Minotaur Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Perfect Alibi. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

The Perfect Alibi features returning main character Robin Lockwood, a young lawyer with an inner strength that matches the outer one she gained from being an MMA fighter. Will the danger outside of the ring be Robin's ultimate demise?

The biggest problem that I had with The Perfect Alibi was the sheer number of simultaneous plots, which took away from the continuity of the story. The author pulls the plots together at the end, but the book was a missed opportunity overall. I like Robin Lockwood, especially regarding her integrity. Her strong moral compass is refreshing in a legal thriller and I do like the world that author Phillip Margolin has created around her. I do wish the book was more focused and hope the character finds her stride in subsequent books. Readers who are familiar with Robin Lockwood will enjoy catching up with her, but those new to the novels should definitely read The Third Victim first.

This is an intriguing legal thriller. It’s main character, Robin Lockwood, is a defense attorney that has a number of high-profile cases. Several murders occur and Robin represents most of the defendants in the cases. There are several twists and turns as the cases begin to intertwine.

As a district attorney myself, I found the courtroom scenes to be very accurate. I figured out the end about a third of the way through but clearly, I have an advantage in this genre.

That said, I really enjoyed this book. It is an easy read. I finished it in two days. Some of the characters are not developed as thoroughly as I would have liked but there were many involved. [Spoiler alert: Some of the minor characters suddenly became more central and I didn’t feel like I knew enough about them.]

I recommend this book; however, I wish that I had read the first book in this series so I would have known more about Robin. There were a couple references to what happened in Atlanta previously. I didn’t know what they were referring to. It was not paramount to this story but is just a suggestion.


I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

The Perfect Alibi by Philip Margolin is a fun and entertaining legal thriller. It is the second entry in a series which features lawyer, Robin Lockwood. It is packed with cases, characters, loads of action, countless twists, and an amazing number of dead bodies. You will also learn about DNA, its uses and misuses, and a lot about legal ethics. Essentially, the emphasis is on the action and not on character. Robin is likeable, but not distinguishable from male counterparts in the genre.

Margolin uses the law to propel the plot and manages to stay true to both the substantive and ethical law. Nonetheless, the plot seems convoluted and the resolution aspirational at best.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Perfect Alibi by Phillip Margolin is the second book in the Robin Lockwood series and I really like her character. The story goes between a few cases. The most prominent one is a young athlete accused of rape at a college party. The other side characters are introduced via this case. I didn't mind it for most of the book but there were times where it kind of jumps around. It did keep me reading and I was able to guess some of the twists towards the end. Overall, I liked it and will read more from the series.
Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I thought the premise of this book sounded suspenseful and somewhat original. Unfortunately, the plot played out predictably, the characters felt flat and one dimensional, and the tension was lacking. I should've been more connected to Robin based on her role in the book but I wasn't. There was just something lacking considering this is supposed to be a thriller.

Not gonna lie, didn't care for it. It started off interesting and was an easy read without having to think too much. But something happened along the way that had me scratching my head. The story seemed to head in various different directions and lead me to confuse the characters so much that I gave up and just skimmed the last 10%. Not even interested in how it ended, just wanted to be done. Sorry but I won't recommend wasting your time reading this one.

The plot of this novel resembles an episode of the old LA Law television show; one main case with a "surprise" twist, another case with a complicated investigation and a humorous/romantic subplot. That's not enough to carry a novel, either in quantity or quality.

Margolin has never been a stylish writer, his best books turn on legal knowledge. There's not much of that here. In the past few years he's added historical research and Portland, Oregon color to improve his books, also both absent in this case. This seems like a pointless filler book in a series that has continued too long, but it's only the second book in the series.

I recommend this only for die-hard Margolin fans who have read everything else he's written.

A fan of crime books, and particularly legal dramas, this one didn't let me down. The characters were well developed, the plot and narrative eloquently written and superbly described. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

This is my first Phillip Margolin book and wow, just wow!

Thus book is full of characters and they range from good to pure evil.

I can honestly say that I could not put my kindle down at all.

The title says it all....The Perfect Alibi!

While reading this book I had no idea what the outcome would be. I had no idea who killed who or if he even raped the girl.

I mean my mind is still blown away on what happened in this story.

Again I mean wow!

The Perfect Alibi is book two in Phillip Margolin's new Robin Lockwood series. The blurb for this book is that a man is convicted of rape on matching DNA and then while in jail his DNA links to a new rape. How can that be possible?

The thing with both this book and the first one in the series (The Third Victim) is that there are multiple cases that make up the story. All of the cases link in someway and overlap in time. There is the main rape case that spans the whole book but there are a few murders that link into the plot. This helps keep your attention throughout the story. Robin is a fun character and unique but the story is not from her point of view. You do get to experience the story from multiple characters so you know more about motives than if was just her story. (Note this is not a traditional multiple POV story. It is more third person.) Most of the various investigative and legal characters in this novel appeared in the first book so you start to know them more and they grow. The main three are Robin Lockwood, Jeff (her investigator), and Carrie Anders (a Portland Homicide Detective). They are very interesting and likable characters that seem to be very ethical and one you want to root for.

I was not familiar with Phillip Margolin before but I have been very impressed with this series and will continue to read his books. I think part of the reason I am drawn to his books is the fact that he is a former trial attorney which gives the story a feel of authenticity. I highly recommend that any crime fan read this book.

This was an enjoyable legal thriller, if somewhat predictable. I liked the characters and will probably read more books by this author. Recommended for fans of David Baldacci or John Grisham.

2.5 stars
I hadn't read a Phillip Margolin book in a while and the description of this one intrigued me, so I picked it up.
What I liked: I love the Portland setting, although it doesn't really make as strong an appearance in this one as in previous books by him. I still like the familiar locale. I liked Robin quite a bit and admired her tenacity and smarts. She's the type of lawyer I'd want in my corner if something went wrong. The overall mysteries in the book were decent and kept my interest throughout.
What I didn't: The first main thing I disliked intensely was the slang used to describe some of the main situations. I can't really describe without giving total spoilers, but suffice it to say no attorney worth their salt would use slang terminology for sexual situations when talking with colleagues and in professional situations. Also, I thought some of the cases here were too convoluted to follow and I had a difficult time figuring out which attorneys/police officers were talking about which cases because many of the players overlapped cases.

This was a decent read, but nothing amazing.

I read the first book in this series last year and enjoyed it. I wondered if this would live up to the first - and it did. Lots of murders, lots of mysteries, interesting characters, and a plot that kept me guessing until the end. What more could a mystery lover want? It was a very entertaining read and I look forward to book three!

The Perfect Alibi by Phillip Margolin is the second in the Robin Lockwood series after The Third Victim. The Perfect Alibi is a very good read with the storyline similar to The Third Victim but Margolin writes in such a way as to keep you guessing the outcome until the very end. Robin's character is developing with professional and ethical character. She is also developing a love interest. I would recommend this series to anyone that likes mystery/courtroom drama.

I have read most of the books this author has written but have not read one for a while. After this one, I can safely say I do not think he has lost his ability to write a gripping mystery. This book reads well and is fascinating. It intertwines several seemingly unrelated murders/deaths, tying them all together at the end. The story begins when a young woman hires a lawyer, Robin Lockwood, to defend her when she accuses a well-to-do college football star of rape. Naturally, this college boy, insists he is innocent, though his DNA is found on the young woman. He is found guilty and goes to jail, but sometime later is seemingly exonerated when another rape occurs with his DNA while he was locked up in jail. Next, the lawyer for this football star is implicated in a death of his partner but has amnesia and cannot remember what exactly happened the night his partner died. Robin again comes to the rescue, working through the evidence to find some strong loop-holes to capitalize on, in the lawyer’s defense. After this, the prosecutor for both trials is found killed. Again, Robin must comb through the evidence to figure out what exactly happened. To add to the confusion, there are a couple of other murders that occur, all sort of, though not closely, related to the main plot. Robin, ever the hard-working defense attorney, works through more clues and evidence to figure out how it all fits together and what it all means.

This book is well done. I found it interesting the way the author took seemingly unrelated events/murders and tied them all together so well. As I read, I kept wondering how the whole thing was going to turn out. Ture to form, the author does manage to bring it all together nicely at the end. The ending, though a bit unsuspecting, became more obvious as I read more. I can understand why some had difficulty following the story, as the author throws out a lot of different cases, each with some back story or detail, that seem unrelated at first glance. I also enjoyed watching Robin Lockwood operate as a lawyer. Throughout it all, she never lost her focus and managed to insert some genuineness and humanness into the story. Even the law enforcement characters came across as cooperative and very human whenever they interacted with anyone, regardless of his/her role in the story, which I have found to often not be the case. I have not read the other book in the series, but am not going to look for it, since I enjoyed Robin Lockwood and want to read more about her cases. I can see why some reviewers would find this confusing and difficult to follow, with all the various cases thrown in, but the author did manage to tie all the complex, individual cases together in the end. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good, complex mystery as well as good investigative work and follow-through. Also, if you have read anything else by the author, you will probably also enjoy this book. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

A woman brings her daughter to Robin Lockwood, accusing a college football star of raping her. With the help of DNA evidence, he is easily convicted on rape charges. But then another woman shows up, claiming she was raped and the DNA is pointing to a man already in prison. Meanwhile, someone is killing attorneys, could their murder’s be connected?

This, for me, was a fast-paced read. I found myself invested in the first case enough to be flipping through the pages in order to see how everything was going to play out. I kind of figured things out halfway through, but I still wanted to see where it was going to go. The rape case in this book is a bit of a sensitive subject and I am not at all sure if the story itself was plausible, but I do feel like it could be somewhat realistic. In which case, I don’t know how to feel about it and honestly wasn’t sure if I liked where it went in the end.

The murders kept me guessing, but in the end, I found the reasons and the outcome to be a bit far fetched.

There was nothing wrong with the lining. The story was fine. The characters were fine. The subplots that happened in this book outside of these two cases, felt irrelevant to the story and more like a filler.

A college athlete is convicted of rape based on his DNA. However, he has the Perfect Alibi when a second victim is also linked to his DNA while he is in prison. With a new attorney, he is set for a new trial and let out on bail.

Robin Lockwood is the first victim’s civil lawyer. The victim is convinced that the rapist is stalking her. In a parallel case, Robin is defending a person accused of murder by pleading self-defense.

I always love a fast-paced, twisty legal thriller and the Perfect Alibi is no exception. Be aware you have to pay attention to keep up with all the clues and plots within this intriguing book. If you like suspenseful legal thrillers, you will also enjoy this book. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was an exciting triller that I will not soon forget. Had some difficulty falling asleep having read it. The writer depicts some super stressful situations that have a significant impact on the lives of the characters. I highly recommend this amazing book.

This is my first book by the author. The perfect Alibi by Phillip Margolin is the second book in the Robin Lockwood series. I was not aware of that when starting the novel and did not read the first book. I’m sure I may have missed out on some details from book one....but found this to be a great legal thriller. I was a little confused in some places as the story moved around very quickly, however it kept me intrigued and I enjoyed the book. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on more books by Mr. Margolin. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Phillip Margolin for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Convicted of rape by a prominent college student, the athlete accused claimed innocence. Besides that, he threatens both the lawyer and the young woman when he is sent to prison. Shortly after there is another rape and the DNA is the same as the man imprisoned. Not possible since the man was in prison at the time, so he gets a new trial.

Robin Lockwood may be a young lawyer, but she works for a well-respected law firm. The former MMA fighter paid for law school with her earnings. She is now representing the victim of the first rape in a civil lawsuit. The victim fears that she is being stalked. Then, the lawyer that originally represented the man accused of disappears and his partner is murdered. Meanwhile, Robin has another serious case that she is trying to avoid being brought to trial. These are two difficult cases, that may potentially be linked.

The Perfect Alibi is the second book in the Robin Lockwood series. The cases are intriguing and the story is captivating. It truly was, and I simply could not put the book down. Following two cases truly kept my attention throughout. There were twists and turns which really worked because this made it impossible to sort things out without getting to the riveting conclusion. I enjoyed this book by Phillip Margolin, as well as the first book in the series, The Third Alibi. I look forward to following the series.

Many thanks to St. Martins/Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.