Orchid Beach

Well, now I understand what is the meaning to read a book in one seating. I started the book at 18:30 and finished it at 02:25. I am a slow reader, but the booked sucked me in from the first sentence.
I was browsing through a bookshelf that I usually don't look for books, but this time Orchid Beach did captivate me. It is my first Stuart Woods book, but it indeed isn't my last, and as I saw he has a lot of books.
Holly is a solid female character, mainly working in a very patriarchal type of work, she is very opinionated and will put men at their place if she has to. I will give a trigger warning for violence and rape, but if you picked to read a murder mystery, you know the chances of that.
Daisy the Doberman is a very smart one, she is show more faithful, and I can't wait will Holly and Daisy have in the next books.
The only thing that I didn't like is the fast love interest, for me, it was fast, and that is the reason I give this book a 4.5-stars.
I liked the collaboration between Orchid Beach PD and the FBI, you don't see it so much in books, and it was an interesting one. In this book you two generations of military, the generation of Holly's father and Holly's generation.
This book was published in 1998 and I really like it. show less

It's been a number of years since I read this series so I decided to go back and see how Holly Barker started out. She's a major in the Army's Military Police but when she loses a sexual harassment suit she's filed against her boss, she knows her career is over. She accepts a job as Deputy Police Chief in Orchid Beach Florida under her dad's old pal Chet Marley,.

When she arrives in Orchid Beach she discovers that he has been shot and is in critical condition. Holly heads out to meet Chet's close friend, wheelchair bound Hank Doherty, and finds him killed in a similar manner. She also meets one of the most amazing dogs, a Doberman Pinscher named Daisy. Holly is also met with resistance by some members of the town police and has to fight show more them as well as find out who shot Chet and Hank

The plot progresses quickly and the book is a fast read with likable characters. If you already read Stuart Woods novels, you'll be familiar with the style. I've grown weary of his Stone Barrington series and this was a nice change if you're not looking for anything too detail oriented. show less

I chose this book simply because I am trying to read a book that takes place in each state and I have friends that live in Vero Beach, Florida so I am very familiar with Orchid Island. I didn't think I would be a Stuart Woods fan; the synopsis of his books never really interested me. However, I was hooked on this book from the beginning.

Holly Barker retires from the Army after her superior was found innocent of all charges that she made against him. She was offered a job as assistant chief of police in Orchid Beach, Florida and accepted. The day she arrived in Orchid Beach, the police chief is shot in the head. Holly takes over the investigation. While driving around the island she discovers a community that is totally cut off from the show more rest of Orchid Beach. Although it is rightfully her territory, she is told in no uncertain terms that she cannot enter the property without a warrant. It seems that the island is totally self sufficient. It has its own airport, golf courses, security, and all the shops and stores they need to survive. Holly also discovers that almost everyone that works here is packing heat. Even the bartenders and waiters. That piques Holly's interest and eventually the interest of the FBI and DEA.

This is one book I couldn't put down. show less

Story moves along at a good pace with little wasted action. Holly seemed way more capable of running the office than I would have expected. Nice how the dog, Daisy, added to the story to the point I was thinking where is she when I thought there was going to be action. Good for her father, Ham, and his involvements. Surprised that there was so much with FBI in first book in the series and that Holly's love interest with Jackson the lawyer got so involved. The attack on Palmetto Gardens was surprisingly easier than I thought and figured it would a part in future stories.

Mindless summer reading. Holly Barker Chief of Police, goes after a mysterious large property. After 50+ Barrington books, this one met expectations--there was a lot of action, but not much sex. Additionally, the local chief cooperates with the FBI....not very Barrington like. Finally, there were a couple of errors: dad retired from the ARMY as a Senior Master Sergeant, an Air Force rank. There is a lot of potential in the characters who did not get killed off. The next book in the Holly Barker series should be fun.

Holly Barker turns in her military bars for the badge of the deputy chief of police in Orchid Beach, FL. Before she can report to the chief, he is found shot to death beside his car. New on the job, Holly immediately starts digging for answers. Along the way she acquires Daisy, a doberman of exceptional qualities and Jackson, a new love interest. This was my second Stuart Woods read and I have enjoyed both. I was a tiny bit annoyed at some petty poor research items--some of the gun talk amd estate laws in Florida--just wish authors would get it right. But that was trivial

This seems to be a great start to a series. A female cop and her dog. There is nothing "cozy" about this mystery. There is no humor. It's a true mystery with a woman in charge.