I know I must sound like a broken record right but I truly enjoy all of the Sandra Brown books that I have read so far. Well, there was one that fell a little short for me but all the others have been such fantastic reads for me.The Alibi is one of my top three SB books. This one takes us to Charlotte, South Carolina where we meet the sexy Hammond Cross and the stunning Alex Ladd. With each book I have read, there is something a little extra that I end up loving. Whether it is the location, the side characters or even the writing style based on the date of publication, I fall in love with something different. The little “extra” I loved in this one was that things got shaking between the sheets within the first 20%. :) That is almost unheard of in SB books. And I have to say she can write some pretty sexy cabins scenes. Hammond and Alex find each other at a local fair. He was her knight in shining armor, saving her from some persistent men. A ride on Ferris wheel, a walk on the pier and a flirtatious dance has Hammond wanting more. But Alex resist and leaves alone only to find herself in Hammonds arms a short time later. Hammond is feeling things that he knows he shouldn’t but he has to have her. They head to Hammond's cabin and share a night of heated passion, indulging in their desires. But when the morning comes, so does a sense of dread, when Hammond finds himself alone. The allusive romantic connection between the two main characters created a different type of conspiracy that made the story even more captivating. The mystery and suspense in this one centers around the murder of Lute Pettijohn, who is a ruthless businessman and cheating husband. Many would have reasons for wanting him dead but nothing appeared to be clear cut. I had so many questions, a few theories but each time I thought I was getting somewhere, a twist was thrown in and I was back to wondering. I didn’t know who to trust, the good guys or the bad guysThe all-around push and pull with this one was fantastic. I loved the depth in character SB gave to Hammond and Alex. Both were perfectly flawed which made them so appealing. And it never fails that she serves up a plot that has been thickened by intriguing side character. Rory, Steffi, Davee and Loretta all brought something different to this story. Rory was a bit of an ass. You’ll struggle with liking him or not but I think in the end you will like him just like I did. Steffi was your classic bitch with a capital B! Davee was fabulous!! Her personality was so colorful. And Loretta, she didn’t have a huge part in the story but there was just something about her.Without doubt this one comes highly recommended. I think I say this with every SB book review I write. Even though the romance takes a back seat to the mystery and suspense, every sexy morsel you get is truly delicious. You will love Hammond and Alex.
Another good and honourable man led astray by a dubious woman, although his honour is already taking a beating from his ambitious father's ties to criminal events.I found this very similar to Ricochet although the setting, Charleston, was much more pervasive and actually served to show how difficult it is for outsiders (Steffi Mundell) to struggle to impose themselves against those that are children of the town (Hammond, Davee). Charleston was beautifully described.Alex, the female lead, was interesting. She and an older brother were abandoned by their only parent in her early teens and her sly brother uses her blossoming sexuality to make money until they are both arrested. The brother is jailed while she, at 15, is adopted by a kindly couple and manages to turn her life around becoming a successful therapist. The sleazy brother finds her shortly before the book starts and blackmails her.The hero, Hammond is the hot-shot county lawyer who uncharacteristically wanders into a county fair on a saturday afternoon, meets Alex, they have a torrid night together and then she disappears the next morning without the two exchanging names.When he returns to Charleston he finds out that one of its premier, and most hated, citizens has been murdered. AS the case becomes a political opportunity, even before a suspect is found, information that should have beeen forthcoming by him isn't and soon he's trying to juggle too much with a detective in charge who dislikes him, an angry ex lover who is also a competitor, a childhood best friend who may have murdered her husband, a father who may have been involved in some illicit deals with the dead guy, and a mysterious woman he's obssessed with who is the main suspect in the killing.This takes place over only one week so its very suspenseful. A lot of fun but not the favourite of the 3 Sandra Brown's i've read.
What do You think about The Alibi (2006)?
This is a shockingly bad book about lawyers. There's some romance and a mystery involved; those were blah. The romance was based on immediate physical attraction that supposedly deepens into amazing trust and a willingness to sacrifice everything for each other . . . after one night when the two characters don't even know each others' names. I roll my eyes in disbelief.But the legal aspects of this story made it almost unreadable for me. Every attorney/law enforcement officer has significant conflicts of interest--some of which we know about from the get go--and no one is voluntarily or involuntarily removed from the case. What??? Everyone is covering up for everyone else for motives that aren't clear and certainly aren't significant enough for these people to risk their livelihoods and jail time. Despite some popular characterizations, my experience in working with hundreds of lawyers is that they go out of their way to be honest and ethical and I simply couldn't suspend my disbelief for the sake of this story. I won't say that lawyers never make stupid or unethical decisions, but the lawyers in this book were truly, unrealistically, breaking the law or serious ethical boundaries at every turn. I did end up pleasantly surprised that I hadn't predict "who done it," but I had a hard time getting to that point in the story. This book isn't worth reading.
—Kara
Wow I finally finished this book.... Took me long enough. I gave this book a 3 star rating because I did enjoy it, but I felt that the book took way too long to get to the point and didn't keep me turning the pages quite as fast.This story was about a prosecutor named Hammond Cross who goes to clear his head one evening and decides to visit a fair where he runs into a beautiful woman whom he just has to talk to. At the end of their little escapade, he wakes up to find her gone. Pissed off royally he heads back to Charleston, South Carolina, where he lives, and works, and finds that a very prestigious man, Lute Pettijohn has been murdered! What's the shocking part? He's going to be the prosecutor... Who's the main suspect? The lovely woman he was entertaining last night, Alex Ladd...... But if she was with him, wouldn't that make him her "Alibi"? Anyway - it was an interesting read at times, kind of boring others. All in all - Sandra Brown is a good author - but I wouldn't reread this one again!
—Hayley
Coming from someone who rarely gives out 5 star (just 10& of all read books maybe and even rarer to thrillers)...and damn, I have too many freaking reasons for it, including but not limited to:-- it manages to keep the suspense....even when it dedicates last 50-60 pages pointing in a person's direction you don't feel is right, it keeps the mystery...any novel that is able to keep it for 80& of the span, is worth it...- its a mystery book, but such soft mystery that half the book; you won't even care for it...you would be rooting for some people on personal front- it came from a woman...with all due attempts to refrain from gender bias, I don't really trust woman with mysteries (there are exceptions like Lisa Jackson now n then)- it was the first book I read by the author and I have already hoarded 4 more of hers to be next in line (I know I chew out all books of authors I like and have my fingers crossed for her to become an author I would stalk for new work release)- lastly, but most importantly, a mystery book which makes your eyes go misty even for 2 minutes...no matter how sentimental I might be as a person or what my mood was when I was reading that part, this gal definitely nailed it...Phew...I was going through the reader's block...taking ages to finish a book...delaying starting a new one...and here I find her; she made sure I complete off the mammoth of a book that I thought would take me 2 weeks to finish in least considering by low time and here I was done in less than 2 days! Gal I am definitely picking more of yours (specially the one that was first published in the year I was born....after all, I have one tricky challenge to finish this year...or maybe in two ;) )
—Pooja Jeevagan
