How to read Stuart Woods’ books in order

With over eighty novels under his name and multiple awards, Stuart Woods has earned himself a spot at the top of every mystery novel chart. But where should you start?

About Stuart Woods

Stuart Woods (1938–2022) was one of America’s most prolific authors of mystery novels, best known for his first novel, Chiefs, published in 1981. Woods was born in 1938 in Manchester, Georgia, where he lived and studied sociology before joining the Air National Guard and moving to New York City, where his advertising career took off. Woods has written over eighty novels and about one hundred books in total. Most of his fiction explores the intricacies of high-profile cases of the upper echelon, with strong character-driven plotlines centered around lawyers and detectives handling sensitive cases for prominent clients. The Georgian native’s Stone Barrington novels and Holly Barker series alone have sold millions of copies worldwide, being translated into about two dozen languages.

Stone Barrington books in order

Stone Barrington books are Woods’ most popular and longest-running series, with 64 novels in total. The series centers on Stone Barrington, a retired lawyer gone detective solving cases for high-profile clients.

All Stone Barrington series books in their chronological order

• Dirt (1996)
• Dead in the Water (1997)
• Swimming to Catalina (1998)
• Worst Fears Realized (1999)
• L.A. Dead (2000)
• Cold Paradise (2001)
• The Short Forever (2002)
• Dirty Work (2003)
• Reckless Abandon (2004)
• Two Dollar Bill (2005)
• Dark Harbor (2006) (
• Fresh Disasters (2007)
• Shoot Him If He Runs (2007)
• Hot Mahogany (2008)
• Loitering With Intent (2009)
• Kisser (2010)
• Lucid Intervals (2010)
• Strategic Moves (2011)
• Bel-Air Dead (2011)
• Son of Stone (2011)
• D.C. Dead (2011)
• Unnatural Acts (2012)
• Severe Clear (2012)
• Collateral Damage (2013) (
• Unintended Consequences (2013)
• Doing Hard Time (2013)
• Standup Guy (2014)
• Carnal Curiosity (2014)
• Cut and Thrust (2014)
• Paris Match (2014)
• Insatiable Appetites (2015)
• Hot Pursuit (2015)
• Naked Greed (2015)
• Foreign Affairs (2015)
• Scandalous Behavior (2016)
• Family Jewels (2016)
• Dishonorable Intentions (2016)
• Sex, Lies, and Serious Money (2016)
• Below the Belt (2017)
• Fast and Loose (2017)
• Indecent Exposure (2017)
• Quick & Dirty (2017)
• Unbound (2018)
• Shoot First (Think Later) (2018)
• Turbulence (2018)
• Desperate Measures (2018)
• A Delicate Touch (2018)
• Wild Card (2019)
• Contraband (2019)
• Stealth (2019)
• Treason (2020)
• Hit List (2020)
• Choppy Water (2020)
• Shakeup (2020)
• Hush-Hush (2020)
• Double Jeopardy (2021)
• Class Act (2021)
• Foul Play (2021)
• Criminal Mischief (2021)
• A Safe House (2022)
• Black Dog (2022)
• Distant Thunder (2022)
• Near Miss (2023)

Holly Barker books in order

Holly Barker is the chief of police in the fictional town of Orchid Beach, California, and the protagonist of Woods’ book series to which she lends her name. Her Floridian paradise, however, is hiding a dangerous snake taking the shape of countless criminals.

All Holly Barker books in their chronological order

• Orchid Beach (1998)
• Orchid Blues (2001)
• Blood Orchid (2002)
• Reckless Abandon (2004)
• Iron Orchid (2005)
• Hothouse Orchid (2009)

Ed Eagle books in order

In the Ed Eagle series, we follow the titular character and the protagonist, Ed Eagle, a Santa Fe lawyer, getting caught up in ever more dangerous situations.

All Ed Eagle Books in their chronological order

• Santa Fe Rules – set in Santa Fe, New Mexico (1992)
• Short Straw (2006)
• Santa Fe Dead (2008)
• Santa Fe Edge (2010)

Herbie Fisher books with Parnell Hall

Herbie Fisher is making his way up the ranks of a white-shoe law firm, but with fame comes a plateful of danger. The Herbie Fisher series features five novels published between 2003 and 2017, each centering on Fisher as he tries to stay afloat in the chaos created by New York dead-ends and criminals.

All books featuring Herbie Fisher in their chronological order

• Dirty Work (2003)
• Reckless Abandon (2004)
• Fresh Disasters (2007)
• Unnatural Acts (2012)
• Barely Legal (co-authored with Parnell Hall) (2017)

Rick Barron books in order

Rick Barron is a tough Beverly Hills cop and has a lot of experience under his belt, but one mistake is all it takes to get him demoted. 1930s Hollywood, rich movie stars, and suspicious murders — Rich Barron books are a true feast for all fans of noir fiction.

Rick Barron novels in their chronological order

• The Prince of Beverly Hills (2004)
• Short Straw (2006)
• Beverly Hills Dead (2008)
• Bel-Air Dead (2011) (also starring Ed Eagle and Barbara Eagle)

Teddy Fay books with Parnell Hall and Bryon Quertermous

In the period between 2016 and 2022, Woods penned a series of novels together with Parnell Hall and Bryon Quertermous featuring Teddy Fay, a former CIA operative turned vigilante.

All Teddy Fay Books co-authored with Parnell Hal and Bryon Quertermous in their chronological order

• Smooth Operator (with Parnell Hall) (2016)
• Unbound (2018)
• The Money Shot (with Parnell Hall) (2018)
• Skin Game (with Parnell Hall) (2019)
• Bombshell (with Parnell Hall) (2020)
• Jackpot (with Bryon Quertermous) (2021)
• Obsession (with Brett Battles) (2023)

Will Lee books in order

Will Lee is a failed cotton farmer appointed police chief. Finally, his obsession with crime is about to pay out, as there are dead bodies everywhere, waiting for him to figure out who left them there.

All mainline Will Lee novels in their chronological order

• Chiefs (1981)
• Run Before the Wind (1983)
• Deep Lie (1986)
• Grass Roots (1989)
• The Run (2000)
• Capital Crimes (2003)
• Mounting Fears (2009)

Stuart Woods books in order – Standalone novels

In addition to the series mentioned above, Woods wrote a number of standalone novels. Some of them feature cameos of the characters discussed above, and some are stories in and of themselves.

All Stuart Woods standalone novels in their chronological order

• Under the Lake (1987)
• White Cargo (1988)
• Palindrome (1991)
• L.A. Times (1993)
• Dead Eyes (1994)
• Heat (1994)
• Imperfect Strangers (1995)
• Choke (1995)

Stuart Woods books in order – Non-fiction books

Although mostly known for his fiction, Woods wrote a few non-fiction books, mostly about sailing, his other great passion and hobby.

All Stuart Wood non-fiction in chronological order

• Blue Water, Green Skipper: A Memoir of Sailing Alone Across the Atlantic (1977)
• A Romantic’s Guide to the Country Inns of Britain and Ireland (1979)
• An Extravagant Life (2022)

Other ways to enjoy Stuart Woods’ books

Stuart Woods’ books have sold millions of copies, and they’re still in print, with no sign of sales dropping any time soon. You can find most of his books on Amazon, Book Depository, and other book retail sites if you prefer the feeling of a physical copy in your hands. You can also order them from the late author’s website.

Listen to Stuart Wood’s novels on Speechify

If you prefer listening to audiobooks, you can check out Speechify. Speechify is a leading audiobook platform with tens of thousands of titles available at the touch of your finger, including many audiobooks by Stuart wood and countless other mystery novelists. With Speechify, you can enjoy books no matter where you are and no matter what device you are using. Speechify is intuitive, available across all devices, and lightweight, which makes it the perfect platform to download and use on the go. Sign up for Speechify Audiobooks and enjoy countless titles, including both old, public domain books and hot releases fresh off the printing press.