My Reading List - Stuart Woods

Stuart Woods novels are fun to read. They don’t usually have complicate plots. The stories are like from cookie cutters. Readers can easily tell the writing style and find a template of Stuart’s work (I can only comment on the Stone Barrington novels). Stone, a former cop, is a lawyer of a New York City law firm. Together with Dino Bacchetti, his ex-partner NYPD, a funny character, Stone solved many cases that trouble the law firm’s clients. 

Stone’s series, usually involve a luxury life style with high class. Stone likes fine food, flying, boating and of course, woman, especially mystery women, spies and murders. 

Another featured character (of its own series) focuses on a CIA officer, Holly Barker, works with Stone from time to time. 

I take Stuart’s books as good fillers in between of some heavy duty thriller books. I read many of the Stone Barrington books. The quality is not getting better. especially the most recent one, the Unnatural Act.

Stone Barrington novels

1. New York Dead (1991)
2. Dirt (1996)
3. Dead in the Water (1997)
4. Swimming to Catalina (1998)
5. Worst Fears Realized (1999)
6. L.A. Dead (2000)
7. Cold Paradise (2001)
8. The Short Forever (2002)
9. Dirty Work (2003)                  - British spy Carpenter and assassin La Biche, at New York
10. Reckless Abandon (2004)
11. Two Dollar Bill (2005)
12. Dark Harbor (2006)                - Dick Stone's case and murders at Dark Harbor, Maine
13. Fresh Disasters (2007)            - Lawsuit against Carmine Datilla, the mob, for Herbie Fisher.
14. Shoot Him If He Runs (2007)            - Where is Teddy Fay? St.Marks Island.
15. Hot Mahogany (2008)                        - The missing antique mahogany secretary.
16. Loitering With Intent (2009)  - Evan Keating and the family business, at FL keys and CT
17. Kisser (2010)               - Kerry became a new Broadway star, and Derek Sharpe’s case.
18. Lucid Intervals (2010)            - Where is Stanley Whitestone? Herbie Fisher won the lottery, etc.
19. Strategic Moves (2011)  - Pablo Gelbhardt, the transported fugitive. Jack Gunn’s case.
20. Bel-Air Dead (2011)   - The selling of Arrington’s Centurion Studios to Terry Prince in LA.
21. Son of Stone (September 20, 2011)
22. D.C. Dead (December 27, 2011)
23. Unnatural Acts –  Herbert Fisher’s on a Investor’s son and drug case after Elaine closed.
24. Severe Clear (2013) - Terrorists planned to bomb at the opening of the Arrington Hotel where everyone mentioned in his earlier books, including the presidents, came to the ceremony. Who were Wynken, Blynken, and Nod? Looked like the author wanted to end the story in a rush.

Holly Barker novels

1. Orchid Beach – Holly’s early graduation from farm and hunt for Teddy Fay in New York.

My Reading List - Lee Child

Lee Child’s character Jack Reacher, an ex-military police, a huge, lonely but very curious man hitch hiked his way around America.  He didn’t like trouble but was not afraid of trouble. His curiosity always got him into big troubles while he is looking around the country.

I recommend every single one of his Lee Child book. Lee Child is a brilliant story teller. He usually spends his time to lay out all the background and setup the scene and surrounding. Once being involuntary involved, Reaches’s curiosity, his logical thinking and his wit always helped him to build up the big and complete picture.  The plot is deep and sometimes very involved (multiple parties and organizations) so that the story makes reader’s curiosity growing accordingly. I remembered someone commented out that Lee Child has a criminal mind, very detail and thorough.

1.       Killing Floor (1997) - Reacher was unwillingly involved in a case (E unum pluribus) that his
                                           brother Joe was killed in Margrave, Georgia.
2.       Die Trying (1998) - Reacher was kidnapped unexpectedly with Holly Johnson in Chicago and 
                                     shipped to Montana by a group of crazy militia.
3.       Tripwire (1999) – From Florida to NYC, Vietnam to Hawaii, with Jodie Garber, searched for the 
                                    MIA, Victor Hobie.
4.       Running Blind: US title/The Visitor: UK title (2000): Ex-military women were murdered around 
                                                                      country in their home's bath tub covered with green paint.
5.       Echo Burning (2001) - Pecos, TX, who killed Carmen's husband Sloop. "We don't call 911".
6.       Without Fail (2002) – Who wanted to murder the vice president in DC?
7.       Persuader (2003) – Investigated Zachary Beck as an undercover in Maine.
8.       The Enemy (2004) - 1990 New Year's murder of general and Delta special agents in Fort Bird, 
                                         North Carolina. Reacher's Mom passed away.
9.       One Shot (2005) – Jame Barr, the parking lot sniper case in Indiana.
10.   The Hard Way (2006) - Kidnapping of Kate and Jade Lane in NYC and 'private military' money.
11.   Bad Luck and Trouble (2007) - We investigate. We prepare. We execute. Revenge for his old
                                                          pals between LA and Vegas.
12.   Nothing to Lose (2008) – With Vaughan, to find the secret in Mr. Thurman’s recycle in a town of
                                                 Despair, Colorado.  The line between Hope and Despair was exactly
                                                 that: a line.
13.   Gone Tomorrow (2009) – Terrorist in a NYC subway? USB drive, Politics?
14.   61 Hours (Spring 2010) – 61 hours after a bus overturned in a snowy night in North Dakota. Set
                                                the starting point of Reacher going to Virginia.
15.   Worth Dying For (Fall 2010) – Duncan Family and the corn field of Nebraska
16.   The Affair (2011) – Railway crossing case in Carter Crossing, a military base in Mississippi,
                                       Reason why Reacher quit MP in 1997
17.   A Wanted Man (2012) – With Julia Sorenson solved a murder and kidnap involved Alan King,
                                               Don McQueen and Karan Delfuenso in a small town of Nebraska.
18. Never Go Back (2013) - Reacher was there to clear his name and Susan Turner's name.
19. Personal (2014) -  John Kott who was put in jail by Reacher was sought and accused by CIA and State Department of attempting murder. Reacher traveled to France and England to find him.

My Reading List - Michael Connelly

While Lucas Davenport and his gang worked to keep criminals out of Twin Cities in Minnesota, LAPD detective Harry Bosch was fighting crimes at west coast. Michael Connelly's character was a systematic very organized detective. His rebellious personally, his analysis and his big crime book brought reader a straight, down to earth and detail oriented cop.

All books have complex plots and clear story lines. Michael's books keep you stay until the last page.


Harry Bosch series

1. The Black Echo (1992)
2. The Black Ice (1993)
3. The Concrete Blonde (1994) - Bosch was sued for killing Norman Church and the investigation of the serial killer "DollMaker".
4. The Last Coyote (1995)
5. Trunk Music (1997)
6. Angels Flight (1999)
7. A Darkness More Than Night (2001) -  While Harry is in the middle of a Hollywood director trial, he becomes a suspect of Terry McCaleb due to 'The Garden of Earthly Delights'.
8. City of Bones (2002)
9. Lost Light (2003) - Investigated Angela Benten case in his retirement, and found daughter
10. The Narrows (2004) – With Rachel Walling to find Bob Backus who killed Terry McCaleb.
11. The Closers (2005) – The 17 year old Becky Verloren case (the first case since Bosch’s back).
12. Echo Park (2006) – Reynard Waits and Marie Gesto case. Kiz Rider hurt badly.
13. The Overlook (2007) – The Stanley Kent and the missing radio-active cesium case.
14. The Brass Verdict (2008) – Mickey Haller works with Bosch to catch Jerry Vincent’s killer. (A)
15. 9 Dragons (2009) – Store rubbery and searching for the missing daughter in HongKong.
16. The Drop (2011) - The first two cases in his DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Plan): the death of Irvin Irving's son; a eight year old rapist?
17. The Black Box (2012)- Bosch investigated a 20 year cold case. Anneke Jesperson, a Danish journalist was murdered and it was associated with her stories from war time. Overall it was a great story, however, the very last section is too fictional.  

The quote I like: 
     If you fall out the practice you lose your edge. - The Brass Verdict

 Mickey Haller series

1. The Lincoln Lawyer (2005)
2. The Brass Verdict (2008) - See above
3. The Reversal (2010) - With Harry Bosch, Rachel Walling
4. The Fifth Witness (2011) - Defended Lisa Trammel for both her foreclosure and murder accusation of the bank head Mitchell Bondurant. Good to learn how American Justice system actually works. (A)
5. The Gods of Guilt

Jack McEvoy series

1. Scarecrow (2009) - Together with Rachel Walling, Jack chased trunk murders Wesley Carver, a security officer of a server farm, which is an internet hosting company.

 The quote I like: 

     The nature of any bureaucracy is to eliminate the free thinkers and doers. - Scrarecrow