Iron Orchid (Holly Barker, No. 5)

I am a Woods fan and enjoy all his books. This one is no exception, a good read.

Holly Barker is back from the other ORCHID books. She's retired from the police department and is not in training to be a CIA agent. Teddy Fay, the bad guy you love to hate, is back from CAPITAL CRIMES, is back. Master of disguise Teddy is a sort of vigilante who has killed those he considered right wing wacko. Now he's turned his attention to those he believes are terrorists or friends of terrorists, especially the kind of people who he believes the law can't touch, like those who may be protected by diplomatic immunity. Holly's CIA training is cut short when Teddy escapes from custody and the CIA decides to assign her to team charged with the manhunt. I'm kind of a Stuart Woods junkie and I particularly liked this book that brings so many characters from his past efforts together in one story. I like the driving pace of his novels and I wasn't disappointed here. I really like Holly and I was glad to see her move on from Orchid Beach where she was police chief and I'm looking forward to seeing more of her as a CIA agent.

Stuart Woods hits the page running, from the prologue to the final word of the final chapter. The reader finds out in the prologue just what a rogue ex-CIA techie Teddy Fay is; and from there on, it's a toss-up whether you're for him or against him. But the chase is exciting, and former police chief turned CIA operative, Holly Barker may be just the one to bring him to his knees. But does she? I have every one of Stuart Woods novels, and I'll drink to this being one of his best. I especially enjoyed the technical intrigue. So whether you're looking for a well-told story or a story told well, I'd recommend investing in this book.

Teddy Fay Worked for the CIA for forty years, eventually becoming a Tech Services coordinator and when he retired, he erased all his files in the Agency's computers. They have no pictures or fingerprints of the man who disappeared with astonishing ease. He started killing Right Wing politician including the Speaker of the House and when he was close to being caught, he blew up the plance he was flying and jumped out into the ocean. While the FBI and CIA think he is dead, Teddy relocates to New York when he starts killing terrorists, the enemies of America as he calls them. A joint FBI-CIA task force is formed and one of the CIA members is Holly Barker, the former Chief of Police in Orchid Beach, Florida. They recruited her and she eagerly grabbed the chance to become an operative. She is the only agent to see Holly and she is in the forefront of the investigation as Teddy tries to avoid the agents while continuing on his mission. The antagonist is the focus and the star of IRON ORCHID as he calmly hacks into CIA and FBI computers with the help of an inside source. Readers will be simultaneously drawn to and repelled by this character who marches to his own drummer. The protagonist takes to her CIA training like a duck to water and is able to carry her share of the work load on her uses first case as an agent. Stuart Woods has written a compelling and entertaining cat and mouse caper. Harriet Klausner