may mean an end to Vance Calder's career if the public find out about the scandal he's gotten himself into. It's up to Stone to uncover the truth about who has taken Arrington and why without letting Vance's name come out. The story has a very exciting ending which I won't reveal and all in all it was a good story. The only objection I have is that Stone was sure quick to jump into bed with any pretty woman that looked his way. Isn't he concerned about diseases? Well, I know it's just a story, but I could have done without all the sex.

Rating:
Summary: A first time reader
Review: This is the first novel I've read by Stuart Woods and now I see I should have read "Dead in the Water" first, but nonetheless, it was a good read. The story takes retired detective now lawyer, Stone Barrington, to Hollywood to help search for his former girlfriend Arrington who has married the famous actor, Vance Calder. Stone is surprised after he arrives to find that Calder isn't as worried about Arrington as he had first appearred to be. He is given first class treatment, a fancy car, nice hotel, even a part in Vance's new movie,and is then shuffled out of town in a hurry which only makes Stone determined to find out what is really going on with Arrington, especially since Calder has told Stone that Arrington is pregnant and there is a chance that Stone could be the father. The reader is led on a chase with important Hollywood types who want to see him dead. He narrowly escapes death after being tossed overboard into the Pacific ocean with an anchor tied to his waist. Stone figures out that Arrington is being held against her will and won't stop until he has found her. That may mean an end to Vance Calder's career if the public find out about the scandal he's gotten himself into. It's up to Stone to uncover the truth about who has taken Arrington and why without letting Vance's name come out. The story has a very exciting ending which I won't reveal and all in all it was a good story. The only objection I have is that Stone was sure quick to jump into bed with any pretty woman that looked his way. Isn't he concerned about diseases? Well, I know it's just a story, but I could have done without all the sex.