Member Reviews

The Perfect Alibi begins with an accusation of rape against a college athlete. Robin takes the case. While the accused is in jail, another rape occurs. DNA from that crime matches the DNA of the guy in jail. What? Obviously, this is not possible, so who did this and why? Also, there are other cases going on in the story. Lawyers are being killed. It's a little muddled at times. There are a few story lines going on here at a good pace with drama and engaging characters. It's a good read overall. Fans of Phillip Margolin won't be disappointed.

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A rape and the arrest & conviction off a wealthy college star athlete starts this story that has lots of twists and turns, maybe a few too many! Robin Lockwood is an attorney who takes the civil suit of the girl who was raped, and as she proceeds, another rape takes place with the shocking report that it's the same DNA. But that's not possible, is it? Lots of other storylines going on in this novel so you'll have to pay attention!

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I haven't read a lot of Phillip Margolin but the books I have read, I have enjoyed enormously. This is the second book in the Robin Lockwood series. Robin is a young attorney, very bright, big heart and fought on her college boxing team. The book opens up with her showing up an upstart who couldn't believe he was fighting with a 'girl'. Nice beginning. We know who we are dealing with..
This book involves two cases. The first a mother and daughter hire Robin to sue someone with a lot of money after he is found guilty of rape. The second one, she was court-appointed to defend a man who looked like every woman's nightmare of a creature you hope never to meet on the street.
Throw in a corrupt and greedy DA; mixed sexual loyalties, the death of Robin's boss and the disappearance of his partner and we have a rollicking fun book..
I personally love books that make me stay up all night reading. They are not always good but always compelling. This was well-written, compelling and I had no qualms about losing sleep..
I look forward to the next Robin Lockwood adventure.

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I live in Tallahassee Fl, where FSU football is king! I say this, due to the rape case in the first part of the book! I do not know where the author came up with the idea for the book! However, it is incredibly believable! The author could have added it would run on ESPN every twenty minutes 24 hours a day! Then Robin, a defense attorney, her investigator Jeff behaved like rational people when murders started happening like Valentine cards going up; the minute Christmas is over! It was slow, a tad confusing in the middle, then the end was great! I knew who killed the first lawyer; it was too obvious, I liked the reasoning behind it, made sense! Not that I liked the murder, he was a nice man; just a well thought out motive from the Author's viewpoint! I enjoyed it immensely!
I Highly Recommend! Thanks!
carolintallahassee.com

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I really loved the fast pace of this book. It has a very gripping storyline. The outcome to the cases were amazing!!

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I have not read a Philip Margolin book in a long time! I was so excited to request him newest book , and he did not disappoint,
He is a fantastic story teller.... writes beautifully!
I enjoy do this book so much and it looks like we will see more soon because of the way it ended!
I am a big Fan!

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This novel was about a girl who claims she has been raped. She hires Robin Lockwood to defend her, a prominent attorney. The man who is accused of the rape is find guilty. The DNA sample that was collected during the rape is his. Then another girl is raped and the DNA that is collected from the rape is the same DNA that was collected from the first rape. So, the family hires an attorney because how can their son be the rapist if he was in jail. Eventually, we find out but no spoilers here. There is another case going on at the same time where people are being killed, especially lawyers, This was a quick read that had some twists and turns to it. I enjoyed the book and if you like Phillip Margolin, then you will enjoy this book. I received this book from net galley as an ARC for an honest review Thanks you net galley. (less)

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This is a great legal thriller for the me too era. This is my first read by Margolin, but it won’t be my last.

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The Perfect Alibi is a great lawyer detective mystery. My biggest question the entire book was- Who has the perfect alibi? There were so many crimes and murders to untangle! Robin is an excellent lawyer and I love that she can beat up guys if needed. The rape case gave me a lot to think about. Could people be “fixing” crime scenes? Overall a perfect fast paced novel.

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The Perfect Alibi # NetGally
Phillip Margolin

This was my first PhillipMargolin book, but it won’t be my last. I’m not sure how I missed his books before. They are lawyer court procedures genre and very good writing. His writing is very straight forward and none of this backwards and forwards, so it is easy to read and keep up with. Robin Lockwood, the main character, is very likable and spunky. She’s the kind of lawyer you would want in your corner if you needed one. She never lets up on her clients. I like that it makes her very well rounded in her life, both at the office and at play. The mysteries in the book all come to a head and end pretty much like you expect. It was just fun seeing how she made all the pieces fit. For me, it was a solid 5 star read and one that I will recommend.

Thank you to NetGally and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

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I do not know how this is the first book I have read by Phillip Margolin. I am pretty sure I will now have the next few months of reading material stocked.

I loved this book. The protagonist, Robin, was a MMA fighter turned lawyer, who works in both civil and criminal courts. In this book, she was suing a convicted rapist on behalf of his victim in civil court. I found the case and characters fascinating. In a side plot, she also defended a convict for killing an off duty police officer, and found time for some romance. In this time of #metoo, this book was an interesting take on the issue. The plot was engaging and I enjoyed the main character a lot.

The writing was crisp, the dialogue was believable and I enjoyed the way the author tied in the subplots.

I am looking forward to more.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.com for the advanced copy.

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This is a first read for my by Phillip Margolin and I have to say that I really like the way he makes his books come together. This thriller/mystery will keep you guessing as to how things will end for all of the characters involved in this story and wondering who will be next to be murdered. I thought all the characters were well developed and fit together nicely.

Robin is a former MMA fighter and is an attorney. When a young lady comes to Robin to represent her in a civil case, Robin of course takes on the case only to find out that it is against a rich football player that thinks he does no wrong and will get away with everything. His DNA was found inside of her client, but when it comes out in another rape case that his DNA also matches there, but not the description, something does not add up. Robin is determined to get to the bottom of all of this.

There is a lot of other things going on in the story while Robin is taking care of this case. We get suspense and murder thrown into the mix and out thoughts are taken in another direction for a little while.. Just when you begin to wonder what is going on with the main case, something comes up to take you back to it. I think that is what I liked most about how this story was written. There is a lot going on but you are always brought back to the original case. I thought Robin and Jeff were a good match as well. I loved how Jeff felt it his responsibility to take care of Robin as well.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and it was well put together and thought out. I will be on the lookout for more books from Phillip Margolin that's for sure.

I read and reviewed this book voluntarily. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of this book!

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A woman says she is raped. The accused says it's a sham. That's the nucleus of this serviceable thriller, which expands from its center with concentric plots and sub plots. It's a slow burn -- neither bad, nor good. The characters do mainly predictable things at predictable moments. It is hardly perfect. When I said serviceable I meant Margolin's novel is like going to a perfectly decent neighborhood restaurant, having a filling meal and then forgetting what you ate a half hour later. I wish Robin Lockwood would get a better opponent next time, because this MMA star turned legal battler was shadow boxing in this one.

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***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE PERFECT ALIBI by Phillip Margolin in exchange for my honest review.***

When a college football star’s DNA is found inside the body of the young woman he’s accused of raping, conviction is a slam dunk. His response is to threaten the lives of his lawyer, the victim and the judge. The victim hires Robin to represent her in a civil case. Then the same DNA is found inside another rape victim, while the perp sits in jail. Next people start dying.

THE PERFECT ALIBI is my first Phillip Margolin novel. Filled with twists, turns and intrigue, I was curious to how the subplots may or may not connect. At times I had trouble keeping Robin’s different cases, suspects, police and attorneys separate. I had to stop to think who attached to what case.

Detectives and DNA lab experts explained that only identical twins have the same DNA, although as a TV procedural veteran, I’ve seen at least two episodes on CSI and Law&Order: SVU where identical DNA was found in unrelated people when one had donated bone marrow to another. (I’m easily distracted by details).

The multiple payoffs in THE PERFECT ALIBI make this a must read mystery.

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This novel is really engaging- you have a MMA fighter/attorney, a wealthy entitled football player who is accused and convicted of raping a girl from the wrong side of town and murders.
It seems as though this could have been two different novels as the storyline about the medical lawsuit does not ever tie in to the rape charges. There is lot of side plots going in and it can be difficult to keep the names and characters straight as you are thrown from one scenario to the next.
It is a quick and enjoyable read as are all of Philip Margolins’ novels. We are left with questions and the ending is a bit abrupt. I gave it a four stars because it is enjoyable and engaging.

#netgalley

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Robin Lockwood, criminal attorney and protagonist from Phillip Margolin’s previous legal thriller, The Third Victim, is back in The Perfect Alibi and up against almost impossible odds. Lockwood’s client is accusing a star athlete of rape; he denies all allegations, is convicted on DNA evidence and sent to jail. The problem is that another rape occurs and the DNA is the same, even though the athlete couldn’t have committed it because he is in jail. Lockwood has other clients who seem to be innocent, but overwhelming new evidence comes out, leaving her scrambling to find the truth. Then several attorneys are found murdered, and Lockwood’s investigations into her cases become difficult and seemingly with no solutions.

Phillip Margolin has, over the years, written dozens of bestselling legal thrillers. His popularity is well-earned, and most of his books are edge-of-your-seat thrillers. The Perfect Alibi is no exception. The characters are well-developed, the story is told in an organized manner, and the suspense builds bit by bit up to a very unexpected dénouement. The scenarios in Margolin’s novel are believable and feasible, so that while reading the novel, the twists and turns ring true. Lockwood, et al are likeable characters, and readers will want them to win in the end. However, the good guys may not survive this time, since whoever is committing the murders is getting away with it and no one can figure out who it is. The viable suspect list is getting shorter, as they are murdered, and Lockwood and her associates may be in danger and may be next to be murdered as they come closer to solving the case.

All told, this is a fascinating thriller and definitely recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

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A rich,good looking college football player is accused of the rape of a poor, young girl. Despite his parents wealth, he is convicted and sent to jail. This time justice prevails. But wait, a few weeks later, another girl is raped and the now incarcerated man’s DNA is found on the girl. How can that happen? How can someone be in two places at once, especially when one of the places is jail?
To complicate matters further, the young rape suspect with the help of a new lawyer is granted bail and a new trial. While out on bail, his first attorney goes missing and his well-liked partner is found murdered in his office. If you’re curious to see where this ride takes you, then Phillip Margolin’s new book, The Perfect Alibi, is the perfect book for you.
On top of all the murder, mystery and mayhem is the story of young defense attorney, Robin Lockwood, a former MMA fighter that also happens to be a Yale law grad as well. She represents the young woman in the civil case against the alleged rapist which should keep her busy but then she is assigned a court appointed capital murder trial with a District Attorney hell bent on winning this case at all costs. The Perfect Alibi is full of more twists than turns and Lockwood will have to use both her book and street smarts to solve these mysteries while being stalked.
Lots of characters and a great crime mystery from one of the best writers out there today. Stay focused and allow yourself an early start in the day because you won’t want to put it down until you are finished.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #ThePerfectAlibi

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I'm a long time reader of Philip Margolin's work and really looked forward to reading The Perfect Alibi. I was immediately engrossed in the plot and finished the book within 2 days. I was a little surprised at some of the writing as it was not up to par with someone as experienced as Mr. Margolin, however I recommend this if you want to read a good thriller!

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I've been a big Phillip Margolin fan for a long time, but this was a downright odd book. It honestly left me wondering if some other uncredited writer actually did a lot of the work.

While the book showcased Margolin's signature plotting strength all right, the execution was unusually weak. There were a lot of characters and all of them had bland, forgettable names. Sometimes these character were referred to by first names, sometimes by last names, and occasionally even both ways in the same paragraph. With a lot of the narrative carried by dialogue, that frequently led to confusion and considerable difficulty figuring out who was talking and who was listening and just what the heck was going on. Even worse, a remarkable amount of that dialogue was wooden to the point of being laughable. There were even some grammatical and syntax blunders ("I and my associates are going...'). That is anything but what we're used to getting from Margolin.

Something's not right here. Either the book was hastily written and poorly edited, or somebody else did part of the writing. Either way, it's a long way below par for a Phillip Margolin book.

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I was looking forward to being swept into this book after reading the synopsis. This is the first book I have read from Margolin, and maybe that was the problem.
I read about 3/4 of the book and put it down. I was disappointed in the whole story. It was hard for me to follow and it did not keep my interest at all.
Thanks for giving me to opportunity to read it though!

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