Following the rather flat Unnatural Acts, Woods returns to form in his 24th Stone Barrington mystery, also his 50th novel. The New York attorney is primarily a supporting character as several figures from previous books try to head off a terrorist attack on a Los Angeles hotel where the presidents of the United States and Mexico are meeting. Excising much of the flab and needless repetition of his recent entries in the series, Woods juggles his large cast expertly, avoiding in his well-drawn main villain the cliches usually associated with terrorists. Inspired by the hectic pace, Tony Roberts offers an even livelier reading than usual, reducing the archness that occasionally creeps into his performances. verdict Severe Clear should delight fans of the series as well as thriller fans generally. [The Putnam hc was a New York Times best seller.-Ed.]-Michael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr., New York (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Bestseller Woods's 50th novel, the 24th entry in his Stone Barrington series (Unnatural Acts, etc.), boasts an all-star lineup, from series fixtures such as Lt. Dino Bacchetti and lawyer Herbie Fisher to Woods's other series leads, notably U.S. president Will Lee and Holly Barker of the CIA. The event that brings everyone together is the opening of the Arrington, the palatial Bel-Air hotel named for Stone's late wife, Arrington Carter. The glittering assembly of guests, including Lee and the Mexican president, makes the affair a prime terrorist target. Hints of a clever plan for a horrific attack reach members of various security agencies, who scramble to prevent it. Meanwhile, Stone and his guests try to enjoy the opulent setting with their usual accompaniments of good food, good drink, and good sex. Woods expertly mixes familiar ingredients to produce an intoxicating cocktail that goes down easily. Agent: Anne Sibbald, Janklow & Nesbit. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

In his fiftieth novel, Woods has his hero, Stone Barrington, preparing for the headline-ready opening of the Bel Air hotel named for his late wife. The Arrington will host the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico for the signing of a new trade and immigration treaty. This draws not only media but also the attention of a terrorist group who intend to bomb the new hotel. Three men are dispatched to gain employment at the Arrington, but the real threat comes from a CIA operative who plans to unleash a nuclear weapon. Most of the sluggish plot involves a setup. As the terrorists work on infiltrating the hotel, the NSA monitors suspicious communications and starts zeroing in on them. Stone's involvement is mostly limited to getting his friends and family, including son Peter and longtime pal Dino Bacchetti, to the hotel, while at the CIA, Holly Barker receives a big promotion. The story picks up in the last fifty pages, which, for anyone but true Woods devotees, is a long time coming.--Huntley, Kristine Copyright 2010 Booklist