Rating: 
Summary: Woods disappoints with cranked out thriller.
Review: I have read all of Wood's books and have enjoyed looking forward to the next, until now. Woods appears to be in his "retirement years" where writing is merely a way to squeeze cash out of his publisher...he certainly isn't putting much effort into his writing. This book proves the point. Instead of wasting time developing charaters and storyline, he reverts back to the rapidly stale getting Stone Barrington. To make matters worse, he decides to call up virtually every character and love interest from previous Barrington novels and throws them all together in a boring novel about a search for Paul Manning; a murderer from, again, a previous novel. Somehow, all the old love interests also "just happen to be" in Palm Beach where Stone is conducting his search from the deck of some wealthy techno tycoon's yacht. I hope Woods puts more effort into his next novel, otherwise he is about to lose a longtime fan.
Rating:
Summary: More Like a Pebble than a Stone...
Review: I have read most of the Stone Barrington novels and it seems that Stuart Woods has, as someone once said of Mario Puzo, quit writing and started typing. Though "Cold Paradise" is a small step up from the previous Barrington novel, that doesn't mean it's any good. In this one, Stone is sent to Florida to find a girl that an eccentric billionaire has fallen in love with after one meeting. Stone finds her, in one of the book's many coincidences, within a day. But due to a convoluted set of circumstances, none of which are remotely believable, he winds up staying on and living on an extravagant yacht while engaging in a relationship with a beautiful, sensual woman. Yeah, that happens a lot, doesn't it? Maybe to others but certainly not to me. I gave the book two stars, which is probably generous, since it is a quick read and moves along. But it is sloppily written for an author with Woods' experience; several times he has characters react to things that they would have no way of knowing about. One example has the beautiful, sensual woman ask Stone about his dinner date with the "dead woman" when there is no way she could have known about that (I can't say too much without giving things away but, if it'll keep you from spending hard earned money on the book, maybe I should). It is also amazing how apparently competent law enforcement officials repeatedly defer to Stone's incredible wisdom and foresight. I know he's an ex-cop but rarely does a chapter go by without some law enforcement official saying, in response to an observation by Stone, "That's a good point" or "You're right; I hadn't thought of that." As for the ending, the truth comes out in one of the most incredible and unbelievable scenes ever put on paper. One almost wonders if Woods has reached the contractual limit on pages and is ready to wrap things up. Woods is a good writer; he has demonstrated it in other books. But not this one.
Rating: 
Summary: An adventure...
Review: I have to say that I was really torn between giving this book 3 stars or 4 stars. Part of me was saying the book was a little trashy, and maybe a tad predictable, and worse yet a little unbelievable. Yet the other half of me (the more adventurous half) was saying give it 4 stars, the book was glamerous, sexy, and exciting! So I settled on giving 'COLD PARADISE' 4 stars all that glamour and giltz won out in the end!Stone Barrington, the hero of this novel takes us on an adventure to the glamorous Palm Beach, Fl in search of a woman with whom one of his clients, a VERY weathly internet entrepreneur, has fallen in love after just one meeting. This assignment at first glance seems easy enough, live on a mulit-million dollar yacht with the billioaires beautiful chef and cruise around Palm Beach for a couple of days in an expensive sports car. That is until Stone realizes that the woman he is in search of is actually a woman from his past. A woman with a dangerous past of her own that Stone knows about all to well, a past that now proves to be extremely dangerous for Stone's wealthy client. I must say if you like a little adventure as well as little bit of sex then this is a must read BEACH book. And as I said in the end I gave it 4 Stars (a guillty pleasure)!
Rating: 
Summary: I love Stuart Woods but...
Review: I love the stone books but this one had to many things going on. I couldn't really get in deep to anyone story because I was waiting for someone else to pop into the story. It was a easy read and it did keep my intrests but I hope the next Stone book is a little less jumbled with people.
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best work
Review: I think it is time for Stuart Woods to invent another set of characters for his books. Cold Paradise was a true dissapointment from such a talented author.
Rating:
Summary: Ending?
Review: I was very disappointed in this book - especially the ending. It was so thrown together that I could not believe that the editor didn't say, please rewrite this....no way was she going to blow her cover that way and for them to so easily find out. I won't buy his books again for a long while.
Rating:
Summary: Saw it coming . . . but that's OK
Review: I'd like to hang around with Stone Barrington for a couple of weeks, buy $150 dollar shirts for my friends, $50 dollar socks when I need the right shade, know what kind of an engine goes in a Bentley, and get $25,000 dollar watches from ex-lovers as a thank you. And the women. As Dino would say, "Marrone!" It's good to be Stone. And that's why we go to read him, for the same reason we read Spenser and go see old Sean Connery movies as "Bond. James Bond." So what's wrong with that? I like to read Stuart Woods. I don't expect to remember any quotes, won't laugh too hard, never shed a tear, chuckle at Bacchetti's New York humor, and try (hard to do) to keep track of the women. So many women, so little time Stone might quip. You kind of saw this one coming in the third inning. Still good to read. 4 Stars. Larry Scantlebury
Rating:
Summary: Not exciting like Woods' other books
Review: I'm a Stuart Woods fan and have read nearly all his books, but this is the only one I have not found exciting or very interesting. It's an easy read but was somewhat predictable and I did not feel much suspense building. I hope the next book is better, and more exciting, like his earlier books.
Rating:
Summary: A great Beach Read Book
Review: I've read almost all Stuart Woods' books over the last 13 years and enjoy them all. They're not rocket science but they get you into the story quicker than any other writer I know. Ok, maybe he doesn't finish as strong and it does start to get predictable a little over half way through, but I still find his books very entertaining. I like to describe his books as the perfect read at the beach, you can't put it down and it will pass your hours quickly. This book has Stone Barrington back to solve mysteries as the former policeman, lawyer, private eye, ladies man. Stuart really wanted to get Stone in hot water so he brought back most of his former loves for at least cameo appearances. Stuart seems to enjoy setting his books in different environments and this time it's Palm Beach with a look out how wealthy people live. Really, wealthy people and the people who want to be around them. Some people say the ending is predictable and maybe it is but there are always enough surprises to keep me entertained. I look forward to his next book whatever it may be.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but..............................
Review: I've read each and every Stone Barrington book and though I usually enjoy them (as I did this one), I am finding Stone's relationship with Arrington getting tedious. If he is so in love with her, it certainly doesn't show when it comes to bedding others. Do what you have to do Stone, or get off the pot. Get back to your wonderful plotting Stuart
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