Hothouse Orchid

I read Stuart Woods knowing that it will be light, fluffy reading with a somewhat predictable plot. He will include gratuitous sex scenes in which the women fall at the men's feet (I imagine that he lives vicariously through these scenes), he will include flight scenes so can he show off his piloting knowledge, and he will include flirty quips by men that he most likely thinks his female readers delight at (gag).

All that being said, the plots themselves are JUST compelling enough that while I won't spend my money on them, I will check them out from the library. I've always liked the Holly Barker series (the "Orchid" books) because Holly is a strong female protagonist who was an MP, then a police chief, and is currently working in the show more CIA.

As much as Woods' plots require suspension of disbelief on a regular basis, this particular book took that to all new heights. The reader had to believe that the man who sexually harassed Holly when she was in the Army just happened to be taking over as the police chief in Orchid Beach. And that Holly just happens to run into the other woman that he sexually harassed (and in this case, raped). And that Teddy Fay (an ex-CIA employee who has since gone rogue and has his own Dexter-like agenda killing those who he deems "unpure") also just happens to be vacationing in the same area at the same time.

Oh, and then there's a murderer/rapist on the loose. Who could it be?

Stuart Woods, you have officially jumped the shark. show less

I've enjoyed this series. I would have given them all 5 stars but Stone Barrington, who I passionately hate, started rubbing off on Holly. He's trashy and it was strongly turning into another series with a man who thinks like a dog. Holly lost her strength when she was thinking about him, and sex, most of the time. Her priorities in the books with Stone became drastically askew.

A Holly Barker mystery that is well worth reading. Holly is a strong female protagonist, formerly of Orchid Beach and back for a forced vacation. Holly gets a MD boy toy and her buddy takes up with Teddy Fay...unknowingly. This is the last book in the series, so we will not know what happens to them. Typical Stuart Woods - murder and sex - light reading and fun.

Holly Barker returns to Orchid Beach on a forced vacation from her post as a CIA officer. While there she becomes involved in the investigation and hunt for a serial rapist. All her old friends are there along with a retired army colonel who had been her boss and who had tried to rape her. Since he was the new Chief of Police it makes for some awkward moments. That, combined with the appearance of another old enemy, provides some interesting twists to the plot.

Typical Stuart Woods - murder and sex abounding, but this time with just Holly Barker, who not surprisingly finds a new love and an old adversary (not one and the same this time). And even though I figured out who the killer was before the end, I got the feeling that Woods wanted it that way and it was and wasn't a surprise.

An easy and compelling read - as always.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a really fast and entertaining novel. There were a couple of times when the story repeated elements such as telling the same character the same information twice, but it is a book for my enjoyment and it fullfilled that. The author was able to hook you into the plot right away and attach to characters. I was able to figure out who committed the crimes fairly early, but it was not obvious. Great book for light reading!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I was happy to read another book of Stuart Woods with Holly Barker as the main character. While Holly Baker is on an ordered vacation she returns to her house in Orchid Beach, Florida, where she becomes involved in a case of serial rape and murder. Holly was attacked but she was rescued by a couple passing by and they chased away the murderer. When she is taken to the hospital she meets a doctor. She has a fling with the doctor. The plot has a lot of twists and turns with Holly meeting old foes from her past.