Stone Barrington's latest client is no stranger. Arrington Calder isn't just a former lover, this one-time heartthrob may be the mother of Stone's son.

Arrington has been recently widowed by her actor husband leaving her as the custodian of a fortune in Hollywood studio stock. Intent on cashing in, his pretty ex asks Stone to handle the dull paperwork involved in the deal. There is nothing dull, however, about what Barrington encounters when he arrives in Bel-Air.

It's a sexy action thriller from the author of Strategic Moves and Lucid Intervals'

Librarian's note: the author dedicates this volume to Elaine Kaufman (1929-2010) who, as he states, "loved writers." There's a nice photo of Stuart Woods and Elaine inside the front cover. Many scenes in previous entries of the Stone Barrington series take place at her restaurant in New York City, Elaine's. And most of the books open with the line, "Elaine's, late" as does this volume, #20.

Librarian's note: the characters, settings, etc. for the first 30 books in the series are complete: #1, New York Dead, 1991; #2, Dirt, 1996; #3, Dead in the Water, 1997; #4, Swimming to Catalina, 1998; #5, Worst Fears Realized, 1999; #6, L.A. Dead, 2000; #7, Cold Paradise, 2001; #8, The Short Forever, 2002; #9, Dirty Work, 2003; #10, Reckless Abandon, 2004; #11, Two Dollar Bill, 2004; #12. Dark Harbor, 2006; #13, Fresh Disasters, 2007; #14, Shoot Him if He Runs, 2007; #15, Hot Mahogany, 2008; #16, Loitering with Intent, 2009; #17, Kisser, 2009; #18, Lucid Intervals, 2010; #19, Strategic Moves, 2010; #20, Bel-Air Dead, 2011; #21, Son of Stone, 2011; #22, D.C. Dead, 2011; #23, Unnatural Acts, 2012; #24, Severe Clear, 2012; #25, Collateral Damage, 2012; #26, Unintended Consequences, 2013; #27, Doing Hard Time, 2013; #28, Standup Guy, 2014; #29, Carnal Curiosity, 2014, and #30, Cut & Thrust, 2014.