Hush-Hush (A Stone Barrington Novel) Hardcover – December 29, 2020 by Stuart Woods

Description

Author: Woods Stuart

Brand: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Color: Multicolor

Edition: First Edition

Package Dimensions: 37x236x522

Number Of Pages: 336

Release Date: 29-12-2020

Details: Product Description

Stone Barrington faces down a rival with cutting-edge tactics in this heart-racing thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Stone Barrington is settling in for some downtime in New York City when an anonymous enemy makes himself known. This nameless foe’s threats hit close to home, and before Stone can retaliate, the fearsome messages turn into very real consequences.

With the help of old friends–and a lovely new tech-savvy acquaintance–Stone sets out to unravel the fatal agenda. But as the web of adversaries expands, Stone realizes that no place is safe, and he’ll have to flush out the mastermind before he and those closest to him are silenced for good….

Review

“Prime escapism from a master of the genre.”
—Booklist

About the Author

Stuart Woods is the author of more than eighty-five novels, including the #1
New York Times-bestselling Stone Barrington series. He is a native of Georgia and began his writing career in the advertising industry.
Chiefs, his debut in 1981, won the Edgar Award. An avid sailor and pilot, Woods lives in Florida, Maine, and Connecticut.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

1

Stone Barrington awoke slowly on a Sunday morning. The evening before had been spent with his good friend Dino Bacchetti, and had involved good beef, good wine, and various spirits before and after dinner. Stone was alone in his bed, which was not his preference.

He was alone in his house, too, he recalled, since he had given his cook and housekeeper, Helene, and her husband, Fred Flicker, the weekend off. There was, he remembered, a housemaid stationed in the kitchen to meet his culinary needs. He picked up the phone and dialed an extension.

“Yes, sir?” an accented voice responded. “This is Gilia.”

Gilia was Greek, being one of a number of Helene’s nieces who occasionally landed in his employ.

“Breakfast,” he said huskily.

“Your usual, sir?” she asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Only a little minutes,” she replied.

“Good.” He hung up.

Gilia had been taught well. The eggs were soft and creamy and properly salted, the sausages were tender and juicy, and his WolfermanÕs English muffin was perfectly toasted and buttered. By the time he had wolfed it all down, he felt restored. He was searching for an old movie to watch on TV and had just selected a John Wayne western, John FordÕs Rio Grande, when his cell phone rang-the secure one. He picked it up. ÒSpeak,Ó he said. It was likely to be one of two people on the line; he hoped it was the tender gender one.

“What kind of greeting is that?” she asked.

“A cautious one,” Stone replied. “I was hoping it was you and not Lance.” Lance Cabot was the director of Central Intelligence, for whom Stone served as a special adviser. The woman on the line was the President of the United States, Holly Barker, with whom Stone had had an affectionate relationship for many years, off and on.

“I was thinking of coming to New York,” she said. “When would be convenient for you?”

“How about right this minute?”

“You understand there are arrangements to be made.”

“I thought we had that all ironed out and given a code name, ‘Turtle Bay.'” That was the name of the neighborhood surrounding a private garden on which his house was located. “All you have to do is dial a number, speak those words, and you’ll be here in time for lunch.”

“I know that’s supposed to be how it works,” she said, “but I’ve never actually used it. And things have a way of going awry when their operation depends on the workings of the federal government.”

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Stone said, reprovingly.

“My faith in my government, or lack of same, is based on long experience.”

“But your experience at the top of it is brief,” he replied. “Try it and see.”

“Hang,” she said, picking up another phone and dialing an extension. She held the other phone so he could hear the conversation.

“Yes, Madam President,” a male voice said after a single ring.

“Execute