Stone Barrington takes on a beautiful new client who’s nothing but trouble in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series. Stone Barrington and his former cop partner Dino are enjoying their drinks at Elaine’s when former client and all-around sad sack Herbie Fisher walks in...in need of a lawyer. But while Stone is trying to fend off Herbie, a more welcome potential employer appears: a beautiful woman looking for somebody who somebody else wants dead. She takes Stone into the posh world of embassy soirees and titled privilege, where high society meets government intrigue. And when trouble follows him from his Manhattan townhouse to his tranquil summer home in Maine, Stone has to decide what to do with the explosive information he’s uncovered. Praise for Lucid Intervals “Woods’s Stone Barrington is a guilty pleasure…he’s also an addiction that’s harder to kick than heroin.”— Contra Costa Times (California)   “Smooth...Woods mixes danger and humor into a racy concoction that will leave readers thirsty for more.”— Publishers Weekly   “In Lucid Intervals , [Woods’] blend of booze, broads and bullets remains a winning formula. In an ever-changing world, it’s nice to have reliables such as Woods and his characters on which to depend.”— Bangor Daily News (Maine)   “Fans of Woods’s long-running series will not be disappointed by this romp, which is peppered with plenty of humor.”— Booklist More Praise for Stuart Woods “Stuart Woods is a no-nonsense, slam-bang storyteller.”— Chicago Tribune “A world-class mystery writer...I try to put Woods’s books down and I can’t.”— Houston Chronicle  “Mr. Woods, like his characters, has an appealing way of making things nice and clear.”— The New York Times “Woods certainly knows how to keep the pages turning.”— Booklist “Since 1981, readers have not been able to get their fill of Stuart Woods’  New York Times  bestselling novels of suspense.”— Orlando Sentinel Stuart Woods was the author of more than ninety novels, including the #1 New York Times bestselling Stone Barrington series. A native of Georgia and an avid sailor and pilot, he began his writing career in the advertising industry. Chiefs , his debut in 1981, won the Edgar Award. Woods passed away in 2022. 1 Elaine’s, late. Stone Barrington and Dino Bacchetti were sitting at their usual table, eating penne with shrimp and vodka sauce, when a young man named Herbert Fisher walked in with a tall young woman. Stone ignored him. Herbie Fisher was the nephew of Bob Cantor, a retired cop with whom Stone had worked many times. Bob Cantor was Herbie’s only connection with reality. Herbie Fisher, in Stone’s experience, was a walking catastrophe. Herbie seated his girl at a table to the rear, then walked back and took a chair at Stone’s table. “Hi, Stone,” he said. “Hi, Dino.” “Dino,” Stone said, “you are a police officer, are you not?” “I am,” said Dino, spearing a shrimp. “I wish to make a complaint.” “Go right ahead,” Dino said. “What’s going on, Stone?” Herbie asked. Stone ignored him. “There is an intruder at my table; I wish to have him removed.” “Remove him yourself,” Dino said. “I’m eating penne with shrimp and vodka sauce.” “You are a duly constituted officer of the law, are you not?” Stone asked. “Once again, I am.” “Then it is your duty to respond to the complaint of an upstanding citizen.” “What kind of citizen?” “Upstanding.” “I’m not at all sure that the word describes you, Stone.” Herbie, whose head was following the conversation as if he were seated in the first row at Wimbledon, said, “No kidding, Stone, what’s going on?” Stone continued to ignore him. “Dino, am I to understand that you are ignoring a citizen’s complaint?” “You are to understand that,” Dino said, mopping up some vodka sauce with a slice of bread. “Do your own dirty work.” “Stone,” Herbie said, “I’m rich.” “That’s rich,” Dino replied. “No kidding, I’m rich. I won the lottery.” “How much?” Dino asked. “Don’t encourage him,” Stone said. “Thirty million dollars,” Herbie replied. “How much you got left after taxes and paying off your bookie and your loan shark?” Dino asked. “I’m warning you,” Stone said. “Don’t encourage him, he’s dangerous.” “Approximately fourteen million, two,” Herbie replied. “I want to hire you as my lawyer, Stone,” he continued. “Why do you need a lawyer?” Dino asked. “All rich people need lawyers,” Herbie said. “Could you be more specific?” Dino asked. “Dino,” Stone said, “stop this, stop it right now. He’s sucking you in.” “Prove you’re rich, Herbie,” Dino said. “I’ll be right back,” Herbie said. He got up, walked back to where the girl sat, picked up her large handbag, came back to Stone’s table and sat down. He lifted up the handbag and opened it wide, displaying the contents to Stone and Dino. “What do you think that is?” he asked. “Well,” Dino said, gazing into the purse, “that would appear to be approximately twenty bundles of one-hundred-dollar bills each, or two mil