Holly Barker

Holly Barker is a former Army Military Police officer and small-town police chief who appears throughout Stuart Woods's Stone Barrington series as one of Stone's most important recurring allies and love interests. Based in Orchid Beach, Florida — and later at the CIA — Holly brings professional competence and genuine toughness to a series that surrounds its charming protagonist with capable, independent women.

Holly's military and law enforcement background gives her a different kind of authority than Stone's legal and investigative expertise, and their professional collaboration and romantic history create one of the series' most durable relationships. Her progression through the series — from small-town police chief to increasingly significant intelligence roles — reflects Woods's interest in capable women navigating institutions designed for men. She is one of Stone Barrington's most significant recurring characters.