From Publishers Weekly
In Woods's 24th novel-his third in the Holly Barker series (after Orchid Blues)-the prolific bestselling novelist revisits savvy, sexy ex-MP officer (and her dog, Daisy), now police chief of the small Florida east coast town of Orchid Beach. As the fast-paced but fluffy and rather predictable thriller begins, two out of three Miami bidders for a glitzy, gated residential complex with golf course are shot and killed. The third bidder, orchid fancier Ed Shine, a former New York real estate mogul and new resident of Orchid Beach, narrowly escapes the same fate. Shine renames his newly acquired property Blood Orchid, after an exotic hybrid blossom he has developed-a name that seems gruesomely prophetic when it turns out that the Miami mob may be involved with the property. Meanwhile, Barker, investigating the case and trying to discover who is bugging her beach house, spots the intruder's van from the plane of her flying instructor, Ginny (who is also her dad Ham's new bedmate). The two women make an emergency landing on the beach and scare the perp away, but his body is soon found floating in the Indian River. The trail leads to a shifty Cuban locksmith in Fort Lauderdale and the late intruder's fiance‚. Enter a Miami restaurateur with mob ties, and corpses pile up as the plot thickens. Woods writes strong action scenes, but his usual flair for tight, creative plotting is sadly missed here.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Forget Sneaky Pie and Koko here's a detective who gets help from her Doberman, Daisy. In her third outing, Chief of Police Holly Barker battles a nasty real estate scam even as she recovers from the loss of her fianc . Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
Author, reader, and abridgment combine to make this a fast-paced listening experience. Chief of Police Holly Barker must find out who is killing prospective Florida real estate buyers and why. Meanwhile two new men enter her life--a suave retiree from New York and a handsome FBI agent masquerading as a prospective buyer. One is obviously a phony--but which one? Alison Fraser moves the action scenes, makes settings visible, and vocally colors supporting characters. She also gets kudos for not choking on some of the romantic repartee. Holly, like Woods's other continuing hero, Stone Barrington, is too good to be true, but if you like mystery capers, this is for you. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Woods' popular heroine, police chief Holly Barker, returns for her third adventure. When two real estate developers are murdered by sniper fire and a third barely escapes a bullet while in Holly's company, Holly immediately becomes curious about the motivation behind the crimes. Developer Ed Shine bid on a property that was confiscated from drug dealers, and it turns out the two murdered developers had placed bids as well. When Harry Crisp and the FBI step in, Holly fears that the case will be taken out of her hands. She finally uncovers the killer, but by the time she gets to him, he's floating in a river with a bullet in his skull. The man's cousin is unwilling to help, and the man's fiancee, Marina, doesn't seem to know anything, though she is in possession of a notebook that might contain crucial information. In addition, Holly is pleasantly distracted by Grant Early, a handsome undercover FBI agent who won't tell Holly anything about what he's working on, even though it might be related to her case. The third entry in the Holly Barker series is a suspenseful, exciting mystery that is sure to please Woods' many fans. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Publishers Weekly
Fast-paced [with] strong action scenes.

Booklist
A suspenseful, exciting mystery that is sure to please Woods' many fans.

Denver Post
Always a pleasure to read.

Book Description
Chief of Police Holly Barker returns in her third suspenseful adventure-along with her father Ham and Daisy the Doberman. This time, they get introduced to the cutthroat world of Florida real estate...and uncover a scam as dangerous as it is lucrative.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Holly is trying to get her life back together after the shattering loss of her fiance, Jackson Oxenhandler. With the help of her wily Doberman, Daisy, and her Father, Ham, she throws herself back into the job with a vengeance." But before Holly can settle into her routine again, bullets crash into the home of a friend and a floater is found bobbing in the Intercoastal Waterway. Holly connects these developments to mysterious goings-on in Miami, but she can't imagine how such violent events could be related to her own quiet, unspoiled town of Orchid Beach. Holly joins forces with an undercover FBI agent, and together they track the clues straight to the source, only to find a scam more lucrative and more dangerous than any this idyllic town - or Holly - has ever seen.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In Woods's 24th novel-his third in the Holly Barker series (after Orchid Blues)-the prolific bestselling novelist revisits savvy, sexy ex-MP officer (and her dog, Daisy), now police chief of the small Florida east coast town of Orchid Beach. As the fast-paced but fluffy and rather predictable thriller begins, two out of three Miami bidders for a glitzy, gated residential complex with golf course are shot and killed. The third bidder, orchid fancier Ed Shine, a former New York real estate mogul and new resident of Orchid Beach, narrowly escapes the same fate. Shine renames his newly acquired property Blood Orchid, after an exotic hybrid blossom he has developed-a name that seems gruesomely prophetic when it turns out that the Miami mob may be involved with the property. Meanwhile, Barker, investigating the case and trying to discover who is bugging her beach house, spots the intruder's van from the plane of her flying instructor, Ginny (who is also her dad Ham's new bedmate). The two women make an emergency landing on the beach and scare the perp away, but his body is soon found floating in the Indian River. The trail leads to a shifty Cuban locksmith in Fort Lauderdale and the late intruder's fiance . Enter a Miami restaurateur with mob ties, and corpses pile up as the plot thickens. Woods writes strong action scenes, but his usual flair for tight, creative plotting is sadly missed here. Author tour. (Oct.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Woods's third novel featuring Orchid Beach, FL, Chief of Police Holly Barker is a suspenseful thriller. This intriguing case begins when she and her father, Ham, visit a new friend, Ed Shine, a property developer from New York who is bidding on prime real estate that the government is selling. During the visit, Ed is shot at, and, shortly after, a body is found floating in the Intercoastal Waterway. The FBI, it turns out, is as interested as Holly, especially after she connects the two crimes. She and an agent join forces but find themselves at odds when the agent, with whom she becomes romantically involved, refuses to share information. Very persistent, Holly proceeds on her own, dealing with a mob operation in Miami and shady activities within her own jurisdiction. Woods's detailed character and plot development are quite apparent in the unabridged version, well read by Dick Hill and Susie Breck. In the abridged program, Alison Fraser captures the essence of the book and still provides a high level of suspense and entertainment. Libraries opting for the abridged set may have to repackage for circulation. Recommended for public libraries.-Steven J. Mayover, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile