Severe Clear

A Stone Barrington Novel, Book 24

By: Stuart Woods

Narrated by: Tony Roberts

Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Stone Barrington is called to Bel-Air to oversee an exclusive event that will gather the top echelons of the beau monde: Hollywood starlets, socialites, politicos, billionaires from overseas. It’s a task in which Stone has a personal stake, and one that is made all the more pleasurable - though somewhat more complicated - with the arrivals of two beautiful women with whom he’s intimately acquainted.

But the grand occasion has also attracted a dangerous criminal group with sinister plans. The hunt to find them leads Stone into a complex web of deceit and misdirection, in a world where the intrigues of government intelligence collide with the clandestine machinations of the upper crust.

As he draws nearer to his quarry, he realizes that the stakes are higher than anybody could ever imagine...and that the enemies he’s seeking might just be hiding in plain sight.

©2012 Stuart Woods (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Music

Please don't use music, takes away not adds to the performance. Not to mention guests my ears!

Loved it, but wanted more Dino

Here is a Stone book with a very different start and a unique plot. Most Stone books start at a restaurant over drinks, then the plot unfolds by way of a beautiful woman walking into the bar.

Severe Clear is almost a project management book for the rich and powerful. Stone and his team must open a swanky new hotel in LA while dealing with a potential terrorist threat. The fun here is in the motions and planing meetings that go into making sure everything goes right.

There is a significant side story with Herbert (no longer Herbie) as he helps his new startup deal with potential espionage and employment clauses. This whole bit seems boring and it would be if it weren't for a unique aspect that drives this side story.

Of course Stone's son and his friends are all still absolutely perfect in every way, which bothers me because I think their flawlessness just comes off as fake.

This was a great book and I really enjoyed it but if there is one person I really missed, it was Dino. Sure, Dino is in the book and makes appearances but his is there as a bit player rather than someone right there next to Stone.

As always, Tony Roberts plays the characters extremely well. I wonder if I would like this Audiobook series if Tony did not do the voices?

Good Story

What made the experience of listening to Severe Clear the most enjoyable?

This is only my second audio book. I've found that I sometimes have to go back a bit to re-listen to a segment, especially if I'm driving. I love the fact that it makes my drive time fly by.

The narrarator is great and speaks clearly.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Especially when I arrived at work during the good parts. I didn't want to get out of my car!

Terrific!!

Where does Severe Clear rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's well read and edited

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was excellent and the sidebars interesting.

What does Tony Roberts bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He breathes life and emotion into the characters

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Terror In Bel Air

Severe clear

I’m sorry to hear about that and I just got back to my house and I was thinking I was just getting

Pretty Good Read

I did find there was not enough excitement building up to the climax. Kelly should have had more trouble reaching Stone or something. I liked the sub plot with Peter. But it was too insignificant...like it was thrown in without much thought. Souls have been a much longer book too weave the plot and subplots. Next!

I guess writers too have an off day ...

I love everything Stone Barrington. I am a fan of the series and have gotten others to read/listen to the series. But this one was just not as good as the others. Instantly it was predictable and Stone and Dino were barely in the book. It was a book about everyone else in Stone's life but him. He was the sub-character in his own series.

I believe that you could skip this book and go straight to #26 without missing anything!

Amaturish

I find my self in the unwanted position of not not knowing who to recommending this book to. It doesn't fit into the mystery or the thriller category. Stuart Woods is a great author but his dipping a toe into the technothriller realm is not successful.

He should have created a character within the Barrington novels and started another series with an occasional cameo by Stone.

Leave Stone as a semi-cop lawyer

Never a dull moment

There is just something really special about Stone and all his adventures. I have yet to find and adventure of his I didn't like like.

Always good!

I have bed hooked on stone since the beginning and this book is no different. There was something new that actually worked for the book the details about the three terrorists. Caught my breath several times. Worth the purchase