I've read a few Christina Dodd titles before, and I was in the mood for a mystery thriller laced with some romance. The blurb piqued my interest and I was excited to be approved.

Evie was young and naive when she agreed to work for Donald White and found herself framed for a double murder. Ten years later, she's created a new identity for herself, working at a remote fishing lodge in Alaska and spending her free time "finding people and things" in her search for the man who tried to put her in jail. When a wealthy client offers her a favor, Evie has to figure out if what she wants is a way out of hiding--or revenge.

This is the kind of book you can finish in a single sitting. It's easily readable, and the voices are distinct. Dodd is no stranger to developing her characters, and at first, I was intrigued with Petie and her life in Alaska. I loved reading about the smaller aspects of life there that you wouldn't normally consider, especially if you've spent most of your life in California. As an upstate NYer, I'm used to winters, but I loved the description of Rockin and the travel aspect of it was fascinating.

About a quarter of the way through, I felt like I was reading a different book. The writing style slightly changed, so where I thought I had a grip on Evie's voice, her diction started to sound more formal and awkward, and at times, this took me out of the story. This felt exacerbated by her conversations with other characters who also took on stilted cadences and formalized interactions. I wanted to be absorbed in the fishing resort where instead I was wondering why everyone had started acting so strange all of a sudden.

Zone's character, too, fell a bit flat for me, one dimensional in his suffering and depiction. Some readers I feel will respond well to the sudden spark between Evie and Zone, but for me, it came out of left field and felt entirely out of character. Will they make a good series focus going forward? I think so. With their layered backstories and magnetic personalities, I think there's a lot of potential, and I'd probably read the next installment.

Wrong Alibi has some shining moments and standard fares, but overall, I'd recommend to fans of serial reads or travel mysteries who want some impromptu romance.

Thank you to HQN and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

A wrongly accused woman, a serial killer con artist, and the strange alaskan town. The story revolves around a woman who is currently living under a different identity as she is presumed dead and falsely accused for a double murder she did not commit. Now she is biding her time and waiting to find the con man and killer who destroyed her life, and when she does, things are not as it seem. The clock is ticking before he prepares to disappear again and she finds her family at risk. All the while, the husband of the mother and child who were killed, is trying to hunt her down as he keeps receiving anonymous information saying that she killed his family and she is still alive. Time is running out and the hunter is being hunted. I found the story to be quite interesting and was hooked until the end. There was a romance story intwined and I was not expecting it at all but I didn’t mind it so much. I was moreso invested in the cat and mouse game between the killer and the protagonist. The story jumps from various peoples’ povs and that was a nice touch to the story. The story wraps up nicely and I liked the overall ending.

*Thanks Netgalley and HARLEQUIN - Romance (U.S. & Canada) for sendign me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Sounded interesting. I'm sure people will enjoy this book, but it is not for me. Was a bit simplistic, ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I found this novel one of the ones I picked up and read in an entire sitting. The main character thought she has found her dream job, after spending her youth in juvenile detention centers. At 18, she flies to a remote Alaskan town to take a job that ends up getting her convicted for murder.

Ten years later, she’s working off the grid at a remote fishing lodge when a situation presents itself for her to take her life back.

This fast-paced mystery was interesting and had a great plot. Great read!

I really enjoyed this newest book by Christina Dodd. She again captures the elements of suspense and keeps us reading as we try to figure out how everything will end up. A lot happens in this book as our heroine tries to prove her innocence.
Evelyn Jones doesn't have an easy childhood, but nothing prepares her for what happens when she gets her first job. Being set up as a killer and then sentenced to prison sets Evelyn on a path to prove her innocence. Along the way she meets people who are willing to help her and has to question her faith in people and what she thought was the truth.
I don't want to give too much away because there are number of twists and turns in this story. I wasn't anticipating the main villain to be who it was. I really like Ms. Dodd's writing style and find her books enjoyable reads. The one complaint I have about this book was the romantic element. It felt forced, trite and last minute. Usually the romance builds throughout the story, but in this book it felt very much like an afterthought.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A young woman with a troubled past finds help in unlikely places and is able to reboot her life.

This was a great beach/weekend read. It has all the elements of a popcorn crime fiction complete with a mysterious and truly creepy criminal, vengeance, daring escapes, bleak locations, mysterious benefactors, and just the right amount of hope for the main character. I will be recommending this to patrons looking for a well written, fast paced crime read on vacation.

There are two reasons I was excited to get this ARC and to have read it months ahead of release date. First, I have enjoyed several books by Christina Dodd, so she is an auto-read author. Second, it is the start of a new series.

Evie/Petie led a rough life as a gang member and ended up in juvenile hall. Free at the age of eighteen, she plans on settling in a remote Alaskan town called Rockin. Petie hopes this will not only be a fresh start for her, but she also hopes to reconnect with her mother and sister because they now live in Rockin.

She barely gets her chance as she takes on a job as a bookkeeper to Donald White. However, brutal murders of a mother and child take place. She contacts the police, pleads with them. Begs them to listen to her as she tells them that Donald White is the killer. No one believes her and, as the only suspect, Evie is convicted and receives a ninety-nine year sentence. Her life is over. However, not only does she manage to escape, she has every intent on finding the man she feels is responsible, Donald White, thus seeking revenge for her conviction and bringing him to justice.
Safe in a wilderness camp, her anonymity intact, Evie spends eight year searching, and she finally locates him.

Having all but inhaled Dodd's Cape Charade series, which also took place in Alaska, I love the remote setting once again in this new series. In the previous series, there were strong elements of romance throughout. Not so in this story. Instead, the focus is on Evie's desperate search for revenge. As I read this book, I did have to sort Evelyn/Edie/Petie a bit, so it was just easier referring to her as Evie in this review.

The book was a bit choppy, to say the least, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The twists became many, and there was more than one red herring. I do look forward to more in this series, especially as Evie's troubled past was explored. I had strong hope for Evie and her mother, as well as the romantic interest that slowly happened for Evie in this story. Usually I can guess where the next book in a series might land, but I have to admit that I haven't a clue. I am eager to see where Dodd goes next with this series.

Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd is a great beginning to the all new Rockin, AK series! Young & naive
Evelyn (Evie/Petie) Jones gets released from juvenile detention and takes a job in Rockin, Alaska as a
bookkeeper to Donald White. Evie hopes to turn her life around and reconnect with her mother & sister
unfortunately things are strange right from the start! Action packed, full of twists & turns, interesting
characters & a great ending. Looking forward to more in this series!

Evie’s job working for Donald White in a small town in Alaska becomes a nightmare when he disappears and she’s suspected and then convicted of a double murder.Rather than face a life behind bars, she goes on the lamb, working at a remote wilderness camp under an assumed name. She’s biding her time, waiting for her chance to get revenge on the man who framed her, and when Donald White resurfaces, Evie’s ready

June 30 Received notice widget was ready.
July 2 Book hasn’t downloaded on any of my devices. Sore head from banging against wall.
July 3, 1 a.m. Fire and Kindle decides to either take widget out of hiding or to download.
July 3, 1 a.m. I do my modified happy dance. (not nekkid, not in cul de sac)
July 3, 1:05 a.m. Read from 1:05am to 3:30 am. Fall asleep 3 hours on couch, resume reading.
Nah, I wasn’t anxious to read Wrong Alibi. Not at all. I’ll warn y’all, I liked it, I really liked it.
A naïve girl, former gang member, one who has decides to straighten herself out by getting a degree while in juvie. Nineteen years old, Evie Jones is so young, while being tragically old. Evie takes a job in Rockin, Alaska with a man named Donald White. Evie’s mom and sister are now living in Rockin. She hopes to eventually to contact them to show she has started to turn her life around. Instead she is framed for a heinous double murder, one that is brutal and unforgivable.
In an incredibly lucky moment, at least for her, Evie escapes on her way to prison.
Evie completes her escape by eventually landing at a remote, but luxurious wilderness camp. Besides her summer duties, Evie serves as the winter caretaker. During the long winter months, Evie learns new skill sets. For eight years, Evie searches on-line for the man, Donald White, who set her up, the man everyone insists does not exist. The man who makes her feel like a classic case of TSTL. Except Evie still exists, and is doing rather well; at least for someone hiding out in the extremes of the Alaska wilderness.
Eventually Evie finds White at the worst possible place. All Evie cares about is getting to White. At the same time, others are gunning for Evie with hatred equal to anything Evie feels for White.
First lesson learned in Wrong Alibi, know your friends, I mean really know them.
Second lesson, nature isn’t really trying to kill you. It just seems that way if you aren’t paying attention.
Third lesson learned, if it seems too good to be true, or if your spidey senses are tap dancing in your head, pay attention. But at the same time, mistakes don’t make you TSTL. Even if you do go into that basement, at least you aren’t wearing a flowing white nightgown. But then again, you are listening to a stuffed bear.
Fourth lesson learned, revenge really is better served cold, or at least served in Alaska.
This was a terrific book of revenge, redemption, and forgiveness. Dodd often writes morality tales, mixed in with her suspense, high adventure and chases.
She hasn’t totally given up on romance, but the romance is usually smoothly incorporated into the story and is not a major feature. Some readers have found the sex and romance in Wrong Alibi jarring. Considering the characters and how they have lived I find it makes sense.
With so many writers my eyes glaze when I start reading the florid descriptions of the setting. Not so with Dodd, she is not flowery. She is masterful. I purposely slow down to savor every bit about king salmon fishing, the mountains, and the unimaginable Alaska winters. I have paid particular attention to the settings in every one of Dodd’s books.
I like to think I can figure out Dodd’s twists. Nope, once again she is several steps ahead of me, which helps keep her writing fresh.
Evelyn, Evie, Petie, all the same woman, through the stages of her growth. She gets lucky and grows up; painful to watch the process, but a pleasure nonetheless. I also like that Evie is mixed race. It is mentioned, and then we move on.
A special treat for readers of the Cape Charade series, two of the characters from that series have bigger roles in Wrong Alibi.
This is the start of a new series. I see a few intriguing directions it could go with the secondary characters. And Nils. Of course there is Nils.
Revenge is always such a treat for readers; we are certainly served our share. I won't say this story is as dark as an Alaska winter (not just because it would be too obvious) but it is darker than most of Dodd's books. Dodd was a well regarded romantic/suspense writer before she started leaning more heavily to the suspense side, resulting in the mighty fine series of Virtue Falls and Cape Charade. I really wouldn't miss those books. Looks like the Murder in Alaska series is going to be just as terrific.
Thank you so much for a NetGalley ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. It’s not as if I didn’t warn you up front that I really liked this book.

Christina Dodd out did herself with this one. I was so caught up with the plot I couldn't put it down and had no idea how it was going to end. Do yourself a favor and pick this up.

I hVe read and loved everyone of Christina Dodd’s books until now. I just could not get into the story nor the characters. Parts of the book were confusing and the main couple did not meet till 3/4s of the way through the book and then just jumped into bed. I know this is the first book in this series but the whole first half was setting up the series

I'm a long time fan of Christina Dodd's work - both historical and contemporary - but I was disappointed in this novel. In my opinion, the most egregious problem in this work is the romantic relationship of the novel's protagonist. The sole sex scene in the novel had me going, "Wait, what?" The further development of that relationship felt highly unrealistic to me. There was another part of the novel - involving the character of Barb -that also felt unrealistic to me, and left me with unanswered questions.

There were also numerous points throughout the novel that seemed unnecessary. I suspect this will be the first book in a new series, and that at least some of these points will be addressed or tied into future novels. However, there were enough of these points that the novel felt messy, instead of intriguing.

There is a great novel somewhere in this book, but it needed better editing. It seems to be confused about what it wants to be: a romance novel, a thriller or a thriller with romantic elements. First, for a romance novel, the romance is lacking. When the hero(?) and the heroine get together it's not well developed. I felt like I was missing something: how did it happen? Why did it happen and why so fast? These people are meeting for the first time ever and they just fall into bed like that? I couldn't believe in that relationship.
Second, though the author herself proclaims to have wanted to write a TSTL protagonist... the protagonist really wasn't smart at all and she never grew out of it. To make matters worse, things just kind of went her way, the plot just conveniently accommodated her lack of planning and preparation in a supposedly life-or-death situation.
Too much time was spent in the first half of the book setting up the story but without giving depth to either the hero, the relationship between him and the main character (I think they only meet after the 70% mark?), the family dynamic or even making the final bad guy more believable.
The story is really interesting, and I just wish it had been better handled, All the elements are there but they were not well put together, It had potential and could have been really amazing, but fell short.