The Short Forever

Stone Barrington is new to me. I wasn’t prepared for his willingness to trust people so much and he seemed a bit naïve but also had an odd way of viewing life. At the beginning of the story, he is enjoying some whiskey and waiting in eager anticipation for a woman that he used to live with. That is woman is Callie who pops in and tells him that she is getting married next weekend. She admits he has money but that is not all of it!

Stone get hired by a man named John Bartholomew. The first thing, I thought, when I heard that name was “Where have I heard that name before?” Stone’s assignment is to go to England and bring back Mr. Bartholomew’s niece, Erica Burrows. She is gaga over Lance Cabot and her uncle does not want her to show more end up in a British prison. Mr. Bartholomew thinks that Lance Cabot is up to no good. Mr. Bartholomew seems to be very wealthy, at least he spends money as if he is. Stone takes the case and uncovers a money making mess with people from the Middle East, art and other secrets.

What I like the most is the humor, I had to laugh quite a bit while listening. I did not think that the lovemaking scenes were necessary. Listening to this audio book was like enjoying an old black and white comedy/mystery. I felt truly entertained. So humor rather than the mystery is key. show less

A quick, fun read. Mr. Woods is a sharp writer who knows just how to keep the story intriguing and moving. He does fall a little short on some of the character development. However, despite never having read another Stone Barrington novel, I was able to get a sense of his character. This is a perfect, light read.

This book was recommended by the women in my life. By the time I finished reading it, I became a little uneasy about sleeping with both eyes closed and with my bedroom door unlocked. I'm worried about WHY, they like this series of books so much.
The protagonist in this book (and series) is one Stone Barrington, a middle aged lawyer, who used to be a police detective until he was wounded in the knee by a gunshot and has a disability pension of some sort.
The real problem is that every woman this guy meets, throws herself at him (which face it, for middle aged men, this doesn't really happen), and being the oblivious man that he is, he doesn't see most of the social nicities as flirting by the women he meets. (I've been accused of being show more the same way by some, who remain unnamed here.)
The real problem, is that the one girl in this novel who is the focus of his energies in London, does away with her fiancee in an apparent attempt to be with him, and is only vaguely sorry because he doesn't drop everything and remain with her. No real remorse over the dead boyfriend, but instead a smuggler of information is made out to be the devil incarnate.
If you can accept those reality stretches, which are similar in some respects to the James Bond series, then you will enjoy this book and probably this series.
As I said above, I'm not sure about sleeping without locking the doors, and keeping an eye open. I'm afraid if I become inconvenient, I might meet the same fate. show less

A quick, fun read. Stone's assignment--find his mysterious new client's missing niece who is somewhere in London. Oh, and this novel has the usual Stone Barrington action and excitement with more than just a touch of sexual intrigue. In addition to Stone and Dino, Carpenter and Lance Cabot are introduced for further use in the series.

A Suave, Sophisticated Mystery with a Bond-ish Hero

In The Short Forever by Stuart Woods, retired homicide detective-turned-PI Stone Barrington--a cross between James Bond and Spenser--is sent on what might be a 'wild goose chase'. His assignment: to find his mysterious new client's missing niece who is somewhere in London.

Stone leaves the US and the niece, Erica Burroughs, is found rather quickly. But then the plot thickens. She has no uncle. Stone is stumped. He soon finds himself embroiled in a puzzling case, where most of the pieces don't add up. Just who is his client John Bartholomew? And what does he want with Erica and her drug-smuggling boyfriend Lance Cabot?

Erica introduces the dashing detective to her sister Monica, and things show more heat up. And the appearance of two former lovers unsettles Stone, especially when old flame Sarah Buckminster hosts a weekend get-together with her fiance James and invites Erica, Monica, Lance and Stone. But fun and games turns swiftly into tragedy as a boating accident claims a life. Then more bodies turn up and Stone is thrown headfirst into an international dilemma.

Best Selling author Stuart Woods delves deep into his characters, giving them plausible backgrounds and emotions. He creates means, motive and opportunity for each suspect and gives you just the right mix of action, suspense and romance. This page-turner contains every element that makes an excellent suspense and Woods drives home the twists at every possible corner.

If you're looking for a good read, with interesting, quirky and multi-faceted characters and tons of fast-paced action, pick up a copy of The Short Forever. Kudos, Mr. Woods!

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
author of Divine Intervention show less

Cop-turned-investigator Stone Barrington has a new client, John Bartholemew, who asks him to fly to London in search of a young woman who he suspects has taken up with a mysterious character. Bartholemew asks Stone to see what he can find to discredit the man, Cabot, which seems a simple enough task, and Stone is eager to spend time in London with his friend Sarah Buckminster. What Stone finds is more bizarre than he had expected. The woman in question isn't related to Bartholemew in quite the way he had implied. And it appears that Bartolomew and Cabot, who once worked together on a secretive assignment, ow have very different versions of what went wrong. When Stone himself is implicated in a shocking double murder, he and his partner, show more Dino, know they have stopped into a strange case unlike any other. show less

The Short Forever is a good summer read. There are a few unexpected twists and turns that kept me involved. I think it is one of the better Stuart Woods book I have read.