Lucid Intervals is primarily a story about Dame Felicity Devonshire hiring Stone to find  former British agent, Stanley Whitestone, who betrayed the British Secret Service almost twelve years previously but who was recently seen in New York. Mr. Woods also weaves in the story of Herbie Fisher who won the lottery and offers Stone a retainer of $1 million dollars to represent him (much to Stone’s dismay). Herbie is a bad-luck magnet and at the very moment Herbie makes this request, shots are fired.  Curiously, Dolce Bianchi, Stone's former wife and the daughter of a Mafia don, is stalking Stone from across the street. Not quite certain why Mr. Woods included her again in Lucid Intervals. Perhaps he likes the Dolce character.

  Dinner at Elaine's with Knob Creek, a familiar cast of characters including Dino Bachetti, Bob Cantor, his secretary Joan, and restaurateur Elaine as well as crisp, entertaining writing are all part of the successful recipe for another very easy, very simple, and enjoyable Stone Barrington tale. We travel to Stone's summer home in Maine which was featured in a prior Barrington novel, Dark Harbor. Mr. Woods also includes his usual trysts (bunches of them) and twists his readers have come to appreciate and expect.  

 Mr. Woods mentioned that he convinced his publishers to allow him to write three novels each year and that he only writes for one hour each day. He doesn’t use an outline to indicate how his books will end or how the plot will proceed. This could very well explain the inclusion of Dolce and other walk-ons. With Lucid Intervals, he provides us with another escape into the life of attorney Stone Barrington. Although certainly not world-class literature, Mr. Woods provides another comfort read with our friends.

--Jerry Solot