Capital Crimes

Will Lee #6

by Stuart Woods

Will Lee, the courageous and uncompromising senator from Georgia, is back-now as President of the United States-in this fifth book of the New York Times bestselling series that began with Chiefs. 

When a prominent conservative politician is killed inside his lakeside cabin, authorities have no suspect in sight. And two more seemingly different deaths might be linked to the same murderer. From a quiet D.C. suburb to the corridors of power to a deserted island hideaway in Maine, Will, his CIA director wife, Kate, and the FBI will track their man, set a trap-and await the most dangerous kind of quarry, a killer with a cause to die for...

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Political Thriller

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 13, 2003

About the author

Stuart Woods was an American novelist best known for Chiefs and his long-running Stone Barrington series. A Georgia native, he initially pursued a career in advertising before relocating to England and Ireland, where he developed a passion for sailing. His love for the sport led him to write his first published work, Blue Water, Green Skipper, about his experiences in a transatlantic yacht race.
His debut novel, Chiefs, was inspired by a family story about his grandfather, a police chief. The book, a gripping crime saga spanning several decades, won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel and was later adapted into a television miniseries. It launched Woods' career as a novelist, leading to a prolific output of thrillers.
Woods' most famous creation, Stone Barrington, is a former NYPD detective turned high-profile lawyer who navigates elite circles while solving crimes. The series became a bestseller and remained a staple of his career, often featuring crossover characters from his other books, such as CIA operative Holly Barker and defense lawyer Ed Eagle.
Beyond writing, Woods was an experienced pilot and yachtsman. He maintained homes in Florida, Maine, and New Mexico, where he lived with his wife and their Labrador, Fred. His literary career spanned decades, with dozens of bestsellers to his name.

Reviews

[ML · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally a start that’s not Elaine’s late… 🫠🤣🤣

In this installment, Kate and Will are working towards a similar goal. To catch a retired loose cannon in the CIA. Many red herrings are thrown about but finally we get to the manhunt which was quite the page-turner. I had no doubt that Stuart Woods would have the lefty activist survive and parachute out of danger. The right wingers all die of course well almost all…
That part was fairly predictable but the action was fast paced and entertaining. It made it a fast read.
I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Teddy.

Onto the next….

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

President Will Lee’s administration has to use all their agencies to find an ex- CIA agent who has an agenda to take-out right-wing politicians and judges that he feels that are harming the United States. It was a fast-paced book and I enjoyed reading it. I’m a fan of Stuart Woods novels and the various characters in his books.

[Debby · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I wrote "spoiler" reviews, this review would be on fire! No kindding! I HATED the "surprise" ending of this book that much!

From the narration of the book jacket, I heard the book had a fantastic "surprise" ending, so I'm really excited to read this book. From the very beginning, the book is riveting, great story, very suspenseful, great characters. It gets to a high point in the story, the "bad guy" appears to get away again and I think, "What's going to happen next?. Ohhh this is going to be good"...right? Then within 15 minutes (remember, audio book), the book ENDS! I'm listening and a loose end that I'd been waiting to see how it would be resolved is dealt with and then I hear...Acknowledgements. WHAT???? THE END???

Stuart, did you wake up one morning and decide you were tired of writing this book and decided to just end it and turn it into your publisher? Seriously! I mean, come on! This isn't a "surprise" ending; unless you consider running into a brick wall popping up out of nowhere and hitting you in the face a "surprise"! Your ending of this book is really more like a "take a few pages to tie up any loose ends in one big knot and call it a day"....surprise ending!

Before listening to the end of this book last night, I would definitely have given Capital Crimes a 4-star rating/review as I was thoroughly enjoying the story. However, the "out of nowhere" ending spoiled the book for me! I'm being kind giving it 2 stars.

[Ashlee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again I found myself without a second book when visiting family. My grandfather, an avid Stuart Woods fan, was kind enough to lend me a book. Being from the DC area, I naturally picked up Capital Crimes. The book wasn't too bad and I found myself flipping through the pages near the end tied up in mild suspense. I was considering borrowing another Stuart Woods book right before I read the Author's Note, which appears in the back of every Stuart Woods novel that I checked on my grandfather's bookshelf. After reading his "note" I have chosen to to stop my Stuart Woods journey right then and there. While the guy has been successful in his writing ventures he makes sure to illustrate himself as a pompous diva. With his elitist attitude to top off the cake, I've decided that I can do without the fluffy dialogue, political suspense novel.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capital Crimes by Stuart Woods is an intriguing read about prominent conservative politicians being targeted and murdered. It was an interesting, easy read book that kept me intrigued until the last chapter. 3.5 stars

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

dec. 2021. still a fav. THIS IS THE TEDDY FAY KILLING SPREE THAT STARTED THE ENTIRE TEDDY SERIES!!!

Oct 2020. In the fall of 2020 with all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories about Covid 19 and "fake" news (whatever that is since to be news it need to factual. otherwise, it's opinion. But I digress with a point. Stuart Woods stories become more signifiant to me as entertainment since reality is horrifying right now. President who shows up at a presidential debate with a terrible virus, who attends "super spreader " events among his FRIENDS. Unbelievable events. So, take it away Stuart Woods and thanks for a bit a entertainment during our current pandemic.

August 2019 still a favorite!!!!!
12-18 Probably my favorite Stuart Woods story.
4-16-2016 This has become one of my favorite books for vicarious, fictional retribution.
6-13-2015 already read in the past.
don't know why it wasn't listed.
It just dawned on me, it doesn't matter if it is a Will Lee or Stone Barrington - Stuart Woods and I have similar progressive views and it comes through in his writing. If I could write, I would probably be like Stuart Woods. For me, his books are comfort food. It also dawned on me that the character of Teddy Fay is the alter ego of Stuart Woods, more so than either Stone or Will. The descriptors of Teddy are almost written while being awe-struck. Strange feeling to root for a stone killer.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you enjoy the murder of your political opponents, merely because they have different political views, then this book is for you. If you enjoy large government spending and believe all conservatives should be killed, this book is for you. If you believe that every individual in politics, intel agencies, etc are all arrogant sex fiends, this book is for you.

I think Stuart Woods must be an arrogant perverted jerk. It is too bad, as I have a lot in common with the author, including an interest in Ireland, love of Key West, interest in flying and sailing, and southern roots. Just because we differ politically, I wouldn’t want him killed by a serial killer for his beliefs; evidently, he wouldn’t feel the same about me. Nice.

[Kym Gamble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just enough of everything made this a sit on the edge of your seat kind of book. There is a killer on the loose and he is killing far-right Conservative people. There is a race to find out who it is and where they are before they kill again.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

akes u think that all politicians and all of Washington is slimy. Some of it is true I guess. What this must have been to research WOW another score

[Michael Redd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! It is good to go back and figure out some back stories that eventually meld into the Stone Barrington series. Heading to Mounting Fears to finish the series!

[Susan Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real good mystery. The 6th Will Lee mystery. Started and throughout the book to the end was suspense.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a Stuart Woods book in many a year! This has been sitting on my TBR shelf for at least 15 years. What took me so long? A solid 4 stars for me. Funny how I had to go look at the copyright date as the book revolved around right and left wing political views. I guess some things never really changed. A good read, keep my interest from the beginning, and a bit of a page turner. As a final note: There are 7 books in the “Will Lee” (President of the US) — you sure don’t need to read them in order.

[Charlotte Guzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a 3 1/2 stars. Picked for my Mystery Book Club it was a light , quick read. Stuart Woods always writes a good story and this one was good. It kept me wanting to read and who was doing all the killings. You know who did the killings about half way through but then there was the big chase scene at the end and the quick ending. Who was really the cause of all the killings? To be continued I say.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay story, but a bit slow. I much prefer the Stone Barrington series by this author. I would rate this book 3.5.

[John Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teddy Fay, Kate and Will Lee, and Ed Rawls carry this novel murder and mayhem. Oh, the Lees are of course POTUS and the CIA Director. Political revenge of sort, wipe out the far right. The ending leads to the next adventure.

[Tex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Political thriller where the returning character is the President of the United States, but the main character is an FBI agent. Some uber-left-wing activist is killing off the elite on the right and "we've got to stop him!"
Better than average--probably a 3.75. Thrilling, but not suspenseful. Will read more when I need to get a mystery in the works.

[John Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Kept my attention throughout.

[Craig Beam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capital Crimes is the third thriller featuring Will Lee, the courageous and uncompromising politician from Georgia and one of Stuart Wood’s most memorable and dynamic characters. Lee, introduced in the Edgar Award-winning Chiefs, has been at the center of some of Wood’s most beloved books, including the best sellers The Run, Grass Roots, and Run Before the Wind.

In Capital Crimes, Lee again finds himself in the middle of a tangled web of intrigue and danger, politics and power. Now at the pinnacle of his career, serving as president of the United States, Lee is faced with a most unusual task-that of marshaling federal law enforcement agencies to catch an assassin who is picking off some of the nation’s high-level politicos. When a prominent conservative politician with a shady reputation is expertly killed at his lakeside cabin, authorities can come up with no suspects and even less hard evidence. But then, within days, two other seemingly isolated deaths-achieved by very different means-are feared linked to the same ruthless murderer.

With the help of his CIA director wife, Kate Rule Lee, Will trails the most clever and professional of killers before he can strike again. From a quiet D.C. suburb to the corridors of power to a deserted island hideaway, Will, Kate, and maverick FBI agent Robert Kinney track their man and set a trap with extreme caution and care-and await the most dangerous kind of quarry, a killer with a cause to die for.

[Kumari de Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be pretty engaging at first. Then I realized it was part of a series that I had read one other book in. You can read this book stand-alone, but I think I didn't do myself any favors by not reading the whole series in order.

This particular book felt prescient because it describes a level of thug politics that I would have thought Unbelievable back in the early '00s when this was first published. And now? Here we are, Nancy Pelosi's husband attacked because the other side wants her out - and GOP politicians making jokes about the poor man's actual, physical injuries! Even in this fictional book people are not so cavalier about thug politics.

Although the book started out with a bang, it begins to lag in the middle. Without spoilers I'd say the scene where a password needs to be guessed is far-fetched. Even back then a supreme high tech person would never use such a ridiculous password, I am sure it was written that way to be a joke on film (had this been made into a film). I guess I'm saying that whenever the machinations of the bad guy are described they are pretty impressive. He's stealthy. But the good guys? Not so much. They're pretty clunky and unimpressive heroes.

Actually it remains to be seen if they are really heroes because I don't think this is the last book in the series! This book would be fine for an airplane, but if you were at the beach you'd probably have to take breaks when it lags. It took me about a month to get through it.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished 17th june 2023 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner have read at least one other from woods possibly more he certainly has a pile of stories available this one will have that vicarious appeal to liberals who have a jones for all things conservative as a former intelligence wanker from the technical side begins to assassinate conservative people politicians celebrities. will lee #6 and will lee is the president, his wife is head of the c.i.a. imagine that.

and in celebration of the whole fucking month of celebrating queers and their quest to groom minors for perverted sex here it is again:



you know you're being fucking manipulated when they devote the entire fucking month to perverted sex.

[Dr. Thomas Wasser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another frustrating read by Stuart Woods. The premise of the book is great! Its the cast of characters that is far fetched and uninteresting. Love the whole FBI characters thing, and the way that they carry out the investigations although I wish Woods would have consulted with someone to find the correct names for the levels of individuals etc. but the read is a good one up and until you get into the whole Will Lee/Kate Rule thing. I understand its a carry over from and up from Chiefs (which was Woods best book in my opinion). You could really just skip over a lot of the -- in White House -- stuff. I'ts pretty painful.
Its a lazy read and you can't really go wrong with it. It will hold your attention, but there are many situations where you will just have the "oh please" response to things. Easy to see why this line of books just didn't continue but I picked the book up at a book fair for a buck so... It was a good break from the Stone Barrington series.
Still if you like Woods, I would recommend Robert Cries (the Elvis Cole, Joe Pike series. John Sanford's series of Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport. And I'm also liking David Rosenfelt (or Rosenfeld) the Andy Carpenter series.

[SuZanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stuff, even though the "bad guys" are the "goods guys" in this novel as this writer generally assumes the bad or at least very questionable guys in real life-- politicians, CIA operatives and FBI agents --are the good guy-heroes of this book. Quite a role reversal, so I figure Stuart Woods must be a law and order conservative himself. Nevertheless, this mystery-crime novel is very engaging and moves right along with a plethora of interesting characters.

One quality of Woods' character development that I find most engaging in this novel is the interplay between the main characters, such as, the US President William Henry Lee IV, (what a name) and his wife and head of CIA Katharine Rule Lee. How they balance their roles with clear boundaries between work and personal life is a credible peek into the White House; their humorous verbal banter is entertaining too. And, of course, a splash of romance always spices up a mystery.

The second in command of the FBI, Robert Kinney is much more nuanced than his boss, James Henry, a rather bumbling fool. I wonder if that Henry character mirrors anyone in real life? In fact, the second in command, Kinney gradually evolves as a major player in the storyline. Again, his romantic life spices up the novel a tad too.

If you are inclined to murder mysteries with a political twist and a look, however fictional, inside the FBI and CIA, this is a good read.

[Alex Leidig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since there were so many characters in this novel, I cannot recall any of them, especially since none of the characters had any backstory.

A big problem I had with this book is that I was supposed to believe the president of the United States would have the time to drop everything to focus on the investigation of one man and his capture.

Another issue I had with this book was the relationship between the president and his wife. I could look over the fact that she was the head of the FBI married to the president of the United States. During their meal however, which was supposed to be a husband and wife ordeal, was more of a business arrangement. There was no talk about personal issues between the two, good or bad. There wasn't any banter back and forth as loving people do, it was all formal.

Now onto the plot, there was no reasoning or explanation as to why the antagonist was assassinating individuals other than the fact that he was a liberal and they were conservatives.

[Linda Roberti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa! Pre-meditated murder without a doubt. Chraracter has a lot of hate and the essential skills needed to commit his "perfect murders" so to speak. Scary, his own government trained him. Even though I abhor murder there is a dark side in me that admired his skills including those to avoid being caught. I hope this type of character is in stories only (I know; I'm not that naive but I can dream can't I?). My next book will be Heat by Mr. Woods. Supposedly it's a "Will Lee" book. I'm still searching for the book detailing how Will Lee's wife becomes President. Can anyone help me out with the book's name?

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being the President is lot of work, that's for sure. Will Lee would know all about that. He's just been elected in the White House,and he is excited to take on the job. Just as he begins his term,a prominent Republican senator is unexpectedly killed by an unknown person. Making things more complicated is the fact that he had an extramarital affair with a cook at his house, and the story is just days away from breaking nationally. It doesn't help that two other people are killed in the same week, and it's believed that the crimes are all linked together. Can Will Lee and his wife solve the case? Read it and find out!

[Eric Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to read a lot of this author's Stone Barrington books but not for many years . This one involves the U S President and his wife - the head of the CIA. A hardly believable plot involving a retired agent killing off high profile Americans because he doesn't agree with their politics !!! It's really quite a short book. Slightly less than 300 pages but with most pages having enough space to include a second novel . Still, the story moves along quite enjoyably with no outstanding features . A perfectly good 2/3 day read.

[Crystal Toller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a personal tragedy in my life in December and this book pulled me out of my reading slump. This is a story about Will Lee when he is president and his wife is Director of the CIA and they are hunting a murderer who used to work for the CIA, Teddy Fay. A really enjoyable book. Great character development, good editing and a really entertaining and interesting story. Just discovered this author this year and love his books. Highly recommend this book and this author.

[M. Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this immensely. I much preferred this Will Lee novel to the Stone Barrington novels. I’m guessing this is the Stuart Woods of old. Other readers have suggested that in his later books, Woods has lost interest in writing really good books, has become predictable and uses the same formulas again and again. He cranks out the books without much effort because he can. A shame. He has the talent to spin a wonderful tale.

[Alan Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable, but niggling mistakes. Burning Tree (golf) Club is in Montgomery County, MD, not Arlington County, VA. There are no rest areas with restaurants and service stations on the MD highways. There is no visitor parking near the main CIA entrance. Its McLean, not MacLean, VA. A .50 calibre anti-armor round cannot be fired from a handheld pistol - certainly not a multiple round weapon. (The first German ATR would break shoulder bones of its user.)

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, not at all what I expected. A good fast moving story typical of Stuart Woods. An unexpected introduction of Teddy Fey’s character that filled in the blanks for me since I am familiar with him from other series. I also enjoyed learning more of the back story of Ed and the Maine location mentioned in many of the Stone Barrington books.
I listened to the audiobook and while the narration was good, I missed the more pronounced southern tone in previous Will Lee books.