Smolder

Stone Barrington #65

by Brett Battles, Stuart Woods

In this latest adrenaline-fueled adventure in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Stone Barrington faces his most vindictive threat yet.

Finally enjoying some downtime in Santa Fe, Stone Barrington agrees to attend an art exhibit with a dear friend. There, he encounters an intriguing woman who is on the trail of a ring of art thieves. Always one to please, Stone offers his help.

From Santa Fe to Los Angeles, it quickly becomes clear that her investigation has links to Stone—particularly to rare Matilda Stone art, his mother’s paintings. And when old grudges come to light, Stone is forced to reckon with a familiar enemy. Stone must act fast before whoever is out to get him finally closes in on him . . . for good.

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

368 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2024

About the author

Brett Battles is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling and Barry Award-winning author of forty novels, including the Jonathan Quinn series and its Excoms spinoff, the Project Eden series, and the time bending Rewinder series. He’s also the coauthor, with Robert Gregory Browne, of the Alexandra Poe series. He is one of the founding members of Killer Year, and is a member of Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. He lives and writes in Ventura County, California.

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am ecstatic that Brett Battles is in charge of this franchise.

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brent Battles has taken over writing the late Stuart Woods’ novels.
If you like the Stone Barrington series, like I do, you’ll enjoy reading this story.
It was a fun easy read with the usual main characters.

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you’re a major fan of this series you’ll notice a difference in the writing style but it doesn’t deter from it continuing in a way that it’s still good. I’m glad to be still reading about Stone Barrington and these characters. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

[Nikki (nikkis.novel.ideas) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett Battles has officially taken over the reins of the Stone Barrington series from the late Stuart Woods. The two co-authored a few books before this, but Smolder is Battles first time taking on the series alone. One thing I noticed almost right away was that, as someone who has read almost every book in the series, I could not tell that Smolder was written by someone other than Mr. Woods. The dialogue, in particular, is done in the same truncated style that Woods’ used.

This time around, Barrington and company (the usual suspects – Dino, Viv, Herb, Teddy, the Lee’s, and any good-looking, available woman), start out by traveling to Santa Fe, before ending up in Los Angeles. Stone has been targeted by a man who lost in court to Woodman & Weld a few times, and holds Stone personally responsible for the trouble, and money, this has cost him. He decides to take his revenge in a way that he believes will not trace back to him, and will be as harmful to Stone as possible; by finding and destroying as much of Matilda Stone’s artwork as possible.

The story moves quickly, and while descriptive details are slim, the story is engaging in the way readers of the series have become accustomed to. Stone and his friends are always caught up in some sort of nefarious plot, Stone finds a new woman to roll around with (who may or may not return, albeit briefly, in a future storyline), his friendship with Dino is a highlight, and things turn out alright in the end. Overall, Smolder is a good addition to this long-running series, and will satisfy its readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Jim Welke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Brett Battles has done a great job of taking over the Stuart Woods franchise. The book is well written and Brett includes many of Stone's friends in the book. Traveling to New Mexico and on to California, Stone winds up breaking up an art theft ring with help from Dino, Strategic Services, and the LA police department. While Stone was able to save three of his mother's paintings from being burned, the acquisition of the New Mexico property, for an Arrington Resort Hotel, was left completely up in the air.

[Aniruddha M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good page turner, just makes you wish if all our lives could be this convenient and seemingly easy!

[Jeremiah Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little concerned about this book since it was written by a new author. I was pleasantly surprised. Very well written and held true to Stuart Woods style. I hate to say it as I've been a long time fan of Stuart Woods but I think Brett Battles did a slightly better job on this Stone Barrington novel than Woods did on his last few. I'm not sure if he was trying to make sure he pleased the fans or if was just trying to fill some awfully big shoes but he nailed it. Can't wait to see what he writes next

[markpills · Rating 2 out of 5]

short, spicy, and dutifully written according to Stuart Woods formula, Brett got it done and I thought it was just like the other installments in this series.

[Ken Karcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I began this novel with some hesitation, I've been reading these books since New York Dead, and my greatest fear was that since Stuart Woods had passed, my guilty pleasure wouldn't be the same. I am so pleased to be wrong! The banter between Stone and Dino was, as always, like two brothers who enjoy screwing with one another. And the exchanges with Joan are my favorite. If she were real, I'd do my utmost to hire her away from Stone. I can see from this amazing story that Stone and company will be in good hands moving forward. Stone has an amazing penchant for pissing off bad guys, while at the same time romancing beautiful women, including the president. Dealing with the problems of the rich and famous is a great escape, and being able to continue to enjoy their suffering is a blessing. I'm thankful that Stuart's passing didn't mean the end of his most prolific creation. I am happy to remain a fan and look forward to reading much more like this.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Stuart Woods’ Smolder” by Brett Battles is a fun easy read. It is the first book written by Mr. Battles on his own and the transition is seamless, and can be read as a stand alone if you are not familiar with this series. In this fast paced story Stone is targeted by a man who lost much of himself in court to the famous attorney and is out for revenge. He is trying to harm Stone by destroying the one thing he holds most dear, the artwork of his famous deceased mother. It is fun to have the whole crew back from past books and the uncomplicated plot is very engaging, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Brett Battles has done a great job of taking over the Stuart Woods franchise. Smolder marks Mr. Battles' impressive solo debut, and the transition is effortless, making it perfectly accessible even if you're new to the series. Readers dive into a fast-paced, high-stakes plot set in the well-known art circles of Santa Fe and California as Stone becomes the target of a vengeful man intent on destroying what he holds dearest: his famous deceased mother's invaluable artwork. Former police detective, now lawyer and wealthy businessman with worldwide connections Stone proves to be an excellent protagonist, and the presence of beloved characters like Dino and a standout Monica in this installment truly heightened my enjoyment. Complementing this, the plot is both interesting and skillfully paced, and the entire cast contributes an extra layer of delight to what is an uncomplicated yet utterly engrossing narrative. 4/5

[Jamie Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read with my favorite protagonist. Stone Barrington's adventures are wildly unreal, yet bring me joy. Woods infused all of his characters with humor that tickles my funny bone. When the series ends (not sure if this was his last book), I will miss it. I can only hope Stone's story is tied up in a bow for us!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barrington is under attack again…Another wealthy adversary seeks revenge for Stone’s work as a lawyer…This time his mother’s paintings are targeted for destruction…The whole crew and a comely insurance fraud investigator are engaged to thwart the destruction…the reprise of a very successful formula that’s become a guilty pleasure!

[Jennifer Butala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book where Stone meets an attractive woman, sleeps with her, and gets chased around by a bunch of bungling bad guys. At least this time it wasn't the Russians. I find it a little less annoying than when Stuart Woods was writing them.

[Wendy Sanson Metzger · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can tell this isn’t written by woods -same characters but less raunchy!

A bonus was many of his characters from spin off books were included in this book and made it more enjoyable bringing all of them together like one big reunion.

[Deirdre Van Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7

Better than the last couple in the series

[Carol Irvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent Stone Barrington book 📚 it was 2 years yesterday that we lost Stuart Woods 😭

[lee arnstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book is better than the last 3. there's never any complicated plot and it's just an eay read...a break from quality novels.

[Arthur Beit · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best for last.

Brett Battles revised the humor between characters. Hope it’s not the last of the series. Great story that keeps the reader thinking till the end.

[Todd Schafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that Brett Battles must have read all teh Stone novels two or three times. He has the formula, the patter, and most importantly, the banter between Stone and Dino down even better than Woods had in his later years.
The storyline too was imaginative
Dino: Will you once again be the ever loving boy toy to Holly?
Stone: I will appreciate it if you never use that phrase again.
I laughed out loud at that one.
And still, I love the way the two friends have dinner together in some fancy NYC restaurant at nearly every opportunity.
Stone: Dinner at xyz?
Dino: done

[Janet Balliet]

Stone goes to Santa Fe to meet Holly, after his house is broken into. She is called away after 1 day. He is staying in Will & Kate's house. He meets a lovely lady at a gallery show. She is searching for stolen art. They go to LA together for Stone's board meeting & meet Dino. Billy gets involved & they figure out who has been stealing the art & planning fires to cover it up. Stone's mother's paintings are the most recent stolen by a gang hired by one of Stone's enemies. All the paintings are recovered & the bad guys are dead or in jail!

[Nikki (nikkis.novel.ideas) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett Battles has officially taken over the reins of the Stone Barrington series from the late Stuart Woods. The two co-authored a few books before this, but Smolder is Battles first time taking on the series alone. One thing I noticed almost right away was that, as someone who has read almost every book in the series, I could not tell that Smolder was written by someone other than Mr. Woods. The dialogue, in particular, is done in the same truncated style that Woods’ used.

This time around, Barrington and company (the usual suspects – Dino, Viv, Herb, Teddy, the Lee’s, and any good-looking, available woman), start out by traveling to Santa Fe, before ending up in Los Angeles. Stone has been targeted by a man who lost in court to Woodman & Weld a few times, and holds Stone personally responsible for the trouble, and money, this has cost him. He decides to take his revenge in a way that he believes will not trace back to him, and will be as harmful to Stone as possible; by finding and destroying as much of Matilda Stone’s artwork as possible.

The story moves quickly, and while descriptive details are slim, the story is engaging in the way readers of the series have become accustomed to. Stone and his friends are always caught up in some sort of nefarious plot, Stone finds a new woman to roll around with (who may or may not return, albeit briefly, in a future storyline), his friendship with Dino is a highlight, and things turn out alright in the end. Overall, Smolder is a good addition to this long-running series, and will satisfy its readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stone Barrington is headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico for some R&R, staying at the home of two former presidents of the United States - the Lees - along with the Bacchetti’s - Dino and Viv. And, of course, Stone meets a woman, Monica, who will soon share his bed (minus a lot of the explicit details in some earlier books in the series). Monica is an insurance investigator who has recently lost her job-she had been working on uncovering the perpetrator of some art thefts that seemed less than honest when her employer lets her go. At the same time, a powerful and vindictive individual is out to punish Stone by stealing and destroying the thing most precious to Stone-paintings by his famous artist mother, Matilda. Why - Stoney’s law firm had defeated him twice in lawsuits. As the cast of characters move to Los Angeles, Stoney’s and Dino’s sons become involved as well. No need to get buried in details as the plot just keeps moving along.

I chose to rate this book 5 stars because of Brett Battles’ almost seamless transition in taking up and continuing the Stone Barrington series. The first Stone Barrington book written by Battles had apparently been written (at least in draft form) by Stuart Woods - this is the first written by Battles alone and he did a great job - same style and pace as the earlier books in this series. The interplay between the characters we have come to enjoy over the previous 60+ books is front and center, Stone continues his relationship with a different paramour, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments, and enough action/tension to keep you turning the pages. Just enjoy!

[Wendi Flint Rank (WendiReviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book in this long running series with a great core group
of characters. It is also the first book written by Brett Battles, who takes over
from the original, wonderful story teller, Stuart Woods.
Stone Barrington is (again) being targeted by some low life thugs who
wish to take advantage of,Stone and his circle of long time friends,
professional colleagues, and of course a newcomer who is involved
professionally and becomes a new love interest. There is still the
red-hot and long standing relationship with the President of the
United States, but it’s always been kept very, very quiet.
Everyone in the family, circle and the crooks, find themselves
in danger until those charged with investigating the sudden
interest in a coupleStone’s mom.
The writing style is very reminiscent of Stuart Woods, and the
reader transition was seamless. The structure and progress
are easy to follow and the storyline is captivating.
I thoroughly recommend this book, and long time
fans will be delighted.
My thanks to Penguin Random House via NetGalley
for,the,download of,this book for,review,purposes.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three men steal an Andrew Wyeth painting from Gordon Zurn’s vacation estate home. Where is the painting, and why has it been stolen? I am hooked right away and read on to get answers. It turns out that the opening incident is just a warm up for the great mystery that follows. For much of the novel the story involving art alternates with the story of Stone’s current life (including interesting characters such as his city police commissioner friend, Dino, and his current lover, Monica). This novel is number 65 in the Stone Barrington series but can easily be read as a standalone.

Stone is a great character, and the plot is interesting and well-paced. I get to the point where I can't put to the book aside. I have to finish it. I am inspired to continue reading Stone Barrington novels. It is great to know there are so many books written by Stuart Woods for me to read, and I am glad Brett Battles is continuing the series. Thank you, PENQUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy.

[Kymber Jones]

Smolder by Brett Battles is part of the Stone Barrington series created by Stuart Woods. This book was the last book Mr. Woods was working on when he passed, but, Mr. Battles does an absolutely AMAZING job keeping Mr. Barrington true to form with all the high end stakes and elaborate high jinks. In many ways Mr. Barrington is very similar to a modern day James Bond, but much more relatable as the readers are able to feel a bond (pun intended) with him that they aren't able to make with Mr. Bond. I've read a couple of the early Stone Barrington books, and when I saw Smolder up for review, I had to request it as this was Mr. Woods last book. If you're not a huge reader of Mr. Woods books, you will never know Mr. Battles completed the book for Mr. Woods., that is how similar the the writing is for this book, and Mr. Battles needs to be congratulated for a truly remarkable job well done!

[Alan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am imagining how Brett Battles could mimic the latest 25 percent of Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington novels so convincingly. That is, generally, how he could mimic the most vapid, contrived and unoriginal books in the series. He could have copied the circular dialogues of the characters and duplicated their trite, repetitive repartee himself, or he could have fed the last 20 novels into a sophisticated AI program. The novel I just finished would have been much the same, I think.

Even the plot is comic book-like, with the obsessive evil villain stopping at nothing to get his revenge, aided by his toadying weaker cohorts, who are driven by a combination of psychosis and rapacious greed.

Everything is over the top and just plain silly. Reminds me of stories I read, aged 9, of the Penguin or Lex Luthor battling their arch nemeses, lol.

[Richard A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I was heartbroken when Stuart Woods passed and wasn’t sure about someone taking the reins but Brett has taken all the amazing work Stuart did and added his own stamp. I’ve been a huge Stuart Woods fan for 3 decades but I must admit the last several Stone Barrington books got to be too routine. Someone is trying to kill, injure or maim Stone or someone close to him, he then flies all over the world to one of his homes, finds someone new to have a sexual relationship with and always comes out on top. I own the books and read them but the recent ones felt performative and didn’t have the fire his older works do. Brett has brought that back. This story had some great twists but stays true to Woods vision. I will miss all the people from Delano, but now Brett handled put a smile on my face as I read it. Well done!!

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett Battles has brought Stone Barrington and his crew back to life. Though I was hopeful that the adventures would be revitalized, it hasn’t happened in this book. This absolutely cannot be read as a stand-alone. The author pulls in characters and settings from multiple past novels. Once again, Stone is confronted by a villainous enemy who longs to make him suffer. That’s the biggest weakness, his plot of revenge is silly. In fact, it hardly seemed worth the death and destruction it caused. I also find the cavalier treatment of killing bad guys a little over the top.

Of course, diehards will enjoy this visit with old friends. I was hoping for a greater injection of new life. Thank you Netgalley for a visit to Stone’s old gang.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review

Stone Barrington is back, and this time, he gets involved with a woman who is hot on the trail of a ring of art thieves. Never one to pass up the chance to help out a pretty woman, they travel from Santa Fe to L.A. and it turns out Stone has a vested interest in the case, when the thieves seem to be targeting works by his late mother, Matilda Stone. Although this is part of the Stone Barrington series, like all of the other books in the series, it can be read as a standalone. There was plenty of action from the beginning to the end, to keep the story interesting, and Stone was as charming as ever. If you enjoy a good thriller, you should definitely check it out.