Stuart was born in 1938 and sadly passed away in 2022. But in his lifetime he has released nearly one hundred books! That is pretty impressive!
With such a large library of books to choose from it can be hard to know where to start.
On top of there being a lot of books, there are also several series that centers around different characters. This can further confuse things.
Luckily for you, I know this author and where you should start for the best experience.
So, in this article, I am going to go over everything that you need to know about Stuart Woods Books and the order you should read them in. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and get started!
About Stuart Woods Books
Stuart Woods is known for being a thriller author. The mystery stories he usually writes about often include extravagant characters. For example in The famous Stone Barrington is a libidinous lawyer in New York.
The other book series have other characters who are equally extravagant and interesting.
The renowned Stuart Woods has several book series and a bunch of stand-alone books. The book series that this author has written is as follows:
Stone Barrington Book Series
Holly Barker Book Series
Herbie Fisher Book Series
Will Lee Book Series
Teddy Fay Book Series
Rick Barron Book Series
There are also a bunch of standalone novels which are very well-known among Stuart Woods fans.
These books are as follows: White Cargo, Under the Lake, Palindrome, L.A. Times, Dead Eyes, Heat, Imperfect Strangers, and Choke. These books are fictional stand-alone books written by Stuart Woods.
But, he has also written a few nonfiction books, but there are not many of them. Only the following titles: Blue Water, Green Skipper, A Romantic’s Guide to the Country Inns of Britain and Ireland, and An Extravagant Life.
All of these books are remarkably popular and several of his books have won the Edgar award for best first novel.
On top of that, his work has been featured in the New York Times Best Seller fiction list a few times. So you know that his books are fantastic. If you have not consumed them already.
Stuart Woods’ Books In Reading Order
In this section, I am going to go over each of the book series written by Stuart Woods. There are quite a lot of books that I need to cover. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in and get started!
This book series is one of the biggest under Stuart Wood’s belt. There are fifty-five books in this series and they are all fantastic.
The book you need to start with is ‘New York Dead’. This book is the first book released in the series and it is the one that the author intends for you to read first.
New York Dead Synopsis: This plot centers around a detective who is in the New York Department and investigates the mysterious case of Sasha Nijinsky.
This person is a famous broadcaster who was involved in an accident that quickly spirals out of control.
There are always pros and cons to reading any book series. Below are a few things that stood out to us about the Stone Barrington book series:
Pros
There are a lot of books in this series so you will not run out of books anytime soon.
The characters are well-fleshed out and very interesting to read about.
Cons
Some readers found that this book series was a little hard to get into.
As for the rest of the books in this book series, there are quite a few! I have listed them down below in release date order which is how you should enjoy these amazing books.
If you enjoy stories about characters that travel a lot, and live a somewhat charmed life but always get themselves into trouble, this book will hit the spot.
It really is quite a phenomenal book series and one that you absolutely need to check out when you get the chance.
This book series is not quite as big as the Barrington Book Series, but it is still fascinating, thrilling, and packed full of mystery.
All of these books are excellently written and certain to keep you interested in reading more Stuart Woods books.
To start off, you need to read ‘Orchid Beach’, this book is the first in this series. It is well-written and certainly very interesting to read. But, what is it about?
Orchid Beach Synopsis: This book is about an ex-army major who takes on a new job as a deputy of police in a rural part of the country called Orchid Beach.
But life does not get easier. In fact, she quickly gets caught up in deadly and sinister crimes.
These books are phenomenal but as with anything in life, there are always good and bad things to say. Below I have listed a few things that I thought stood out as good or bad about these books:
Pros
These books are thrilling, and the story is extremely well executed across all novels.
Fantastic female characters are excellently portrayed.
Cons
A few readers found the plot to be a little predictable.
There are only five books in the Holly Barker book series, but each of these books is absolutely phenomenal.
I have listed these five books here in the order that I think you should read them:
This book series is certainly one to remember. You will not be able to stop reading these exciting, mystery novels. There are only four of these books but they are all fantastic.
There are only four books in this series, but there is certainly a right order to read them in.
You need to start off by reading Santa Fe Rules to properly understand the story and characters in this Stuart Woods story.
Santa Fe Rules Synopsis: This story is about Wolf Willett who finds out that his wife and partner have died under suspicious circumstances. This happened while he was away from home.
Wolf hires a criminal defense lawyer, the famous Ed Eagle to help clear his name of the murder charges that are tarnishing his name.
Not every book or book series will be enjoyed by everyone. One person may love it while another hates it. But that does not mean that there are no pros and cons associated with that series.
I have listed a few points that stood out to me in the Ed Eagle book series by Stuart Woods:
Pros
Masterful skill using language to paint a vibrant picture in your mind.
Well thought out and complex character that you grow to love.
Cons
Some people found the plot to be a little lacking.
This book series is really well thought out and well written. Sadly there are only four books but they are all very well done and certainly worth your time.
Books that are so well thought out and keep you on your toes are not easy to come across. With this series, you should have exactly that and more in one series.
If you enjoy crime thrillers that are packed full of twists and turns, this book series is going to be right up your street.
To get the best experience from these books, you need to start off by reading Chiefs.
This book is the first place you meet Will Lee who has become quite an important part of the rest of the book series.
Chiefs Synopsis: This story goes over three different generations as they try to uncover a serial killer which has recently started committing heinous crimes in the area.
You can’t have the good without some bad, no work is 100% perfect. So you will inevitably find that there are some cons associated with it.
The same can be said of this book series and every other book in existence. Below are a few pros and cons I thought were worth mentioning:
Pros
Exciting and interesting plot that keeps you on the ends of your seat.
Wonderful use of language and dialogue in this book series.
Cons
Some readers thought that the story was a little dull.
In this book series, there are just seven books. But if you ask me that is far too few books for this fantastic series.
Below I have listed all the books in the Will Lee series in an appropriate order to read them:
As far as Stuart Woods books go, this book series has to be one of my favorites. It is well planned out, and the characters only enhance the whole story. You will love each and every one of these books.
To get the best out of this book series you need to start off by reading ‘Smooth Operator’. It is the starting point for this five book series.
Smooth Operator Synopsis: Kate Lee calls Stone Barrington to Washington because of an urgent matter that needs to be discussed.
This discussion quickly goes wrong and becomes something more than both of them expected.
Not everything is perfect. Which is why I have noted down a few pros and cons associated with this Stuart Woods series:
Pros
A mysterious and intriguing plot that keeps you invested in the characters.
The characters are well-portrayed and interesting.
Cons
Some readers thought that the plot was a bit samey.
There are just five books in this but they are all amazing. Below is a list of the books in this series. They are in descending order of what you should read first:
This series may be short but it is one of the best mini-series by Stuart Woods that I have come across.
If you really want to enjoy this two book series you need to start off by reading and enjoying ‘The Prince of Beverly Hills’.
This book is expertly put together and certainly one that you will not be able to put down.
The Prince of Beverly Hills Synopsis: This book is about a smooth detective who finds himself a new job working security. But this job does not go quite as he expects.
There is good and bad in everything. Which is why I listed a few pros and cons associated with the Rock Barron book series by Stuart Woods below:
Pros
An intriguing main character that you love to find out more about.
Amazing story writing skill which keeps the whole plot moving.
Cons
There are not a lot of books available in this series.
There are sadly just two books in this Stuart Woods series, but they are both phenomenal. You will be hanging on every word on the pages.
Below are these two books in the order you should read them:
These books are tons of fun and fascinating to read. You will not regret reading them!
Stuart Woods Books That Are Standalone Novels
You can read these stand-alone books in any order you choose. They are all fantastic and as per the title, they are all stand-alone stories.
Even though these books are all of Stuart Woods’ stand-alone novels, it is important to realize that even these stories may have pros and cons associated with them.
I have noted down a few things to bear in mind for these Stuart Woods books:
Pros
Great selection of books if you love to read stand-alone plots.
Fantastic writing which keeps each story fresh and interesting.
Cons
These books were all written in the 90s which means that they are not aimed toward younger readers and the language may be different from what they expect (find more great books from the 90’s, read here).
If you are not the kind of person to enjoy a book series and instead want to enjoy a standalone novel that has been masterfully written, these books will be perfect for you.
You can read these books in any order you like as they are all standalone stories.
But I have listed them in the release date order. But you can pick up one that sounds interesting and simply run with it if you prefer. They are all fantastic books.
Stuart Woods Books That Are Non-Fiction
These books are able to be read in any order you see fit. They are all stand-alone stories, all of which you are going to adore. If you enjoy non-fiction books.
Even non-fiction books are not all great. There will be some flaws which is why I have noted down some pros and cons associated with these non-fiction books:
Pros
Fantastically written non-fiction stories.
Variety of books from one author.
Cons
Not everyone likes non-fiction.
Stuart Woods is not well known for writing non-fiction stories. But he has in fact written three books like this.
I have listed them below for you to check out as and when you choose:
These books are all extraordinary and well-written. You will really enjoy them. Even if you are not a big fan of non-fiction stories.
Final Thoughts
I hope that you have enjoyed reading this article and learning about all the fantastic books written by Stuart Woods.
Each of his books is phenomenal in its own way and as I hope to have shown you in this article, the best way to enjoy them is by consuming the books in series order.
In short, you need to start out by reading Stuart Woods’ books in the following order: Stone Barrington Book Series, Holly Barker Book Series, Herbie Fisher Book Series, Ed Eagle Book Series, Will Lee Book Series, Teddy Fay Book Series, Rick Barron Book Series, The Standalone Novels, and finally the Non-Fiction Books.
With all of that said, I hope that this article has been enlightening. If you have enjoyed reading about these fantastic books, I recommend that you head over to my website.
I have a ton of great articles there for you to check out. From Colleen Hoover Books to New York Times Fiction best sellers. I have a LOT that you can read and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Books Are Similar To The Stone Barrington Series?
If you need a book that is similar to this one I recommend that you check out Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club book series.
It is similar in the way that it is fast-paced and focuses on similar themes as the Barrington book series.
What Authors Are Similar To Stuart Woods?
If you have been enjoying the books by Stuart Woods then you may enjoy the work of the following authors: David Baldacci, Jeffrey Archer, Harlan Coben, John Grisham, Nelson DeMille, Stephen J. Cannell, Lawrence Sanders, and James Patterson.
What Are The Most Recent Stone Barrington Novels?
There are quite a few amazing books out there that are a part of the Stone Barrington novels.
The most recent of which are as follows: Double Jeopardy released in 2021, Class Act released in 2021, Foul Play released in 2021, Criminal Mischief released in 2021, A Safe House released in 2022, Black Dog released in 2022, Distant Thunder released in 2022 and finally Near Miss released in 2022.
Have Any Of Stuart Woods’ Books Been Made Into Movies?
There have actually been a few movies made which are based on Stuart Woods’ books. The most known of which are as follows: Chiefs released in 1983 and Grass Roots released in 1992
What Kinds Of Books Does Stuart Woods Write?
For the most part, Stuart Woods is most known for writing action, mystery, and thrillers.
These books have all been phenomenal as he has released over twenty-nine books some of which have appeared in the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Hi, my name is Anna Davis and I have been working with books for five years now. I got a job at my local library, so I could be closer to all of the books! I created this website in the hopes of inspiring others to start reading again. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite book from my site!
