Product Description

Stone Barrington is back. Stuart Woods has created no better known or loved character than the ex-cop, Manhattan attorney and investigator whose work treads the thin line between the respectable practice of law and the dark side of humanity.

In Dead in the Water, Stone has hardly arrived in St. Marks, a lovely Caribbean island nation, on a sailing vacation when something very strange happens: a beautiful young woman sails into the harbor, entirely alone on a large yacht. Before long, she is under the intense scrutiny of the local authorities, in the very considerable person of Sir Winston Sutherland, the minister of justice. The problem is, though she arrived alone, she had departed the other side of the Atlantic in the company of her husband, a well-known writer, who is no longer in evidence.

Evidence is what fascinates Stone Barrington, and he is all that stands between the apparently innocent Allison Manning and the patently evil intent of Sir Winston, whose motives are unclear. What is clear is that the St. Marks system of justice bears little resemblance to the American courts to which Stone is accustomed, and that his smallest error could prove fatal to his client. Dead in the Water is a rollercoaster ride, teeming with the plot twists that have made the novels of Stuart Woods New York Times bestsellers and international hits.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #727004 in Books
• Published on: 1997-08-01
• Released on: 1997-08-05
• Formats: Abridged, Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Audio Cassette

From Library Journal
Vacationing on the island of Antigua, New York investigator/lawyer Stone Barrington (a Woods perennial) gives up on the warm waters of the Caribbean to help someone who's definitely in hot water?a young woman accused of murder when her wealthy husband disappears from their yacht during a transatlantic crossing.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Millionaire author Paul Phillips Manning died on board his yacht while on a Caribbean cruise with his sexy young wife, Allison. She claims he had a heart attack, and due to the climate and distance from port, she was forced to dispose of the body at sea. Sir Winston Sutherland, the minister of justice on the tiny island of St. Marks, isn't buying it and charges her with homicide. The trial and the execution could both be completed within a week. Vacationing New York lawyer and investigator Stone Barrington comes to the damsel's aid and soon winds up in her bed. Now in his fourth appearance, the suave and priapic Barrington soon finds himself embroiled in a case in which nothing is as it seems, from Allison's story to Manning's death to the agenda of the Charles Laughton^-like Sir Winston Sutherland. This is a cleverly plotted, witty crime caper with a dash of sex, a likably roguish hero, and a surprising twist at the finish. Great for lightweight summer reading. Wes Lukowsky

From Kirkus Reviews
Woods bounces back from the doldrums of his last few formula thrillers in this tidy did-she-do-it puzzler, nicely stirred by Caribbean breezes. When the 45-foot yacht Expansive puts into the island paradise of St. Marks, the only thing missing is the skipper, mystery novelist Paul Manning, who, his wife tearfully tells the authorities, suffered a fatal heart attack while she watched helplessly from high atop a mast, and had to be buried at sea. The story's good enough for the coroner's inquest, but not for Sir Winston Sutherland, the ambitious Minister of Justice, who thinks a high-profile conviction might be just the thing to vault him into the aging Prime Minister's post. Luckily for Allison, she has just the credentials (blond hair, killer bod, boundless sexual stamina) to secure herself the premier legal representation on St. Marks: vacationing New York lawyer Stone Barrington (Dirt, 1996, etc.), whose appetite for adventure, etc., has been whetted by the unexpected absence of his live-in girlfriend Arrington Carter. It's a case that suits Woods's talent for streamlined, unnuanced narrative down to the shoreline. With no witnesses but Allison--now enjoying a cool $12 million payoff from Paul's insurance--and virtually no physical evidence showing how (or even whether) Paul met his death, Stone doesn't have to bother arguing the facts; all he has to do is orchestrate a massive p.r. campaign designed to impress on the government what a disaster a conviction would be for St. Marks's crucial tourist industry-- while trying to find some wiggle room in the island's draconian trial law, which pretty much assumes that the accused is guilty and the real crime would be keeping the jury past dinnertime. Trying to make this neat, utterly unsurprising, tale-- Woods's best since L.A. Times (1993)--last more than one sitting would be like staying up all night nursing a Godiva truffle. (Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection; $300,000 ad/promo) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Dead in the Water: Page-turner extraordinaire
Stuart Woods' novel Dead in the Water is a suspenseful tale of murder, romance, and deception. Woods has crafted a story that captures the reader's attention from the opening paragraph until the closing lines. Never is there a dull moment in this thriller. The reader follows the adventures of Stone Barrington, an ex-cop turned lawyer who is intriguing yet refreshingly real. Stone's tropical vacation is interrupted when he meets murder suspect Elizabeth Manning. Through his own good will, he decides to defend this mysterious beauty who stands to lose her life if found guilty. The case has a new twist at every corner, and somehow it never manages to get dull. The story rises to higher levels of suspense as Stone and his client become romantically and passionately involved. The characters develop nicely throughout the novel. As the story line progresses, the reader develops a seemingly intimate relationship with the novel's protagonists and exhibits genuine concern for their well-being. Woods should be commended for this stellar literary accomplishment. By constantly introducing new elements into the complexity of the plot, Woods manages to keep the reader guessing. In fact, the novel's outcome is not clear until the final pages; therefore, no reader can willingly put it down without finishing. The story's conclusion is slightly far-fetched but enjoyable and ironic nonetheless. Woods' endeavor is a page-turner extraordinaire and a treat for anyone lucky enough to pick it up. Dead in the Water receives four out of five stars. Highly recommended.

I Thought I was the only one!
I was very pleased to see someone else comment on the slow dim dialogue in this book - it was PAINFUL. Page after page was spent on such exciting things as preparing a Caesar salad and other exciting tangents. The story moved slooowly and the plot, characters and ending were all terribly lacking. None of these lacked as much as the motivation for ANY character. I was so moved by how poorly this book ended that I had to come here and "warn" others! I am not a tough critic, but this book was a stinker.

Dead In The Water but Not Dead Reading
This is the first book I have read by Mr. Woods. The plot combined with Mr. Woods writing style made for exciting reading. I found it extremely hard to put down. I often found myself feeling sorry for Allison and Stone as well as thinking "She Did It", only to find myself a few pages later thinking "She Didn't Do It". Later in the book I found myself thinking, "Insurance Scam". I won't spoil the book by telling you what happens or if she did or didn't do it. What I will tell you is that this is definatly a must read book with a fantastic ending. Being the first book I have ever read by Mr. Stuart I was plesantly surprised to find that there was nothing about this book I didn't like. Easy, smooth flowing reading. I will definatly be reading more of Stuart Woods writing. Even though this book is not listed as a legal thriller, I would rank it right up with authors suchs as John Grishim and Brad Meltzer's"Dead Even". Let me take a minute and reiterate that this is a great book and a must read for any avid reader.