Smooth Operator

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY JUN 6, 2016

Bestseller Woods (Dishonorable Intentions) teams with Edgar-finalist Hall (A Fool for a Client) on this testosterone-fueled thriller, which features recurring character Teddy Fay, an ex-CIA agent and master of disguise, who first appeared as a villain in 2003's Capital Crimes. New York lawyer Stone Barrington is cruising on his yacht on the Hudson River when he receives an urgent summons to attend a state dinner in Washington, D.C. During the dinner, Stone is called away to a secret meeting with President Kate Lee, a Democrat, and Congressman Charles Blaine, a Republican. Blaine's college-age daughter, Karen, has been kidnapped by unknown parties who are threatening to kill Karen unless Blaine, the Speaker of the House, is able to pass a bill providing medical benefits for wounded veterans that his party opposes. Stone has someone in mind to handle this sensitive crisis, though for security reasons he won't tell the president the person's name Teddy. Fans are sure to welcome this action-packed start to a separate series within the larger Stone Barrington story arc.