Santa Fe Rules

Ed Eagle #1

by Stuart Woods

When successful Hollywood producer, Wolf Willett, reads in the New York Times that a brutal murder has taken place in his Santa Fe house, he knows that, whatever else may happen, he will be the principal suspect, and that his life has changed forever. It will take everything he has to stay out of prison and get to the bottom of this bizarre incident , including the help of the Indian lawyer, Ed Eagle, one of the country’s top criminal attorneys. Wolf is arrested, and then another grisly murder further complicates his life. Only with the help of a motley crew of characters, including a sociopathic biker named Spider and a beautiful ex convict, do Wold and Ed Eagle unravel the mystery of this intricate and astounding tour de force of a thriller.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook

303 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1992

About the author

Stuart Woods was an American novelist best known for Chiefs and his long-running Stone Barrington series. A Georgia native, he initially pursued a career in advertising before relocating to England and Ireland, where he developed a passion for sailing. His love for the sport led him to write his first published work, Blue Water, Green Skipper, about his experiences in a transatlantic yacht race.
His debut novel, Chiefs, was inspired by a family story about his grandfather, a police chief. The book, a gripping crime saga spanning several decades, won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel and was later adapted into a television miniseries. It launched Woods' career as a novelist, leading to a prolific output of thrillers.
Woods' most famous creation, Stone Barrington, is a former NYPD detective turned high-profile lawyer who navigates elite circles while solving crimes. The series became a bestseller and remained a staple of his career, often featuring crossover characters from his other books, such as CIA operative Holly Barker and defense lawyer Ed Eagle.
Beyond writing, Woods was an experienced pilot and yachtsman. He maintained homes in Florida, Maine, and New Mexico, where he lived with his wife and their Labrador, Fred. His literary career spanned decades, with dozens of bestsellers to his name.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!
Book #1 is such a fascinating, plot twisted and oh so well written -- and is the start to one of Stuart Woods privately investigative series -- that was also written way back in the 90's.
I'm a huge fan of a lot of his writings and won't be biased at all in saying that i recommend that this book is read by all interested readers!



R.I.P. Mr. Woods!

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. The premise is not new, but it can still shock. That is if readers think about how it might apply personally if they hear of their own death, whether by natural causes, accident or crime. "Pinch me; how did I miss this?" Movie producer Wolf Willett is awakened one morning by his golden retriever Flaps with a luscious lick. But Wolf can't recall the previous day - likely drunk. He's had similar blackouts in the past. He had to get to LA from Santa Fe fast but when his single-engine plane had troubles near the Grand Canyon, he got down safely but needed to await repairs. While there, he reads the paper and its shocking story about the murder the previous day of his young wife Julia, his partner and director Jack Tinney, and apparently himself! During a sex party. Stuart Woods has a way of peaking your interest! Whose body is that third one? It's not long before Wolf moves up the suspect list. The obit for his wife shakes him; things he didn't know, like two terms in prison. After many mistakes trying to avoid arrest, he turns to the best local criminal attorney, the imposing Ed Eagle and his Santa Fe rule - don't go to trial in the first place! (Oc2020/Oc2025)

[Caleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ed Eagle is rather boring!

[Karen Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read and a twisty mystery/legal case. I truly enjoyed it and would read this author again. Make me truly want to travel to New Mexico now. I would recommend it to those who want a palate cleanser from the heavier, more dense book.

[Kym Gamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good pacing, and good characters, kept me guessing the whole book. A filmmaker's wife and best friend are killed along with another man and Wolf (the filmmaker) doesn't remember anything. This fast-paced "who dunnit" is bombarded by different twists and turns as the police get involved and he is arrested. His attorney Ed Eagle, is an honest but hard guy regarding finding out what is going on and dealing with the court. Will Wolf find out what is going on in time to save his own life? Gotta read the book for that.

[Laura Lavender-blackwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book however there are a few things I did not like. First I don't like that the main character Ed Eagle was portrayed as an Indian. When he's not that just doesn't sit right with me. Second I don't like how every one managed to fall in love so quickly. Like does everybody have to fall in love all the time it really dulls the story for me.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the 1990s, I read several books by Woods and really enjoyed them but for some reason I put him aside. But after finding several of his books in one of my storage boxes, I decided to give him another try. SANTA FE RULES is the first book in his Ed Eagle series. The novel focuses on Wolf Willett, a successful Hollywood producer who reads about his own obituary in the New York Times while he was on a plane trip from his home in Santa Fe. The news story tells of a triple homicide of his wife, his best friend, and himself . . . all found shot to death, naked, in a bed in his guest room in Santa Fe. So who really was killed? And why did Wolf block out the day the murders happened? So Wolf is a suspect for the killings and employs the help of Ed Eagle, a high-paid criminal attorney in Santa Fe. Will Wolf with Eagle's help be able to clear his name of the murders and find the real killer?

I enjoyed this fast-paced story involving mistaken identity, greed, and murder. There was a good twist to the story but I did have most of it figured out well before the ending. I also thought the character development was very good and I liked Ed Eagle, however, I was a little disappointed when it was disclosed that Eagle was not Native American as most people in Santa Fe believed him to be. I look forward to reading more of this series and probably more of Woods other novels as well.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

First in this series of books tells of Ed Eagle’s past and his Defense Attorney practice in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Wolf Willett a film maker for Centurion productions in Los Angeles is accused of killing 3 people in Santa Fe, one being his wife, and is now in desperate need of a lawyer. Ed Eagle is one of the best in the area and becomes his lawyer and aids in unraveling both his present situation and the complex life his wife had. In the last chapter, the real killer is finally revealed. Interesting plot, I’m looking forward to more reading more cases of Ed Eagle.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty improbable but rather fun. Plot manipulation too obvious; depends on assumption that women are impenetrable mysteries. You can marry them and live with them for years without ever realizing they are psycho killers.

[Alan Reynolds]

slick writing about amoral richies in LA; trash.

[John Biddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Santa Fe rules by Stuart Woods is the 1st book in the Ed Eagle series. The story kept my interest but there were so many leaps of logic and coincedental occurrances to make it work I just can't say it was all that good. And for the 1st book in the series, the series namesake doesn't really play that much of a roll. Wasn't good enough to tempt me to read the next few.

[markpills · Rating 3 out of 5]

20% through the introduction to a complex legal problem in Santa Fe, NM - very interesting premise and I am about to meet the defense attorney Ed Eagle, who plays by "Santa Fe Rules."

66% through the book and I have enjoyed all aspects of this story: pace, plot, location, characters, background, voice, satire, realism, all written many years ago, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.

This is an easy-going, authentic Santa Fe jurisprudential wonder, and I have no idea how Ed Eagle is going to get his client out of this trap. Snow is on the ground for Christmas in Santa Fe, and it is a fascinating place to visit.

As a compliment to the author, Stuart Woods, I think I will try the next book in the Ed Eagle series, b/c it was like a good cocktail, easy going down, comfortable, made me feel good. The next one was written many years later. #EdEagle

[John Mchugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

If they did half stars, I'd make it 3½. But since they don't, I went with four. Good beach reading, but we don't have a beach. Good pool reading, same deal there. So mostly it was lunch hour reading, or I-think-I'll-sit-down-for-a-while reading. Nicely plotted, well written "thriller" that's a quick, easy read. Nancy brought it home from the library, having forgotten she had already read it. Since it's set in Santa Fe, she thoght I might enjoy it. I did. Rather like eating popcorn. Tasty, though not wildly nutritious, and somewhat difficult to put down.

[Lissa Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in the Santa Fe series, a pretty good mystery /thriller. Wolf Willett wakes up to find his dog mysteriously scratching at the guest bedroom door. Shrugging it off Wolf leaves for a trip in his plane only to later learn that there was a murder committed in his home, his ex wife , his partner and himself were found dead, thus beginning this mystery.. Wolf hires Ed Eagle to help defend him and get to the bottom of it. There are quite a few twists and turns with some surprising developments. A pleasant story..

[Bill Hooten · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 degrees, and 6" of snow, have given me quite a bit of time to read. I have read the first 3 Stone Barrington novels by Stuart Wood, and reading blurbs about the 6'7" Santa Fe lawyer, Ed Eagle, fascinated me. So, I decided to read the first one, and I am really glad that I did! It only 300 pages, fairly easy to read, entertaining, and creative enough that I kept wanting to finish -- so I would know what happened. I like it enough, that I will probably finish this short 4 book series; before I go back to the Stone Barrington series.

[Greer Andjanetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuart Woods' books are always a very entertaining read with interesting and likeable characters, varied plot lines and endings that leave the reader feeling good. Santa Fe Rules is the initial book in a series featuring Santa Fe lawyer Ed Eagle and this story is just as entertaining as the books in the Stone Barrington series. The only negative part is the fact that there are currently only 4 books in this series. Hopefully there will be more.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vintage Wood

A good mystery should have twists and turns and revelatons. For real escape, it should baffle and frighten. There must be moments of hopelessness. This must be done but seasoned with characters wearing fine clothing, driving enviable cars, flying airplanes, dining in actual restaurants, involved with sexy women, perhaps treacherous, in an exotic backdrop. This is vintage Wood.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

#1 in the Ed Eagle series.

Ed Eagle, Santa Fe attorney, represents Hollywood producer Wolf Willett when three shotgunned bodies are found in a guest bedroom of his home. One of the bodies was originally thought to be Wolf, but when Wolf surfaced he became the prime suspect in a tangled plot with more than a believable quota of coincidences and mistaken identities.

[Dr. Thomas Wasser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay... its an earlier book written in the 90s when Stuart Woods wasn't in Stone Barrington factory mode. I enjoy the Ed Eagle character but would like to have seen more action/drama. There is actually a plot. Its an average story, well written with some effort. I'll read number 2 if I can find it.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read or in my case listen. Since Ed Eagle is occasionally a character in the Stone Barrington series, I’m familiar with his story - this book provided the why and how. If a murder mystery can be fun...this one falls into that category. Looking forward to more Ed Eagle. Good maybe even perfect narration for this series once I got used to the voice not being Tony Roberts.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new series was a fun read from Stuart Woods. I had read the stone Barrington books so Ed Eagle had appeared in them but this is the first time I went back and read the Ed Eagle stories. Set in Santa Fe Ed Eagle takes on a client suspected of a triple murder. Lots of suspense and action with twists and turns and a surprise ending.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accidentally read the 2nd book first. This explains the few things that were curious to me in the 2nd book. Now I'm on track and look forward to more of this series! My only issues, and it's 100% me, is that it was written in the early 1990's. There were NO cell phones. I kept forgetting that and wondering why no one carried one or mentioned one. Jokes on me!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book, but not in league with most of the mysteries I’ve read. I loved Heat by Stuart Woods, so I thought I’d give this a try. He did a much better job with Heat. This was a little too predictable and a little too cute to suit my tastes. I haven’t read Heat in about 20 years, so I may give it another try, but I’m not sure I’ll continue this series.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t read in depth reviews as they will ruin the surprises. First book in a great series about Ed Eagle and really good cast of characters. I started the series with book 2 since number 1 wasn’t available. After finishing balance of books, the series was so good, I had to order the first. Keeps you engaged with a very good villain that travels through all 4 books .

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all of the Stone Barrington books by this author and then started the Ed Eagle series. I enjoyed this book FAR more than any of the Barrington series which were all just the same basic plot with a few variations thrown in and seemed to have been cranked out of a literary assembly line just so the author could claim to have written a huge number of novels.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This fast-paced book is the literary equivalent of a television program: entertaining, but not memorable in any way. I'd hoped that it would offer more local colour on Santa Fe, but it was really all about the plot.

[Joe O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Good; Continuing character: Ed Eagle (first in series); a Hollywood producer can't recall the previous day, then finds out his wife, his partner, and another man have all been shotgunned to death in his house

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this book in the back of my bookshelf for a long time and discovered it recently while sorting through and weeding out my collection. I loved the story and the characters and will definitely read another book by this author.

[Wes Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and enjoyable. It keep you in suspense the way through and even introduced a little surprise at the end, although if you were paying attention throughout the reading of the book it should not have been such a surprise because of the little hints dropped along the way.

[Edward Westerbeke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Stuart Woods Santa Fe rules at a book sale. I enjoy reading his stories and this was a great mystery. From his many characters it was difficult to pick the culprit. II was't till the last pages.that I learned who did it.