Hammond Cross is a county solicitor with aspirations of becoming the next District Attorney in Charleston, South Carolina. And, he should, because he is honest and ethical -- two traits that should be sought after in this position. Hammond's semi-downfall in this book is his attraction to the beautiful Dr. Alex Ladd who unfortunately is suspected in the murder of Lute Pettijohn, a wealthy, local businessman. Hammond and Alex spend an unbelievable night together and that night of "passion" becomes Alex' "alibi".

Other characters enter into this scenario especially Steffi Mundell -- who wants to be the next county prosecutor, Rory Smilow -- the chief detective and ex-brother in law of the murdered man and Hammond's own father who had some disreputable dealings with Lute Pettijohn himself. While many of the characters could have reasons of their own for killing Lute, the prime suspect is still Alex Ladd. Hammond Cross can't believe this is true and sets out to prove that someone he feels this strongly about could not possibly be a murderer.

Sandra Brown weaves a tale of corruption, romance and tension. You'll be on pins and needles until the conclusion of this novel.

17 of 17 found the following review helpful:

One Heck of a Great Read  Apr 06, 2002
By Wendy Kaplan
With this book, Sandra Brown has made the jump from romance to ace mystery writer--there's no turning back now.

"The Alibi" is a fast-paced, terrific mystery with more plot twists, red herrings, mysterious would-be murderers, and all-around interesting characters than the law allows. It follows the story of urbane, charming, and gorgeous wunderkind Hammond Cross, whose Charleston, South Carolina family is one of the oldest and most respected in the tight-knit upper-class world he calls his own. He's in line to be the next DA, and rightly so. Then, in one fateful night, his world falls apart.

A woman he knows intimately may or may not have murdered the town's wealthiest and most hated citizen, Lute Pettijohn. Even the reader is not sure whether sophisticated psychologist Alex Ladd has done the deed. There are so many other suspects: the un-grieving widow Davee, whose friendship with Cross goes back to their privileged childhoods; most of Pettijohn's business associates, all of whom hated him--and Cross's own upper-class father.

Cross is in this murder up to his neck. If he successfully prosecutes the cops' key suspect, he is a shoe-in for the DA spot. If he doesn't, he may be brought up on charges of obstruction of justice. Along the way, he has to contend with his own tangled and uncharacteristically personal feelings about the case; his jealous and ambitious partner, the acerbic and unlikeable Steffi Mundell; his longtime nemesis, supercop Rory Smilow; and his own cold, judgmental father.

I thought I guessed the murderer after the first 100 pages. After the next 100, I was positive I was right, and had a smug "I knew it" attitude, just wondering how Brown was going to unravel the plot. Then I wasn't so sure. Then I was turning pages almost faster than I could read. Then I was positively racing to the end. I was wrong about the murderer, wrong about the end, and blown away by the ingenious plot twists that all came about effortlessly in the end. And it even ended with a cliff-hanger that made total and perfect sense.

You want a good read? You want a book that keeps you off the computer and the TV and has you walking into walls? This is it.

14 of 15 found the following review helpful:

The Alibi  Jan 25, 2000
By Roberta C. Britt
The truth is out there! Sandra Brown is not just a writer, she's a ROUNDER. She not only plays the cards, like the pros she plays the people -the reader - page after suspenseful page. The Alibi proves her prowess, and whets her growing fan base for another steamy fast paced read. South Carolina's ambiance is a perfect backdrop for the seedy intrigues of the legal profession. Enter the hero, dignity intact. Enter the heroine whose background is as colorful as Jacob's coat. One night. Sex. Sweaty sheets. Hero's dignity down the toilet. Fingers point to his clandestine lover. Murder! Who pulled the trigger? He can't get her out of his mind. Now she is the prime suspect in Charleston's most nefarious homicide. Everyone wanted Lute Pettyjohn dead. Alex Ladd is in the hot seat, so is the prosecutor, Hammond Cross. Prosecute her? Not what he has in mind. Fully rounded, sympathetic characters leave you wondering. Hold on to your hat. Wild ride included in the cover price. Thank you, Ms. Brown.

13 of 14 found the following review helpful:

The Alibi  Mar 07, 2008
By Kelly "Reviewer for The Sinfully Sensuous"
Hammond Cross is a sexy Assistant DA in Charleston, SC. He is in a very prominent spot, and expected to take over the top office soon. Hammond has had this planned as everything else in his orderly life. One reckless night, he meets Alex Ladd, and his life is changed forever. After an unforgettable night together, she disappears. When Hammond gets back to his normal life, he is distraught to find out Alex is suspected of murdering a local prominent businessman. If he provides Alex an alibi, that would be career suicide, so he sets out to find out who the real murderer is.

This was a disappointing story. I had trouble buying the love at first sight forgoing all else between Hammond and Alex. The chemistry wasn't there, and the pairing just didn't work, so that made the rest of the story hard to accept. The buildup was lacking, as if a lot of the important steps took place behind the scene. The big reveal at the end was also a let down because there wasn't one.


10 of 11 found the following review helpful:

Couldn't put it down!  Jan 07, 2000
By Meghan Smith
I couldn't wait to find time to read the book- before work, after work, during commercials during Ali McBeal....great suspense triller with a touch of romance! Cosmopolitan magazine book club pick- enough said!

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