Stuart Woods Books in Order: From Holly Barker to Stone Barrington, The perfect Guide to all of the author’s series

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Stuart Woods was a prolific author who was best known for his first novel Chiefs and his series of novels focus on Stone Barrington, a former NYPD detective turned lawyer. He died on July 22, 2022, at the age of 84.

After having moved to London, still working in advertising, at the end of the sixties, Stuart Woods decided to write a novel.  After two nonfiction books, he had to finish his first fiction novel and Chiefs was published in March 1981. The book found success in a paperback edition and has been adapted as a miniseries with Charlton Heston. Woods’s career was officially launched, making him a regular New York Times bestseller. He wrote more and more and, since 2014, he started publishing four times a year. 

How to Read Stuart Woods’s Books in Order?

Reading The Stuart Woods Universe by Series

Most of Stuart Woods’ novels take place in what can be called the Stuart Woods Universe — or sometimes the Stone Barrington Universe as it is his main protagonist. The following listing reunites all the series together.

If you want more information on each series, go to:

Rick Barron and Herbie Fisher don’t have a reading order as they are only the main stars of one or two books.


Reading The Complete Stuart Woods Universe In Order

And now, the full Stuart Woods Universe in chronological order:

  1. The Prince of Beverly Hills (2004) – a Rick Barron novel set in the 1930s.
  2. Beverly Hills Dead (2008) – a Rick Barron novel set in the 1940s.
  3. Chiefs (1981) – a Will Lee novel.
  4. Run Before the Wind (1983) – a Will Lee novel.
  5. Deep Lie (1986) – a Will Lee novel.
  6. White Cargo (1988) – a standalone novel. Will Lee is present as an unnamed character.
  7. Grass Roots (1989) – a Will Lee novel.
  8. New York Dead  (1991) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  9. Santa Fe Rules (1992) – an Ed Eagle novel.
  10. Choke (1995) – a standalone novel with Chuck Chandler.
  11. The Run (1995) – a Will Lee novel.
  12. Dirt (1996) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  13. Dead in the Water (1997) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  14. Swimming to Catalina (1998) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  15. Orchid Beach – a Holly Barker novel.
  16. Worst Fears Realized (1999) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  17. L.A. Dead (2000) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  18. Cold Paradise (2001) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  19. Orchid Blues (2001) – a Holly Barker novel with a Stone Barrington cameo).
  20. The Short Forever (2002) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  21. Blood Orchid (2002) – a Holly Barker novel.
  22. Capital Crimes (2003) – a Will Lee novel (with the first appearance of Teddy Fay).
  23. Dirty Work (2003) – a Stone Barrington novel (with the first appearance of Herbie Fisher).
  24. Reckless Abandon (2004) – a Stone Barrington novel and a continuation of a storyline from Blood Orchid (with Holly Barker, Ed Eagle, and a cameo from Herbie Fisher).
  25. Two Dollar Bill (2005) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  26. Iron Orchid (2005) – a Holly Barker novel (with Teddy Fay).
  27. Short Straw (2006) – an Ed Eagle novel (with a Rick Barron cameo).
  28. Dark Harbor (2006) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker).
  29. Fresh Disasters (2007) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Herbie Fisher).
  30. Shoot Him If He Runs (2007) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker and Teddy Fay).
  31. Santa Fe Dead (2008) – an Ed Eagle novel.
  32. Hot Mahogany (2008) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker).
  33. Mounting Fears (2009) – a Will Lee novel (with Teddy Fay and Holly Barker).
  34. Loitering With Intent (2009) – a Stone Barrington novel (with a Chuck Chandler cameo)
  35. Hothouse Orchid (2009) – a Holly Barker novel (with Teddy Fay).
  36. Kisser (2010) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  37. Lucid Intervals (2010) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  38. Santa Fe Edge (2010) – an Ed Eagle novel (with Teddy Fay and a Holly Barker cameo).
  39. Strategic Moves (2011) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker).
  40. Bel-Air Dead (2011) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Ed Eagle, Barbara Eagle, and Rick Barron cameos)
  41. Son of Stone (2011) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  42. D.C. Dead (2011) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker, Will Lee, and Teddy Fay)
  43. Unnatural Acts (2012) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Herbie Fisher).
  44. Severe Clear (2012) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker and Will Lee).
  45. Collateral Damage (2013) – a Stone Barrington novel and Continuation of a storyline from Severe Clear (with Holly Barker and Will Lee).
  46. Unintended Consequences (2013) – a Stone Barrington novel starts immediately following events in Collateral Damage (with Holly Barker).
  47. Doing Hard Time (2013) – a Stone Barrington novel and continuation of a storyline from Unintended Consequences (with Teddy Fay).
  48. Standup Guy (2014) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  49. Carnal Curiosity (2014) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker, Teddy Fay, Will Lee, and Kate Lee cameos).
  50. Cut and Thrust (2014) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Will Lee, Kate Lee, Ed Eagle, Barbara Eagle, and Teddy Fay).
  51. Paris Match (2014) – a Stone Barrington novel and Continuation of storyline from Doing Hard Time (with Holly Barker).
  52. Insatiable Appetites (2015) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Will Lee and Kate Lee cameos).
  53. Hot Pursuit (2015) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker, Will Lee, and Kate Lee).
  54. Naked Greed (2015) – a Stone Barrington novel (with a Holly Barker cameo).
  55. Foreign Affairs (2015) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker and Kate Lee cameo).
  56. Scandalous Behavior (2016) – a Stone Barrington novel and a continuation of Foreign Affairs (with Teddy Fay).
  57. Family Jewels (2016) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Ed Eagle, Kate Lee, Will Lee, and Holly Barker cameos).
  58. Dishonorable Intentions (2016) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Teddy Fay and cameos from Ed Eagle, Kate Lee, and Holly Barker).
  59. Smooth Operator – a Teddy Fay novel featuring Stone Barrington. Co-written with Parnell Hall.
  60. Sex, Lies, and Serious Money (2016) – a Stone Barrington novel (with cameos from Ed Eagle, Holly Barker, and Teddy Fay)
  61. Below the Belt (2017) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker and Will Lee)
  62. Fast and Loose (2017) – a Stone Barrington novel and a continuation of Below the Belt (with cameos from Teddy Fay, Kate Lee, Will Lee, and Holly Barker)
  63. Indecent Exposure (2017) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker, Will Lee, and Kate Lee)
  64. Barely Legal (2017) – co-written with Parnell Hall. a Herbie Fisher novel featuring Stone Barrington.
  65. Quick & Dirty (2017) – a Stone Barrington novel (with a cameo from Holly Barker)
  66. Unbound (2018) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Teddy Fay and a cameo from Ed Eagle)
  67. The Money Shot – a Teddy Fay novel featuring Stone Barrington. Co-written with Parnell Hall.
  68. Shoot First (2018) – a Stone Barrington novel (with a cameo from Holly Barker)
  69. Turbulence (2018) – a Stone Barrington novel and a continuation of the villain from Shoot First (with Holly Barker).
  70. Desperate Measures (2018) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  71. A Delicate Touch (2018) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Cameo from Holly Barker).
  72. Wild Card (2019) – a Stone Barrington novel and a continuation of A Delicate Touch (cameos from Holly Barker).
  73. Skin Game (2019) – a Teddy Fay novel featuring Stone Barrington.
  74. Contraband (2019) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Cameo from Holly Barker).
  75. Stealth (2019) – a Stone Barrington novel (with Holly Barker).
  76. Treason (2020) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  77. Hit List (2020) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  78. Bombshell – a Teddy Fay novel featuring Stone Barrington. Co-written with Parnell Hall.
  79. Choppy Water (2020) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  80. Shakeup (2020) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  81. Hush-Hush (2020) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  82. Double Jeopardy (2021) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  83. Jackpot (2021) – a Teddy Fay novel featuring Stone Barrington. Co-written with Bryon Quertermous.
  84. Class Act (2021) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  85. Foul Play (2021) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  86. Criminal Mischief (2021) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  87. A Safe House (2022) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  88. Black Dog (2022) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  89. Distant Thunder (2022) – a Stone Barrington novel.
  90. Near Miss (2022) – a Stone Barrington novel. Co-written with Brett Battles.
  91. Obsession (2023) – a Teddy Fay novel featuring Stone Barrington. Co-written with Brett Battles.

Reading the Standalone Novels by Stuart Woods

To my knowledge, those books have no connection to the Stuart Woods/Stone Barrington universe. Don’t hesitate to write if I’m mistaken!

  • Under the Lake (1986) – In a backwoods Georgia town, John Howell, an investigative reporter, becomes obsessed with the dark secret of a local family who vanished when their farm was flooded a quarter-century earlier.
  • Palindrome (1991) – For years, Liz Barwick has been battered by her brutal husband, a famous pro football player. This time it takes an emergency room to keep her from death. Now the beautiful and talented photographer retreats to an island paradise off Georgia’s coast to find solitude-and herself. As she becomes increasingly involved with the strange and handsome twin scions of the powerful Drummond family, she feels her traumatic memories begin to fade. But when a killer launches a series of gruesome murders, Liz discovers that there is no place to hide-not even in her lover’s arms.
  • L.A. Times (1993) – After turning a film student’s directorial debut into a hit movie, New York mobster and movie fanatic Vinnie Calabrese takes off for the bright lights of Hollywood, where he begins a new life as Michael Vincent, Producer. A natural-born wheeler-dealer, he lands not only a major studio deal but also a gorgeous actress girlfriend. It isn’t long before Michael Vincent is one of the most successful producers in town. But some of the people from his past have long memories and a far reach, and now it’s Michael’s turn to watch his back. Because even in the land of make-believe, certain enemies-and their bullets-are very real.
  • Dead Eyes (1994) – First there were roses and the notes in her mailbox signed simply, “Admirer”. Then the accident. One minute Chris Callaway was one of Hollywood’s brightest rising stars; the next she was falling from the unfinished deck of her beautiful new Malibu beach house…waking up blind, uncertain whether she would ever see again. Chris is determined not to let anyone know she can barely see. But neither Danny Devere, her hairdresser and confidant, nor Jon Larsen, the handsome young detective from LAPD’s special stalker squad, can stop the notes that escalate into a chilling obsession. And only a clever trap can stop the madman from stalking her – with beautiful Chris Callaway as the deadly bait.
  • Heat (1994) – Framed by a fellow officer, ex-DEA agent Jesse Warden is offered a deal, a presidential pardon in exchange for infiltrating the Aryan Universe, a deadly Idaho cult, but his mission becomes complicated when he falls in love with a cult member.
  • Imperfect Strangers (1994) – During a flight from London to New York, while watching Hitchcock’s film Strangers on a Train, Sandy Kinsolving and a neighboring stranger commiserate with each other over their spousal headaches, a conversation that has deadly implications.

Reading Non-fiction books by Stuart Woods

  • Blue Water, Green Skipper: A Memoir of Sailing Alone Across the Atlantic (1977) – Stuart Woods takes readers on a spectacular journey not just of traveling across the world, but of being tried in fire, learning by accepting challenges, appreciating the beauty of the open water, and living to tell about it.
  • A Romantic’s Guide to the Country Inns of Britain and Ireland (1979) – A perceptive, often amusing review of more than 100 of the British Isles’ best country inns and restaurants.
  • An Extravagant Life (2022) – A new memoir that will incorporate Blue Water, Green Skipper with new material.

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