The Alibi Man

The Alibi Man
Average customer rating:

Another page turner from Hoag

Nice Detective story

Tami Hoag created a terrific story

Elena Estes should def. have a series!

Elena Estes is back!

The Alibi Man
Tami Hoag
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Hoag, Tami | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553802011
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

She was a vision. She was a siren. She was a nightmare. She was dead. Now he needed her to disappear. And he knew just how to make it happen. The Palm Beach elite go to great lengths to protect their own—and their own no longer includes Elena Estes. Once upon a time a child of wealth and privilege, Elena turned her back on that life. Betrayed and disillusioned by those closest to her, she chose the life of an undercover cop, the hunt for justice her own personal passion. Then a tragic, haunting mistake ended her career. Now Elena exists on the fringes of her old life, training horses for a living. But a shocking event is about to draw her back into the painful vortex she’s fought so hard to leave behind.

First she finds the body—a young woman used, murdered, and dumped in a canal. Not just a victim, but a friend. As Elena delves into her dead friend’s secret life, she discovers ties not only to the Russian mob but also to a group of powerful and wealthy Palm Beach bad boys known for giving each other alibis to cover a multitude of sins. A group that includes a man Elena once knew very well—her former fiancé, Bennett Walker, a man she knows has already escaped justice at least once in his life.

Finding her friend’s killer will put Elena at odds with her old life, with her new lover, and with herself. But she is determined to reveal the truth—a truth that will shock Palm Beach society to its core, and could very well get her killed.

Customer Reviews:

Another page turner from Hoag.......2007-09-08

Alibi Man became my alibi to read this book instead of doing something else. This book speeds you through twists and turns like a highway begging for you to reach the climax. Tami knows how to hold your interest and build to that climax and along the way some of the scenes she describes are so vived they are grotesque. Will not reveal plot as that is the story. A fat book with many pages that I finished in less than four days and read at night only for one hour each.

Nice Detective story.......2007-08-21

I had read Dark Horse, the precursor book with the same leading characters and setting as Alibi Man, and found that I just couldn't get into the heroine Elena. I happen to like Tami Hoag's books mainly for her character developments and even though I didn't really like Elena Estes as a character, I still decided to read Alibi man to see if she's developed as a person.

I liked Alibi Man much more than Dark Horse. Elena is still rash but in Alibi Man she is more self reflective and less rash with the general boldness still present. Still set in the Equestrian world, which I find interesting as I know nothing about it, Elena and her "former" on again off again lover Det. Landry work to find out who killed the groom whom Elena works with. Not as hard nosed in Alibi Man as in Dark Horse, Elena helps Det. Landry behind the scenes to find this killer, while at the same time being forced to deal with painful family relationships with her parents and her relationship with Det. Landry, although, he is on the back burner in this book as in the last. I enjoyed that she seemed a lot more vulnerable in this book, which made her seem more real to me. The plot itself was very well done and interesting and it kept my interest.

Alibi Man was a quick (read in one day), easy, and much more pleasant read for me than Dark Horse was. I really love the way Ms. Hoag writes. What I really enjoyed was that Ms. Hoag's usual verbosity was not as present. Much shorter than many of her other books, only 351 pages, she makes her points without rehashing them over and over as she's wont to do in other books. I don't really mind that she usually does re-hash thoughts and feelings of her characters over and over throughout a book, but this was a pleasant change.

Tami Hoag created a terrific story.......2007-08-03

It has been awhile since I have read something by Tami Hoag and I really enjoyed The Alibi Man. I understand that I have been out of the loop with the main character Elena Estes. However, when I finished the book it didn't appear to me that I missed anything from Elena previous adventures, because I thought The Alibi Man stood on its own. Elena has her fair share of knocks and I couldn't help but root for her. The story moves along at a quick pace, with a number of unrealistic scenes that I had trouble with. But still it was an entertaining read and I thought Tami Hoag did a terrific job and I would gladly recommend it to all my friends.

For you Mystery fans that want a refreshing and thrilling mystery with a bit of romance then feast on the novel The Monopoly Factor by Robert L. Saunders. It's a story of corporate deceit, greed and murder and I rooted for Barry and Susan from the time they first met until that climatic ending in the story. I'm enthralled with this author's prose and I highly encourage you to check it out. Have a good read.

Elena Estes should def. have a series!.......2007-07-30

One of the best books I've read in a long time. I received this book Friday and was finished by Sunday night. I could not put this book down, except for my Saturday night fun... Excellent Tami Hoag thriller.

Elena Estes is back!.......2007-07-13

Elena Estes (who I recognize as a character from a previous novel) is back and better than ever. Investigating the death of a co-worker and friend, Elena soon discovers that events from her past, are effecting her present and future. More than anything, Elena wants to solve Irina's death, and having recently broken up with her lover, Detective Landry, she struggles to keep him at arms length while assisting in the investigation. I will not retell the story, or tell you who killed Irina and why (enough reviewers have done that), but I will make a few simple statements. This novel contains everything that you need to make a terrific suspense novel. There were wealthy men (Brody and a host of other interesting characters) who have formed an "Alibi Club" (a bad version of a Good Ole Boy Club, who provide alibis to each other if needed); sexy polo stars (Barbaro)looking for redemption; a grieving and vicious Russian Mobster, Alexi Kulak; a person referred to as a "Freak" (who walks around looking like a circus reject); blackmailers; a victim who is more than she seemed; and a murderer. But what I found to be the most compelling was the character of Elena. You really grow to understand why she has become so jaded, so filled with guilt, and so sad. We understand why she pushes Landry away, but secretly desires what they could have, but what she is too afraid of. Anyway, Elena is a product of her past. We find out that she has left the police force, 3 years ago, because of guilt that she has about causing the death of her partner during a meth bust. The incident left her with physical (she was drug by a truck) and psychological scars (blames herself). And on top of that, her ex-lover/fiance', Bennett Walker (20 years ago), appears to be the number one suspect. Elena remembers all too well how Bennett asked her to be his alibi when he was accused of raping and assaulting a girl, and would it be unreasonable to think that someone who has everything would not kill to protect themselves. And on top of that, he is a member of the Alibi Club. Having escaped punishment for his past deeds, with the help of her estranged/defense attorney father, Elena would like to see him brought to justice if he is guilty.

As the story develops, you learn a lot about Irina, her lovers and her good friend Lizbeth, but you learn even more about Elena, and what makes her what she is....a truth seeker. How all of the injustices she has been a witness to, have shaped who she has become. I would love to read another Elena Estes story to see how her life evolves and what becomes of her relationship with Landry. So, I can tell you with no hesitation to read Alibi Man, I think you will enjoy it.

"A" is for Alibi (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

Entertaining
Perhaps disappointing as the first of the series...
A is for Alibi
A is for Average
Great Read

"A" is for Alibi (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries)
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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"B" is for Burglar (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries)
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"E" is for Evidence (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries)
"F" is for Fugitive (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries)

ASIN: 0312938993
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

READ THE SENSATIONAL BLOCKBUSTER THAT STARTED IT ALL!Take it from the top in #1 New York Times bestselling author Sue Grafton's knockout thriller that introduced detective Kinsey Millhone-and a hot new attitude-to crime fiction...A IS FOR AVENGERA tough-talking former cop, private investigator Kinsey Millhone has set up a modest detective agency in a quiet corner of Santa Teresa, California. A twice-divorced loner with few personal possessions and fewer personal attachments, she's got a soft spot for underdogs and lost causes.A IS FOR ACCUSEDThat's why she draws desperate clients like Nikki Fife. Eight years ago, she was convicted of killing her philandering husband. Now she's out on parole and needs Kinsey's help to find the real killer. But after all this time, clearing Nikki's bad name won't be easy.A IS FOR ALIBIIf there's one thing that makes Kinsey Millhone feel alive, it's playing on the edge. When her investigation turns up a second corpse, more suspects, and a new reason to kill, Kinsey discovers that the edge is closer-and sharper-than she imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining.......2007-10-10

I found this book to be entertaining, but I can't wait to see if they get a little more exciting the further I get into the series.

Perhaps disappointing as the first of the series..........2007-08-22

I really like the fact that the Kinsey Millhone books are written in first person, like the old detective stories. She's a very human, very likable character. A is for Alibi is our introduction to Kinsey, and it's a pretty good one.

I was a bit disappointed by the fact that already, in the first book in the series, Grafton alludes to all kinds of past events and insider info... I felt sort of like I'd missed something. But apparently as the series wears on, more of this background gets filled in.

Innumerable plot twists and characters you love to hate at every turn don't keep this mystery from being a bit predictible, but it was a good, fast-paced read, and there was an element of surprise. The dénouement was a bit anti-climactic though (all that action leading up to.... what?) The narration picks up again later on and explains what happened, but I wasn't satisfied.

Not my favorite Grafton novel, by any means, but an okay start to the series. My liking for the main character probably colored my rating somewhat, but to be perfectly honest, if this had been my first foray into this series, I'm not sure I would have continued.

A is for Alibi.......2007-07-20

Wonderful !!! I love mystery stories and the Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mystery Series by Sue Grafton are terrific. I've read five so far and will continue till I reach the newest "T is for..." which I have preordered. Love the way Sue Grafton writes and has such terrific endings... Great writing and I'd recommend her books to everyone...

A is for Average.......2007-02-24

It takes a superior writer with excellent chacterization skills to keep things lively when the plot basically consists of our PI hero conducting an interminable series of one-on-one interviews. Kinsey Millhone is not a very distinctive character here and author Sue Grafton buries her inquiries in an avalanche of trivial detail. Every time Kinsey goes somewhere, Grafton gives us driving directions that would do Mapquest proud. We read about the decor of everyplace Kinsey visits and learn the menu of every meal she eats. We are 100 pages into the novel before anything even vaguely exciting happens--and even then Kinsey's actions are not very logical. I was prepared to give this novel a much lower rating but I quite enjoyed the last 50 pages, including the abrupt conclusion. This story just took much too long to get moving.

Great Read.......2007-02-07

It's refreshing to read a suspense novel that you can't figure out who done it in the first 10 pages. I look forward to reading more of this author.

Sue Grafton ABC Gift Collection: "A" Is for Alibi, "B" Is for Burglar, "C" Is for Corpse

Average customer rating:

A good intro to the series
First Time Audio Book Customer

Sue Grafton ABC Gift Collection: "A" Is for Alibi, "B" Is for Burglar, "C" Is for Corpse
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: RH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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The Patricia Cornwell CD Audio Treasury Low Price: Contains All That Remains and Cruel and Unusual (Kay Scarpetta Mysteries)
K Is for Killer (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries)
J Is for Judgment

ASIN: 0739332244
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Book Description

Here together for the first time on CD are the three mysteries that started it all, introducing sexy, savvy ex-cop turned P.I. Kinsey Millhone to listeners everywhere…

“A” Is for Alibi
Nikki Fife, convicted of murdering her husband Laurence, is out on parole after eight years of prison. Now, she hires Kinsey Millhone to find out who really killed Laurence. The trail will twist and turn until finally turning back on itself, bringing Kinsey face-to-face with a killer cunning enough to get away with murder.

“B” Is for Burglar
Elaine Boldt is missing, and her sister wants Kinsey Millhone to find her. It seems to be a routine job–until Kinsey is ordered to drop the investigation just as she discovers that days before Elaine’s disappearance, her next-door neighbor and bridge partner had been murdered. Now, the killer is still at large . . . and looking for Kinsey.

“C” Is for Corpse
Kinsey Millhone is recruited to help Bobby Callahan, a young man struggling back to life after his Porsche was forced to take a near-fatal nose dive over the edge of a canyon. Three days later Bobby is dead and Kinsey must capture a cold-blooded killer before he strikes again.

Customer Reviews:

A good intro to the series.......2007-07-27

First off, excellent reading.

About the stories, they are fine, well writen books. Kinsey Milhone is a female PI in a small costal California town who takes on a series of murders in these three books. Better written than most of the series murder mysteries.

First Time Audio Book Customer.......2006-08-18

This collection was my first ever audio book and I have already ordered more. The reader uses a variety of voice changes, emotions and just the right amount of pauses to add to the suspense and enjoyment of listening. I hope to get the whole alaphabet!

Sue Grafton: Three Complete Novels; A, B & C: A is for Alibi; B is for Burglar; C is for Corpse

Average customer rating:

I got stuck with "Gumshoe"
Gotta Read!!
Wonderful, I love Kinsey
I loved them all
"G" is for Gumshoe

Sue Grafton: Three Complete Novels; A, B & C: A is for Alibi; B is for Burglar; C is for Corpse
Sue Grafton
Manufacturer: Wings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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"F" is for Fugitive (The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Mysteries)
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J Is for Judgment
K Is for Killer (Kinsey Millhone Mysteries)

ASIN: 051720679X
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Book Description

A New York Times bestselling author appears for the first time ever in an omnibus edition! Old fans and new friends will welcome this collection of Sue Grafton's first three alphabet crime novels: A Is for Alibi, B Is for Burglar, and C is for Corpse. The award-winning mysteries all feature former cop turned detective, Kinsey Milhone, one of the most loved heroines of modern mystery fiction.

Customer Reviews:

I got stuck with "Gumshoe".......2007-10-11

"G is for Gumshoe" was my first Kinsey Millhone novel. I will tell you that I went back and read everything leading up to "G" before "H" came out. I have been an avid Sue Grafton fan since the beginning. She makes Kinsey so fun and fallible. You just have to love her and her stories. I especially love Henry.

Gotta Read!!.......2007-07-07

I love all the alphabet books, but even better was having three in one!
I am currently reading K is for Killer, each one gets better and better!

Wonderful, I love Kinsey.......2007-06-14

I have read almost all of Grafton's books, I still have a few that I have missed, she is ingenious, every single novel is original. The reading is easy, I can devour a book in one to two days, and then I am looking around for another. I have just finished J,K,L,M, am working on N, and am now looking for the ones in between that I have missed.

Dorothy Harper, Northridge, CA

I loved them all.......2007-06-03

I've read the whole series and can't wait for the next one to come out.

"G" is for Gumshoe.......2007-05-14

This novel by Sue Grafton is very light hearted and fun to read. Reading a novel about Kinsey Millhone is addictive! I can't put it down.

Octopus Alibi: An Alex Rutledge Mystery (Alex Rutledge Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

So-So, Not Bad
Alex wraps up another one
Great Fun! Key West Local Color With Hot Story Included!
Excellent follow to his other great Rutledge Novels
A Key West Mystery

Octopus Alibi: An Alex Rutledge Mystery (Alex Rutledge Mysteries)
Tom Corcoran
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Key West Connection

Accessories:

Avon ANEW CLINICAL 2-Step Facial Peel

ASIN: 0312997175
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Book Description

The murder of a long-missing woman, the death of a mentor, and the suicide of Key West's mayor are revealed on a warm April day. Alex Rutledge, a freelance photographer with ties to city and county law enforcement, first must help friend Sam Wheeler identify a body in Ft. Lauderdale. Hours later, in Key West, Rutledge documents the mayor's demise. He also is forced to confront the death of Naomi Douglas, who encouraged his creative photography. All this on the day before Alex's departure for a big-dollar photo job on Grand Cayman Island. Home-front troubles compound his dilemmas. Teresa Barga, his housemate, is absorbed by Whitney Randolph, an old college friend with cash, bent morals, and more alibis than an octopus has suckers. Randolph, he learns, has slithered into the suspense, linking himself to both scam and murder victims. The police see no crimes. Only Alex senses foul play. And when out-of-character friends, duplicitous officials, and violence take him to labyrinths of corruption, he is faced with the most dangerous encounter of his life.

Customer Reviews:

So-So, Not Bad.......2007-08-09

Maybe it's me, but this novel didn't spin the prop on my beanie like others I have read. It's got plenty of action, lots of Key West background, but somehow it didn't get to me. Rutledge seems a little too smug. It's not a bad read, just one of those you are glad when it's done ....

Alex wraps up another one.......2005-08-15

Tom Corcoran sometimes has to stretch for a plot, but always provides a good read. Alex Rutledge mysteries are well worth buying.

Great Fun! Key West Local Color With Hot Story Included!.......2004-11-03

RUN....don't walk, to your nearest book seller and beg, borrow, or steal all four of Corcoran's Alex Rutledge novels. If Octopus Alibi hooks you, as I believe it will, you'll find multiple, fun to read who-done-it enjoyment in backtracking the previous three Rutledge sleuthing forays. Good fun, "lazy days" kind of reading. Lower Keys locals and frequent visitors alike are having an absolute blast peeking throughout to see where (or, if) they've been included (surely hoping that it's not jail or the morgue), and which political folly du jour gets a subtle send up. Of course the best places to eat or have drinks in or near Key West are also brought into the storyline. Yes, I can just see myself at sunset, re-reading Octopus Alibi at the bar at Louie's Backyard now, sipping a rum soda w/Key Lime, listening to "Cuban Crimes of Passion", & peeking around the pages to see if Rutledge shows up with a lady friend. Saw a sneak paragraph or two of Corcoran's next book, so I know that one is gonna be hot stuff, too! So, get yourself "hooked" - on Octopus Alibi right away!

Excellent follow to his other great Rutledge Novels.......2003-06-24

I was an inhabitant of the islands in the early 80's before the place got popular and crowded. Corcoran's description of the characters and the long term residents of the keys are dead on. If you know the keys and key west well, you will really enjoy this book and the other Rutledge novels. Fans of the Travis McGee series and Carl Hiassen's books would really enjoy this story as well as the others Corcoran mysteries. Keep them coming Tom!

A Key West Mystery.......2003-06-09

Of all the major "Keys" writers, Corcoran seems least frequent in publication, and this pays off in well written novels, or at least fast moving novels. He really is fun to read. Additionally, if you are "into" Key West, he's your writer. While there are actually two trips up and down to Miami, and a couple of "off island" forays, this book is centered in and plays on the ambience of that "last place in America." Alex Rutledge, Corcoran's photographer hero, tools up and down Simonton on his Cannondale or strolls the sidewalks of Duval, avoiding the overflow from Sloppy Joe's, dodging into Captain Tony's around the corner for an early beer. Certainly the Key West life style. There are many other little treasures: remembered sidewalk restaurants, cascades of bouganvillia on corners, the ocean mist, happy hour at Hog's Breath, regularly painted empty buildings. These are the observations of someone who knows the streets over time.

Dirty deeds in this novel, surprise, are linked to real estate development and illegal immigration. The two plots work, but are not systematically linked to each other. These are mingled with the unraveling of a relationship between Rutledge and his "roomie" Teresa, that not unfrequent disaster that comes about when two decide to live as one and abandon the freedom of separate apartments. As the novel drew to a close, I had the feeling that there were three distinct stories, all joined at Alex Rutledge. Still, both mystery plots are exciting, and enough to keep anyone reading the novel awake an extra hour. The romance ends, as is common in "Keys" novels with a promise of future solace.

For those who remember the days of clearing the pier of ships for sunset, or "tank" island (before the "condofying" of the island perimeter) wise contemporaries who bought Conch cottages for a song seem just a little long in the tooth. Such folk, also, have to be in their mid to late fifties and for we less lucky mortals self-knowledge forms plausability questions. One bit of K.W. zaniness, which someone eventually will seriously propose is a developer's Malory Square Dome with recorded projected sunsets to allow tourists to view the ten best in history. No mention of a guaranteed green flash, however.

Alibi: A Novel
Average customer rating:

Should have been better (story & writing: 2 stars, editing: 0 stars)

Everyone is crooked

It is not romantic anymore

Outstanding

Wait for the movie

Alibi: A Novel
Joseph Kanon
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Kanon, Joseph | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 080507886X
Release Date: 2005-03-24

Book Description

It is 1946, and a stunned Europe is beginning its slow recovery from the ravages of World War II. Adam Miller has come to Venice to visit his widowed mother and try to forget the horrors he has witnessed as a U.S. Army war crimes investigator in Germany. Nothing has changed in Venice-not the beautiful palazzi, not the violins at Florian's, not the shifting water that makes the city, untouched by bombs, still seem a dream. But when Adam falls in love with Claudia, a Jewish woman scarred by her devastating experiences during the war, he is forced to confront another Venice, a city still at war with itself, haunted by atrocities it would rather forget. Everyone, he discovers, has been compromised by the Occupation--the international set drinking at Harry's, the police who kept order for the Germans, and most of all Gianni Maglione, the suave and enigmatic Venetian who happens to be his mother's new suitor. And when, finally, the troubled past erupts in violent murder, Adam finds himself at the center of a web of deception, intrigue, and unexpected moral dilemmas. When is murder acceptable? What are the limits of guilt? How much is someone willing to pay for a perfect alibi? "If you like historical novels with hefty shots of sex, obsession and death, Alibi is your book of the year....There are touches of le Carr and Graham Greene, but Kanon is too good to ape another writer. He pays homage to Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, with his obsessive characters and oppressive atmosphere, but Kanon's obsession in Venice is more destructive, appropriate to a later, more violent age." -- The Globe and Mail "A great thriller, filled with superb details of a weary city amid the accusations and denials that the end of war always brings." - The Hamilton Spectator Set against the magical, but sinister, backdrop of Venice, Kanon has fashioned another spectacular historical thriller. - The Toronto Sun With skilful prose, Kanon creates the historical atmosphere of post-war Venice and he evokes the elegant charm of the city with its picturesque maze of canals. He presents credible and intimate love scenes[and] Kanon does a good job of revealing how the narrator is caught by his internal conflict and how he has to deal with his own demons. - The Edmonton Journal

Customer Reviews:

Should have been better (story & writing: 2 stars, editing: 0 stars).......2007-07-09

One would expect a former "book publishing executive" to have the editorial skill himself, or the ability to command it from someone else, to avoid the mistakes that permeate the text: incorrect forms of Italian words; inconsistent italicizing of Italian words and phrases; mistakes in punctuation; bottled mineral water in 1945 (and if it wasn't bottled--it's just "poured" by a waiter--how did the character know it was mineral water?).

Worse, however (by far), is the unlikable and unbelievable cast. The lovers behave with a startling lack of affection. Their love is mentioned occasionally (it seems to come and go), but their conversations and the way they treat each other--especially the way she treats him--conveys distrust, disinterest, even dislike. The hero is disdainful of his mother, no reason given. Of the other characters, both villains and good guys, only one, in the background for most of the book, is the least bit interesting.

This was my first Joseph Kanon novel; it didn't inspire me to read earlier ones.

Everyone is crooked.......2007-05-27

First off: This is an incredibly good book. Just click and buy it right now, you won't be disappointed.

Alibi is set in post war Venice - a city that never saw front line fighting, a jewel that appears on the surface to be untouched by the Nazis and the Fascists. Oh, but then just hang on for an incredibly good ride.

Everyone has something to hide. Everyone made their deals with the devil. Occupied Italy tainted everyone who strived to survive the war, and now the war is over, but the taint persists. The old scores need reckoning.

I will not spoil this excellent story. There is just too much in this book, and you know who most of the bad guys are. I'm not too sure there are many good guys. Just get it right now.

It is not romantic anymore.......2007-05-20

After World War II Venice was still beautiful. The narrator's mother, Grace Miller, had known Linda Porter, the composer's wife. Adam Miller traveled to Italy after spending time in Germany doing de-Nazification work. Bertie Howard helped Grace with furnishings. He gave parties. At one of them Adam meets Claudia Grassini, a camp survivor. Fortunately for her she had never left the country. At the time only foreigners were living well, the Italians were poor. It is difficult for Claudia to adjust to the postwar period. She is filled with hate.

Adam worries that his mother is going to marry someone, Gianni, who wants her money. Claudia claims that Gianni murdered her father. Gianni and Claudia's father had known each other at medical school. When the Germans came to a hospital where Gianni worked, he pointed out Claudia's father to them. Moving the very sick man resulted in his death. Claudia's people had lived in the ghetto until the time of Napoleon. Claudia's father had believed he would be safe from the round-ups of the Jews in the hospital. Regrettably his classmate Gianni had idenitified him. Gianni claimed he reported him because he was already dying and that he saved the life of a partisan. Later Adam speaks with someone who knows all about the partisans and is in a position to cast doubt on Gianni's story.

There is a spot of disturbance and then Adam and Claudia attend a party given by Mimi, Celia de Betancourt. An Inspector Cavallini is there, too. Subsequently Mimi's ball is given a two-page spread in the newspaper. The fact that Gianni is missing is investigated.

Kanon clearly has the ability to create a murky atmosphere laced with complex ethical issues. The contrast of the Americans' delight in the Italian scene and the abject poverty of the Italians, near starvation, causes the sensitive reader to shudder. The American narrator comes to wonder whether he has misjudged Gianni and a host of other characters in the novel. This work is the sort of ground raked over in SOPHIE'S CHOICE by William Styron. World War II circumstances created many ambiguities of behavior.

Outstanding.......2007-01-18

Kanon does it again. Great story woven into historical framework. Great stuff.

Wait for the movie.......2006-12-10

Now that the Good German has been filmed with Clooney and Blanchett, I guess the Alibi has a good chance to be next.
The book, by setting the plot in Venice, enters Henry James and Patricia Highsmith territory, and does so in a very appealing way, for some time at least. Even the plot itself has strong Highsmithian elements, but, alas, mixes them up with too much else.
American mother and son meet conflicting love interests in Venice after WWII and get dragged into a local revenche drama between collaborators, partizans, Jews, which turns quite ugly and quite confusing.
There are strong parts in the story, and a good script writer should be able to come up with the blueprint for an interesting movie.
Frankly speaking, I gave up after 2/3 of the book. Too many twists and turns, too few injections of fuel into the low flame of suspense. Pity, the love story starts promising, then gets lost somewhere. The mystery element remains too theoretical and complex. The "Highsmithian" parts, i.e. the first killing and the initial phases of the investigation, are the best parts of the book, but they somehow disappear into the wilderness of a broader story.
Not entirely pleasing.

Average customer rating:

too long
Good Mystery
Suspenseful and full of red herrings

The Alibi
Sandra Brown
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0446618675

Customer Reviews:

too long.......2007-06-18

I would give this book 2.5 stars(why doesn't amazon offer the option of 1/2 star?)At the end of this book, it became more fast paced. But she could definitely have cut out a good 100 pages or more and it wouldn't have ruin the story. I decided to skim through page 250-400 or so, just reading the dialogue. I'm finding some of Sandra Brown's books to be long winded, while others are really good and the perfect length. Total hit or miss. Nothing out of the ordinary, this is just a typical murder mystery,other reviewers can go over the plot for you.

Good Mystery.......2007-04-20

Hammond Cross, an up and coming Assistant DA destined for lead DA, takes some time off to think about his personal life and goals. Seeing a county fair on the side of the freeway, Hamond impulsively stops by to enjoy the sites. While there, he meets a beautiful stranger that he instantly connects w/ that results in a one night stand. The only clue to the mysterious stranger's identity is on the re-dial of his phone the next morning.

After his weekend fling, Hammond, is possesed w/ the need to find the identity of his stranger and whether she was married or not. Unfortunately, his big break at becoming the head prosecuter is unveiled and curtails his personal research into the stranger.

A well known wealthy celebrity is killed, Hammond is charged w/ the lead in the trial case. There is plenty of motivation to kill the man from many of his aquaintances, including his mysterious stranger who might not be as much of a stranger than he knows.

I did like the suspensful plot, and was frankly surprised at who the murder was at the end, so the mystery was well written. I did find the story to drag often when the point of view changed to too many different characters. I did not find any of the other characters engaging enough to want to understand things from their point of view. I was really only interested in Hammond Cross's point of view.

I would probably rate this book around a 3.5. Good Mystery, but not really worth a re-read or keep. I will try Sandra Brown's other fiction if this is the style of good plotting she can consistenly write.

Suspenseful and full of red herrings.......2007-01-25

A one night stand is definitely out of character for upstanding and straight-laced county solicitor Hammond Cross. He's on the fast track to be the next District Attorney in Charleston. But one hot and sultry night at a carnival, he hooks up with a beautiful stranger. Imagine his surprise when Lute Pettijohn, the notorious corrupt tycoon he's investigating is found murdered, and the chief suspect is the woman he just spent his most passionate night with.

To provide Alex Ladd with an alibi would be career suicide. And staying away from Alex is unthinkable. Hammond also has to contend with his conniving colleague Steffi Mundell, who also has dreams of the DA position; police detective Rory Smilow, with whom he has a checkered past; and his overbearing father, who also has a reason to want Lute dead.

Brown is at the top of her game - tossing out tons of red herrings, giving the reader plenty of potential suspects and great secondary characters like Lute's widow Davee. She keeps Alex very ethereal - you keep wondering if her motivations with regard to Hammond are pure. You'll convince yourself of who the real culprit is, only to turn the page and get a huge surprise.

The Deep Blue Alibi: A Solomon vs. Lord Novel

Average customer rating:

The Deep Blue Alibi: A Solomon vs. Lord Novel
Boom!! 2 great books in a row!!
paul levine novel
If the facts don't fit the law- bend the facts
Witty as usual!

The Deep Blue Alibi: A Solomon vs. Lord Novel
Paul Levine
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:

Kill All the Lawyers (Solomon Vs. Lord Novels)
Solomon vs. Lord
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False Dawn

ASIN: 0440242746
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Book Description

They are Florida’s most mismatched legal duo—one a glamorous Miami blue blood, the other a Coconut Grove beach bum. And when they get together, you can throw every law right out the window….

What do you get when you mix beautiful people, family secrets, and a yacht washed up on Sunset Key with a hundred grand in cash and a dying man? If you’re Steve Solomon, you see a case that can get Solomon & Lord off the ground. If you’re Victoria Lord, you see a golden opportunity to go out on your own. With her uncle a murder suspect and her hunky ex-boyfriend back in the picture, Victoria is pushing to take control as Solomon struggles to keep from losing it.

As an explosive trial looms, they’re fighting against time, the law, and each other—to expose a killer who came to paradise…and hasn’t left.

Customer Reviews:

The Deep Blue Alibi: A Solomon vs. Lord Novel.......2007-07-14

The Deep Blue Alibi is the sequel to Solomon vs. Lord. In the first book readers met Victoria Lord, an uptight by the book kind of lawyer, who through a series of hilarious twists and bizarre turns finds herself partnered with Steve Solomon, another lawyer who plays by his own rules, to defend a murder case. As the team have almost no evidence, they have to be rather creative in their defence.

In this book, Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord are preparing for another very difficult murder case. In this case, there seems to be more potential murder suspects and too many leaps of faith for the team's comfort. Worse yet, one of these potential suspects is one of Victoria's old flames.

I absolutely loved Solomon vs. Lord. The book was interwoven with various sub-stories and subplots; the characters were clever with amazing chemistry; and the ridiculous events surrounding the actual murder trial were hilarious because they were so realistic. I didn't really expect that the sequel could stand up to my high expectations after the first book yet I actually think I enjoyed The Deep Blue Alibi more that the original book. I think that in already knowing the characters, the depth of their sarcasm, wit, and ability to always get them into strange situations added even greater depth and enjoyment to the story. It's also kind of nice to see that happily ever after never quite looks like what you expected.

Boom!! 2 great books in a row!!.......2007-07-13

Almost, but not quite as good as the first book. But it would be hard to compete with the first one because everything is new and exciting and we are getting to know the characters, etc. But this 2nd story is filled with hilarious lines, and maintains an excellent plot with suspense and emotion.

paul levine novel.......2007-06-27

He's not going to win any literary prizes with these, but I hope he's making a nice living. Each is a fun read. Funny is hard.

If the facts don't fit the law- bend the facts.......2007-06-03

This novel has been compared to John Grisham and Carl Hiaasen, but actually doesn't quite meet the standard of either of the two gentlemen. Truth be told, it ends a lot better than Grisham's latest novels, but the legal part of the story is a pale comparison, and although humor is used extensively, it lacks the edge of Hiaasen and is somewhat repetitive.

The legal team of Solomon (Steve) and Lord (Victoria) are all at sea when a runaway powerboat almost runs them over. It turns out that one of the occupants has a spear sticking out of his chest, and the other is a family friend of Victoria's and their next client. The case takes an environmental twist, not because of the greenbacks blowing across the lobster strewn beach, but due to their client's ambitious plan to build a floating casino on top of a coral reef.

There are several people with a vested interest in getting the casino built, and even more who think the plan should be scuttled and sunk, but the stakes get even higher when someone tries to scare the antiheroes off the case. Red herrings swim through the pages when secrets from the past are unearthed, old flames still carry torches, and meetings are conducted at an exclusive club for the rich and toned, but the biggest obstacle the duo face is their inability to get along.

That's it in a nutshell, ignoring the product placements for Manolo Blahnik, Speedo and the music of Jimmy Buffett. The plot is stretched to breaking point, and you get the impression that hidden within this 467 page novel is a 200 page novella struggling to make a name for itself. Overblown, yet not without its flashes of brilliance, this one is at the heavy end of light reading.

Rated: 3.5 stars

Amanda Richards, June 2, 2007

Survey on the sidebar:

You may have noticed that Amazon has made some changes to its website. If it looks the same to you right now, look out for a new format that will be rolling out gradually in the weeks to come. If you can see the changes, I'd like to know what you think. Please leave me a comment with your opinion.

"Love the new look" or "Hate the new look" comments are perfectly acceptable.

Thank you for your time.

Witty as usual!.......2007-05-09

Not as good as the first, but still worth the read. His humor is witty as usual and makes for an entertaining read.

Average customer rating:

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Save your money and your time - skip this one!
The Beach Alibi sizzles
She's done it again!
Kelly John Has Been My Favorite So Far!!!!

The Beach Alibi
Alison Kent
Manufacturer: Kensington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0758206747

Customer Reviews:

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-07-28

Wheww!!! Is it hot in here or is it just the book? May I just say that this book is SMOKIN'! For a "little book" (only 120 pages or so), it packs a sensual punch. I've not read the other books in the series, but The Beach Alibi allows itself to stand alone while bringing you up-to-date on the other stories.

Kelly John Beach-obviously the title character- is the stuff of dreams. Flawed, handsome, smart and sexy what woman wouldn't lust after him? Emma Webster, his female conterpart has no such compunction. This is a woman who we all should admire *g*. She is smart, beautiful, principled and not afraid to embrace her sensuality to help out her man!

The plot is plausable, kind of, but hey, let's face it, at this point we all know that plot is the last thing on any of our minds. While we are on the subject of that, OMG where is THAT theater? Pretty much for that scene alone, the book was worth the shipping charge.

Make your own decision, after all, it is your money being spent. But if you ask me?, yeah, go get it. Read it. Then take a cold shower. Enjoy.

Save your money and your time - skip this one!.......2005-08-22

I must have missed something with this book - most likely a plausible plot.

Agent Kelly John Beach is a covert operative assigned to retrieve some diamonds and prove that a diamond broker is really a front for a consortium of bad guys, Spectra IT (apparently kind of like KAOS from Get Smart).

When he neglects to notice a hidden camera, he knows he is caught, and suddenly needs an alibi. Enter secretary Emma Webster, who has had a secret crush on him since day one. She agrees to be his alibi, and when they hook up for their date, they have sex then profess their love for each other for the next 80 pages.

Of course, the story is just over 100, so it leaves little time for a plot, until Emma is grabbed by the bad guys, and Kelly John has to rush in to save her. Yes, there is a lot of hot sensual scenes, but there is little to redeem this trite storyline.

The Beach Alibi sizzles.......2005-01-31

Kelly John Beach is one sexy spy in Alison Kent's The Beach Alibi.

SG-5 Agent Kelly John Beach runs into some major trouble on his most recent mission. He needs an alibi and fast. Emma Webster agrees to pose as Kelly John's lover. Everything to be caught on tape to provide the much-needed alibi.

Emma trusted executive assistant to the head of the Smithson group has had her eyes on the hunky Kelly John for ages. When this golden change to get her hands on him she goes for it.

What starts out as an alibi turns into a night of the hottest passion that neither will forget. When Emma is in danger Kelly John puts is life and heart on the line to save her.

WOW. The Beach Alibi is another steamy read from the SG-5 files. You will find yourself all worked up with this book. This story has the intrigue and sizzle that I love in Alison Kent's books. Will be waiting anxiously for the next book to come out.

She's done it again!.......2005-01-05

Alison Kent has penned yet another winner with The Beach Alibi. This book is my absolute favorite of this series, so far that is. Kelly John and Emma are perfect for each other, and the sexual heat they exude is a wonderful compliment to the intrigue and suspense in this latest episode about the spy guys of The Smithson Group. Characters from the previous books make appearances, but the characters that we haven't heard much from are a huge attraction as well. I cannot wait for the McKenzie Artifact's release; it looks to promise the edge and intensity that Alison Kent is known for.

Kelly John Has Been My Favorite So Far!!!!.......2005-01-04

This has been my favorite episode to date for many different reasons. This is not to say that the other three stories in Ms. Kent's SG-5 series aren't any good. On the contrary they have all been winners. Kelly John was just such a sensual character as well as a battle harden man that you can't help but find him yummy.

This was a fast readd (again only 116 pages long) so Ms. Kent has packed a lot into very little. The relationship between Emma and Kelly John (K.J.) as a result of the short length of the story is fast and hot. So what's my point you ask? Don't expect this story to be as detailed as a full length story. If you come to this book realizing this you will find that this story is a perfect addition to this on going storyline.

Spectra IT is still at it and the person that had helped Tripp in the "Shaughnessey Accord" is back only he is not helping the Smithson group. Kelly John has been caught in a compromising situation so the group scrambles to make things right. Unfortunatly it'a to late and the one woman that has finally helped Kelly John find the light in his life again is captured. Kelly John now must find a way to save Emma without loosing the one thing he thought he'd never find again...his heart. Can he be the hero that she needs?

I love how Ms. Kent has created this series. Each book is like an episode that helps to tell the story that begun with "The Bane Affaire." I can hardly wait to see what will happen next in the "Mackenzie Artifact." Ms. Kent has a winner and I highly recommend this author and her series.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

The Ironclad Alibi (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

More espionage than mystery
The Prodigal Returns

The Ironclad Alibi (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 3)
Michael Kilian
Manufacturer: Berkley Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A Killing at Ball's Bluff (Harrison Raines Civil War Mysteries, Book 2)
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ASIN: 0425183254

Book Description

Union secret agent Harrison Raines is sent into the heart of the Confederacy to obtain information about "The Monster"-the hulking remains of the ironclad ship Merrimack, which is being restored. But before he can complete his mission, he must solve the murder of his first love, and clear his best friend of the crime.

Praise for the series:

"Both Civil War and mystery fans will appreciate Kilian's grasp of the genres of historical fiction and mystery." (Booklist)

"Kilian blends fiction and history, using real people to establish a believable context and create an absorbing period piece." (San Antonio Express-News)

"Kilian offers clues for anyone wishing to guess the identity of the murderer, but also indulges in a case of misdirection that might nag at a genuine mystery buff for months. Picaresque adventure." (Publishers Weekly)

"An engaging character." (The Denver Post)

Customer Reviews:

More espionage than mystery.......2003-12-20

Our hero Harrison Raines (from Murder at Manassass and A Killing at Ball's Bluff) returns in a third installment, The Ironclad Alibi. Raines is a captain in the U.S. Secret Service whose father and brother serve in the Confederate army. In this installment, he's sent into the Confederate capitol to learn what he can about the "Monster." This turns out to be C.S.S. Virginia, the ironclad that almost broke the blockade around Virginia when it was first introduced in 1862.

Raines, however, arrives in Richmond and is almost immediately accosted by an old lover. When he rebuffs her (he loves an actress who is performing opposite John Wilkes Booth) she leaves, and later he finds her hanging from the ceiling in his room, naked. When Raines himself can provide an alibi (he was havning dinner with Confederate president Jefferson Davis at the time) the authorities arrest his erstwhile slave, Caesar Augustus, and announce that they will hang him soon.

Much of the rest of the plot consists of Raines running around Richmond frantically waving papers and passes he has from Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, trying to get Caesar Augustus freed or at least reprieved. There is a mystery (how did the hanged woman come to be in Raines room, and why?) but it's only intermittently dealt with. And of course the spying on the Confederate ironclad, though it's the reason for his presence in Richmond, is only briefly an issue.

There are some good points to the book. Elizabeth "Crazy Bet" van Lew gets a good cameo (she was a real historical figure, an abolitionist who lived out the war in Richmond and was the Union's most successful spy) and both Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee make brief appearances, along with several other minor characters of the Civil War. The plot, however, is somewhat obscure and not that entertaining. I did enjoy the atmosphere, and when the author gets to the actual battle of Hampton Roads, the action speeds up. I would recommend this book to Civil War buffs more than mystery fans.

The Prodigal Returns.......2003-11-06

Harrison Raines, late of the Federal City, has returned to Richmond. While pretending to have come home, he's really on assignment for Abraham Lincoln, finding out all he can about "The Monster," the recently captured USS Merrimack. He is horrified to learn that it is being made into an ironclad ship which will decimate the rest of the Union naval fleet.

The trip home also includes a chance meeting with Arabella Mills, Harry's first love. Now married, her husband is in charge of the Merrimack. But when she turns up dead in Harry's hotel room, it's Harry's former slave and friend Caesar Augustus who is accused of the crime and put on a fast track to execution. Now Harry must get his information back to Lincoln in time to do some good while also finding the evidence to clear his friend, which is going to be hard in a city where he doesn't know who to trust.

This series is wonderful for Civil War buffs, historical fiction fans, and mystery lovers. Richmond, circa 1862 came alive to me as I was reading, and I've learned more about the events of the Civil War from this series then I remembered from school. Harry does seem to have an impressive list of acquaintances (Lincoln, Davis, and Lee for example), but meeting them allows us to get a complete view of the war and events in a way we couldn't otherwise. Because Harry's returned to Virginia for this book, we also get a picture of the emotional battle waged by families on the other side of the issue.

The mystery in this book is strong. I had no clue where what the big picture was until the end, although I did figure a couple plot points out before hand. Seems everyone has something to hide, and it's not what I was thinking, that's for sure.

Because of the progressive nature of this series, it's best to start with the first book, MURDER AT MANASSAS, especially since this book discusses the outcome of that one. If you are at all interested in this dark time in US history, I highly recommend this series.

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