Foreign Affairs by Stuart Woods ***

WARNING: A key plot point is a young lady's ability to hide an iPhone inside her body. I did not find this interesting or plausible. You reaction might differ.

Foreign Affairs by Stuart Woods is a Stone Barrington novel about a young lady named Hedwig (Hedy) Eva Maria Kiesler who Stone meets on a airplane. She immediately moves in with him, and as a result she is kidnapped.

This novel had me thinking about superheros. I recall reading somewhere that superheros need interesting superpowers and a vulnerability. Consider Superman with his many superpowers and vulnerability to Kryptonite, or James Bond with is high-tech gadgets and a weakness for beautiful women.

Stone Barrington's superpower is his powerful friends such as the U.S. President Kate (Madame President), NYPD Police Commissioner, and various heads of national intelligence agencies. He also has inexhaustible staff and financial resources. Vulnerabilities? None worth mentioning.

As a result all problems are immediately outsourced, Stone himself is not that interesting, so not the best superhero.

This short novel predictably ends with her rescue and a teaser for the next installment. This novel is #35.