Another fun to read book in this series. Rather predictable but still a good, fast read. This is book I would recommend to those who are reading this series.

Near Miss is the 64th book in the Stone Barrington series. I have rad this series from the beginning and enjoy it every time a new book comes out. Stone Barrington is he main character along with others that are in this series. The supporting characters add to the story.

Stone and Dino Bacchetti, police commissioner of New York, are meeting for dinner at Clarke's. Stone and Dino are sitting at the bar waiting for their table. Next to Stone is a woman with her date. He is not very nice towards her. Coming back from the ladies room her date has left leaving her to fend for herself. They start a conversation and Stone tells her that his mother was also named Matilda who was a painter. After dinner he invites her to his house for an after dinner drink.

The next day Trench Molder arrives at his office and speaks to Stone and tells him to stay away from his girlfriend. Stone tells him that Matillda does not want to see him anymore and asks him to leave. When she calls him to thank him for rescuing her he invites her to his house for dinner. In the meantime, Trench goes to his gym and speaks to Huff, a trainer and tells him that he wants to rough up Stone and put him in the hospital.

The next day when leaving a meeting, Stone sees a man watching him. When having lunch with Dino at their club he tells him about seeing this man. After seeing him when they leave the club Dino tells him he should be carrying a gun just incase. They mention Herbie Fisher is throwing a soiree and that they are both going. He has invited Matilda to join him. At the party Trench arrives with another woman. Both Stone and Matilda ignore him which makes him angry. They go out on the balcony. While there Trench sees Stone's car and calls Huff and tells him where the car is. When they leave the party and getting into his car he feels something hit him on the head and when he awakes he finds himself in the hospital. He has been hit over the head with a blackjack. He finds out that Huff is dead shot by Fred. Upon hearing that Huff is dead, Trench goes back to the gym and gets another trainer by the name Bozo to this time kill Stone.

Matilda decides to stay at Stone' s house to help him get better. This is where Stone and Matilda start their affair. Dino helps Matilda get a gun license and Stone helps her buy a gun for her protection. Lance Cabot, director of the Central Intelligence Agency calls Stone and tells him he has heard that the man was a hit man.

Carly Riggs is a young lawyer who works for Woodman & Weld who Stone took under his wing, told Stone that she took her bar exam and aced it. She told him that she is working for Herbie. Stone invites her to join him and Dino for dinner at P.J. Clarke's and Bill Eggers will be also there. She accepted. At dinner he finds out thata Carly is going to friends to sleep on their couches and invites her to live in one of his apartments in the house next to his. She accepts. At dinner Bill tells her that she had answered all questions perfectly and offers her an office of her own which she accepts.

Fred tells Stone that he sees someone tailing them. It is Bozo. He calls Trench and tells him that Stone is home. He tells Trench he has an idea but it will cast lots of money. Trench goes to see his uncle and asks for money. He calls Bozo back and tells him he has the money. Bozo goes to his man and orders a bomb.

Stone, Matilda and Carly go to Patroon to meet Dino for dinner. On their way to dinner Fred tells them that they are being followed again. They call Mike Freedman who will send some men to watch Bozo. They go into Patroon's for dinner. Bozo along with Trench put their scheme into place. They have two people distract Fred and one puts the bomb under the Bentley. Fred takes the woman into the bar. She delays him. In the meantime the men who are watching Bozo, Fred calls Stone and tell him that a bomb has been put under their car. They remove the bomb and puts it in the trunk. Fred comes out and takes the bomb and goes for a walk and puts it in Bozo's trunk. When they leave the restaurant Bozo and Trench follow them and eventually find an area that they can blow up the car. Trench pushes the button and their car blows up killing both of them.

Alexei Gromyko, the Greek II is told that his nephew is dead by a bomb. He is his sister's only child. Tells Bean Counter who works for him to find out who set the bomb. Lance calls Stone and tells him did he know who Trench is. He is the nephew of Alexei Gromyko is the half brother of Serge Gromyko who Stone had killed. Alexei is half Greek and half Russian, This brings the Russian mob into the picture. Because of he bombing Matilda decides to go to LA to visit her sister.

Stone decides to go to his house in Maine and Dino, Viv and Carly go too. This is where the story takes off on an adventure that is too much to put on paper. I will leave it to the reader to enjoy to an exciting climax.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC.

This was another great Stone book glad the series are being continued even though Woods has died Hopefully all the series will continue for a long time Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to give a review of this book

Once again, a thinly plotted account of Stone being chased by various people trying to kill him. For want of a villain, the old Russian enemies were brought back. Of course, he is surrounded by women and aided by his friend Dino, the unlikely chief of police.

I’m sorry Stuart Woods passed away. Enjoyed this series years ago, but I didn’t enjoy this nonsense chase. The level of violence is also disturbing and probably not a good fit with those of us h dislike guns.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.