If you love crime-solving mysteries, Law & Order, and/or The Godfather, then this is the book for you! Besides the beginning (which could have been just me caught up on names), this book is very fast paced. Once I got past the name overload at the beginning, I was completely immersed and stayed up until 4am to finish.

The plot: A mobster is charged with murdering the son of a rival mobster. So of course, you have crime families and war. This mobster needs a lawyer, so he hires our main man, Mick, and tells him nothing. Mick has to prepare for a trial when he has no idea what happened because Jimmy refuses to tell him anything. I found this whole situation hilarious and laughed out loud quite a few times as the power struggle between the two continued.

The other plot: So, at the beginning, I was way more interested in this plot. The lawyers have this innocence project going on where they take up cases of people who have been wrongly convicted and help clear their name and get the released. Great. Love the idea. (Can we get more books like this please?) The current case is one of Darlene who was convicted of murdering her rapist/abuser/father. New evidence has emerged that could prove Darlene’s innocence, and so the lawyers have taken up interviewing everyone in the town to prepare for her trial.

So, let’s talk about this name overload thing: everyone has a name, their friends have names, the most minor of people have names.
Example: “Eight are with him at the table. His three best friends: Vinny Itri, Dominic Ricci, and Geno Moretti. Four guys who work for his farther: Bruno, Dave, Tomasino, . . .”
I read over that paragraph about four times trying to commit those names to memory because I thought they would be important to know, but it didn’t matter. Even the dog had a name. IT WAS ALL JUST TOO MUCH! Now MAYBE the names are not an overload to people who have read books 1&2 before this book, but this was just too much for me. I could have really used a guide when reading to remind me the names of people.

So overall, 4 out of 5. There were a lot of characters and I feel that none of them were developed enough for me to really identify with. I mean I liked, the main mobster. He was developed, but I didn’t really seem to connect with any of the lawyers, but that could be because I have not read books 1&2. I don’t know what I’m missing.


Thank-you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book opens with a prologue in which the reader witnesses a dramatic and shocking event, the consequences of which will only become apparent later in the book. 

I liked the way the book alternates between the two story lines – Mick McFarland’s defence of mob boss, Jimmy Nunzio and the attempts of Mick’s wife, Piper, to prove the innocence of convicted killer, Darlene Dowd.  Needless to say, the progress of neither investigation runs smoothly and both Mick and Piper are forced to confront the consequences of what they have taken on and face difficult moral dilemmas.  And, of course, things are not always exactly what they seem...

As events unfold, readers (as I did) will no doubt find themselves making connections and finding common themes between the two storylines.  That is especially true in the final few paragraphs.  The plot positively zips along, with plenty of twists and turns.  This reader certainly found herself reading long after she’d intended to put the book down for the night. 

The author chooses to give the reader an insight into the inner thoughts of the manipulative and ruthless Jimmy Nunzio and I have to say it is a chilling experience but at the same time totally compelling.  Unfortunately, nasty people tend to have other nasty people around them and that’s certainly the case here.  Plus it’s always worth remembering Rudyard Kipling’s words ‘For the female of the species is more deadly than the male’.

Given the author’s profession, it’s no surprise that the book is full of precise and convincing details about police, investigatory, legal and prison procedures (although a little less detail about Philadelphia’s road system would have been okay with me).  The final scenes in the courtroom as Jimmy Nunzio stands trial are convincingly realistic and I was fascinated by the sections covering the process of jury selection.  Who knew there were such things as jury consultants or shadow juries?

Although there are references to events in the two earlier books, A Killer’s Alibi works perfectly well as a standalone.  In fact, the author cleverly gives just enough information about the events in A Criminal Defense and An Engineered Injustice to tease but not to spoil.  It’s clear many of the characters are still working through in their own minds the consequences of the actions and decisions they took or were forced to take. Secrets don’t tend to stay buried forever, after all.  

I really enjoyed A Killer’s Alibi. It’s a fast-moving, intricately plotted and compelling crime thriller.  My thanks to the author for my advance review copy.

Thank you William L. Myers, Jr. and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book.
This is the third book of the Philadelphia Legal Series. The story is a stand alone, although there are some references to things that must have happened in the previous books of the series. This is the first one that I have read but it definitely won't be the last.
Mick McFarland is an attorney who is "hired" by a mob underboss that is charged with the murder of his daughter's boyfriend, a member of a rival mob. He is found holding the blood soaked knife that killed the boyfriend. It seems like an open and shut case for the prosecution because the underboss refuses to tell his own attorney what happened and whether it was self-defense.
In the meantime, Mick's wife and law partner are working on a case of a young woman who was charged and convicted of killing her abusive father. They are trying to get her a new trial to prove that she is innocent.
Throughout both story lines of this book, things are not always what they seem. Both stories involve father/daughter dynamics. The author did a great job of building the suspense and then giving little hints of what might be coming. But there are things going on behind the scenes that you never see coming. It isn't until almost the end of the book that we find out what is really going on in both of the story lines.
I loved that the author was able to make even some of the "bad guys" likable.

Crime lord Jimmy Nunzio is caught, literally red handed, with the knife in his hands over the dead body of his daughters lover. He quickly hires Mick McFarland to defend him. But Nunzio is staying tight lipped, refusing to tell Mick what really happened. Meanwhile, Mick's wife, Piper is trying to free Darlene David, a young woman who was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her sexually abusive father.

It feels like a lifetime that I have waited to read this third instalment of the Philadelphia Legal series, but boy, it was definitely worth the wait. I would also say that this is the best book in the series so far. Myers writes with an intricately to detail. The plot is full of many twists that I never saw coming. The two storylines complimented each other and we're both believable as were the characters. The best bits by far is the courtroom drama. The tension builds as the drams unfolds. The book caught my attention straight away and I did not want to put this book down. This is one hell of a roller coaster ride. I don't know how the author is going to top this novel, but I'm sure, somehow, he will.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Thimas & Mercer and the author William L. Myers Jr for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

William Myers sets a pretty high bar (pun intended) when it comes to legal novels. Most authors would be content to present one story line, but Myers weaves two great tales together like strands of DNA which gives even greater life to this must-read third book in the series. If you've read the previous novels, you know more about the characters involved, and you appreciate the writer's dedication to character development, procedure, and suspense, all of which are even stronger in "A Killer's Alibi".

Mick is called to represent a mob-connected thug who is accused of murdering his daughter's lover. At the same time, his wife Piper is trying to help a woman get a chance at a second trial for murdering her abusive father.

Both clients have their secrets that will either make or break their cases but they are not helping their defense attorneys, not by lying but by holding out by sharing what really happened during the crimes.

William Myers, Jr, has the reputation for creating multi-layered authentic characters whose flaws are on display for readers to see. A KILLER'S ALIBI is a tense page turner with an ending you won't see coming and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas & Mercer for a free copy of William L. Myers Jr newest book A Killer’s Alibi.
This is my first time reading a novel by William L. Myers Jr and I am hooked. I will definitely read his other works now.
This legal thriller was fast paced and well written. There were many characters and quite a few plot lines to keep the reader guessing as to the outcome of the story.
I felt like I was sitting in the Courtroom watching this murder case be tried.
What is the line that defines Right from Wrong? Is it a small misstep and the scales of justice are no longer balanced?
You be the Judge.

Another great book by my new favorite author. Mr. Myers has so many plots and twists in his books that just when you think you have it figured out another twist is added. So far, in all three of his books the same law firm becomes invo!ved in a high profile case. The attorneys appear to be "played" by their clients, but just when you think they don't have a chance they had a moment of clarity that provides a stunning plot twist. A book you will want to finish in one setting.

An intriguing legal thriller with an outstanding plot and excellent characters!! I was very excited when I read the first book by this author,it was so very good I could not believe it was his first novel!! This is the third book and it surpasses the others, with intense legal intricacies and emotional relationships that develop as Attorney Mick McFarland ,his wife Piper and partners attempt to find a common ground to assist their clients.
The characters are realistic, you quickly feel you know each one and that you, yourself are a part of the story.. It is so very interesting learning all parts of a community- mobsters,politicians,next-door-neighbors and friends- that are affected by or stick themselves into the legal process after the crime is committed. I was on the edge of my seat as Mick's 'Mob' client gathers his family to decide his story. Suspenseful, with so many twists you will keep reading to find out what happens!!
A fantastically written story engaging your intelligence and imagination, with strong legal arguments but also soft light-hearted moments that maintain the story as real,happening now!
I thank NetGalley and author William L.Myers Jr. for my chance to read an ARC of this exciting story,and I put my thoughts in this review hoping others will be interested and grab this book!
A 5 STAR extravaganza for your senses, you know I can't wait for the next book!!

A Killer's Alibi (Philadelphia Legal) is the third novel in the Philadelphia Legal series by author William L. Myers. I have now read all three. At 430 pages (in paperback), this is probably the longest of the three.
No great surprise there, as there are two and a half plots going on in this story.
I did like the book, but I am conflicted as I did think the book could have done with some of the story lines shortening considerably or edited out entirely. It needed to be tighter, tauter. That is possibly no fault of the author.
The main plot surrounds Mick McFarland, the lawyer hired to defend Jimmy Nunzio, an underboss of the Philly mafia. It’s a great plot with Nunzio refusing to tell the lawyer what his defence is. Nunzio is caught ‘dead to rights’ with the murder weapon and covered in the victim’s blood. His daughter Christina is also present when the cops burst in to a warehouse to arrest Nunzio. She was dating the murder victim: a mobster from the rival Valiante crew.
As usual, the author – a lawyer in real life, deals with the courtroom scenes brilliantly. He even makes mundane motion hearings exciting with his writing style.
The other main plot surrounds a woman called Darlene Dowd serving time for the murder of her abusive father. McFarland’s wife, Piper, and an associate, Susan, are dealing with trying to find evidence to exculpate Dowd and have her conviction set aside. It’s a good plot line and I do wonder if the author set out with two ideas for a novel and amalgamated them into one book. Towards the end of the novel, we do discover there is a tenuous link between these two main story lines. I do question whether they could have ‘survived’ separately as two books.
The half-plot concerning Susan, the lawyer associate of McFarland, is extraneous to the whole picture and to, me, only serves to add some confusion to the novel.
I also was not too keen on the ending. It seems the author came up with a couple of ‘what-ifs’ and the answers were written in to the ending. That’s fine if those answers are credible. I have to say I didn’t find them totally believable.
Let me stress this, Mr. Myers is a fine writer and his novels really are worth reading. His main male characters are well fleshed out, credible, and in the case of Jimmy Nunzio – frighteningly scary. I was unconvinced by two of the female characters, Rachel and Christina – Nunzio’s wife and daughter respectively.
I wrote this as part of my review of ‘Engineered Injustice: “For me, the courtroom scenes are the best (it’s that former lawyer in me). This is where Mr. Myers comes into a territory where he is a master.” I still think the same.
Despite my reservations, I do urge you to read this book. After all, my review is merely my opinion.
I received a Kindle version of this book through Netgalley. I was under no compunction to review it. I thank Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity of reading this book.

I’m a huge fan of this series so when the author let me know this was on NG I was thrilled. I really enjoyed A Killer’s Alibi. It’s got all of the Myers magic and is packed full of intrigue. The characters are so well-written, and the plot is thoroughly engaging that I found it hard to put down at times. This series just gets better and better!

This is the third book in a series, I absolutely loved both A Criminal Defense and An Engineered Injustice and I highly recommend them, especially if you like legal thrillers. As much as I loved the first two books, this was my favorite, it’s one of those rare series that just keeps getting better with each book and this one had me riveted the entire time.
The best thing about Myers books for me is how intricately planned they are, there is a meticulous attention to detail that always wows me and the plot was full of so many insanely good twists and turns I was blown away. On top of an amazing storyline full of mobsters, politicians, cops, lawyers and judges, you also have a core group of characters that are complex and interesting. Besides the main focus with Mick’s trial, you have a separate plot thread with his wife Piper and his law partner Susan where they’re working on an innocence project trying to get a wrongly accused woman out of jail. So much going on here, but it all flows perfectly together and if anything, only serves to propel the story forward and keep the reader engaged.
I know some people are hesitant when it comes to diving into a legal thriller worried that maybe the terminology and scenes inside the courtroom may be boring or over their head, but honestly the courtroom scenes in this were some of the strongest parts of the book for me so let me reassure you that these are incredibly well written and exciting to read. Myers creates a palpable tension like no other, I find myself racing through to find out what will happen next and desperate to know if he’ll manage to trick me yet again. Umm the answer to that is YES! He delivered another series of jaw dropping twists that totally blew my mind, did not see them coming from a mile away and honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised because he’s stunned me with every book in the Philadelphia Legal series and I’m quite sure he will continue to do so.
A Killer’s Alibi in three words: Sharp, Shocking and Intricate.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, William L. Myers Jr., and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

The reader can be assured of a well-developed legal thriller when William L. Myers Jr. is at the helm. His attention to detail and captivating stories keep the story enthralling until the final pages, and this book is no exception. When James ‘Jimmy’ Nunzio is found in a warehouse, holding a bloody knife with a body on the floor, there appears to be little doubt that he is to blame. A high-ranking official in a Philadelphia organized crime family, Nunzio has a long list of beefs, including a rival New York family, to whom the victim belongs. When Mick McFarland is called upon to serve as defence counsel, he is hesitant, though intrigued all the same. McFarland interviews his client, but is left feeling as though there is something missing from the story and Nunzio remains coy about certain aspects of that night, promising to reveal all in good time. Meanwhile, Mick’s wife and other law partner are involved in some Innocence Project Work. Darlene Dowd was convicted of murdering her abusive father years ago, but a deathbed letter from her own mother reveals that a neighbour may have some important evidence and the murder weapon. Piper McFarland and Susan Klein begin to explore this new evidence, in hopes of being able to free Darlene once and for all. With the help of the firm’s investigator, Piper and Susan learn that there is more to the story than an abused teenaged girl who resented her father’s actions and took justice into her own hands. While Mick is trying to plan for his own trial, he discovers that he may have taken on more than he can handle, placing himself and all those around him in a mafia squabble that can only end in bloodshed. Learning of an intended payback, Mick must do all he can to get to the bottom of this case—including this mystery evidence the defendant is holding—before more innocent people suffer the consequences. A powerful story, with great courtroom action, that does not relent until the final paragraph, Myers shows why he belongs at the top of his genre. Highly recommended for those who love substantive legal thrillers that seek not only to tell a story, but offer realistic characters to add depth.

I can remember stumbling upon Myers’ first novel and being fully engrossed. This was a story that had both substantial legal arguments and characters who were more than simply vessels to pull the narrative along. Myers has taken the time to flesh-out his characters and injects personal attributes to which the reader can surely relate. Mick McFarland is a wonderful father and husband, as well as an accomplished lawyer who does not shy away from controversy. While his mind does seek loopholes, he is not afraid to work or to spend time trying to help his clients, no matter their circumstances. His passion for the law and those around him can be seen throughout and he proves to be a wonderful protagonist sure to anchor this series for years to come. Other returning characters offer their own distinct flavours and propel the story forward at break-neck speed. The attentive reader will see some of the smaller characteristics that Myers injects to keep the story light, but not superficial. This helps keep things from getting stale or overly burdensome. Dealing with both sexual abuse and family blood feuds cannot be easy, though Myers tackles both and presents wonderful spins. There is a delicate balance that Myers has found, one the attentive reader will see as they progress through this novel. The story is strong and reads well, mixing light banter with serious legal arguments, as well as some personal subplots some of the characters must face. Myers has a way of writing in which chapters seem to melt away, though he does not shortchange with detail or plot development. Anyone new to Myers should probably start at the beginning of the series—more to learn of the character and plot developments from their infancy—though I suppose this book could act as a standalone. Speaking of that, this book does stand apart from others in its genre and William L. Myers Jr. should be an author with whom readers familiarize themselves. It is worth the time and effort!

Kudos, Mr. Myers, for another winner. I am pleased to have been able to experience an advance copy of this book, as it allows me to drum up additional support ahead of publication.