D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods
D.C. Dead by Stuart Woods
Audio 6 CDs/ 7 1/2 hours
Penguin Audio (review copy sent to me by publisher)
Stone Barrington and NYPD detective Dino Bacchetti are called to Washington D.C. at the request of the President and First Lady of the United States. One of their employees has hanged himself after (supposedly) murdering his wife, and they don’t think a proper investigation has been done. When more women start turning up dead, it’s obvious that the killer is still alive and on the move.
Though this is a book in a series (the Stone Barrington series), it was easy to read alone. I could tell that there were things I may have enjoyed more (ongoing relationships, and a smaller side story that is carried out in this book) had I read the previous books – but you won’t miss anything important by reading this book without the others in the series. A somewhat formulaic whodunit mystery with light character development and decently paced plot, this makes for an easy and engaging audio to listen to in the car. It’s entertaining without taking too much brainpower, and easy to follow without being too light. There are a few graphic scenes (and sexual references of the type that make it obvious this book was written by a man) but not overly gruesome. The twists and turns along the way will keep you guessing and the closing of the novel will keep you interested in what’ll be coming in the next installment. If you’re looking for a short read that will keep you diverted for several hours, this is a good pick.
My first Stuart Woods read. I was very disappointed that he inserted a very strong clue: “robocop” and then Stone let it drop and never followed through. I felt that was a huge flaw. I immediately knew who the person had to be and felt Stone was totally inept in dropping the ball–or was it Stuart who dropped the ball? is this a common thing with Stuart?
I totally agree. That was a huge omission he kept from Dino and Holly. They also seemed quick to want to exit without really solving the crime. The president was way to easily in acceptance of the original Stone/Dino findings. The DC cops clearly should have held Stone as a suspect. And last, Stone’s professionalism is always tainted by his willingness to have sex with women associated with clients.
That said, I enjoy reading his books.
I couldn’t understand why Stone never mentioned the ‘robocop’ clue. Stone seems too busy screwing every woman he knows to keep up with the investigation. This used to be my favorite series, but I know feel that Stone is so rich that he really doesn’t need to concentrate his full attention on any case. Really a shame, but the Stone Barrington books have hone downhill.