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However, despite his best intentions, Woods got sidetracked in Ireland. He was nearly 100 pages into a novel when he discovered the seductive pleasures of sailing. "Everything went to hell," he quips on his web site "All I did was sail." He bought a boat, learned everything he could about celestial navigation, and competed in the Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race (OSTAR) in 1976, finishing respectably in the middle of the fleet. (Later, he took part in the infamous Fastnet Race of 1979, a yachting competition that ended tragically when a huge storm claimed the lives of 15 sailors and 4 observers. Woods and his crew emerged unharmed.)
Returning to the U.S., Woods wrote two nonfiction books: an account of his transatlantic sailing adventures (Blue Water, Green Skipper) and a travel guide he claims to have written on a whim. But the book that jump-started his career was the opus interruptus begun in Ireland. An absorbing multigenerational mystery set in a small southern town, Chiefs was published in 1981, went on to win an Edgar Award, and was subsequently turned into a television miniseries starring Charlton Heston.
An amazingly prolific author, Woods has gone on to pen dozens of compelling thrillers, juggling stand-alone novels with installments in four successful series. (His most popular protagonists are New York cop-turned-attorney Stone Barrington, introduced in 1991's New York Dead, and plucky Florida police chief Holly Barker, who debuted in 1998's Orchid Beach.) His pleasing mix of high-octane action, likable characters, and sly, subversive humor has made him a hit with readers -- who have returned the favor by propelling his books to the top of the bestseller lists.
His first job was in advertising at BBDO in New York, and his first assignment was to write ads for CBS-TV shows. He recalls: "They consisted of a drawing of the star and one line of exactly 127 characters, including spaces, and I had to write to that length. It taught me to be concise."
He flies his own airplane, a single-engine turboprop called a Jetprop, and tours the country every year in it, including book tours.
He's a partner in a 1929 motor yacht called Belle and spends two or three weeks a year aboard her.
In 1961-62, Woods spent 10 months in Germany with the National Guard at the height of the Berlin Wall Crisis.
In October and November of 1979, he skippered a friend's yacht back across the Atlantic, with a crew of six, calling at the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands and finishing at Antigua in the Caribbean.
Stone Barrington, of counsel at Woodman & Weld, is at Elaine's restaurant in Manhattan when he notices beautiful Carrie Cox who is in New York with dreams of becoming an actress. After she tells Stone about a great audition she had with a director who tried to rape her afterward so she threw his dinner onto his lap at a gala they both attended separately.
Stone advises her how to handle the situation; she soon gets the part and a great agent. Stone and Carrie like each other's company, but he has to place his personal life on hold when Bill Eggers wants him to get Hildy Parsons out of trouble. Her father is a client at Woodman & Weld and knows his daughter is involved with a gigolo who anxiously waits for her trust fund to revert back to her control. Stone learns the con artist is also dealing drugs and partnered with Larsen who is managing a Ponzi scheme. They become Stone's problem when someone he cares about wants to bring them down. Making matters more dangerous is Carrie believes her former husband is trying to kill her; she needs protection that she wants only from Stone until they obtain proof of her assertion.
Although Stone proves there are a zillion stories in New York even in one novel, Stuart Woods provides another exhilarating Barrington tale filled with serial sex, plenty of other action, and several fun investigations. After Key West (see Loitering with Intent), Stone vows divorce cases only, but he wonders how he got so involved in so many other matters though he knows the exhausting answer is women, women, and more women. Kisser is a fun lighthearted Stone Barrington thriller as the lawyer finds the mean streets of Manhattan as both welcoming and dangerous.
Harriet Klausner
7 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 26, 2010
This is the worst Stone Barrington book ever. I really enjoy the series but this one was awful. It was boring and slow moving. I usually don't mind Stone's sexual antics, but in this one he was shagging anything that stood still long enough. Terrible plot line and poor character development. Was Stuart Woods on a strict deadline ... this one was not up to par.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.libraryladyHC
Posted March 23, 2010
I was a Stuart Woods fan until I read this book. I was appalled by the filthy language and x-rated content in this book, and I would not recommend it to anyone. Stone Barrington needs to climb out of the gutter, clean up, or loose all your fans!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 8, 2010
I'm still reading Kisser. I'm waiting for it to get better. Maybe Stuart/Dino should go back to the Keys, those were fun reads. Sorry. I'm not going to finish reading this one.. It's going back to the library.....
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Just another Stone Barrington book--more sex, less story.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 13, 2010
I've read most of Stuart Woods' books and this is THE WORST. First, the editing was horrible, leaving an ending that made no sense. Stone is always falling into bed with some gorgeous woman or other, but this book read like a men's magazine fantasy forum. The storylines were also lacking in suspense: you knew how it was going to turn out from the beginning. If you have absolutely nothing else to read, go ahead, but if you have anything else to do, skip this one.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 14, 2010
Stone Barrington is at it again, but this time with a lot more sexual escapades. Right off the bat, Stone meets a rising Broadway starlet and immediately makes his conquest by offering to protect this damsal in distress, or is she? While working for Woodman and Weld, Stone meets more women and the fun begins. The villians are a crazy ex-husband, a Broadway producer, an Art Gallery Owner and his daughter, a wanna-be Picaso and a Bernie Madoff type investment scam. Dino, as usual, has his back. Eduardo and family resurface. The police department needs Stone's help. When he gets a temporary badge, he isn't very happy. With his retirement at stake, and a stalker on his street, you will enjoy the ride to see how it all turns out. Mr. Woods characters are at their best, eating, drinking, and well....you know.........
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 30, 2010
I have read most of Mr. Woods' books and have enjoyed the majority of these. However, "Kisser" is a waste of time. I quit reading on page 126 due to lack of interest and will not keep it in my library nor will I donate it to the library. I can appreciate the use of the f... and the s... bomb when it fits the characters and the realism of the story; but, to frequently and randomly toss them in where they do not fit is a silly attempt at shock value. The main character's,Stone Barrington's, inability to be introduced to any female without being in bed for wild sex before you reach the bottom of the page gets absurd as a recurring theme chapter after chapter. Mr. Woods, please re-read your earlier works and go back to what made you suscessful.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 28, 2010
There is nothing terribly new in this latest in Wood's vast collection but,as always, it's well worth the read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 23, 2010
I Also Recommend:
A lot of repetition and too many trips to Elaines!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Stone Barrington is back again with an exciting assignment involving several interlinked challenges.
A very enjoyable quick read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LibrarianCC
Posted February 22, 2010
I Also Recommend:
This book left me flat, the sex is ridiculous and boring after a time. I am no prude but this guy cannot be real. He never ever uses protection? No mention of it, just goes around doing anybody anytime. I usually enjoy the escape aspect of Woods' novels, but this one didn't even come close.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 21, 2010
As a long term reader and collector of Mr. Woods' writings, it is always fun to read his works. Recently he has become more "boiler plate" than original. It is almost easier to refer to former books for more of the same. However, "Kisser" is better. Since the author was "asked" to write three books a year rather than two, he has become too much of the same, but herein is a good read. "Hothouse" and "Kisser" show more sexual maturity and grit than his early works, I am sure there is some compatibility between his private life and his public writing. Whatever, "Kisser" is fun, fast and more enjoyable than last years' works. Keep it up and though I enjoy his books, I think two is better than three a year.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 20, 2010
The basic story and characters were good, but it reads too much like a trashy romance novel, to the point of absurdity. This is not Stone Barrington at his best.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 8, 2010
I think Stuart Woods is a great author but........this book is not good. To much detail on Stone's sex life. I was looking forward to a good mystery but all I got was a lot of pron.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 4, 2010
I have read all the Stone Barrington books by Stuart Woods and while not heavy reading they were all good. There was so much gratutious sex in the KISSER it was hard to find the plot. I am not a prude by any means and I know Stone likes his sex but come on! Let's hope Lucid Intervals coming out in April has a better plot
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 30, 2011
Great reading
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Posted May 25, 2011
This book wad bad to the extreme its gross!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 30, 2011
This book is not fit for anyone to read I want it out of my library I will not fiinish reading Shame on the author I have read several Stone Barrington books This will be the last!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Mister_Nobody
Posted January 20, 2011
For fans of Stuart Woods books you will continue to love them with this latest entry. New fans will find an author who truly understands the term "fast paced". "Kisser" is the 17th book in the popular Stone Barrington series and this one is just as exciting and fun as the others. The reasong why I like Woods' novels are simple: fun, fast and furious are the words I use. His books are not high literature, but breathless beach reads for any day of the week or weekend. "Kisser" was the first one I had read in quite awhile and I easily fell into his writing rhythm. Great read!
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Overview
The New York Times bestsellerA fetching Broadway actress has a pout to die for, a past to hide from- and Stone Barrington on her case...