Orchid Beach

"An entertaining suspense story. . . . Barker is tough when she needs to be, and clever and persistent in following her hunches." — School Library Journal

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods delivers a riveting thriller that introduces his first female protagonist, Deputy Chief of Police Holly Barker.

Forced into early retirement at thirty-seven, smart and fiercely independent Major Holly Barker trades in her bars as a military cop for the badge of deputy chief of police in Orchid Beach, Florida. But below the sunny surface of this sleepy, well-to-do island town lies an evil that escalates into the cold-blooded murder of one of Holly's new colleagues.

An outsider, Holly has little to go on for answers and no one to help her—except Daisy, a Doberman of exceptional intelligence and loyalty that becomes her companion and protector. The closer Holly gets to the truth, the more she knows that it'll take one smart dog with guts to sniff out this killer—before he can catch her first.

| New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods has entertained and engrossed readers with hisfast-paced, suspenseful novels including Swimming to Catalina, Dead in the Water, Dirt, andChiefs. Now from this master storyteller comes a riveting thriller introducing an exciting addition tothe pantheon of fictional sleuths.

Smart, attractive, and fiercely independent, Major Holly Barker, thearmy-brat daughter of a master sergeant, has been forced into early retirement at the age of thirty-sevenas the result of a scandalous sexual harassment case. With the help of her dad she makes the move tocivilian life, becoming deputy chief of police in Orchid Beach, Florida.

But below the calm, sunnysurface of this sleepy, well-to-do coastal island town lies a web of evil and deceit that escalates when acolleague and another associate are brutally gunned down. Alone, an outsider with no clues to go on, findingthe killers won't be easy for Holly, and her seemingly low-key new career soon thrusts her into adangerous game of cat and mouse. Surrounded by a staff of officers she neither knows nor trusts, Hollyfinds help in a most unexpected source--Daisy, a Doberman of exceptional intelligence and loyalty whoquickly becomes her inseparable companion and protector. The closer she gets to unraveling the mystery ofOrchid Beach, however, the nearer Holly comes to danger darker and more deadly than any she could everhave anticipated.

Filled with the dazzling twists and sizzling turns that have made his novels nationalbestsellers and international hits, Orchid Beach ranks as one of Stuart Woods's most inventive andbrilliantly drawn works--an entertaining, nonstop tale that will keep readers on the edge of their seats asis races from the first page to its exhilarating conclusion. |

"Woods does show a reader a good time." - Washinton Post Book World

“Woods knows how to keep the narrative pace in overdrive.” - New York Times Book Review

"Woods dishes up plenty of high-octane action and plenty of unexpected twists...This one will still draw a sizable audience of Woods devotees and fans of action-adventure thrillers." - Booklist 9/98

"An action-packed puzzler." - People

"An entertaining suspense story. . . . Barker is tough when she needs to be, and clever and persistent in following her hunches." - School Library Journal

"Barker--tough and tight-lipped--is fun to watch as she maneuvers among city politicians and wary colleagues, one of whom maybe the murderer." - Entertainment Weekly

"Smooth and satisfying." - Publishers Weekly

"Stuart woods is a wonderful storyteller who could teach robert ludlum and tom clancy a thing or two." - The State (SC)

"Woods is a no-nonsense, slam-bang storyteller." - Chicago Tribune