Severe Clear

A Stone Barrington Novel, Book 24

De: Stuart Woods

Narrado por: Tony Roberts

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

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

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?

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!

Stone saves LA from nuclear destruction...!!!

preposterous palaver precedes a preposterous contrived plot where the licentious lawyer emerges from La La Land to save the day withDinos snub nose revolver. "Herb" is not Stone no matter how Roberts reads him. how our champagne and bourbon zwilling hero continues to get away with bedding multiple partners in the same Hotel stretches credulity. it seems that mr. Woods has reached into the realm of James Bond Saves the world. I was waiting for the timer to end at 007...!!! Roberts narration continues to stay on track and his Foreign Accents are limiting. I still enjoy the entertaining value of this series and look forward to the next volume and Hope our Intrepid heroes are back on their home turf finding murderers and a new place to go and have dinner.

Severe Clear

Super story. world espionage and they save the day. so many twists and turns I couldn't stop listening.

Sever clear

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

It wasn't my favorite but it kept my interest the whole way through.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I feel like Staur woods always does a good job of wrapping up his books.

Have you listened to any of Tony Roberts’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Tony Roberts always does a fine job with these characters. I couldn't listen to anyone else narrate Stone barrinton at this point.

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

I don't have one