In St. Marks, death by murder is punishable by hanging. Little did Stone Barrington know that his long-awaited vacation was going to be interrupted by a legal case from Hell.

Stone Barrington is a retired cop and a New York lawyer on a beautiful Caribbean island alone. He has been stood up by his girlfriend who has an exclusive interview in the States with her ex-boyfriend and Hollywood’s top leading man. Just when he starts to relax and enjoy his vacation, Allison Manning sails in on a huge yacht, alone, claiming she buried her husband at sea after he suffers a fatal heart attack, but is that the true story? The minister of justice, Sir Winston Sutherland charges her with murder, but Stone is not convinced.

Allison Manning is a beautiful young American widow who is fighting for her life in a foreign land, but will she have a chance with the help of an aging barrister on the island and Stone Barrington? Is her attraction to Stone a ruse? Is she telling the truth about what happened to her husband?

Sir Winston Sutherland is a power-hungry official who will stop at nothing to make a name for himself by prosecuting Allison Manning for the murder of her husband. With St. Mark’s justice system on his side, it’s a huge possibility.

With all of the books I have read, I’m surprised that I have missed Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington series. This was a fast-paced, suspense thriller with plenty of plot twists and surprises right up until the end of the book. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, it throws you for a loop. A great read that will keep you entertained until the end.