Stuart Woods, Hot Mahogany

Hot Mahogany

Stuart Woods

Putnam, Sep 2008, $25.95

ISBN: 9780399155154

In Manhattan former police officer and now highly regarded lawyer Stone Barrington is in Elaine's restaurant with Dina Bochetti; they both are shocked to see Lance Cabot, CIA Deputy Director for Operations looking disheveled and foreworn. A few minutes later the real Lance arrives at the nightclub to the amazement of Stone and Dina; he explains his doppelganger is his older brother former army intelligence specialist Barton, who still suffers from an amnesia causing blow to the head.

Barton is also an artisan who makes antique reproductions, but when he gets to his workshop, he seems one of mahogany desks has been stolen; the original is a Goldbard-Townsend worth millions, but he is unsure whether the original or his replication was taken. He hires Stone to help him find it; Barton's theory is one of the men who served under him in Nam stole the desk because he was dissatisfied with his share of the contraband smuggled out of Viet Nam by the unit. While avoiding jealous and cuckold lovers and still making love to a variety of women, Stone accompanied by Dina investigate Barton's allegations, but only the amnesic can take them to the perpetrator.

As always a Stuart Woods novel is a special treat and 'Hot Mahogany' is no exception. There are many amusing scenes especially since Stone is consistently blinded by lust. From the opening page, the action begins and never stops keeping the audience on the edge of their seats whether Stone dodges a lover or someone trying to end his investigation. Though Stone in this thriller is much more a sleuth than a lawyer fans will enjoy Stone's look at the dangerous world of antique sales.

Harriet Klausner