Swimming to Catalina

Stone Barrington, former NYPD detective turned lawyer, travels to Los Angeles to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, actress Arrington Carter. The case pulls him into the dark underbelly of Hollywood, where fame and criminal enterprises intersect. The investigation forces Stone to navigate through a complex web of relationships involving movie industry power players, organized crime figures, and law enforcement. His search for answers takes him from exclusive Hollywood parties to the waters off Catalina Island. Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles and the film industry, Swimming to Catalina explores themes of loyalty, deception, and the price of fame. The story examines how past relationships and choices continue to influence present circumstances.

Readers describe Swimming to Catalina as a fast-paced beach read with a straightforward plot. The fourth Stone Barrington novel maintains the series' focus on action and escapism. Readers liked: - Quick, engaging pace - Hollywood setting and celebrity elements - Light tone suitable for vacation reading - Continuation of familiar characters Readers disliked: - Predictable plot developments - Unrealistic romantic scenarios - Too many convenient coincidences - Shallow character development - Repetitive descriptions of wealth and luxury Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (15,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (1,100+ ratings) Common reader comments note the book works best as "mindless entertainment" and "airport fiction." Multiple reviews mention skimming through detailed passages about expensive cars and restaurants. Several readers pointed out plot holes but still finished the book for its entertainment value. As one Amazon reviewer stated: "Not great literature, but a fun distraction for a few hours."

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🌟 Stuart Woods wrote over 60 novels in his career, with the Stone Barrington series being his most successful, spanning more than 60 books 🌟 Swimming to Catalina is the 4th book in the Stone Barrington series, which began with "New York Dead" in 1991 🌟 Santa Catalina Island, referenced in the title, lies about 22 miles off the coast of Southern California and has been a popular filming location since the early days of Hollywood 🌟 The character Arrington Calder was named after Wood's own daughter, and appears in multiple books throughout the series 🌟 Stuart Woods wrote his first novel "Chiefs" while living aboard a boat in Ireland, setting a precedent for including nautical themes in many of his later works