Crime Thriller
Stuart Woods (Stone Barrington) Books in Order
by Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington is a former NYPD detective turned Manhattan attorney whose jet-set lifestyle keeps colliding with crime and powerful enemies. Stuart Woods wrote prolifically until his 2022 death; Brett Battles continues the series.
About the series
Stuart Woods's Stone Barrington series is a breezy, globe-trotting thriller franchise built around Stone Barrington, a former NYPD detective turned Manhattan attorney with an enviable lifestyle, a gift for landing in danger, and an even better gift for extracting himself from it. Woods was a prolific machine — sometimes publishing four Stone Barrington novels a year — resulting in one of crime fiction's longest running and most commercially successful series. He also wrote the Holly Barker, Will Lee, Ed Eagle, and Teddy Fay series, many of which feature crossover appearances by Stone. Woods passed away in July 2022, but the series continues courtesy of co-author Brett Battles.
Recommended reading order
The books are largely standalone, so you can dip in almost anywhere — but starting with New York Dead (1991) gives you Stone's origin as a disgraced cop reinventing himself as a lawyer. The series gets looser and lighter as it progresses; readers who prefer tighter plots tend to prefer the earlier entries, while fans of breezy glamour enjoy the full run. Books from 2023 onward are co-written with Brett Battles.
Reading order
68 books · Ongoing