Rating: 
Summary: Terrible, terrible, terrible
Review: This was one of the worst books I have ever read. I kept reading because I thought it had to get better. I had read The Run and loved it. This one did not compare in any way. It had no beginning, end or middle. It just went on and on with sex thrown in for no reason. a complete waste of time.
Rating: 
Summary: two-dimensional
Review: it's so sad when good authors begin to wane. seriously. there's been a whole plethora of them lately: john sanford, clive cussler, john grisham, michael crichton. as for la dead. sadness. what gets me the most is that this title is in response to a decent novel in the same series, new york dead. then, we were interested with stone's endeavors to fit in and to fight against the bad guys. also, there were interesting twists and weird characters to help us out. with la dead, stone is so two dimensional that it hurts. with his cars and his women and his fancy living, what do we, the common reader really have to look forward to? everything is so oppulent in his lifestyle; why can't he have a <i> bad </i> meal for once? and killing off vance really didn't achieve much. the dialogue, normally one of woods' finer points, is terrible. the characters all have one speaking voice. they're all distant, to the point, and immoral. in his successes, (chiefs) woods develops a history and a rapor with his characters that keep us wanting more. there's nothing here except a whodunit. nothing. i can't buy that stone loves arrington. i can't buy stone. but hell, i still bought the book hardcover. i hope woods decides to not be so pompous in the future, but like the lemming that i am, i'll still go back for more, regardless of the price.
Rating:
Summary: L.A. Horror
Review: This is the first Stuart Woods book I have read. I am an avid reader of mystery/thrillers and thought to add him to my list of beloved authors. I had only read the first chapter when I realized that by the names of his characters alone that Mr. Woods is a writer of the purest trash. Did he realize that if the beautiful (of course)Arrington had married Stone (his hero) that she would be Arrington Barrington? As other reviewers before me stated, he put in a plot merely for something for his hero to do in between bedding all the (always) beautiful women that cross his path in a constant state of undress. This was bad enough, but his worst crime is thinking that all women have absolutely no morals and teensy little brains. I was swept back to the late 60's and 70's when writers discovered sex and couldn't write enough about it. I also must make mention of the picky and censorious instructions for contacting him that Woods included in the back of his book. Not only was my imagination assaulted by this pitiful excuse for a book, but he had to add all his peeves about readers who dared to write him an e-mail. Don't worry, Mr. Woods, you should be receiving a lot less fan mail after this bomb!
Rating:
Summary: Just Say No to Stone
Review: I've read every one of Stuart Woods' books. Some of the stuff he did early on was pretty good, and "Palindrome" was brilliant. His recent books were spotty, but interesting. This one is downright awful. The "hero"--Stone-Lunkhead-Barrington--runs into all kinds of beautiful women who just want to sleep with him. Yeah, right. Since he's no bright light, it doesn't say a lot for these ladies. The plot is stupid, all about a murdered lothario movie star. Who killed him? Who cares? And the writing stinks. Every so often a character faces Our Hero and Woods has him "turn to Stone." Could it get worse? You betcha. Woods' other books are saved by a twist ending, a "gotcha" that you wouldn't expect. Nothing like that here. Woods is clearly treading water, and time spent with this book is time wasted. Popular fiction doesn't need to be great literature, but Woods is clearly spreading himself too thin. He could learn something from some of his contemporaries. Sue Grafton took herself off of the yearly grind before her books got stale, so she can craft them a little more carefully. And Nelson DeMille can leave you hanging from one book to the next because the ride is so good that you don't need a satisfactory resolution. What happens to Stone next? Who cares? Instead of the next Stone adventure I'll just buy a book about what happens when paint dries.
Rating:
Summary: Unfortunately...Stone Barrington is Back
Review: Stone Barrington, that very rich hunk of an ex-cop turned lawyer is in Venice and finally getting married to Mafioso kingpin Eduardo Bianchi's daughter, Dolce. As part one of the marriage rites, the civil ceremony ends, but before the religious service takes place, Stone receives news that his old girlfriend, Arrington is in big trouble and needs his help. It seems her Hollywood leading man husband, Vance Calder has been shot and killed in an apparent robbery at their Beverly Hills home while Arrington was taking a bath. Everything points to her as the murderer and she's about to be arrested. Who does she call...Stone, of course. He drops everything, leaving Dolce at the proverbial altar and flies immediately to Los Angeles to save his poor ex-damsel in distress.....Stuart Wood's latest is a mindless, lightweight mystery, full of cliches and caricatures of the Hollywood rich and famous. All the women are wealthy, beautiful, always walking around naked and continually throwing themselves at the ever desireable Stone and he never misses a chance to bed each and every one of them. With all the sex and bed jumping and descriptions of the expensive and decadent life styles, there's hardly time to develope the actual story line. The plot has all the depth, realism and predictability of a soap opera, the writing is uninspired and the characters are one dimensional cartoons. A good book to read for a couple of hours if you're snowed in or stuck at the airport, L.A. Dead is a book that doesn't take a lot of deep thinking.
Rating:
Summary: Gone and Soon Forgotten
Review: Stuart Woods has written some very good novels. Chiefs, his first, may even be great. Several of the stories in the continuing story of the Lee family of Meriwether County have been quite good. Palindrome was as fine a mystery-thriller as one could ask for. His Stone Barrington stories, the latest of which is L. S. Dead, have steadily declined. The series recounts the adventures of a New York homicide cop turned lawyer named Stone Barrington. His recurring lady love is Arrington Carter. The tone of their relationship was set when (in Wood's Dirt) upon being introduced Arrington quipped that she could never marry Barrington. Well, she didn't, although they have had a continuing relationship. Stone planned to propose while they were on a Carribean sailing vacation (Dead in the Water), but Arrington did not come, and ended up married to a movie star. In L. A. Dead Arrington's husband is found murdered and Arrington is the prime suspect. When Stone receives her call for help, he drops everything. The problem is that he is in Venice, has just finished the civil wedding ceremony and is about to head to the cathedral for the church ceremony. His almost-wife is not pleased that he must interrupt marrying her to head for Los Angeles to see about his former girl friend. Her father, an organized crime kingpin, is much more understanding. The jilted Dolce (who is not very sweet - Woods does have fun with naming his characters) pursues Stone and insists that she is Mrs. Barrington. Stone does get involved in the murder investigation, gets involved with movie stars, gets reinvolved with Arrington, and works on becoming uninvolved with Dolce. The ending resolves some things and leaves more options for continuing the series. I would rather see Woods work more on the Lee family, introduced in Chiefs. Those stories have been more interesting and less adolescent. Woods is a skillful writer, and L. A. Dead is a good way to kill a long wait at the airport or otherwise passing time. The reader who does not expect much will not be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Will it be Arrington or Dolce???
Review: Well, Stone is back and in a big way. Stuart Woods immediately continues some of the plotlines started with the book that immediately preceded LA DEAD and does he ever turn up the heat. As LA DEAD opens, Stone Barrington and his friends Dino and Mary Ann Bachetti are on their way to Venice where Stone, who had not heeded Dino's advice where Dolce Bianchi is concerned in WORST FEARS REALIZED is all set to take his first plunge into marital bliss. After the Italian civil ceremony, but before the Catholic church wedding, Stone receives news that his friend Vance Calder, husband to his former love Arrington has been murdered at his home in Beverly Hills, CA. Everyone in the wedding part encourages him to fly to California and he immediately does so. Trouble begins shortly after Stone arrives in Los Angeles. It is fairly obvious that Arrington, Vance's widow will be charged with the crime and Stone makes immediate preparations for her defense, as well as the handling of Vance Calder's huge estate. This plot twist is predictable, but Stuart Woods lays the groundwork well and carries the story line through to a less than logical conclusion. Along the way, he injects all of the little plot twists the Stone Barrington stories are known for. Fans of the Stone novels will NOT be disappointed with this latest installment. All of the other features that Stone fans have come to know and expect are also present. As usual, Stone makes his way effortlessly in the world of the rich and beautiful. For a man raised by two extremely left wing parents, he has no trouble at all dealing with the trappings and material things that come from wealth. While he may not be a right wing Republican, it is obvious that Stone is comfortable with and accustomed to all of the good things that money can by. Stuart Woods keeps that part of Stone's character consistent and LA DEAD is no exception. Despite the fact that Stone has married Dolce Bianchi in a civil ceremony, her erratic behavior after he leaves Venice to help Arrington forces him to reassess his relationship with her. His decision regarding the relationship and the marriage itself will come as no surprise to Stone fans. In addition to his reappraisal of his short marriage, Stone must come to grips with his feelings for Arrington. After Vance Calder's death, that door is once again opened and Stone must decide whether to reopen a part of his life that he once thought was lost. How he deals with all of the decisions he must make throughout the story is what makes Stone such a fun and interesting character to follow. Because almost all of the significant action and drama takes place in California, Stuart Woods again exposes his readers to the the lifestyles of the "rich and aimless." He does a yeoman's job of detailing the sordidness behind the glitz that makes up the showbiz community. In doing so, and despite his confusion regarding Arrington and Dolce, Stone again gets to show his propensity for "musical beds." LA DEAD proves once again that fidelity is not one of Stone's long suits. His handsomeness makes him a natural target for beautifil women and in this chapter in the "Stone Barrington Saga," Stone's ability to bed the most desirable women on the planet continues unabated. I often wonder whether Stone has a conscience, especially when he professes to love Arrington. In any case, his carnal behavior looms large in this book, as it did in all the others before it. Like all of the other Stone stories, Stuart Woods paces LA DEAD at a breakneck speed. These books are very hard to put down and I read this one in one over night sitting. Mr. Woods' prose style is spare and long on dialog and conversations. He uses description of legal, police and other procedures only when necessary. That ability is what keeps the stories moving forward at a quick pace. I'll bet it's one of the things his readers like best; that he doesn't bore them with arcane detail and trivia about locales or his characters. As this book ends, Stone receives an unexpected surprise and it was I twist I didn't see coming. Once again, Stuart Woods has left himself an easy opening for another Stone Barrington thriller. I look forward to it with considerable anticipation. I have one recommendation to other readers before they read LA DEAD. If you haven't read WORST FEARS REALIZED first, do so. Much of the groundwork re: Stone's relationship with Dolce Bianchi starts with that novel and reading it first will provide the natural continuity for LA DEAD.
Rating: 
Summary: AGAIN!
Review: Stuart Woods has done it again. He does not disappoint with his next installment of Stone Barington books. If you have not read any of this man's books, then please start at the beginning of then and work yourself all the way through to LA Dead. You will not be able to put any of his books down.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: What can I say Stuart Woods is a definite leader in novel writing community. I love reading Mr. Woods' novels and have never been disappointed. LA Dead was done in his usual elegant style. Stone Barrington is one of my personal heroes in the Woods' series of novels. LA Dead had me hooked from the beginning -- opening with a marriage and ending in the courtroom. This novel kept me wondering who did it, although some of you will say you had it figured out from the beginning but for those of you like myself yes I guessed but I was never sure until the end. Mr. Woods is definitely a master in this arena. If you're looking for an enjoyable reading experience checkout LA Dead and all of Stuart Woods' other novels because they are worth it.
Rating:
Summary: disappointing read
Review: i have enjoyed all the other books that mr woods has wrote about stone barrington but this one was very disappointing. i fealt that he just threw alot of words together and didn't gave alot of thought about it. i am tired of arrington. she is a person that i can not like she got her man then she didn't want him anymore but she still wanted what he could gave her. i thought that dolce could have put life in his books for a long time to come instead he has her go crazy. what a shame.
| 
