L.A. Dead

Stone Barrington #6

by Stuart Woods

Our Review


So, is Arrington Calder really a murderer? While we don't know the answer to that question until much later in the new Stuart Woods novel, L.A. Dead, we soon learn that Stone Barrington has never quite gotten over his infatuation with the gorgeous Arrington. And trying to prove her innocent is not exactly making lawyer Barrington's life any easier -- especially considering that he's soon to get married to another woman.

Once again Woods gives us some engaging peeks at Los Angeles film society that are over the top but still a lot of fun. You know, people born with silver spoons in their noses. The name of his hero, Stone Barrington, sort of sets the tone. He might well be a relative of John Forsythe of the Dynasty era. A Gucci tough-guy.

There is mystery. There are suspects. There are scenes of violence. There are scenes of love. There is dialogue. There is narrative. The pages are numbered.

What redeems it all from the routine is Woods's mastery of storytelling. The guy is a master. A true one. You just can't stop reading the damned thing. Has he written better novels? Sure. Is this worth the $24.95? Yes. Because it delivers just what a Stone Barrington novel promises to deliver -- sexy, quick-read fun rendered with sleek, sure skill.

As a beach book, I'd give it a B+. But I hope you forgive me for missing the Stuart Woods of Chiefs, Under the Lake, and L.A. Times.

Maybe next time.

--Ed Gorman

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

466 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2000

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 3 out of 5]

Good series! interesting and a fast-paced storyline,also well written (paperback!)

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly liked this one, until the end. There's a whole lotta naked in this book, but not much resolution. I hope some of these things are addressed in the next book. It's weird that Stone lives in NY but it seems not many of these books actually takes place in NY. I think with each book I hate Arrington more. I hope she doesn't continue to be in Stone's life through the entire series. I'd love to see what would happen if Stone met Jack Reacher.

Since I am an editor, I am very nitpicky when I read and poor editing bothers me, probably more than the average reader. I found it interesting that Stuart Woods specifically thanked his new editor in the acknowledgements because I thought this book was edited poorly. Aside from the punctuation and spelling mistakes, which were numerous, there were some plot issues that should have been fixed. For example, Stone is discussing events with Arrington's lawyer that never happened. He knew things that he had specifically not been told. And then later he asks a character if she had called the police and she told him no. He asks why not and she tells him. On the VERY NEXT PAGE she is asked again if she called the police and says no. Stone is surprised and asked her AGAIN why! I hope this guy got better in future books. Or that Woods found another new one.

[Marguerite Czajka · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an easy read and the mystery part was okay. But the author added in some nonsensical sex. The lead character, Stone, is called from his Italian wedding because a huge movie star (lots of paparazzi) has been murdered. Within a couple days of the murder, Stone is having sex with the star's personal assistant as well as the star's widow, who happens to the only suspect and Stone's ex. Every woman he meets, apart from the maid, is really hot for him and wears either nothing or a bikini. I think the author was trying too hard to make Stone a James Bond type.

[Eli - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I didn’t really enjoy this one. Not sure what Los Angeles was like in the year 2000, but I’m pretty sure women didn’t just walk around naked waiting to have sex with Stone Barrington.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. More than most, the Stone Barrington series should be read in sequence. I've read a few out of order and won't do that again. It's a continuing story, paused at regular intervals by exciting episodes. We open here with a wedding. Stone is finally taking the plunge. He thinks he's head over heels for Dolce, the hot headed and self centred, but gorgeous daughter of retired mob leader Eduardo Bianchi. Dangerous, there are rumours she had her first husband popped! Did I mention she's the younger sister of Dino Bacchetti's wife? They'll get married in Italy with the Mayor of Venice performing the civil ceremony and then Cardinal Bellini presiding for the church at St. Mark's. That's the one that counts in the eyes of Stone. Can you see problems on the horizon? It all starts after the first ceremony, but before the second, when Stone is awakened by Dino and Eduardo telling him that Vance Calder has been killed; he's the Hollywood star who stole away the love of Stone's life, Arrington Calder. He flies to California to assist her, soon to be much needed when she is charged with her husband's murder! Get set for a shocker. You've been warned. (May2022/Oc2025)

[Joanne Farley · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you have read one book in this series you have read this one. I think it’s time to put this series on the. Back burner for now, but then again you never know they are easy reads.

[Caden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love this series but this book was awful. Stone has always been an enthusiastic lady’s man, but here he turns into a big throbbing dick that bones every - and I mean every - female around. Whatever happened to his desperate love for Arrington? And the women are mindless nymphos who constants throw their naked bodies at him. Arrington was the biggest disappointment, going from the intelligent capable professional journalist in the earlier books to an incredibly stupid sex fiend who acts recklessly against her own interests. She’s unrecognizable. And so is Stone, who makes some astoundingly dumb moves. Like having a messy breakup with a psycho snd then not changing the locks on his house or changing the alarm codes. And he was a cop for 14 years! Or leaving the doors unlocked while banging one of the women...hello paparazzi! I sure hope he starts thinking with his big head in the next book or I’m giving up on this series.

I came away thinking that this book was one big Mary Sue (or Gary Stu?) for the author, and that made me sad. These books always tend to have larger than life heroes, but this one felt like the author put every guy’s sexual fantasies and stereotypes into these characters and it just came out overwrought and a bit pathetic.

[Terry Steinborn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another Stone Barrington. This entry is ostensibly centered on the question of who killed a famous movie star who married Stone's ex-girlfriend. In fact what it's about is following Stone as he moves from bed to bed with various (beautiful, of course) women while he is helping to defend his ex(?)-girlfriend who is the obvious suspect in the murder. With the amount of time he uses in various beds, it is amazing he has any time at all to help with the defense. Complicating matters is the fact that he married (on the rebound!) the daughter of an organized crime figure in Venice. I found this book hard to finish. I hope further entries spend more time on the mystery and less time in bed.

[Lisa Tollefson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rate it only 3 stars, and yet I keep reading these things. Stone is a shallow, arrogant idiot, at least when it comes to people, and really, what else actually matters? Thus time he manages to get married, then decide he doesn't want to be married immediately after. Really? Did he not just spend the better part of a year living with this woman? How friggin' blind can a man be?

He jumps into bed with any woman who is even remotely attractive with no care whatsoever for the one he actually loves. Of course they do tend to throw themselves at him for absolutely no reason, but he could be honorable once in a while. Plus, he has yet to wear a condom. These books are less about the plot than an excuse for random beautiful women to ravish him. And the sex scenes aren't even all that well done or interesting.

I'll give it one more shot, but if this character doesn't show some growth in the next book, I'm done.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gift from a friend. Actually this was the Audio book. Brilliantly read by actor Tony Roberts who did wonderful voice and accents.

Story. Ex-Cop Stone Barrington is about to get married, but still in love with an ex-girlfriend who dumped him and married a movie actor. He is in Italy for his marriage, he has a civil ceremony and the church wedding is the next day. In the middle of all of this his ex-girlfriends husband is murdered, and he dumps his bride and rushes to the ex-girlfriends side.

I totally did not like this character at all, Stone Barrington, he then goes on to seduce every female in the book, except the maid, and is then surprised that his bride, who he left at the alter is upset. In the middle of all of this, he does solve who dun it.

Will I read any more in this series? No, did not like the main character.

[Tgordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so do be off put by the 3 stars. I liked it enough that I’m reading the book after it right now. Movie star is killed who just happens to be Stones old live Arrington. Of course the wife first suspect so Stone to the rescue! Who really did it? Or did she.

When I tell you my 3 star reason and not higher I don’t want you to think I’m an anti sexual prude. I just want anyone who reads my review before reading this series to know that these books are full of sex. Not just hey he had sex but pretty hard core and graphic at times. Maybe I’ve missed this full aspect in the past books I’ve read?

This is a fun series and always entertaining but maybe not the deep quality that mystery readers crave truly.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots going on in this one for Stone on both a personal and professional level. On the eve of his wedding to the daughter of a mafia don in Venice, Italy he gets a call that his former girlfriend is the prime suspect in the murder of her husband.

Stone basically dumps his almost wife at the altar to run to the aid of Arrington in Los Angeles to be her lawyer. This doesn't go over particularly well with his fiance or her family.

Not my favorite in this series so far because it sure portrays Stone as a major jerk.

[Jeannine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since all of the Stone Barrington books I've read have been out of sequence, I knew how this book ended from reading several books subsequent to this one. So that took away most of the mystery although I did not know how the case was resolved, only the end result. The resolution of this murder case, however, is jammed into about the last 4 pages and is so preposterous that it was unbelievable, even for L.A. And the book should have been titled L.A. Laid, the sex lives of the rich and infamous. I am far from a prude but I like to read mysteries not bodice rippers. Think I'm done with this series.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

L.A. Dead by Stuart Woods is the 6th book in the Stone Barrington Mystery series. Stone Barrington's wedding to Dolce is cut short when actor Vance Calder is shot dead and Stone's former girlfriend Arrington is suspected. This book is mainly about Stone's women troubles and his sexual exploits with practically every woman he meets. An interesting and fast paced mystery in amongst a lot of sex.

[Pierre Tassé (Enjoying Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Run of the mill and easy reading Stone Barington novel.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down. Another entertaining mystery which took place mostly in California, among the stars.

Possibly the first appearance of Joan Robertson, Stone's new secretary.

[ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost read this in one sitting. The plot moved fast…and almost made sense 🤷🏼‍♀️🤭🤭

Stone is not very good at picking out women. He goes from one psycho to the next. NGL…Arrington is an albatross and needs to be cut loose. Dolce is Satan and Charlene was a nut even in Will Lee’s book. It was interesting to see how much she had not changed 🤣🤣🫣🫣

I know Stuart Woods tried to make us hate Vance due to all his infidelity but I hated him anyway for hurting Stone. Stone would have been better off never meeting either Vance or Arrington.

You get to the end and you are scratching your head as the reader. Not much is resolved so off to read the next one. Hopefully 🤞 the next book has less Arrington 🤞🤞🤞

[Laine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only book in this series that I've read or will read. I was thinking the author had come up with an unusually creative first name for the main female character Arrington. But then I found out her ex and the hero of the series is named Stone Barrington. So if those two HAD gone through with their marriage she would have been Arrington Barrington. Ridiculous.

Equally bizarre was their backstory that they'd lived together for a year or so, he was about to pop the question, she KNEW he was about to pop the question but canceled their date for a big career break - an interview with a mega-movie star whom she ended up marrying instead! Therefore either man could have fathered the son she birthed and the issue was decided in favor of the star Vance Calder on the basis of tests organized by his doctor. Ex-cop and lawyer Stone never sought independent corroboration of so critical a point. Apparently in an earlier book he nobly refused the regretful Arrington's advances for the sake of her son and out of respect for her husband.

Having moved on and in the midst of two marriage ceremonies with a Mafia princess in Italy, Stone gets word that Vance has been murdered and Arrington needs him to clear her as she's the prime suspect. He dumps the semi-married wife and hotfoots it to L.A. to clean up his newly available ex's mess. He's followed by the spouse he doesn't want to admit is a spouse. Dolce who's not so dolce anymore turns into a homicidal psycho though they had lived together for a year during which the great detective had detected nothing. Luckily he has the most understanding Mafia don ever for a father-in-law who admires him for no discernible reason.

Stone acts like a high functioning autistic, either that or he's an amoral jerk. He's as capricious dumping Dolce as Arrington was dumping him. Before Vance's body is even cold he's considering taking up with the not-so-grieving widow, her earlier desertion apparently forgiven and forgotten. When someone asks him if he would continue to try to get A off the murder charge if he found she was guilty, he answers yes. That's what lawyers do but he was demonstrating an amoral lover's loyalty, willing to make himself an accessory to murder. On returning to the scene of her husband's death, a husband she insisted she loved, Arrington glances down at the spot where she witnessed his bloodied corpse, then plans to redecorate the house and stay there because "she's always loved it". This doesn't bother Stone at all who also has no detectable finer feelings. He obediently lets Arrington dress him in her husband's suit for the funeral. Later he's touched when she sends the dead man's entire wardrobe to his NY home "with love". For a woman who's inherited half a billion dollars it seems rather cheapskate not to mention sick to recycle a dead husband's wardrobe to her lover while any self-respecting man would have worn a quickly purchased off-the-rack suit to the funeral in preference. What a combo.

But it's not a combo of two. Wherever Stone goes, beautiful women strip nude and offer him sex and he seldom says no. Even while he's supposedly "in love" with A and sleeps with her against the stringent advice of her main lawyer, he has sex with her husband's secretary (another old fling) and a new acquaintance, the top female movie star of the day - not once but several times with no mention of birth control of any kind. Arrington's little boy may have some half-siblings soon. It's unclear what any of these women see in this alley cat. His clothes are described in great detail but not his looks except for height and weight. His unrealistic woman-slaying appears to be more the author's own Playboy fantasy but his avatar Stone lacks James Bond's sly charm.

I have no interest in following these cardboard characters or seeing whether Arrington Barrington happens. Pity the little boy with two parents who are "stone" cold outside of bed. Leave him with granny who might be human.

[Dyana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last book, #5, was my favorite book in the series so far; but this one, #6, is my least favorite. Another title could be "The Antics of the Rich and Famous". There are lots of California glitz and glamour, and the book oozes money, wealth, and amoral people. The series is still formulaic but unrealistically entertaining - a guilty pleasure so to speak. Stone is still bed hopping and being chased by beautiful unclad women which he readily succumbs to. All this gratuitous sex adds nothing to the story line and cheapens Stone's character. I am beginning to like his former NYPD partner, Dino Bacchetti, better than Stone.

The story begins with Stone Barrington, ex-policeman turned lawyer, marrying Dolce Bianchi in Venice, Italy. This is a rebound wedding as he wanted to marry Arrington Carter, but she married movie star, Vance Calder. Dolce is the daughter of a "retired' Mafia chieftain named Eduardo Bianchi. There are to be two ceremonies, a civil one and a religious one. They make it through the civil; but before the religious one can take place in St. Mark's, Stone learns that Dino has received a phone call from the states that movie star Vance Calder has been shot and killed. His wife, Arrington, Stone's ex-girlfriend, has been taken to a local hospital. Eduardo decides that it would be unwise to go forward with the wedding until the situation back in the states has been resolved. This, of course, doesn't sit well with Dolce.

Stone hops on a plane and high tails it back to Los Angeles. The LAPD have already uncovered several reasons that Arrington might be their prime suspect. When Stone arrives at the Judson Clinic, he discovers that Arrington is undergoing periods of anterograde amnesia brought on by the shock of Vance's murder. She wants him to handle the financial and legal matters and help the police find her innocent. Everyone is convinced that Arrington killed Vance - all except Stone who believes she wouldn't do such a thing. He actually becomes a hindrance to the investigation due to that belief.

In the meantime, Dolce can't take no for an answer when Stone decides he doesn't love her and cancels the wedding. Does he have a new chance for a life with Arrington? Dolce begins stalking him because she considers them married with only the Venetian civil ceremony while Stone was told the marriage isn't official until the religious one takes place. Dino's wife, Mary Ann, is Dolce's sister. Dino has been warning Stone not to get involved with Dolce. She will do anything to get what she wants.

Stone begins investigating on his own and discovers plenty of dirt on people involved including finding out that Vance was a flagrant adulterer. Dolce also begins sabotaging Stone's life. He has to rush back to New York when he learns water is flowing down the stairs in his Turtle Bay home. Guess who's on the plane? A woman named Vanessa Pike that Stone had just met and had dinner with dies in a house fire after he leaves. Could Dolce be involved? The book ends in a court trial. Is Arrington found guilty? The ending was ambiguous and inconclusive. Does Stone really want Arrington back or has he changed his mind? And what about little Peter, Arrington's and Vance's child? Was the blood test tampered with that proved who the father is? I personally can't figure what Stone sees in the new Arrington. She's changed from previous books and not for the better. Maybe he now sees it too? The ending reveals a couple of surprises from Eduardo. I hope the next book has Stone controlling his urges and heading back to New York for more adventures.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe just 2.5*...

I didn't much care for the way the book ended with a sense of ambiguity over Arrington's guilt. If it had stopped with the scene outside the courthouse, I would have been much happier!. Also, I found Stone's ability to attract all the women with whom he came into contact (even when he wasn't trying) a bit too much; it seemed more like a male fantasy rather than real life.

The solving of who killed Arrington's husband, Vance Calder, was a little slow coming to the point but well done (except as I mentioned above the very end).

The narrator, Tony Roberts, was good but I wonder why Dolce had a thick Italian accent and her sister Mary Anne had no accent at all...

[Ed Callahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first, and likely my last, Stuart Woods / Stone Barrington novel. It is the 6th in the Stone Barrington series. Barrington is an ex NYC PD detective now criminal lawyer. It reads like a 1940s crime movie. Barrington is involved intimately with at least 4 women through this book. The one he professes to love has appeared earlier in the series. The plot line involves a wedding in Italy, a Catholic Cardinal, a mafia don and two of his daughters, one of which is married to a current NYPD captain and a close friend of Barrington’s. The main thrust of the story involves the murder of a Hollywood leading actor by his wife who happen’s to also love Barrington. Good luck with it. I am not recommending it. 5/10 #edcinpacomments

[Terence M [on a brief semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was as re-read, or I should say re-listen. I had forgotten how formulaic and predictable the Stone Barrington character could be. The lost lover, the marriage on the rebound, the "amazing" love making with several other beautiful women, the "reunion" with the lost lover ...

Everyone was incredibly, money-no-object wealthy, mega private jets, Mercedes Benz top-of-the-range convertibles, whole-floor hotel suites - and I'm still unsure how Stone makes his money. Throw in a handful of violence, coupled with gratuitous references to anal sex, plus the reader's staccato delivery, which didn't help and this book deserves no more than 2.5 stars.

[Donna Mcnab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Is Stone Barrington really getting married at the start of this book? That makes things interesting. It does seem though that if a girl just walks past Stone, he immediately takes her to bed. In this book, most of those girls seemed to be walking by in the nude. Maybe that had something to do with it. This was an exciting book and I found myself not wanting to put it down but wanting to find out what happened next. Very entertaining!

[John Biddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Stone Barrington novel by Stuart Woods; I'm working my way through but there are so many I probably won't finish. The story was good but the emphasis on sex and money is getting tiresome. I'm no prude, but I'm not looking for bodice ripping mysteries, either. I've only read the first 6 of the series (over 50) but so far if you like one you'll like more, at least until you tire of them. I'm going to slow down my pace with these and see how it goes. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

[Brian Trawick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am all over the place in reading the Stone series, several of his recent adventures as well as some of his earlier adventures. Love them all but this has to be one of my favorite reads because it ties Arrington and Dolce together, and clarified some of their history. Eventually I will finish, until his next adventure is published, the entire Stone series.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mystery but the story is distracted by Stone Barrister's sex life. Beautiful women show up naked and throw themselves at Stone multiple times a day! Is it the author "living out" his fantasy? Might try one of his books with another character and see if they spend more time solving the mystery than having sex.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent reading
he first Stone Barrington novel I read in 2011. I did not get back to Stuart Woods until 2013. An wonderful series that I would highly recommend to readers of mysteries. Enjoy 2011

[Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too much sex for my taste and not enough mystery. If I want a book like this I'll go to the 'romance' section.

[Kathi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible.

[Montessahall Montessahall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring as hell. Sex, food and booze and more sex, food and booze.