So, I have read and liked most of his books.  His earlier stuff was better and were actual novels, in my opinion.  These days it seems like he is just writing a quick story, I wish he would put some more effort into them, but I am still reading them.  His Stone character has always seen a lot of "action" in the past, but in this last book it was just ridiculous!  So, my question to you all is: is he just a normal single guy in his sex life, a sex addict or now that he is aging is he just a creepy old guy?  I don't mind sex in my books, but maybe it is just the picture of the author on the back of the book, but it is just started to seem......wrong.

Carol, as I stated in the thread about giving up on series, I gave up on Stone Barrington after Dark Harbor.  I thought the book was just terribly written and found myself wishing that Woods would kill off Stone and put us all out of our misery.  That's when I knew it was time to give it up.  I have found myself thinking over the years that Woods writes those sex scenes as a means of living vicariously through Stone.  Maybe it's Woods who is the sex addict.....  I also don't mind sex in my books, but I think men and women write about sex in totally different ways.  Wood's sex scenes do seem a little creepy to me.  And like you, maybe it has something to do with the picture on the book.

I have read quite a few of the Stone Barrington books and really enjoyed them.  But, I think I am quite a few books behind.  I have the one I think I may have left off on sitting on my reminder list, Two Dollar Bill.   So, I am probably not at the point you are yet.  But, now you have me interested.  I may have to get into these again just to see what's happened to Mr. Barrington. 

Terri, I felt the same way about Dark Harbor.  I listen to the Stone Barrington books on audio, and for audiobooks, I tend to have a lower threshold for quality, but I am not sure if I will continue with this series.  All of the women that appear in these books all seem the same, and all are happy to hop into bed without a second thought or any expectations.  Clearly, these are fantasy women.  While I do think there are people like this in real life, what is less believable is that one middle-aged guy would manage to meet and bed all of them!

I stopped reading the Stone Barrington books a while ago too.  His sex life has a kind of 80's swingin' bachelor vibe to it IMO, which is kind of reflected in the cheesy author photo.  I forget which was the last book I read by him, but he and his cop buddy ate at Elaine's about a dozen times too, which just got old. 

I read the first few books in the Stone Barrington series quite a while ago.  This is one of a few series I gave up on.  I think Sharon captured it well--Stone's sex life is stuck in the 80's swingin' bachelor style.  I don't mind some sex in my novels either, but with the Stone Barrington novels...my opinion is both "sex addict" and "creepy old guy" .

FYI.  I just posted Loitering With Intent, a 2009 Stone Barrington paperback set in Key West.  I actually bought it in the airport when I ran out of books for the next flight. It moved along of course with the help of a beautiful Swedish ER physician.

I've read some of the Stone Barrington series, but it's never been one of my favorites. Unrealistic but Woods is an accomplished enough writer that he can write a "readable" mystery/thriller that is entertaining the first time around. Not enough interest for a re-read, certainly.

As to the unrealistic sex life of an aging single man, I've never been entirely sure why John D. MacDonald could pull it off with his Travis McGee series (maybe because McGee saw himelf more as he really was?) and why Woods can't do it with Barrington.

I like the "Orchid" series much better with Holly Barker but have to say I see some of the "sex for the sake of sex" creeping into this series a well and hope it doesn't continue to escalate. I'd hate to "lose" another series I like.

I started reading the series with Dark Harbor, and by far I think it has to be my favorite. I have read all but the first 5. I am currently reading Swimming to Catalina, and I breeze through his books. I find them all predictable, but I am still in love with the character of Stone Barrington. I think now that Herb Fisher is a more mature, responsible adult, he will seemingly fall into place with being a Stone-like replacement. I am getting annoyed with the fact that Stone is getting older and seems to have sex with practically every woman he becomes acquainted with. I think perhaps Mr. Woods, is just living vicariously through his character, but it still makes him seem like a creepy old man. Stone is nearly 60. I think maybe its time to give up the ghost. Either kill him off, or let this next book be the last one. Have him marry Holly Barker, cause shes the next best thing for an Arrington replacement. We all know they are in love with each other. It's just geting creepy and not ethical to keep Stone as a mysognystic man-whore well into his sixties.. besides, he seriously can't still be the devilishly good looking man, he is type casted as being in the earlier books, i.e Swimming..being 42.