The Alibi Man (Elena Estes)

Cashing in on the success of her last novel - Dark Horse, Hoag uses the same female lead character to weave a story that's, painfully slow and unnecessarily graphic in the gore department. Furthermore, it's hard to enjoy a book when one cannot like or respect its lead character. Elena Estes is a charmless, self-centered Eve Dallas wanna-be(In Death Series by JD Robb). Yet, unrealistically, several men seem to be attracted to her. The author repeatedly mentions how "cynical" Elena is, but has her sympathize and almost melt with sorrow for a psychotic killer. I found that a little sickening. But then again, perhaps it's not surprising that one psycho would have sympathy for another.

I have enjoyed reading some of author Tami Hoag's suspenseful mystery novels in the past (I believe my favorite so far has been A Thin Dark Line), this is the first one I have picked up in quite some time. The main character is Elena Estes, a former cop who quit the force after a colleague died in her place and she herself was brutally assaulted (the Estes character was also featured in a previous Hoag novel, Dark Horse, which I haven't read). Estes now lead a mostly low-key life riding horses for an old friend in an exclusive Palm Beach, Florida community. It is during one of her morning rides that she happens to discover a body that has been hidden in a nearby canal. When she realizes that the victim is a woman with whom she has worked for the past year, Estes becomes determined to break into the exclusive community of wealth of privilege that may have led to her friend's death.

As with Hoag's previous novels, I found this book to be an engrossing page-turner. I did find the main character of Estes to be a bit too brittle to be complete likeable, and although the cast is rounded out by Estes's recent boyfriend (Detective Landry), her hated ex-fiance, and another potential love interest, the sexy Juan Barbaro, there wasn't much sexual tension in this novel. Still, I found it to be quite enjoyable overall, and I was definitely surprised by the conclusion to the mystery. My final rating would be 4 1/2 stars.

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.

Characters are well defined. At first I didn't like each character speaking in the first person, didn't understand why it was used. Until the last moment. Well done.

It will take mystery lovers, who figure out the bad guys early on in most novels, a bit longer in this one.

Just okay - probably wouldn't recommend it. Story s part of a series on a former rich girl turned outcast based on her past as a cop. She was injured and disappears into the elite world of horses. A friend is murdered and she has to find the killer. Very predictable and it took me a long time to read it as it never held my attention.

Boom! It takes another twist.

I loved Dark Horse with Elena Estes as a messed up ex-cop, who was struggling to find a new life for her self. Well in Alibi Man I think she has found it! When Elena goes out for a morning ride to clear her head, she by mistake finds the body of a woman murdered than dumped like trash and left for the alligators. She was not supposed to be found. Unfortunately the victim turns out to be a friend and a co-worker. Elena being an ex-cop and friend feels it is her job to help find the killer, in the process she learns that her friend had another life. She seemed to have the life of a Russian socialite rather than the life of an illegal alien from Russia who groomed horses for a living.

This book will keep you wondering what is going to happen next and who is going to do it! Will it be the wealthy Party boys who always have an alibi? Could it be a lover from Elena's past who is not a stranger to this kind of trouble? Would it, could it be the Russian Mob?

All I can say is once you start this book it is very hard to put down, this book has so many good "bad guys" that it keeps you guessing until the end. This is not a read before bed book this is a read and not go to bed till its finished book. Tami Hoag has done it once again just when you think you have figured out who it is something else happens to toss you off track. She keeps you guessing till the end!

I read this book in 2 days.

I Loved it!

Emilie in California

Really enjoyed this book. I've just discovered Tami Hoag. The few books I've read have had pretty good story lines that aren't terribly similar as with other authors I've read. She keeps your interest without dragging out the story with unnecessary background info. She's able to describe the background story without in a clear and concise way. Some elements are typical of most murder mystery novels but not so much for you to say "same 'ol, same 'ol".

I normally adore anything written by Tami Hoag - I even loved Dark Horse, but this....I found I really didn't like her lead Elena very much at all...do I understand why she might be the way she is...absolutely...but all I could think about was what an absolute B*tch she was....after every scene with every person I kept coming away with the same thing....she is incredibly unlikeable....

The story itself is not really what I've come to expect from Hoag...it was very slow. That coupled with the unlikeable heroine left me cold...

Tami Hoag has to be my all time favorite author. She can mix the suspense, mystery and love story so well. Her writing gets you from the beginning, atleast it does me. Would highly recommend to anyone.