Woods, Stuart 1938- (Stuart Lee)

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Woods, Stuart 1938- (Stuart Lee)

PERSONAL:

Original surname Lee, legally changed to stepfather's name in 1955; born January 9, 1938, in Manchester, GA; son of Stuart Franklin (in business) Lee and Dorothy (in business) Woods; married, 1984 (divorced, 1990). Education: University of Georgia, B.A., 1959. Politics: Democrat.

ADDRESSES:

Agent—Anne Sibbald, Janklow & Nesbit, 445 Park Ave., New York, NY 10022. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer, novelist, copywriter, and creative director. Advertising writer and creative director with firms in New York, NY, 1960-69, including Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborne; Papert, Koenig & Lois; Young & Rubicam; and J. Walter Thompson; creative director and consultant with firms in London, England, 1970-73, including Grey Advertising and Dorland; consultant to Irish International Advertising and Hunter Advertising, both in Dublin, both 1973-74; freelance writer, 1973—. Past member of board of directors of Denham's, Inc. Licensed and instrument-rated pilot. Military service: Air National Guard, 1960-68, active duty, 1961-62; served in Germany.

MEMBER:

Writers Guild of America, Authors Guild, American PEN, New York Yacht Club, Royal Yacht Squadron, The Century Association.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Recipient of advertising awards from numerous organizations in New York, including Clio award for television writing and Gold Key award for print writing; Prix de Literature Policiere (France), for Imperfect Strangers; Edgar Award, Mystery Writers of America, 1980, for Chiefs; Edgar Award nomination, for Palindrome.

WRITINGS:

"WILL LEE" SERIES; NOVELS

Chiefs, Norton (New York, NY), 1980.

Run Before the Wind, Norton (New York, NY), 1983.

Deep Lie, Norton (New York, NY), 1986.

Grass Roots, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1989.

The Run, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

Capital Crimes, Putnam (New York, NY), 2003.

"STONE BARRINGTON" SERIES; NOVELS

New York Dead, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.

Dirt, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.

Dead in the Water, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.

Swimming to Catalina, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

Worst Fears Realized, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1999.

L.A. Dead, Putnam (New York, NY), 2000.

Cold Paradise, Putnam (New York, NY), 2001.

The Short Forever, Putnam (New York, NY), 2002.

Dirty Work, Putnam (New York, NY), 2003.

Reckless Abandon, Putnam (New York, NY), 2004.

Two-Dollar Bill, Putnam (New York, NY), 2005.

Dark Harbor, Putnam (New York, NY), 2006.

Fresh Disasters, Putnam (New York, NY), 2007.

"HOLLY BARKER" SERIES; NOVELS

Orchid Beach, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

Orchid Blues, Putnam (New York, NY), 2001.

Blood Orchid, Putnam (New York, NY), 2002.

Iron Orchid, Putnam (New York, NY), 2005.

NOVELS

Under the Lake, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1987.

White Cargo, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 1988.

Palindrome, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1991.

Santa Fe Rules, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1992.

L.A. Times, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1993.

Dead Eyes, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.

Heat, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.

Imperfect Strangers, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

Choke, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

The Prince of Beverly Hills, Putnam (New York, NY), 2004.

Short Straw, Putnam (New York, NY), 2006.

NONFICTION

Blue Water, Green Skipper (Dolphin Book Club selection), Norton (New York, NY), 1977.

A Romantic's Guide to the Country Inns of Britain and Ireland, Norton (New York, NY), 1979.

Contributor to magazines, including Yachting.

Contributing editor and restaurant critic for Atlanta.

ADAPTATIONS:

Chiefs was filmed as a television miniseries starring Charlton Heston, 1983; Grass Roots was filmed as a television miniseries, 1993.

SIDELIGHTS:

Stuart Woods is a writer of suspenseful thrillers that regularly make their way onto the bestseller lists. Woods has enjoyed equal success with three series—the "Will Lee" books about modern politics, the "Stone Barrington" mysteries, and the "Holly Barker" books featuring a female protagonist and her feisty Doberman sidekick, Daisy. A Publishers Weekly reviewer characterized the author's work as a "breezy and irreverent brand of detective fiction, full of mischievous asides." David Pitt, in a Booklist review of The Run, commended Woods as a "careful, talented writer" whose stories "should please … anyone who loves good political fiction."

Woods began his writing career as an advertising executive but was smitten with the sailing life while living in Europe. Upon receiving an inheritance, he commissioned the construction of his own boat and took to the seas as a sail racer. His first publication, Blue Water, Green Skipper, is the story of his own experiences as a novice at transatlantic voyages. He once told CA: "Blue Water, Green Skipper is a memoir deriving from my decision to sail in the 1976 Observer Single-Handed Transatlantic Race (OSTAR), though I had only eighteen months to build a boat and learn to sail it. I also sailed in the 1979 Fastnet race, in which many lives were lost." He added: "I expect to continue ocean racing and cruising, including a transatlantic crossing from England to Antigua." This trip was indeed accomplished in 1979.

In reviewing Blue Water, Green Skipper, Holger Lundbergh of Yachting declared: "The step-by-step account of how this green skipper in a remarkably short time became a seasoned blue-water sailor is beautifully told by a young American from Georgia, a brilliant stylist, a man of humor, courage, and patience." Lundbergh added that the book is "dramatic and inspiring reading of rare quality."

Woods's novels are fast-paced adventures that are frequently set in high society, among power politics, or deep in the entertainment world. His first novel, Chiefs, introduced Senator Will Lee and his CIA deputy director wife, Kate, who find themselves enmeshed in a series of intrigues on Capitol Hill. The Lees are also featured in Grass Roots and The Run, among others. A Publishers Weekly critic stated that Senator Lee "is for the most part about as likable as a politician can be, and boasts impeccable Democratic stripes."

Capital Crimes finds Lee's political fortunes considerably advanced: he has become the president of the United States, and Kate is now the director of the CIA. The death of abrasive conservative senator Frederick Wallace, shot to death in his lakeside cabin, gives both Will and Kate pause. Wallace was known to have numerous enemies and even kept secret files on many of his foes. At first Will and Kate think the senator's murder might be strictly politically motivated, but the death of a conservative radio host from a car bomb hints at the beginnings of a pattern in the killings. A highly skilled weapons expert, it seems, is targeting conservatives, and Kate must determine if the killer is connected in any way to the government. Former CIA agent Ed Rawls, serving time in prison for treason, believes that he can identify the killer, but demands a pardon in return. Meanwhile, other investigations come up short of anything but additional murders. Booklist reviewer Kristine Huntley called the novel "exciting reading for Woods's many fans."

Woods's most popular works are those featuring the character of Stone Barrington, an ex-cop turned New York City lawyer and detective. Over a series of novels, Barrington has evolved from a cash-strapped street-level hero to a wealthy, jet-setting gumshoe with an international clientele. What has remained consistent is Barrington's fondness for romantic encounters with women and his reliance upon his longtime fellow detective Dino Bacchetti to help him solve his cases. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that, when writing Barrington series novels, "Woods is eternally in bestseller mode."

In Dirt, for example, Barrington is hired by a sexually voracious gossip columnist to find out who is faxing damaging information about her to influential people around the city. June Vigor, a reviewer for Booklist, found Dirt to have "brisk sex, designer name-dropping, and the voyeuristic tingle of dishing dirt on the rich and famous." A Publishers Weekly correspondent also praised Dirt, noting: "This slickly entertaining suspenser displays Woods at the top of his game with no signs of flagging …. [This] superbly paced tale [is] subtly reminiscent of the waggish P.G. Wodehouse, [and] Woods delivers a marvelously sophisticated, thoroughly modern old-fashioned read." Emily Melton approved of Swimming to Catalina, another Barrington adventure, stating in Booklist that the novel is "a highly entertaining read that's chock-full of slam-bang action, fast cars, beautiful women, fine wine, and tart, tongue-in-cheek humor. Another outstanding effort."

Dirty Work puts Barrington to work investigating a case of marital infidelity. Asked to acquire incriminating photographs of Lawrence Fortescue, the husband of wealthy socialite Elena Marks, and his presumed mistress, Barrington hires Herbie Fisher, an old friend's nephew, to stake out Fortescue and take the pictures. Herbie proves to be spectacularly incompetent at this assignment. Worse, he fell through the skylight he was leaning on and landed atop Fortescue's dead body. It is not the impact with Herbie that killed Fortescue however, but poison, presumably given to him by his absent mistress. As the investigation continues, British agent and Barrington love interest Carpenter, also known as Felicity Devonshire, points out that Fortescue's companion appears to be Marie-Therese du Bois, a mysterious female assassin with numerous forged identities who seems intent on killing many of Devonshire's colleagues and several others besides. Carpenter and her fellow agents are on the woman's trail, but soon Barrington discovers that Carpenter is in danger from the chameleon-like Marie-Therese. He is determined to protect his lover in any way he can, but he also feels a pang of sympathy for Marie-Therese, whose parents may have been murdered. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the novel "a crisp, fleet timekiller." Throughout the story, Stone "supplies a surprising dose of morality, and the reader finds that there is more to the story than flesh, flash, and derring-do," observed a Publishers Weekly contributor. "Readers will never be less than enthralled" with the book, commented Huntley in another Booklist assessment.

With Reckless Abandon, Woods teams up two of his popular series characters: Stone Barrington and Holly Barker. Holly has come to New York to look for Trini Rodriquez, a criminal she encountered and allegedly stabbed to death in an earlier encounter. Among his other crimes, Rodriquez is wanted for additional murders committed when he hid bombs in the caskets of two earlier victims and detonated them during the funerals. Soon, Holly and Barrington discover that Rodriquez may be out of their reach in the federal witness protection program. He is also a prime government contact, working with the CIA to help capture an Arab terrorist organization trying to involve the mafia in a money laundering operation. When not pursuing their investigations, Barrington and Barker get comfortable and engage each other in marathon sessions of vigorous sex. A Publishers Weekly critic noted that even "readers with no previous experience [with Woods's series characters] will still enjoy this amusing, full-throttle sex and crime romp."

Barrington's new client in Two-Dollar Bill, Billy Bob Barnstormer, seems to need a bodyguard more than an attorney after someone shoots at him while riding in a car with Stone. The Texan Barnstormer, whose signature gimmick is a wad of two-dollar bills, has given Barrington a fat check to place him on retainer, but Stone is suspicious. After the attempted shooting, however, Barrington agrees to let Barnstormer stay with him for a while. Soon, the man disappears, and it begins to look like Barnstormer is responsible for the strangling death of a call girl, left in Stone's guest bedroom. Barrington is also mortified when, after a night of sex with his girlfriend, district attorney Tiffany Baldwin, a video of their activities appears on the DA's Web site. When Barrington looks into the background of his former client and houseguest, he discovers that Barnstormer is a slick conman with numerous forged identities. He also finds that Barnstormer is wanted by most of the U.S. government law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, CIA, and local DA. For his part, Barrington takes a personal interest in locating Barnstormer. Woods "provides a delightful Barrington tale in which the enemy will fascinate readers with his outrageous behavior," noted an MBR Bookwatch reviewer. Huntley, again writing in Booklist, named the book "typical Woods' fare—fast-paced, glossy, and always entertaining."

Dark Harbor brings Barrington and Holly Barker together again as the pair travel to Dark Harbor, Maine, to investigate the murder of Barrington's cousin, Dick Stone, and his family, slain in their home. The local authorities believe the case is a murder-suicide, that Dick killed his family and then himself, but Barrington is not convinced. He discovers that his cousin had been working undercover for the CIA and had recently been rewarded with a significant promotion. The case is complicated by the presence of Dick's brother Caleb, who is still angry that his brother had recently cut him out of his will. As the investigation unfolds, Barrington becomes even more convinced that Dick Stone did not kill himself and his family. Soon, an even more ominous possibility arises: Barrington believes that a serial killer is involved after several female victims, including Dick's daughter's best friend, are murdered. When Holly fails to return from a jog, Barrington is terrified that she has become the killer's latest victim. "Fast pacing and an involving mystery make Woods' latest novel his best in quite a while," Huntley stated in Booklist.

Fresh Disasters brings the inept and disaster-prone Herbie Fisher back into Barrington's life. Herbie's lifestyle has resulted in a significant gambling debt owed to mobster Carmine Datilla. When Datilla's henchmen corner him and rough him up, Herbie decides that the best thing for him to do is to sue the mob boss in civil court. A laughable possibility, until Barrington finds out that he'll be the one handling the case. Worse, he is also the one responsible for serving the court papers to the menacing Datilla—no one he knows has the nerve to face such a formidable and dangerous individual. Herbie turns out to be a nightmare of a client, and Stone's patience is tested to the limit. When Barrington meets beautiful massage therapist Celia Cox, their relationship seems to be another conquest, but soon even this encounter results in unexpected complications. "Woods's new novel will please readers looking for light escapist fare," Huntley noted in Booklist. Woods "delivers few surprises, but there are plenty of laughs as the pages speed by," commented a Publishers Weekly reviewer.

Woods's other series sleuth, Holly Barker, is a former Army Military Police Battalion commander who was run out of the service after filing a sexual harassment charge against her superior. Orchid Beach introduces her story and finds her working as a deputy in the small Florida town that gives the novel its title. Holly solves crimes with the assistance of her father, Ham, and her dog, Daisy. The Florida milieu allows Woods—a part-time Florida resident—to explore the special criminal dynamic of that region. Kristine Huntley in Booklist found the "Holly Barker" series to be "suspenseful" and "exciting … sure to please Woods's many fans."

In Orchid Blues Holly's marriage to Jackson Oxenhandler is fast approaching, and with her mind occupied by the wedding, she has little time to dwell on anything involving crime or law enforcement. A bank robbery gone wrong results in Jackson's tragic death, but putting aside her grief, she steps in to investigate the robbery and killing. She narrows her suspects down to two of the bank's recent hires, one of whom lives in the nearby community of Lake Winachobee. Teaming up with her father, Ham, Holly follows the bank employee home and begins looking for background and clues. When she and Ham find themselves at a gun show, they are approached by local resident Peck Rawlings, who quickly warms to Ham because of his military background. Soon, Holly and Ham realize that Peck, and most everyone else living in Lake Winachobee, are members of a white supremacist group. When Ham and an FBI agent infiltrate the group, they discover plans for the assassination of a prominent political leader. Huntley commented that "Woods's latest yarn is fast paced and exciting." Woods "knows how law enforcement agencies—from local cop shops to the Secret Service—work, and his action scenes are clean and sharp," observed a Publishers Weekly contributor.

Woods once told CA: "Writing fiction is terribly hard work, and I intend to alleviate this oppression by continuing to write about yachting, travel, food and wine, and whatever else takes my fancy. I have found the secret to happiness: finding a way to make a living doing all the things you like best, or, to put it another way, finding a way to make all the things you like to do best tax-deductible."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1998.

Woods, Stuart, Blue Water, Green Skipper, Norton (New York, NY), 1977.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, June 1, 1994, Emily Melton, review of Heat, p. 1726; December 1, 1994, Donna Seaman, review of Imperfect Strangers, p. 635; August, 1996, June Vigor, review of Dirt, p. 1857; July, 1997, Wes Lukowsky, review of Dead in the Water, p. 1777; March 15, 1998, Emily Melton, review of Swimming to Catalina, p. 1180; September 14, 1998, review of Orchid Beach, p. 44; June 1, 1999, Emily Melton, review of Worst Fears Realized, p. 1744; April 1, 2000, David Pitt, review of The Run, p. 1413; August, 2000, Connie Fletcher, review of L.A. Dead, p. 2077; March 1, 2001, Kristine Huntley, review of Cold Paradise, p. 1189; September 1, 2001, Kristine Huntley, review of Orchid Blues, p. 4; February 1, 2002, Kristine Huntley, review of The Short Forever, p. 908; August, 2002, Kristine Huntley, review of Blood Orchid, p. 1888; February 15, 2003, Kristine Huntley, review of Dirty Work, p. 1019; September 1, 2003, Kristine Huntley, review of Capital Crimes, p. 9; March 15, 2004, Kristine Huntley, review of Reckless Abandon, p. 1244; September 1, 2004, Kristine Huntley, review of The Prince of Beverly Hills, p. 8; March 1, 2005, Kristine Huntley, review of Two-Dollar Bill, p. 1103; September 1, 2005, Kristine Huntley, review of Iron Orchid, p. 8; February 15, 2006, Kristine Huntley, review of Dark Harbor, p. 7; August 1, 2006, Connie Fletcher, review of Short Straw, p. 9; January 1, 2007, Kristine Huntley, review of Fresh Disasters, p. 24.

Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, FL), October 15, 2006, Tiffany St. Martin, "Stuart Woods Coming to Sarasota: Novelist Brings Back Popular Protagonist."

Entertainment Weekly, May 7, 1993, Nisid Hajari, review of L.A. Times, p. 53; January 20, 1995, Gene Lyons, review of Imperfect Strangers, p. 47; October 13, 2006, Thom Geier, review of Short Straw, p. 137.

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2001, review of Orchid Blues, p. 1243; February 1, 2002, review of The Short Forever, p. 140; July 15, 2002, review of Blood Orchid, p. 993; February 1, 2003, review of Dirty Work, p. 181; August 1, 2003, review of Capital Crimes, p. 992; March 1, 2004, review of Reckless Abandon, p. 202; September 1, 2004, review of The Prince of Beverly Hills, p. 837; August 1, 2005, review of Iron Orchid, p. 814; February 1, 2006, review of Dark Harbor, p. 111; February 1, 2007, review of Fresh Disasters, p. 99.

Library Journal, August, 1997, Jo Ann Vicarel, review of Dead in the Water, p. 136; July, 1999, Ronnie H. Terpening, review of Worst Fears Realized, p. 138; July, 2001, Michael Rogers, review of New York Dead, p. 132; May 15, 2002, Steven J. Mayover, review of Orchid Blues, p. 144; June 1, 2004, Barbara Hoffert, review of The Prince of Beverly Hills, p. 102; October 1, 2004, Jo Ann Vicarel, review of The Prince of Beverly Hills, p. 74; September 15, 2006, Nancy McNicol, review of Short Straw, p. 52; December 1, 2006, Barbara Hoffert, "Prepub Alert," review of Fresh Disasters, p. 88.

MBR Bookwatch, April, 2005, review of Two-Dollar Bill.

People, June 3, 2002, "Pages," Sean Gannon, review of The Short Forever, p. 47.

Publishers Weekly, November 16, 1990, Sybil Steinberg, review of Palindrome, p. 46; August 30, 1991, review of New York Dead, p. 69; March 23, 1992, review of Santa Fe Rules, p. 60; April 12, 1993, review of L.A. Times, p. 48; November 1, 1993, review of Dead Eyes, p. 65; May 30, 1994, review of Heat, p. 36; December 5, 1994, review of Imperfect Strangers, p. 66; September 4, 1995, review of Choke, p. 46; August 12, 1996, review of Dirt, p. 65; July 5, 1999, review of Worst Fears Realized, p. 57; August 23, 1999, Daisy Maryles, "Not Out of Woods Yet," p. 18; April 24, 2000, review of The Run, p. 58; June 5, 2000, Daisy Maryles, "A Run on the Charts," p. 17; September 11, 2000, review of L.A. Dead, p. 67; April 16, 2001, review of Cold Paradise, p. 46; May 7, 2001, Daisy Maryles, "Woods Catches Cold," p. 32; October 1, 2001, review of Orchid Blues, p. 34; November 12, 2001, Daisy Maryles, "Woods Goes Skyward," p. 16; January 7, 2002, review of Orchid Blues, p. 21; March 25, 2002, review of The Short Forever, p. 42; August 26, 2002, review of Blood Orchid, p. 39; March 17, 2003, review of Dirty Work, p. 52; August 18, 2003, review of Capital Crimes, p. 55; March 8, 2004, review of Reckless Abandon, p. 50; September 20, 2004, review of The Prince of Beverly Hills, p. 45; February 28, 2005, review of Two-Dollar Bill, p. 41; August 15, 2005, review of Iron Orchid, p. 28; January 30, 2006, review of Dark Harbor, p. 37; August 14, 2006, review of Short Straw, p. 179; January 15, 2007, review of Fresh Disasters, p. 30.