Series reading guide · updated September 2026
Stone Barrington Books in Order
Every Stone Barrington book in publication order — 70 in total, spanning 1991–2026.
Stone Barrington is pure escapism with a martini in hand — an ex-NYPD cop turned silk-suited Manhattan attorney who solves problems for the very rich and beds his way across some of the best real estate on earth. Stuart Woods launched him in 1991's New York Dead and then wrote him for three decades, turning out a couple of these fast, glamorous, dialogue-driven capers a year until Woods' death in 2022. They're comfort reading of the highest order: you always know Stone will fly private, order the right wine, and land on his feet. The good news for a newcomer is that each book is largely self-contained, so you can wade in almost anywhere — but reading in publication order lets you watch the world (and the recurring cast) fill in around him.
Publication Order of Stone Barrington Books
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New York Dead | 1991 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 |  Dirt | 1996 | Amazon US UK |
| 3 |  Dead in the Water | 1997 | Amazon US UK |
| 4 |  Swimming to Catalina | 1998 | Amazon US UK |
| 5 |  Worst Fears Realized | 1999 | Amazon US UK |
| 6 |  L.A. Dead | 2000 | Amazon US UK |
| 7 |  Cold Paradise | 2001 | Amazon US UK |
| 8 |  The Short Forever | 2002 | Amazon US UK |
| 9 |  Dirty Work | 2003 | Amazon US UK |
| 10 |  Reckless Abandon | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 11 |  Two Dollar Bill | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 12 |  Dark Harbor | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 13 |  Fresh Disasters | 2007 | Amazon US UK |
| 14 |  Shoot Him If He Runs | 2007 | Amazon US UK |
| 15 |  Hot Mahogany | 2008 | Amazon US UK |
| 16 |  Loitering with Intent | 2009 | Amazon US UK |
| 17 |  Kisser | 2009 | Amazon US UK |
| 18 |  Lucid Intervals | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 19 |  Strategic Moves | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 20 |  Bel-Air Dead | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 21 |  Son of Stone | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 22 |  D.C. Dead | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 23 |  Unnatural Acts | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 24 |  Severe Clear | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 25 |  Collateral Damage | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 26 |  Unintended Consequences | 2013 | Amazon US UK |
| 27 |  Doing Hard Time | 2013 | Amazon US UK |
| 28 |  Standup Guy | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 29 |  Carnal Curiosity | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 30 |  Cut and Thrust | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 31 |  Paris Match | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 32 |  Insatiable Appetites | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 33 |  Hot Pursuit | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 34 |  Naked Greed | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 35 |  Foreign Affairs | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 36 |  Scandalous Behavior | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 37 |  Family Jewels | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 38 |  Dishonorable Intentions | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 39 |  Sex, Lies & Serious Money | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 40 |  Below the Belt | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 41 |  Fast and Loose | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 42 |  Indecent Exposure | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 43 |  Quick & Dirty | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 44 |  Unbound | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 45 |  Shoot First | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 46 |  Turbulence | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 47 |  Desperate Measures | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 48 |  A Delicate Touch | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 49 |  Wild Card | 2019 | Amazon US UK |
| 50 |  Contraband | 2019 | Amazon US UK |
| 51 | Stealth | 2019 | Amazon US UK |
| 52 |  Treason | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 53 |  Hit List | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 54 |  Choppy Water | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 55 |  Shakeup | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 56 |  Hush-Hush | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 57 |  Double Jeopardy | 2021 | Amazon US UK |
| 58 | Class Act | 2021 | Amazon US |
| 59 | Foul Play | 2021 | Amazon US |
| 60 | Criminal Mischief | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 61 | A Safe House | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 62 | Black Dog | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 63 | Distant Thunder | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 64 | Near Miss | 2023 | Amazon US |
| 65 | Obsession | 2023 | Amazon US |
| 66 | Smolder | 2024 | Amazon US |
| 67 | Golden Hour | 2024 | Amazon US |
| 68 | Finders Keepers | 2025 | Amazon US |
| 69 | Blown Away | 2025 | Amazon US |
| 70 | Deep Water | 2026 | Amazon US |
Every title by year All 70, oldest to newest
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Dead | 1991 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 | Dirt | 1996 | Amazon US UK |
| 3 | Dead in the Water | 1997 | Amazon US UK |
| 4 | Swimming to Catalina | 1998 | Amazon US UK |
| 5 | Worst Fears Realized | 1999 | Amazon US UK |
| 6 | L.A. Dead | 2000 | Amazon US UK |
| 7 | Cold Paradise | 2001 | Amazon US UK |
| 8 | The Short Forever | 2002 | Amazon US UK |
| 9 | Dirty Work | 2003 | Amazon US UK |
| 10 | Reckless Abandon | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 11 | Two Dollar Bill | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 12 | Dark Harbor | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 13 | Fresh Disasters | 2007 | Amazon US UK |
| 14 | Shoot Him If He Runs | 2007 | Amazon US UK |
| 15 | Hot Mahogany | 2008 | Amazon US UK |
| 16 | Loitering with Intent | 2009 | Amazon US UK |
| 17 | Kisser | 2009 | Amazon US UK |
| 18 | Lucid Intervals | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 19 | Strategic Moves | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 20 | Bel-Air Dead | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 21 | Son of Stone | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 22 | D.C. Dead | 2011 | Amazon US UK |
| 23 | Unnatural Acts | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 24 | Severe Clear | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 25 | Collateral Damage | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 26 | Unintended Consequences | 2013 | Amazon US UK |
| 27 | Doing Hard Time | 2013 | Amazon US UK |
| 28 | Standup Guy | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 29 | Carnal Curiosity | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 30 | Cut and Thrust | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 31 | Paris Match | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 32 | Insatiable Appetites | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 33 | Hot Pursuit | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 34 | Naked Greed | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 35 | Foreign Affairs | 2015 | Amazon US UK |
| 36 | Scandalous Behavior | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 37 | Family Jewels | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 38 | Dishonorable Intentions | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 39 | Sex, Lies & Serious Money | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 40 | Below the Belt | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 41 | Fast and Loose | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 42 | Indecent Exposure | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 43 | Quick & Dirty | 2017 | Amazon US UK |
| 44 | Unbound | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 45 | Shoot First | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 46 | Turbulence | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 47 | Desperate Measures | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 48 | A Delicate Touch | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
| 49 | Wild Card | 2019 | Amazon US UK |
| 50 | Contraband | 2019 | Amazon US UK |
| 51 | Stealth | 2019 | Amazon US UK |
| 52 | Treason | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 53 | Hit List | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 54 | Choppy Water | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 55 | Shakeup | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 56 | Hush-Hush | 2020 | Amazon US UK |
| 57 | Double Jeopardy | 2021 | Amazon US UK |
| 58 | Class Act | 2021 | Amazon US |
| 59 | Foul Play | 2021 | Amazon US |
| 60 | Criminal Mischief | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 61 | A Safe House | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 62 | Black Dog | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 63 | Distant Thunder | 2022 | Amazon US |
| 64 | Near Miss | 2023 | Amazon US |
| 65 | Obsession | 2023 | Amazon US |
| 66 | Smolder | 2024 | Amazon US |
| 67 | Golden Hour | 2024 | Amazon US |
| 68 | Finders Keepers | 2025 | Amazon US |
| 69 | Blown Away | 2025 | Amazon US |
| 70 | Deep Water | 2026 | Amazon US |
Frequently asked
What order should I read the Stone Barrington books in?
Publication order, starting with New York Dead (1991). The books are written to stand alone, so you can jump in and enjoy any single title — but reading in order is the most rewarding way to follow Stone and the recurring cast as the series builds.
How many Stone Barrington books are there?
Well over fifty, published from 1991 through the early 2020s. Stuart Woods wrote at a famously fast clip — often two Stone Barrington novels a year — and since his death in 2022 the series has continued with author Brett Battles.
Do I need to read the Stone Barrington books in order?
Not strictly — Woods designed them to be picked up individually, and each mystery resolves within its own covers. But characters, relationships, and running jokes carry across the series, so publication order gives you the fuller experience.
Has Stone Barrington been made into a movie or TV show?
It's a question fans ask constantly given how cinematic the books are. We dug into the screen history — and what's real versus rumored — in a separate piece.
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