HOT MAHOGANY: A Stone Barrington Novel
Stuart Woods
Putnam Adult
Thriller
ISBN: 9780399155154
Attorney and former NYPD detective Stone Barrington is having dinner at his frequent hangout, Elaine's, a cozy Manhattan restaurant near his home. As usual, one of his dinner companions is his ever-present former partner, Dino Bacchetti. The two are confused though when another friend and colleague, Lance Cabot, enters the restaurant, only to enter it again minutes later without ever having left.
It turns out that the first man was Barton Cabot, the long-lost brother of Lance Cabot, deputy director of operations for the CIA. While Stone and Dino know Lance, they have yet to make Barton's acquaintance.
Barton is suffering from amnesia after being beaten by an unknown assailant. As usual, Stone finds himself drawn into an unusual situation when he agrees to watch over Barton and help him find out the details of his life that he has now forgotten. Lance isn't able to offer much in the way of assistance as he and Barton have been estranged for years.
Unfortunately, when Stone turns his back for a moment, Barton disappears. Can anything ever go smoothly? Luckily, Stone has many connections and is able to track Barton down and aid him in piecing together the mystery of his life.
As the plot thickens, it is discovered that before he retired to the countryside, Barton was a commander in the Vietnam War. Several subordinates and cohorts from that time suddenly make a reappearance and become additional suspects. Is there anyone who wasn't interested in this fine piece of furniture?
As usual, Stone manages to woo more than one woman per novel, a la James Bond. It takes only a moment for Stone to make a connection with a lady, and they always find him as appealing as he does them. He's also not above pawning one off on an unsuspecting friend when he tires of her company. Holly Barker, a character from Woods's Orchid Beach series, also makes an appearance. The author manages to seamlessly weave characters from one series to another in a most believable way so that it's easy to forget which series you are reading.
In HOT MAHOGANY, Stone spends much time in the New England countryside, both at his home and the homes of others, making one eager for a getaway to the Northeast, particularly to the rich and luxurious homes of those who can afford to purchase the antique secretary. The book is familiar in a comforting way, bringing us characters we've come to know and love. On the other hand, there are many new and intriguing faces --- characters who truly are characters. The mystery of who stole the secretary, how they took it and its whereabouts make for interesting reading.
In fact, the only problem with HOT MAHOGANY is that it ends all too soon. Rather than living in the rich and exciting world of Stone Barrington, we are thrust back into our own mundane existence. I would like to have stayed in the world of Stuart Woods’s mind just a little bit longer.
--- Reviewed by Amie Taylor
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