If you love mystery contemporary mystery novels, check out Stuart Wood’s series. Here are the Stone Barrington Books in order - the best way to enjoy them.

Stone Barrington books in order

You wouldn’t think an author could create a character and build over 60 great mystery novels around him. But Stuart Woods has done just that. In fact, most of his work has ended up on Amazon’s best-selling list, including his Ed Eagle and Stone Barrington series, so let’s talk about the latter.

Loveable, sexy, and rogue Stone Barrington solves case after case in different parts of the world. This former cop takes on troubles his law firm doesn’t openly want to take. Stone solves them with a healthy disrespect for authority, and the style of a man women adore and men want to be.

Those who knew and loved the author see Stone Barrington as an exaggerated version of Woods. Much like Woods, Stone loves jet-setting, owns a pilot's license, and has a penchant for good food and wine.

Mystery aficionados probably know all about Stone Barrington. If you are new to the Stuart Woods book series, however, reading them in order is best, even though each is a stand-alone masterpiece. Reading New York Dead is crucial, however, as it provides much of the background information you need.

Let’s look at all Stone Barrington books in order.

All Stone Barrington books in order

Since the first title in 1991, this New York Times bestselling author has written 65 books about Stone Barrington, jumping from publishing yearly to even four times per year. Here are all of the books in order.

1. New York Dead (1991): The first book delivers the backstory before throwing Stone into a high-profile murder case featuring unsavory sex, untrustworthy friends, and horrible crimes.
2. Dirt (1996): Dirt has all the ingredients of a great detective story: blackmail, a beautiful woman, murder, and suspense.
3. Dead in the Water (1997): All Stone Barrington wants is to escape the cold New York air. But what he gets on his Caribbean holiday is almost more than he can handle; A gorgeous woman accused of murdering her husband and a shocking twist in the story.
4. Swimming to Catalina (1998): Stone Barrington gets a call from an ex-girlfriend’s fiancée. Arrington has gone missing, and her future husband wants Stone in L.A. looking for her. Stone follows a string of dead clues putting his own life at risk.
5. Worst Fears Realized (1999): Stone takes a walk down memory lane as he meets up with this NYPD partner. Moreover, his ex comes face to face with his latest flame, a deadly Mafia bride.
6. L.A. Dead (2000): While on vacation in Venice with his latest lover, Stone receives a call. Los Angeles is boiling over a celebrity killing, and it is up to him to solve the case.
7. Cold Paradise (2001): While relaxing in Palm Beach, Stone runs into a former client he thought dead, only to discover that she is alive and superwealthy. She tasks Stone with ridding her of a stalker and dealing with an insurance fraud claim.
8. The Short Forever (2002): Stone is in London searching for a client's missing niece. Shortly after his arrival, he finds himself in a web of murders involving intelligence services from three different jurisdictions.
9. Dirty Work (2003): Undercover among the rich and famous of New York, Stone’s assignment turns dirty with a dead husband, a missing woman, and a deadly killer.
10. Reckless Abandon (2004): With the assistance of Florida police chief Holly Barker, Stone must track down a mobster in witness protection.
11. Two-Dollar Bill (2005): Stone must find a way out of a sticky pickle between a conman, a beautiful prosecutor, and a dead body at his home.
12. Dark Harbor (2006): Stone gets news of the suspected suicide of his long-lost cousin. As the executor of his estate, Stone tracks down the facts and faces mystery and intrigue.
13. Fresh Disasters (2007): The detective slumps into the heart of the New York mob after an encounter with a petty criminal. With ex-partner Dino by his side, Stone must investigate.
14. Shoot Him If He Runs (2007): Holly Barker and Stone track down a murderous spy on a tropical island.
15. Hot Mahogany (2008): Stone takes on the job of protecting an ex-intelligence officer who remembers everything about certain murders.
16. Loitering With Intent (2009): Hired to find a man who wants to stay missing, Stone soon realizes why.
17. Kisser (2009): In this book, Stone must navigate high-society Manhattan as he crosses paths with a Broadway actor.
18. Lucid Intervals (2010): A beautiful woman in search of someone whose life is in danger hires Stone. Among the rich and influential, he uncovers some unsavory truths.
19. Strategic Moves (2011): Woodman & Weld offer Stone a chance to become a partner along with big pay raise. But the deal is, indeed, too good to be true.
20. Bel-Air Dead (2011): A wealthy Bel-Air widow enlists Stone’s help selling her Hollywood Studio investment, throwing him into a web of money and danger.
21. Son of Stone (2011): After his reunion with Arrington, Stone is back in Manhattan to savor his promotion to partner. But his lover has other ideas.
22. D.C. Dead (2011): On the back of turmoil in New York, Stone jumps at the chance to go to Washington, D.C., and reunite with Holly Barker in more ways than one.
23. Unnatural Acts (2012): Herbie Fisher joins Stone as they take on a job from a hedge fund manager.
24. Severe Clear (2012): Not everyone is a guest at Stone’s start-studded Bel-Air hotel opening. NSA surveillance and terrorism threats are both in the mix.
25. Collateral Damage (2013): Back in New York, Holly Barker shows up, and Stone ends up in a deadly revenge game.
26. Unintended Consequences (2013): In this book, Stone is in Europe, navigating a world of billionaires and spies who kill without hesitation.
27. Doing Hard Time (2013): A Bel-Air vacation turns sour as Stone must team up with Teddy Fay, a man who is no stranger to danger.
28. Standup Guy (2014): Everyone is looking for Stone’s new client, John Fratelli. The chase leads Stone to Florida, where he must satisfy a web of criminals and lawmakers.
29. Carnal Curiosity (2014): Stone and his former partner, Bacchetti, fall into a world of fraud and high-end security. Investigations draw out someone with ties to Stone as they discover the biggest coup is yet to happen.
30. Cut and Thrust (2014): Stone finds himself embroiled in political intrigue at an L.A. convention.
31. Paris Match (2014): Stuart Woods’ 31st book delivers double danger for Stone as he faces trouble in Europe and at home.
32. Insatiable Appetites (2015): After recent professional triumphs, Stone must face down a scheming foe and a lethal ex-lover.
33. Hot Pursuit (2015): Stone takes a gorgeous pilot on a jet-setting vacation, only to discover that her criminal ex is hot on their heels.
34. Naked Greed (2015): After coming to the aid of a businessman who then hires him, Stone falls into the eye of a storm; corporate fraud, lust for money, and mortal danger.
35. Foreign Affairs (2015): Stone's stay in the British countryside goes wrong in this mystery novel.
36. Scandalous Behavior (2016): During a supposedly restful vacation in England, Stone meets a mystery lady. A game of trouble and scandal ensues.
37. Family Jewels (2016): A wealthy heiress hires Stone. After rejecting her advances, he discovers her entanglement with two criminals on the hunt for a costly vestige.
38. Dishonorable Intentions (2016): With a new desirable lady in toe, Stone travels between America and Europe to escape her unsavory ex.
39. Sex, Lies, and Serious Money (2016): On his arrival home, Stone finds himself working for a client who's recently come into money with plenty of strings attached.
40. Below the Belt (2017): While in Santa Fe with a new lover, Stone gets a request from an influential new client.
41. Fast & Loose (2017): After a boating misadventure off the coast of Maine, Stone and his opponents discover an explosive common adversary.
42. Indecent Exposure (2017): Stone cannot escape the limelight despite great efforts. While trying to save his reputation and privacy, one woman turns out to be murderous.
43. Quick & Dirty (2017): Stuart Woods jettisons his main character into a world of mystery and violence in New York art circles.
44. Unbound (2018): Ex-CIA offer Ted Fay, now a Hollywood movie producer, is reeling from a personal tragedy and wants revenge.
45. Shoot First (2018): Between rural parts of England and sunny Florida, Stone must protect a beautiful entrepreneur’s business and life.
46. Turbulence (2018): Stone is in the eye of a tornado, both literally and figuratively, while vacationing in Florida.
47. Desperate Measures (2018): Stone defends the life of yet another attractive woman. This time, the action unfolds in New York City.
48. A Delicate Touch (2018): What starts as a small job for Stone kickstarts a series of events leading to uncovering long-buried scandals.
49. Wild Card (2019): At a luxurious country retreat, Stone is the target of a foe who wants him dead and gone.
50. Contraband (2019): While on vacation in Florida, Stone teams up with an alluring detective to uncover the truth behind a chain of mysterious events.
51. Stealth (2019): In a deadly snare unfolding in the British countryside, Stone gets more than he bargained for and must trap a deadly opponent.
52. Treason (2020): Stone must defeat an old rival as he tries to eliminate destructive powers within the intelligence services.
53. Hit List (2020): Stone discovers his name on a hit list. Reluctantly, he dives into a deadly battle against an elusive perpetrator.
54. Choppy Water (2020): A relaxing vacation in Maine goes south when the storms rage and an enemy delivers a chilling threat to one of Stone’s friends.
55. Shakeup (2020): Back on home turf, Stone must defeat yet another evildoer raking havoc in New York.
56. Hush-Hush (2020): While trying to enjoy some downtime, Stone receives deadly threats from an anonymous foe. With the help of a tech-savvy beauty, he must track down his enemy and defeat him.
57. Double Jeopardy (2021): Forced to visit Maine to settle an old family matter, Stone discovers that enemies often hide in plain sight.
58. Class Act (2021): Back in New York, Stone receives a request from a former client, and an old feud raises its ugly head in more ways than one.
59. Foul Play (2021): This is another cat-and-mouse game plot with Stone protecting the life and interests of a new client.
60. Criminal Mischief (2021): Stone must chase down a dangerous enemy on the run.
61. A Safe House (2022): While flying a mystery passenger and top-secret cargo to the U.K., Stone draws the attention of a deadly dispatcher.
62. Black Dog (2022): Stone meets a glamorous heiress with familiar friends and formidable foes. Stone must step up his game to protect his friends and defeat the evildoer.
63. Distant Thunder (2022): A dead body is dropped on Stone’s doorstep.
64. Near Miss (Expected: June 6, 2023): Brett Battles has finished the 64th book in the Stone Barrington series, with the release scheduled for June of this year.
65. Untitled Stone Barrington #65 (Expected in February 2024): Presumably co-written, this is most likely the last book in the series started by the late Stuart Woods.

In addition to his Stone Barrington series, Woods has also penned the fictional Ed Eagle series and a non-fiction UK and Ireland travel guide.

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FAQ

In what order should I read Stone Barrington books?

It’s best to read the books in order of release. That said, they are all captivating. stand-alone mystery books.

How many Stone Barrington books will there be?

With the author’s death in 2022, it’s likely that the upcoming book 65 will be the final part of Stone Barrington’s adventures unless the series is revived by other writers.

What is the next Stone Barrington book?

Near Miss is due for publication in June 2023.