Dead in the Water

Stone Barrington #3

by Stuart Woods

Stone Barrington has barely arrived in St. Marks, a lovely Caribbean island nation, for a planned sailing vacation when something very strange happens: a beautiful young woman sails into the harbor entirely alone on a large yacht.

Before long she is under the intense scrutiny of local authorities in the very considerable person of Sir Winston Sutherland, the local Minister of Justice. The problem is that, although she arrived alone, she had departed the east side of the Atlantic in the company of her husband, a well-known writer who is no longer in evidence.

As a lawyer, evidence is what fascinates Stone and, before many pages have been turned, he is all that stands between the apparently innocent Allison Manning and the patently evil intent of Sir Winston whose motives are unclear. What is clear to Stone is that the St. Marks' system of justice bears little resemblance to the American courts to which he is accustomed, and any small error could prove fatal to his client.

Librarian's note: the characters, settings, etc. for the first 30 books in the series are complete: #1, New York Dead, 1991; #2, Dirt, 1996; #3, Dead in the Water, 1997; #4, Swimming to Catalina, 1998; #5, Worst Fears Realized, 1999; #6, L.A. Dead, 2000; #7, Cold Paradise, 2001; #8, The Short Forever, 2002; #9, Dirty Work, 2003; #10, Reckless Abandon, 2004; #11, Two Dollar Bill, 2004; #12. Dark Harbor, 2006; #13, Fresh Disasters, 2007; #14, Shoot Him if He Runs, 2007; #15, Hot Mahogany, 2008; #16, Loitering with Intent, 2009; #17, Kisser, 2009; #18, Lucid Intervals, 2010; #19, Strategic Moves, 2010; #20, Bel-Air Dead, 2011; #21, Son of Stone, 2011; #22, D.C. Dead, 2011; #23, Unnatural Acts, 2012; #24, Severe Clear, 2012; #25, Collateral Damage, 2012; #26, Unintended Consequences, 2013; #27, Doing Hard Time, 2013; #28, Standup Guy, 2014; #29, Carnal Curiosity, 2014, and #30, Cut & Thrust, 2014.

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

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

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

[Diane Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting read! cleverly crafted writing with a good plot-twist combine in a great series...highly recommend...(paperback!)

[Eli - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of an odd situation for a lawyer to get himself into in a foreign country, while waiting for his girlfriend to show up for vacation. The twist wasn't completely unexpected, however still a well written story that kept my interest through the whole book.

[S.P. Aruna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy quick read, with the substance of popcorn. mass produced fiction a notch above a comic book.
2D cardboard characters lots of dialogue, though not all of it very good. Detailed descriptions for the most part are minimal, except when cooking a fancy meal. Twist at the end was unsatisfactory, underdeveloped, and somewhat contrived. Despite all that, it was still fun.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. Strange things seem to happen to New York lawyer Stone Barrington. Is it good luck or bad? I truly enjoy these earlier stories. In the previous novel, Dirt, he met the lovely Arrington Carter. They are now living together. But she is suddenly up to her ears doing an exclusive interview for the New Yorker with Vance Carter, one of America's leading film stars, and can't make the yachting adventure Stone planned. We open with him waiting for her on the fictional island of St. Marks in the Caribbean, not far from beautiful Antigua. While bemoaning her absence, he glances at another yacht, much bigger, entering the port of English Harbour. [Note: this town is actually in Antigua!] The only person on board? Allison Manning, another lovely young woman. We soon hear her story. She and her mystery-writer husband had left the Canary Islands to sail across the Atlantic when Paul apparently suffered a heart attack and died. She claims she buried him at sea, but authorities in St. Marks charge her with murder. Is Stone her new friend or her new attorney? Temptations. Get ready for twists and don't forget, St. Marks still has capital punishment. (Ja2020/Oc2025)

[Barbara ★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this was more a sexfest than anything else. Allison Manning jumps right into bed with Stone Barrington (her lawyer) just days (weeks) after her husband whom she claims to love dearly has died. Stone is alone on vacation in St. Marks. Though that was not the intention. His girlfriend was supposed to join him but weasels out at the last moment. Now Stone is all set to propose to her so the man whore elements come as a real surprise to this reader.

I am not impressed with Stone Barrington. He is unethical and incompetent. What kind of lawyer puts someone on the stand in a murder trial without investigating their claims? And interestingly enough the other book I read by Mr. Woods also took place in St. Marks and none of these crazy judicial quirks were mentioned. With his prior knowledge, you would expect Stone to be aware of the BS that was going to happen before, during and after the trial.

I won't be subjecting myself to anymore of Stone Barrington's antics as there are much better novels out there.

[Barb · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read the first two Stone Barrington books. I put up with the sex portions, although I felt it was a distraction from the (otherwise) good story. However, "Dead In The Water just went downhill for me. It was hard to figure out if there was a story line or just a listing of sexploits. Too bad as I bought about 12 or so of his books at our last library sale. All of his books will be donated back to the library for their next book sale, unread by me. He really seems to be a good author. Seems like he just got lazy and used sex as filler? Oh well, on to all the other wonderful books that are waiting for me!!!!
By the way, I didn't finish the book and I rated what I did read as 1 star. Would have given it 0 (zero) stars if I could have figured out how to do that.

[Author Annabelle Leigha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stuart Woods is the King of the plot twist! No spoilers but OMG!

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead in the Water by Stuart Woods is the 3rd book in the Stone Barrington series. Stone Barrington has planned a sailing vacation from St. marks in the Caribbean but when a young wealthy women sails in and is arrested for murdering her husband with no evidence, he is compelled to help her. It is difficult to believe the political and legal situation that Stone finds himself in and he seems to have no problems with sleeping with his client while waiting for his girlfriend to arrive. A fast paced mystery with plenty of twists and turns and a surprising ending. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Read: I really enjoyed the faxes, looking for payphones, etc. the characters had to engage in to get in touch with each other. I enjoyed the plot. They were well written and believable, so that wasn't it. It was more about what it said about the characters, particularly Stone. A great character will always have flaws, but a fantastic character will agonize over having those flaws and fight coming to terms with them. In other words, a fantastic character has a conscience. That was lacking a bit in Stone Barrington. This book has a very surprise ending--favorable. Book was OK. This is my 3rd or 4th book, and overall I've enjoyed all of them to a point.

Second Read: Dead in the Water is the third novel in the Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods. It was first published in 1997 by HarperCollins. The novel takes place on the island of St. Marks, after the events in Dirt. The novel continues the story of Stone Barrington, a retired detective turned lawyer/private investigator

Plot: On a short vacation to escape his now hectic life in New York City, Stone Barrington set his sight on a lovely and romantic getaway to the islands of St. Marks. His companion, Arrington Carter, all-round superstar was to join him the next day.

Three events would ruin Stone's plans for a romantic boat cruise about the islands and leave him in the mist of a life or death trial. One was the New York weather, snowing in every airport available. Next was the saddening and fearsome ambition of his beau, Arrington Carter, high-profile host and interviewer, who decided to track down another must-have editorial. Last was the sweet and gorgeous All-American girl standing trial for murdering her husband, where if convicted meant death, by hanging.

Racing to prove the young widow innocent of any wrongdoing pits Stone against a determined protector standing on the verge of becoming the next Prime Minister of St. Marks. With little time to work the case, leaving the young woman's head in a balance, Stone, once a police officer, now an up-and-coming lawyer, will do what he does best, defend his client with every skill he has to offer. Stone just hopes he didn't lose the new love of his life for his own fearsome and saddening ambition.

[Rebekkila · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stone Barrington only wants a winter getaway from the chill of New York in the beautiful, tropical Caribbean paradise of St. Mark's. But what the lawyer and ex-cop gets instead is the chance to defend Allison Manning. The beautiful young woman stands accused of killing her rich husband on board their luxurious yacht and then burying him at sea.Stone isn't exactly conversant with the island country's law, but this much is clear to him: Allison is being railroaded by the perverse sense of justice of a prosecutor who will do anything to stay in office. Donning the robe and wig of a British barrister, Stone does everything he can to save Allison - from publicizing the case all over the American press to conducting the kind of smart tough investigation that money can't buy. Just when he has the jury in the palm of his hands, a shocking reversal of fortune changes everything. And what was once a sure thing begins to look a lot like a death sentence.
I am not quite sure why I torture myself reading this series. The person who wrote the description on the back of the book clearly hasn't read it. Stone is incompetent, sketchy, and full of bad judgment.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead in the Water (Stone Barrington)
Stuart Woods

So, starting this series as a new reader to it, I have to say that I really enjoyed this action-packed and well-written novel. Barrington is on his way to a well-deserved vacation on a sailboat when his GF can't get away from work and has to reschedule her flight to the next day... and then the next day and the next and then she says she can't make it.. Love ya, see ya and then respectfully.

But Woods holds no punches back and marches Stone Barrington out with all of his flaws on full display! I loved it.. after being stood up, he strays from his relationship only to find that the "love of his life" is now someone else's wife.. good he cheated on her...

He is trying to save the life of his client found on vacation and she is RICH and a widow. Her husband died at sea and because of the heat... yep.. she shoved the body overboard. No evidence. Now she is on trial for murder in a corrupt country with the death penalty looming at the end of the week.

The plot was sharp, the writing was clean and the characters were real.. what more could I ask for?

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler alert, so don't read any further if you plan on reading this book. It's an OK read, but the finish isn't done very well.

Here's are my issues with it:
1) Plot is straight out of male fantasy. Go to tropical island. Girlfriend just can't seem to get there with you as planned. Beautiful damsel in distress pulls up in her giant yacht, finds herself in a contrived murder trial in backwoods island, and needs help. Beautiful woman is also a raging horndog.

2) Lawyer doesn't do background check on one of his witnesses at all to even confirm he's who he says he his. Duh.

3) Turns out his 'witness' is actually the defendant's husband, who had managed to keep his yap shut the whole time while the lawyer is banging the client repeatedly? Umm...no.

Sooo...it's a fast read, but there's much better creativity out there. Doubt I'll read another one of this guy's books.

[Joanne Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

These books are surprisingly good mysteries.

Stone finds himself alone in St Marks after being stood up by his girlfriend, when he stumbles onto a case. A woman is accused of killing her husband at sea and disposing of the body.

These books suffer a little with Stone falling into bed with any free woman available, even though he is in a relationship. It doesn't bother me enough to stop me reading the books but it is annoying all the same.

What Woods does well is a twist - no spoilers here but I really did not see it coming.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great novel from Stuart Woods.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

Stone is in islands
Woman's husband died at sea
She's tried for murder

I don't care for Stone
He claims ethical but cheats
Still, plot pretty good

[Tgordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow quick and exciting! New to this series but I’m going to go in deep quickly!

[MikeR · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Dead in the Water” by Stuart Woods

(Stone Barrington #3)

Strange things just happen to Stone Barrington; the sort of coincidences that would make Agatha Christie roll her eyes and James Bond raise an eyebrow. Is it luck? Is it bad karma? Or just the curse of being a charming, overqualified lawyer who somehow can’t go on holiday without stumbling over a corpse?

I truly enjoyed the first two books in the series — New York Dead and Dirt — so diving into Dead in the Water felt like meeting up with an old friend who is taking a holiday. This time, Stone’s escaped Manhattan for a bit of Caribbean sun on the island of St. Marks (which I’m convinced is Antigua wearing sunglasses... because there isn't a single "Island of St. Marks" in the Caribbean). He’s expecting a romantic getaway with the glamorous Arrington Carter, but alas, she’s busy interviewing Hollywood’s leading man and apparently forgot to check her flight schedule.



So there’s Stone — tanned, lonely, and staring wistfully into the turquoise waves — when along sails another yacht, captained by one very lovely (and very suspiciously alone) Allison Manning. Within pages, Stone’s romantic vacation turns into Law & Order: Caribbean Unit. Allison’s husband has conveniently died at sea, been buried overboard, and she’s promptly arrested for murder by the local authorities. Cue the courtroom theatrics, the cocktails, and the moral conundrums.

Many reviewers have complained about the, shall we say, generous amount of sex in this book — some calling it “a listing of sexploits” or tossing it aside with a DNF and a 1-star rating. Personally, after fifty years of reading, I say: relax. If you don’t like the steamy bits, do what I do — speed-read them. Don’t analyse, don’t blush, just flick past and get back to the plot. Honestly, the way some readers dissect those scenes, you’d think they were taking notes for... "fieldwork?". It’s not War and Peace, folks, it’s Wine and Briefs.



That said, I did find this one slower than the first two. The pacing meanders a little, perhaps reflecting that island mood where no one seems in a hurry - not even the accused. Still, Woods knows how to keep things entertaining: tropical backdrops, courtroom tension, political intrigue, and of course, enough witty dialogue to fill a tiki bar.

There’s a real 90s charm too - Stone’s reliance on faxes, payphones, and sheer stubbornness made me oddly nostalgic. None of that “track his cell phone” nonsense; this was detective work done with grit and stationery.



Stone himself remains a curious hero; suave, clever, slightly smug, and only occasionally introspective. A great character has flaws; a fantastic character agonises over them. Stone, bless him, doesn’t agonise much. But you still root for him, especially when the noose (literally) tightens and he’s racing to save Allison’s neck.

Without spoiling it, the ending delivers a surprise that’s both satisfying and just cheeky enough to make you grin. It’s not the most polished of the early Barrington novels, but it’s still a damn good time.

So, 4 stars from me — slower, yes, and a little more sunscreen than suspense, but classic Stuart Woods entertainment: part courtroom drama, part beach fantasy, and all wrapped up in the easy charm of a man who just can’t seem to take a normal holiday.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please Note: Read and reviewed in 2006. Updating formatting.

My Synopsis: After Stone Barrington is stood up by his girl during a trip to St. Mark's, he becomes involved in a murder trial for a fellow American, a young woman whom the local governmental big-wigs are apparently intent on railroading into a murder charge whether she is guilty or not. Stone, desperate to find some way to pressure the St. Mark's government into backing off, starts a major media blitz in the US and floods the island with reporters. Various twists and turns ensue, and the final couple of twists in the story will absolutely blow your mind.

My Thoughts: Woods had apparently been reading some L.E. Modesitt, Jr. around the time he wrote this, as he began paying very close attention to details about food for some reason, which I found quite wonderful. It's the tiny little day-to-day details in a book that truly bring it to life. I am not certain why more people do not enjoy this - I guess too many people want instant gratification and constant bang-bang action. I blame the television, and video and computer games for this. It has destroyed our capacity to enjoy details and the slow building of a story. Huzzah to Stuart Woods for going ahead and doing this anyway! He builds wonderful details into this book while still providing the action, suspense, and thrills we have come to love from this series. I am hooked!

[Kristina Deluise · Rating 2 out of 5]

i hate it when i think the detective is believing the damsel because she's pretty and he thinks he's going to get lucky

FIRST.......... he's thinking of marriage on the plane etc.

then he meets this woman, and gets a hard on, seriously..............

and is in bed with her BEFORE he even gets the dear john letter,

i really don't like that stone is forever going to bed with different women

this guy has no morals...............................

this one did not hold my attention,

i am going to try and read a few more before dumping the series.

maybe do a re-read, of j.a jance or catherine coulter, or j.d. robb

i want to go further because since there are more than 5o books,

things have to get better don't they??????????????????????????

[Toby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Work from home 2020: book 34.

Usually I enjoy reading the Stone Barrington novels so I can write a rage review, since IMO Stuart Woods is a misogynistic, bigoted, narcissistic old white man.

But this novel was actually REALLY good. It’s the 3rd book in the Stone Barrington series and was written in 1997, so I think that’s why it’s so different (& so much better) than the others that I’ve read. Because the ones that I’ve read have been far later in the series (like between books 30-45; Woods has written over 50 books in this series which is insane to me... book factory much?!).

Anyway. Definitely recommend this one. I may read other early ones to see if they’re equally as good as this!

[Kym Gamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good Stone Barrington book. It took place primarily outside the US and made you think about someone getting in trouble and being judged by non-Americans. Stone steps up and defends a woman accused of killing her husband on a yacht. Definitely different than most of his books about Stone.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love what Woods does here. Sure, Barrington stories are kind of campy and very soap opera-ish, but this is a fast read with all the components of a good murder mystery. For even those of us who think we have it all figured out halfway through, we don't. I sure like a challenge.

[Christopher Copelas · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far I think that this is the best Stone Barrington book I've read. Very interesting and captivating.

[Barbara Shanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great plot twist in this book.

[Shreela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, that long-lasting ending was a heckava rollercoaster ride! But the actual ending, whoah!

Touche Stuart Woods!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler alert. I read the Stone Barrington/Holly Barker/Teddy Fay books when I need something lighter to focus on. It is rare that Stone Barrington has a really bad day, unless it's his own fault. A 'bad day' for Stone is one where he only gets a $500,000 check in the mail rather than a $1,000,000 or gets laid by only one out-of-control woman or has to make two phone calls to get a terrorist thrown out of the country. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I am enjoying "Dead in the Water," but have a bone to pick with the fact that Stone gets bamboozled by the ex-wife of a supposedly deceased ex-husband. Stone lectures "legal responsibility" to the current wife. Yes, it's a legal document, but the means by which it was enacted was deceitful by the ex. The ex-wife almost immediately dies in a plane crash. Then Stuart Woods manages to have us feel sorry for the ill mother of the now-deceased ex-wife because she has a serious disease. Stone then passes her several thousand dollars of his own money (out of guilt I suppose). Subject change... I realize this was written years ago and our society is now seriously politically polarized, but I'm so tired of hearing about "Morning Joe" and "CNN" at every turn as if Mr. Woods is pandering to his people. There are those of us who enjoy his books, but may not share his politics. As a former pilot and being fairly familiar with aircraft in general, I very much appreciate that aspect of these books. And as a retired long-term military member who worked with countless law enforcers, I don't understand Stone's seemingly blase attitude toward his own safety, despite his former police career. I can't think of a single former police officer or federal agent buddy I know who would hesitate for a nanosecond to carry a firearm if a threat were known or suspected. However, I do agree with his legal advice to novices on firearms, especially in NYC. All in all, I like "Dead in the Water" and most all other Stone Barrington series books, but not everyone is from Delano Georgia, has a upper crust 'la-di-da' southern accent or is a wine/booze connoisseur. I fast-forward through all his political crap and sex.

[Joel Ungar · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you don't want to know the ending of this book then don't read the review. Suffice it to say that the ending to this book is almost identical to "Choke" by the same author and that really annoyed me.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Choke" by the same author, so I was very much looking forward to reading another novel by Stuart Woods. Overall, I found the book to be very well written. Solid story lines with twists here and there, good dialogue, and interesting characters. Once Woods hooks you he doesn't really let go.

However, as I read this book, I kept thinking that it was highly likely that the ending of this book would be essentially the same as the ending of "Choke." In "Choke" the late husband of the main female character isn't really dead after all and the main character ( I don't remember his name) was set up by the two of them. In this book, the main female character is accused of killing her husband in the middle of the ocean. Surprise!! He isn't dead.

If Woods could have been more original in this book, which was published after "Choke", I would have given this book 4 or 5 stars.

Very disappointing.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feb2019 just re-read the first and last parts of book.

Sept 2018 Still like my 2015 review!
April 2017 My 2015 was right on - in my humble opinion!

5-12-2015 I know I've read or listened to this book many years ago.
I am still in the first part but as I read, it is all coming back.
Just finished the book and didn't actually remember the ending.
Please Please do not cheat and go to the end....
Make a wager with yourself as to the ending. Then find out if you were right.
If you were right, I suggest you treat yourself to a single malt!
Happy reading!!!!!

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had I not started reading Stuart Woods’ Barrington novels midstream it would’ve been much clearer to me how he achieved his immediate popularity. These early books are quite a treat compared to most later ones in the series. That is not to say the books are anything but very lite reading and our friend Stone is way too much of a stud for my taste, but I guess some readers get off on the vicarious thrills of a ribald sex life included with their adventure stories, lol.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is growing on me. Stone is a good character, with an overactive libido and finds himself defending a woman accused of murdering her husband for money. Good twists, and interesting portrayal of a Carribean island, with archaic, English style governance and politics.