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Stone Barrington #48
A Delicate Touch
Stone Barrington is back in hot water, but prepared with some new tricks, in the latest thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Stuart Woods.
Stone Barrington uncovers a societal minefield in this exhilarating adventure from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Stuart Woods.
When an old acquaintance reaches out to Stone Barrington requesting assistance, the job seems easy enough. She needs an expert in an esoteric field, someone with both the knowledge and careful dexterity to solve a puzzle. But the solution to one small problem blows the lid open on a bigger scandal going back decades, and involving numerous prominent New Yorkers who would prefer the past stay buried.
With this explosive information in-hand, Stone Barrington is caught between a rock and a hard place, his only options either to play it safe to the detriment of others, or to see justice done and risk fatal exposure. But when it comes to Stone Barrington, danger is usually just around the corner . . . so he may as well throw caution to the wind.
Stone Barrington uncovers a societal minefield in this exhilarating adventure from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Stuart Woods.
When an old acquaintance reaches out to Stone Barrington requesting assistance, the job seems easy enough. She needs an expert in an esoteric field, someone with both the knowledge and careful dexterity to solve a puzzle. But the solution to one small problem blows the lid open on a bigger scandal going back decades, and involving numerous prominent New Yorkers who would prefer the past stay buried.
With this explosive information in-hand, Stone Barrington is caught between a rock and a hard place, his only options either to play it safe to the detriment of others, or to see justice done and risk fatal exposure. But when it comes to Stone Barrington, danger is usually just around the corner . . . so he may as well throw caution to the wind.
Audio CD
First published December 31, 2018
4104 people are currently reading
1276 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Woods
408 books3,220 followersStuart 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
January 13, 2019
This quick listen was headed for 4 stars until a most unsatisfactory incomplete ending. 6 of 10 stars
January 19, 2019
Mixed feelings about this one. The premise was solid: some old files are discovered in an old safe belonging to Eduardo Bianchi, with damaging evidence about his old Mafia rivals. Their descendants are upstanding members of society and willing to do anything to protect their family secrets. But the plot then devolves into a ridiculous farce involving technology to manipulate money and voting results. I also did not care for depth of the reporting angle: the investigative reporter herself nor the editor/publisher legal paranoia. But I really liked the old safecracker Solomon Fink, the young computer wizard, Huey, and of course, good old Bob Cantor.
January 3, 2019
Typical..... not sure why I read this series, but I can’t stop myself
January 2, 2019
THE STEWART WOODS
Every time I read a Stewart Woods novel I just can’t believe how great they are!! If anyone wants to learn to like reading just turn them onto a book by Mr Woods. I have read all his books and look forward to the next!!!! GMR
Every time I read a Stewart Woods novel I just can’t believe how great they are!! If anyone wants to learn to like reading just turn them onto a book by Mr Woods. I have read all his books and look forward to the next!!!! GMR
January 4, 2019
Title fits the story very well. I couldn't put this book down. I like some of the new characters and expect to see them in the future. There was nobody in this book who was from Delano, Georgia. I give it 9.5 out of 10 stars.
June 30, 2019
This is the worst book I have read this year. I cannot bring myself to finish 3/4 of the way through because it is a warmed over pile of shit. Stone Barrington is a snooze. I get that the premise is he is irresistible to women, but I can't figure out how. By the description, I get he's vaguely older and rich, so with his lack of personality, every female who hops into bed with him is implicitly taking his offer to be a temporary sugar daddy. It's distasteful at best and a creepy reminder of the male gaze and its removal of women's agency. Jamie isn't in the book because she's an amazing investigative reporter (instead of tracking down the known dead bodies in the villain's past, she figures out that several Mafia families have shed their Italian names and subsequent generations have gone to Ivy League schools and can find no new crimes- what a waste of my time), she's there to have big breasts and have icky sex scenes with Stone. I get wish fulfillment in fiction; I read romances after all. However, I also expect my characters to be more interesting than paper dolls.
Looking at the publishing history, these are churned out at the rate of one every three months, and the lack of time put into it shows. I have firmly placed this author in my mental do-not-read list as my leisure time deserves better.
Looking at the publishing history, these are churned out at the rate of one every three months, and the lack of time put into it shows. I have firmly placed this author in my mental do-not-read list as my leisure time deserves better.
March 7, 2019
So boring and superficial. His character depth is similar to the depth of a pineapple. There was no substance. I have a feeling Stuart Woods is one of those old men that love to hear themselves talk. Honestly don’t waste your time on this book.
January 5, 2019
DB just can’t leave politics alone. As usual the corked ass Democratic Party, lies, cheats and steals
Leave politics out
Leave politics out
March 27, 2025
The plot was a bit weak but aren’t they all. 🤣🤣🤣
This time Stone is sleeping with a NYTs reporter and she actually ended up making it till the end of the book. A miracle.
The main plot is a safe that opens up to cash and secrets.
A new character is introduced. Huey the Hacker. Very interesting.
In the end, the bad guys almost get what they deserve. One is on the loose and after Stone in the next book. Off to read it…
This time Stone is sleeping with a NYTs reporter and she actually ended up making it till the end of the book. A miracle.
The main plot is a safe that opens up to cash and secrets.
A new character is introduced. Huey the Hacker. Very interesting.
In the end, the bad guys almost get what they deserve. One is on the loose and after Stone in the next book. Off to read it…
February 6, 2019
This was much better than the last one. There was more substance to the plot. The discovery of Sal's codicil to his will, started a chain reaction of events. I felt the story ended with a cliffhanger because there was no closure. I'm interested in finding out who survived the explosion. What will the repercussions be?
March 19, 2019
Okay, I did it again. I read another one. Don't know why I do it, but I do. Easy read, and enjoyable. When you think about Stone he should be very old. It's amazing what he can do. Guess anything can happen when it's fiction.
January 21, 2019
The thing I like most about Stuart Wood's writing, (as if he really cares what I like and don't like), is he doesn't waste words on description of the paint on the walls or how many trees are in the park...he gets right past all that and to the point. He's also, over the years, produced some other really good characters...in addition to Stone Barrington there is Holly Barker...Ed Eagle...The Lee's, and most recently Teddy Faye...and has wisely decided to not let those people wither away and die but has blended them in to mainly his Barrington novels letting these people make occasional appearances. But back to this one. This was one of the best Stone Barrington books that I have read in years. Everyone is still richer than God...Stone is still jumping into bed with women that he's known all of about two seconds, but the storyline itself was build on some very current events and had some fascinating characters and situations...especially the 100 plus year old Sol, the safe expert. If you read most of the reviews people either REALLY liked it or REALLY didn't. I have to say, "thank you Mr. Woods for an enjoyable read...now lets get Holly elected President."
January 5, 2019
Same old stuff, which is not surprising considering there were 47 other installments. Someone is always winning the lottery, inheriting money etc and hence fitting in with the crowd Stone runs with. (Stone himself fits in due to a series of inheritances.) When you pick up a Barrington book, you know all this and suspend credulity.
October 29, 2020
This was a bit better than some of the others in this series I have read, but still not perfect. It's a quick read with a soap opera feel, and rich people abound.
December 10, 2019
Intriguing
Another fast paced Stone Barrington novel full of twists and turns.This one references a lot of political & news media activity, not entirely unlike some that have occurred in real life. Not quite as much of his sexual exploitations, but they can be easily overlooked to keep with the story. Quick, easy read. Enjoy!
Another fast paced Stone Barrington novel full of twists and turns.This one references a lot of political & news media activity, not entirely unlike some that have occurred in real life. Not quite as much of his sexual exploitations, but they can be easily overlooked to keep with the story. Quick, easy read. Enjoy!
March 24, 2020
Too many implausible situations in this book, including the computer technology and the idea that a computer genius of that caliber would be working for a newspaper, not a tech company.
February 26, 2019
A poorly written story with no real ending. Just the usual, money, sex and fake drama.
May 5, 2019
I did not enjoy this Stone Barrington book as I usually do - the premise is weak, no interesting new characters and no mystery involved. Hopefully #49 will be better.
January 28, 2019
SUBJECTIVE READER REVIEW WITH PLOT SPOILERS FOLLOWS:
Stuart Woods took a novel niche of history to spring a truly scary witch hunt in New York City, I'll admit. It seems the shadow of deceased wealthy philanthropist Eduardo Bianchi will never venture too far from Stone Barrington. It all starts innocently enough, with Eduardo's daughter and Dino's ex-wife Anna Marie calling Stone for help. It seems she's about to turn over title to the Bianchi Estate to the Bianchi Museum, but there's an ancient Excelsior safe hidden behind a panel in her father's old office and she doesn't have the combo. Bob Cantor puts them in touch with a 104 year old safecracker Sol Fink, the last remaining human to possess the secret to cracking an Excelsior. So Sol cracks the safe and heads back to the nursing home ten large richer as Anna Marie and Stone dig into the safe's contents. Only two things of note; the Berg Bank account number in Zurich where there's $238M waiting and a portfolio of all of the major New York crime families along with each member's criminal history. Jesus Christ, and we thought J. Edgar kept files on his enemies!
Although the Berg Bank manager tried to make it difficult for Stone & Dino to access the account for the Bianchi estate, they had Zurich wired and the $238M was soon a wire transfer away from the New York account of the Bianchis. Stone saw the criminal legacies as problematic and warned Anna Marie that should it ever become known that such files existed, many lives including their own would immediately be endangered. Anna Marie thought Heather Thomas, her best friend, was reliable and trustworthy, but didn't know her ex-husband Jack-born Gianni Tommassini-and his entire investment firm were early Mafia descendants who were now engaged in high tech crime. Man were they!
When word of the files finds its way to Henry Thomas, Chairman of H. Thomas & Son, the shit hits the fan. Henry, born Enrico Tommassini, is well aware of his presence within the Tommassini folder and wants it quashed at all costs. It's not so much that the Thomas family becomes known as an old Mafia family, but how they're financing the third party Presidential campaign of grandson Hank Thomas. Henry puts so much heat on that Stone leaves town to shake the grid, but leaves Bob Cantor secretly surveilling cyber transactions of H. Thomas & Son. Their fixer, Rance Damien, born Renato D'Amato, has two code writers who have taken digital theft to a new level. Rance finds twenty potential donors for Hank's campaign, makes ten million appear in their accounts and then suggests they donate to Hank's campaign or explain the provenance of the ten million gain. Along with ignoring the tax implications. It's a scheme in need of exposure, but no way Stone's gonna touch it, so....
Enter the NY Times, especially investigative reporter Jamie Cox, who finds the whole conspiracy as compelling as she does Stone in bed. After getting buy-in from her Editor and Publisher, they loan her the Digital mastermind of corporate America, Huey Horowitz. Huey confirms the master scheme Bob Cantor saw evidence of, so the effort gains inertia. Stone convinces Dino that the DA, the FBI and the SEC can better absorb the brunt of the Thomas' penchant for revenge. Then the Times publishes the story, family trees and all, and the House of Thomas does implode.
Leave it to Bob Cantor to fix somebody, anybody, who comes after him for purported as opposed to proven offenses. Read the book and enjoy it; it's pure intoxicants for the brain.
Stuart Woods took a novel niche of history to spring a truly scary witch hunt in New York City, I'll admit. It seems the shadow of deceased wealthy philanthropist Eduardo Bianchi will never venture too far from Stone Barrington. It all starts innocently enough, with Eduardo's daughter and Dino's ex-wife Anna Marie calling Stone for help. It seems she's about to turn over title to the Bianchi Estate to the Bianchi Museum, but there's an ancient Excelsior safe hidden behind a panel in her father's old office and she doesn't have the combo. Bob Cantor puts them in touch with a 104 year old safecracker Sol Fink, the last remaining human to possess the secret to cracking an Excelsior. So Sol cracks the safe and heads back to the nursing home ten large richer as Anna Marie and Stone dig into the safe's contents. Only two things of note; the Berg Bank account number in Zurich where there's $238M waiting and a portfolio of all of the major New York crime families along with each member's criminal history. Jesus Christ, and we thought J. Edgar kept files on his enemies!
Although the Berg Bank manager tried to make it difficult for Stone & Dino to access the account for the Bianchi estate, they had Zurich wired and the $238M was soon a wire transfer away from the New York account of the Bianchis. Stone saw the criminal legacies as problematic and warned Anna Marie that should it ever become known that such files existed, many lives including their own would immediately be endangered. Anna Marie thought Heather Thomas, her best friend, was reliable and trustworthy, but didn't know her ex-husband Jack-born Gianni Tommassini-and his entire investment firm were early Mafia descendants who were now engaged in high tech crime. Man were they!
When word of the files finds its way to Henry Thomas, Chairman of H. Thomas & Son, the shit hits the fan. Henry, born Enrico Tommassini, is well aware of his presence within the Tommassini folder and wants it quashed at all costs. It's not so much that the Thomas family becomes known as an old Mafia family, but how they're financing the third party Presidential campaign of grandson Hank Thomas. Henry puts so much heat on that Stone leaves town to shake the grid, but leaves Bob Cantor secretly surveilling cyber transactions of H. Thomas & Son. Their fixer, Rance Damien, born Renato D'Amato, has two code writers who have taken digital theft to a new level. Rance finds twenty potential donors for Hank's campaign, makes ten million appear in their accounts and then suggests they donate to Hank's campaign or explain the provenance of the ten million gain. Along with ignoring the tax implications. It's a scheme in need of exposure, but no way Stone's gonna touch it, so....
Enter the NY Times, especially investigative reporter Jamie Cox, who finds the whole conspiracy as compelling as she does Stone in bed. After getting buy-in from her Editor and Publisher, they loan her the Digital mastermind of corporate America, Huey Horowitz. Huey confirms the master scheme Bob Cantor saw evidence of, so the effort gains inertia. Stone convinces Dino that the DA, the FBI and the SEC can better absorb the brunt of the Thomas' penchant for revenge. Then the Times publishes the story, family trees and all, and the House of Thomas does implode.
Leave it to Bob Cantor to fix somebody, anybody, who comes after him for purported as opposed to proven offenses. Read the book and enjoy it; it's pure intoxicants for the brain.
January 30, 2019
It all starts with an old Excelsior safe. Which noone knows how to open except for a very old man of over 100 years named Sol Fink is found, who originally worked with the manufacturer in Berlin.
It would have been better left unopened...as this safe belonged to Eduardo Bianchi, who apparently had ties to the Mafia and has files on all the old Mafia families in the area. Stone Barrington is the executor for the estate of Eduardo. His daughter asked him to find someone to open the safe and then let's it slip what is inside. However, the old families now have made themselves into a respectable group by changing their names to Americanized versions and have a well-thought of investment firm.
Stone is now on the run and trying to figure out how to get out from under being the next target for these families. The puzzle keeps getting bigger......the real story is bigger than they could have imagined. Fast-paced, interesting and intelligent characters....very enjoyable.
It would have been better left unopened...as this safe belonged to Eduardo Bianchi, who apparently had ties to the Mafia and has files on all the old Mafia families in the area. Stone Barrington is the executor for the estate of Eduardo. His daughter asked him to find someone to open the safe and then let's it slip what is inside. However, the old families now have made themselves into a respectable group by changing their names to Americanized versions and have a well-thought of investment firm.
Stone is now on the run and trying to figure out how to get out from under being the next target for these families. The puzzle keeps getting bigger......the real story is bigger than they could have imagined. Fast-paced, interesting and intelligent characters....very enjoyable.
January 18, 2019
I found this novel (number 48) to be as fresh and exciting as the first—although the writing seemed fuller and the characters more developed. Great plot and fascinating story using current events and electronic banking/computers to make the story hum. This was a very easy, uncomplicated story and absolutely perfect for the bus commute. Stone remains the central role model who we wish we could emulate—if only we had his money, looks and charm.
February 5, 2020
This is my first Stuart Woods crime novel. But, it won't be my last. Well done! What fun to have an ethical, albeit edgy, law man turned lawyer as the hero - and a rich one, at that! It makes many things possible and adds it's own flavor to the genre. My only criticism is that the characters could have been written stronger. But, I suspect that if I had read the other 47 books in the series, I'd know the characters better and pick up on the subtleties.
June 28, 2020
Mostly harmless.
August 18, 2021
This was the usual Stuart Woods tale of the rich and powerful, doing what they want. If you want a break from reality it is a fun read. I found the ending disappointing. I do not think this was one of his best but provides an enjoyable escape.
May 18, 2022
This was one of my favorite SB stories. I almost gave it 5 stars, but why does he have to sleep with everyone? He’s too damn old for that sort of thing. But the story was excellent.
May 26, 2024
A convoluted plot with cardboard characters.
January 17, 2019
Typical Stone Barrington story. A good quick read that was enjoyable. Unusual ending! I'm assuming he did it that way to revisit the characters later in life.
March 4, 2019
My first book of Stuart Woods. I love the fast pacing of the story. Haven't read something like this in a while.
January 15, 2019
A fairly simple little story about Stone and his cohorts getting richer, eating well, having good sex, and generally enjoying their erudite, privileged lives. Oh, and another Herb-like new protege to dress well and guide along in his astonishing success. And incidentally, bad guys and king making. Ho-hum.
January 13, 2019
Nothing new. Same basic plot as the other novels in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews