The Alibiman

Elena Estes #2

by Tami Hoag

Ήταν μια οπτασία, μια σειρήνα. Έγινε ένας εφιάλτης. Έπρεπε να την εξαφανίσει. Και ήξερε ακριβώς πώς να το κάνει... Η ελίτ του Παλμ Μπιτς φτάνει στα άκρα για να προστατέψει τα μέλη της. Η Έλενα Έστες το γνωρίζει καλά -ανήκε σ' αυτή την ελίτ, ώσπου, προδομένη από τους πιο δικούς της ανθρώπους, τα απαρνήθηκε όλα, κι έγινε μυστική αστυνομικός, πολεμώντας για τη δικαιοσύνη. Αλλά ένα μοιραίο λάθος έβαλε τέλος στην καριέρα της, κι από τότε ζει αποτραβηγμένη, εκπαιδεύοντας άλογα. Τώρα, όμως, μια καινούρια τραγωδία την τραβά πίσω στη δίνη από την οποία αγωνίστηκε για να ξεφύγει... Πρώτα βρίσκει το πτώμα -μια νέα γυναίκα που τη χρησιμοποίησαν, τη σκότωσαν και την πέταξαν σ' ένα κανάλι. Δεν είναι άγνωστη, είναι μια φίλη. Και καθώς η Έλενα ερευνά τις σκοτεινές πτυχές της ζωής της, ανακαλύπτει ότι η νεκρή συνδεόταν με τη ρωσική μαφία αλλά και μ' ένα κύκλο ισχυρών αντρών με περίεργα γούστα, που καλύπτουν ο ένας τις αμαρτίες του άλλου. Ανάμεσά τους κι ένας άντρας που κάποτε η Έλενα γνώριζε καλά: ο πρώην αρραβωνιαστικός της, Μπένετ Γουόκερ, που έχει ξεφύγει από τη δικαιοσύνη τουλάχιστον μία φορά... Αναζητώντας το δολοφόνο της φίλης της, η Έλενα ξεθάβει μυστικά που μπορούν να συνταράξουν την κοινωνία του Παλμ Μπιτς -αλλά και να βάλουν σε κίνδυνο την ίδια της τη ζωή...

Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

Hardcover

First published June 23, 2006

About the author

Tami Hoag is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than thirty books published in more than thirty languages worldwide, including her latest thrillers—BITTER SEASON, COLD COLD HEART and THE 9TH GIRL. Renowned for combining thrilling plots with character-driven suspense, Hoag first hit the New York Times Bestseller list with NIGHT SINS, and each of her books since has been a bestseller.

She leads a double life in Palm Beach County, Florida where she is also known as a top competitive equestrian in the Olympic discipline of dressage. Other interests include the study of psychology, and mixed martial arts fighting.


Visit her at www.tamihoag.com, Facebook.com/TamiHoag and on Twitter @TamiHoag

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read...I got it done in two days! A lot of mystery...a couple gruesome parts (if you are a visual person like myself you can only imagine what it would be like). Keeps you guessing til the end...unless I'm just real slow on the uptake.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like Hoag. The mystery in this is good, but the main character, Elena Estes is obnoxious.
I am not the type of person who has to like a character to like them. I mean like in terms of, like to have tea with them or something. Some of my favorite characters of all time are awful people and I detest them, but they're compelling. . . There is nothing compelling about Estes.
She is whiny and mean spirited and so terribly sorry for herself. She is the type of person who loves their own pain, and those type of people are tedious.
It is true, her life has been tough and bad things have happened, but instead of that making her interesting or sympathetic, I jusrt want toshake her a little bit, tell her to get over it and, f the memories are SO painful then move to a new place and start over. Instead, we have a wallowing heroine mucking up a perfectly good mystery.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good follow up to the first book in the series. I was pulled into this book faster than the first one in the series since I was already familiar with some of the characters. Again, I liked the mystery that Ms. Hoag created and aside from the 1st person POV, liked the writing style. One of the few negatives again was the lead female character, Elena. Although I like strong females, she also managed to get on my nerves as she pushed everyone away and tends to be bitter carries a ton of guilt.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

" I will kill you, stand on your corpse, and howl at the moon."

The Palm Beach elite go to great lengths to protect their own. When a former call girl (Irena) is found dead and is linked to a group of powerful and wealthy men, no one is willing to help the police in the investigation. Fortunately for the girl, a former friend (Elena Estes) is the lead investigator in the case and is not scarred of this bad boy group. Elena is determined to reveal the truth, one that will shock Palm Beach society to its core, and could very well get her killed.

My thoughts:

This crime thriller took me a while to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed it. It definitely focuses more on character development than the actual crime. 3.5 🌟

[Zornitsa Rasim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5*

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second installment in the Elena Estes series is solid.

I think Elena's character has more depth in this particular, partly because we learn more about her past and thus her vulnerabilities. The romantic tension between her and Landry is also well played out.

Should enjoy this if you are a Hoag fan.

The only downside to Hoag's writing is that she often reuses some of the same devices between books and between series. For example, this is the second series in which the protagonist's best friend has been a stereotypical gay man.

Still, I love her ability to construct a good mystery that keeps you guessing, sometimes right up until the end.

[Frederick Masterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

By F. J. Masterman "The PlanetCare Discoveries" - See all my reviews


Although I have been a fan of Tami Hoag for her former novels, The Alibi Man has put her at the top of my favorite writer list. This fast-moving story, centered on the corruption of wealthy Palm Beach society, is one of long-overdue justice finally coming home. The protagonist, the former detective Elena Estes, is one of the most compelling characters I have come across in reading. She is flawed, fearless and entirely engaging. Though there are several points of view in the story, she is the primary voice, and whenever she's "on" there's literary electricity that made me not to want her to stop. A marvelous characterization, and although other persons in the story are well drawn out (especially James Landry, whose unrequited love for her is a wonderfully understated theme)-- none come close to Elena. Her reflections, attitude, and honest internal conflicts make the entire novel a powerful experience. Elena was introduced in Dark Horse, which I also thoroughly enjoyed, but she blossoms into a fully deep and real person in The Alibi Man. I only hope the author will choose to create another story with her as protagonist. She's an unqualified winner.

[Tiffunee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Palm Beach elite go to great lengths to protect their own-and their own no longer includes Elena Estes. Once upon a time a child of wealth and privilege, Elena turned her back on that life and chose the life of an undercover cop. Then a tragic, haunting mistake ended her career. Now Elena exists on the fringes of her old life. But a shocking event is about to draw her back into the painful vortex she's fought so hard to leave behind.

Elena stumbles upon the body of her groom (horse farm) and calls Landry. She can't keep her nose out of the mystery and uncovers many details that Landry doesn't have access too. She's a great detective but the attitude gets annoying real quickly.

This was a great read. The surprise ending truly catches you by surprise. I honestly didn't see it coming. I tried to guess the killer but was once again wrong.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book...although I didn't realize that I should have read Dark Horse 1st. Oh well...I am looking forward to more of Elena Estes' adventures.

[kostas vamvoukakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

καλό και πολύ γρήγορο αστυνομικό χωρίς ιδιαίτερη πρωτοτυπία... γυναικεία σκοπιά... πολύ ευχάριστο στο διάβασμα... για παραλία

[Ashy Khaira · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elena finds the body of her friend floating in a canal following a horse ride.Having been a cop herself before she does her own investigations following the murder.Based on some pictures of whom Irina the victim spent time with,she is drawn back into a world she left long ago.an interesting read

[Πάνος Τουρλής · Rating 4 out of 5]

Η Έλενα Έστες ανακαλύπτει ένα πτώμα κοντά στο ιπποφορβείο όπου εργάζεται στο Παλμ Μπιτς της Φλόριντα και ο ντετέκτιβ Τζέιμς Λάντρι από το Γραφείο του Σερίφη ερευνά την υπόθεση. Η νεκρή γυναίκα, όπως όλα δείχνουν, ήταν η ψυχή των κοσμικών πάρτι της περιοχής, μόνο που κάποιος από τους πλούσιους και διάσημους αθλητές του πόλο και των ιπποδρομιών τη σκότωσε. Ή μήπως ήταν ξεκαθάρισμα λογαριασμών της ρώσικης μαφίας; Μήπως η δολοφονία έχει να κάνει με τον Τόμας Βαν Ζαντ που είχε εξαφανιστεί μυστηριωδώς στο «Μαύρο άλογο» και τώρα επέστρεψε ζητώντας εκδίκηση; Τι είναι η Λέσχη των Άλλοθι και πόσο πρόθυμα είναι τα μέλη της να στηρίζουν το ένα το άλλο στις έρευνες της αστυνομίας; Μήπως κάποιος από αυτούς δεν περίμενε ότι θα καλύψει έναν φόνο;

Η τριαντάχρονη Έλενα Έστες, κάποτε ντετέκτιβ της Δίωξης Ναρκωτικών με δώδεκα χρόνια καριέρα, παραλίγο να χάσει τη ζωή της όταν κατέστρεψε την ενέδρα που είχε στήσει το Τμήμα της σε μεγαλέμπορους ναρκωτικών. Το πρόσωπό της, πλέον ελαφρά στραβωμένο και παράξενα ανέκφραστο, και οι ανήσυχες βραδιές της με στέρηση ύπνου της θυμίζουν κάθε μέρα το συμβάν που παραλίγο να της στοιχίσει τη ζωή. Άνεργη, άστεγη, ανεπιθύμητη και εγκαταλειμμένη κατέφυγε σε μια φάρμα στη νότια Φλόριντα που ανήκει στον Σον Άβαντον, φίλο της από την εφηβεία. Η ίδια, παιδί δικηγόρου των πλουσιότερων απατεώνων της Πολιτείας, μεγάλωσε με περιφρόνηση προς τους γονείς της και η αγάπη προς τα άλογα ήταν ο τρόπος της για να αποβάλει το άγχος και να ξεφεύγει από τον οικογενειακό κλοιό. «Σ’ όλη μου τη ζωή προτιμούσα τη συντροφιά των αλόγων παρά των ανθρώπων. Τα άλογα είναι ειλικρινή, ντόμπρα πλάσματα, άδολα και ανυστερόβουλα. Με ένα άλογο ξέρεις πάντα πού βρίσκεσαι. Από την εμπειρία μου, δεν μπορώ να πω το ίδιο για τους ανθρώπους» (σελ. 13). Η ευαισθησία της απέναντι στα ζώα αυτά είναι χαρακτηριστική: «Αμοιβαιότητα χωρίς δεσμεύσεις, χωρίς απώτερα κίνητρα… Η εμπειρία της γνήσιας αθωότητας και της εμπιστοσύνης στο τέλος εκείνης της μέρας είχε καθαρτήρια επίδραση πάνω μου. Αυτό το γλυκό ζώο δεν είχε υποστεί ποτέ κακομεταχείριση, σ’ όλη του τη ζωή είχε υπάρξει αντικείμενο λατρείας. Δεν είχε γνωρίσει τη βία, το μίσος, τη διαστροφή που δηλητηριάζει το μυαλό των ανθρώπων» (σελ. 66).

Η Έλενα είναι μια γυναίκα «…απελπιστική, απαιτητική, ανυπότακτη, εκνευριστική» (σελ. 39), την οποία η υπόθεση της Έριν Σίμπραϊτ επανέφερε σταδιακά στο προσκήνιο και τη βοήθησε να αποκτήσει μέρος της αυτοπεποίθησής της και της πυγμής της, καθώς και να μειώσει τον κυνισμό και την εριστικότητα που τη διακατείχαν. Το μυθιστόρημα είναι η συνέχεια του «Μαύρου αλόγου» και η υπόθεση διαδραματίζεται σχεδόν έναν χρόνο μετά την εξαφάνιση της Έριν Σίμπραϊτ και τη δολοφονία της Τζιλ Μορόουν. Υπάρχουν πολλές αναφορές στις εξελίξεις της αρχικής ιστορίας και το περιβάλλον ερευνών είναι ξανά το συναρπαστικό, λαμπερό πεδίο των ι��ποδρομιών και των παιχνιδιών πόλο. Βραβεία, διακρίσεις, σεξ, ναρκωτικά και υψηλές διασυνδέσεις που δυσχεραίνουν μια έρευνα φόνου είναι τα συστατικά που μισεί η πρώην ντετέκτιβ και τώρα αναγκάζεται να έρθει ξανά αντιμέτωπη μαζί τους. Η Έλενα Έστες πεισμώνει γιατί η νεκρή είναι η Ιρίνα Μάρκοβα, φίλη της και συνάδελφος για πάνω από ένα χρόνο δίπλα της στα άλογα. Οι έρευνες οδηγούν την Έλενα και πάλι στο παρελθόν της που γνωρίσαμε τόσο καλά στο πρώτο βιβλίο, μόνο που τώρα έχει να αντιμετωπίσει τον Μπένετ Γουόκερ, γόνο μιας οικογένειας που κατέχει τη μισή νότια Φλόριντα και ετοιμαζόταν να τον παντρευτεί, πολύ καιρό πριν γίνει αστυνομικός.

Η πρωτοπρόσωπη αφήγηση της Έλενα αποκαλύπτει τα πάντα για την προσωπικότητά της: τα λάθη της και τα θετικά της χαρακτηριστικά, τα ψυχολογικά της προβλήματα. Κρυμμένη στη φάρμα του Σον, ουσιαστικά χωμένη στο ιδιωτικό της κολαστήριο, ήταν η μοναδική λύση μέχρι ν’ αποφασίσει τι θα κάνει με τη ζωή της, να καταλάβει ποια είναι, να νιώσει ποιο είναι το επόμενο σωστό βήμα. Ο Μπένετ Γουόκερ εκπροσωπείται φυσικά από τον μεγαλύτερο απατεώνα δικηγόρο, τον πατέρα της, κι αυτό δίνει λαβές για νέα αποδόμηση της οικογενειακής ζωής της. Οι γονείς της την υιοθέτησαν από άσυλο, εφόσον ο πατέρας της ήταν στείρος ενώ η μητέρα της: «Η Έλεν, ένα ρηχό, επιπόλαιο, κακομαθημένο πλουσιοκόριτσο, είχε διαπιστώσει ότι της έλειπε το εξάρτημα της μόδας που είχαν όλες οι φίλες της, ένα μωρό» (σελ. 59). Να όμως που αυτή η επιλογή δεν ήταν και η καλύτερη, μιας και η μητέρα της ήταν τυπική έως ανύπαρκτη και ο πατέρας της δεν έχανε ευκαιρία να τη λοιδωρεί για την αμφίβολη καταγωγή της! Γι’ αυτό η επαναστατικότητά της, γι’ αυτό και η επιλογή της να γίνει αστυνομικός, με αποτέλεσμα ο πατέρας της να την αποκληρώσει. Όλες αυτές οι ψυχοσυναισθηματικές διακυμάνσεις που κορυφώθηκαν στο προηγούμενο μυθιστόρημα επανέρχονται, με αποτέλεσμα η Έλενα να έρθει αντιμέτωπη με ό,τι άφησε οριστικά πίσω της στα είκοσί της χρόνια. Σε αυτό το βιβλίο δείχνει ακόμη πιο ενδιαφέρουσα, μιας και έχει να χειριστεί τον θυμό της για τον πρώην αρραβωνιαστικό της, τον οποίο είχε αρνηθεί να καλύψει σε μια επίθεση βιασμού και σχεδόν θανάσιμου ξυλοδαρμού (η εμμονή της δεν την αφήνει να δει, σκεφτεί ή κινηθεί καθαρά, δημιουργώντας σοβαρά προβλήματα στην έρευνα) ενώ ταυτόχρονα η κατάσταση δυσκολεύει εφόσον μόλις έχει χωρίσει ερωτικά με τον ντετέκτιβ Λάντρις. Η μεταξύ τους αλληλεπίδραση είναι προσεκτικά σχεδιασμένη και αποφεύγει την παγίδα των κλισέ και του ρομάντσου. Δύσκολα εξομολογούνται ο ένας στον άλλον τα πραγματικά τους αισθήματα και επιθυμίες, εκείνος γιατί ζηλεύει που τη βλέπει να ανακατεύεται με τους γοητευτικούς αθλητές του πόλο, εκείνη γιατί δεν παραδέχεται πως τον ερωτεύτηκε κι επιμένει να κρύβεται πίσω από βολικές δικαιολογίες.

«Η Λέσχη των Άλλοθι» είναι η ανατρεπτική και συναρπαστική συνέχεια του «Μαύρου Αλόγου» και μας ξεναγεί για άλλη μια φορά στην ελίτ της Φλόριντα, δείχνοντάς μας πως το χρήμα, η δύναμη και οι κατάλληλες γνωριμίες μπορούν να κάνουν πολλά. Έχει το δικαίωμα ένα αθώο και πρωτόβγαλτο κορίτσι να μπει σε αυτόν τον κόσμο; Με τι τίμημα; Είναι πρόθυμη να κάνει τα πάντα; Η συγγραφέας στρέφει τις εξελίξεις προς συγκεκριμένη κατεύθυνση, δημιουργεί ολοκληρωμένους χαρακτήρες, χαρίζει άφθονο σασπένς και ανατρέπει τα πάντα με ευφάνταστο και ρεαλιστικό τρόπο όσο πλησιάζουμε προς το τέλος, βάζοντας την ιστορία στις πραγματικές της διαστάσεις και δημιουργώντας συγκίνηση και λύτρωση. Κρίμα που δεν υπήρξε συνέχεια των περιπετειών της Έλενα Έστες, είχε πολύ υλικό ακόμη να δώσει μέχρι να κουράσει (αν κούραζε και ποτέ, αφού η Tami Hoag ξέρει να κρατά τον αναγνώστη καθηλωμένο ως το τέλος).

Πρώτη δημοσίευση στο site μου: www.vivliokritikes.com/%ce%b7-%ce%bb%...

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elena Estes is working on a horse farm in Palm Beach polo country, recovering from psychic and physical injuries received during her final days as a cop. While exercising one of the ponies, she is horrified to discover the body of a co-worker submerged in a swampy canal, badly mauled by alligators. An experienced detective, Elena is not content to leave the investigation to her former department, even though it's lead by the man with whom she recently ended an affair. The dead woman, Irina Markova, was a party girl, hooked up with a group of rich and powerful men who've formed the Alibi Club. They have no problems providing alibis for each other, no matter how degenerate the behavior. Irina was also entangled with Russian mob boss Alexi Kulik, who makes a threatening visit to Elena. Heartbroken over Irina's murder, he charges Elena with finding the killer. Her estranged father, a wealthy criminal defense attorney, and her former fiance, one of the alibi men, further muddy the waters.

Alibi Man is based on a complicated plot with numerous characters, within which author Hoag expertly spins out the mystery and suspense, maintaining a level of control that avoids the confusion that so often occurs in similar books. She also provides an insider's view of a world of privilege, power, and polo, one where justice does not always prevail. Her protagonist is a gutsy woman with no illusions but plenty of principle, and by the time the murderer is found, Elena has gained a valuable piece of self knowledge that may permit her to finally find the happiness she deserves.

[Ruthiella · Rating 2 out of 5]

After recently revisiting PD James, I still had a hankering for reading a mystery/crime thriller. This is a book that has been sitting around on my shelves for ages. I literally had to blow the dust off it before reading it.

This was a solid if uninventive procedural. The sleuth is neither a police officer or a PI but rather a disgraced former narcotics detective who is recuperating after leaving the force due to a bust gone very bad. Elena Estes is a pretty standard damaged detective with a past that haunts her. Set in Palm Beach, Florida, Elena is living on a friend’s estate, working as a groom, when she stumbles across the mutilated body of another groom from the stables. She investigates, much to the chagrin of her ex, who just happens to be the lead detective on the case.

What I did find odd was that Elena’s POV is in 1st person and everyone else is in close third. An odd choice for the author to make I thought.

[Earl Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should have read the prequel before reading this =_____= way to go, me!

Typical and simple mystery but gruesome and intriguing.. --with a nice dash of romance.

Nothing surprising about the murderer. That person was my first guess and figured Ms. Hoag would do something to throw that idea off and make readers point their gun at the wrong person. It was hard holding onto my suspicion. I must admit, that murder weapon really struck me!

The characters were alive and depicted well.. I grew quite fond of them.
I find them complex but justifiable (really?). Insane, but you'll know where they're coming from.

First time reading Ms. Hoag's and it made me want to check out her other works. I look forward for more of Elena Estes!

[Jo Jenner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow start left me debating whether this was for me. If this had been the first Tami Hoag I had read I would probably have given up.
However I persevered and it paid off. A fast paced ending and an ending I wasn't expecting tidied everything up nicely.
I liked Elena Estes and wanted her to win. She is broken from a past that is explained through out the book and as this is the second book she is in I might have understood more if I had read the first one. However I don't think I was left disadvantaged by not having read the first one and I will probably go back and check it out at some point.
Overall a good book but just lacking something to make it a real page turner. If you're a fan of Hoag give it a go but if this is your first Hoag try something else.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good murder mystery, but nothing much likable about the characters. The heroine makes Sue Grafton's Heroine look like a princess. There's no real romance at all, and that's okay in some books but would have made this one a little more palatable. I can't see this heroine having a romance, though, and the character of Elena made me pretty sad at times.

I got through it fairly fast, and so it gets three stars. It's probably more like 2 and 1/2.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the depiction of polo society was well done. However, the rich guys as bad guys felt sort of cardboard, as did the Russian mobster. I enjoyed the twist at the end as to who the killer was, and while I saw it coming, it wasn't so early on that it spoiled the ending for me. I liked the main character, Elena Estes, for the most part, but sometimes she acted overly aggressive for no particular reason. I preferred the moments when she gave in to her softer side and was less jaded.

[Dawn Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the continued adventures of Elena Estes. Really liked her character in the first book, though it has been quite a while since I read Dark Horse, this book seemed to flow pretty seamlessly from that story line to this one. Definitely had me guessing as to who did it, was surprised by some twists and incidents, some were quite shocking. Enjoyed it!

[Stacie Haden · Rating 3 out of 5]

It may be me. I've been avoiding thrillers lately because "thriller" seems to be synonymous with gruesome. Tami Hoag is one of my favorites, but this one was lacking for me. It was missing depth and surprisingly for her, there was too much repetition. It felt like it was written in a mad dash to make a deadline.

[Allison Faught · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this follow up novel as much as I liked Dark Horse. A little more in depth to the life and background of Elena. At times things seemed predictable, but other things threw me for a loop! This story was a bit more grotesque than Dark Horse. Pretty gruesome and gross scenes, but added to the shock value. I wish there were more books in this series!

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this abridged audio version on a long road trip back from house hunting in California. I kind of zoned out when I was listening to it but overall a pretty good thriller.

[Atitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, interesting, unpredictable.
I took a lesson to never actually judge a book until it's finish line, I started reading the alibi man a year ago I was 65/ done with it, felt towards it boredom and obligation at the time, now I realized it wasn't the book it was the inconvenient time of reading it.
Came back to my hometown going through the shelves for a book to get me to sleep at nights and saw it remembered I wasn't done with it, picked it and devoured the rest on two nights. The turn out of events was unpredictable. And now that I was done with it checked the hilighted pages and was like wow Tam Hoag has actually a good pen! It's a mix of high society darkness, relationships with horses and the connection the oneness required to sports with them, and finally about the topic that intrigues me the most;death and the grief that follows.
*******Quotes*****
All my life I have preferred the company of horses to people.horses are honest, straightforward creatures without guilt or ulterior motive.you always know where you stand with a horse.in my experience, I can't say the same for human beings.
**
Nature is cruel.almost as cruel as human beings
**
Life's a bitch, and then you die.
Some sooner than others
**
Our lives may have revolved around the same center but otherwise never touched.
**
Something all of us feel when we've lost someone from our lives we had never taken the time to really know.
We always believe there will be time later, after this, after that...but there is no time after death.
**
There was no moment of silent respect for the dead,other than within the minds of those she left behind
**
This sweet horse had never seen mistreated,had never been anything but adored her entire life. She didn't know violence or hatred or the perseversions that poisoned the minds of humans. I wish I could have said the same.
**
The best thing to do in a weak moment:walk away
**
I've always thought there should be a public service ad showing video of middle aged drunk people dancing. The rate of alcoholism would surely plummet, simply from the humiliation factor
**
Dangerous creatures can be very beautiful
**
If I had a dollar for every time I wanted to tell one of those people to fuck off, I could have bought and sold Donald trump three times over.
**
In our sport, there's no time for the intrusion of external thoughts.in perfect moments, there is no conscious at all, only a oneness with the animal, only being. Communication is the simple exchange of pure energy. There is no process, no idea, plan, action, reaction, result. There is only intent and realization
**
It never ceased to amaze me that an emotion that was so supposed to be so good and bring joy so often turns so destructive.
**
And no matter how often life tries to teach us that lesson, we keep going back for more.

[Delynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is OH. MY. WORD. Though the first book is near and dear to my heart, this one is a stunner. I have so much love for Barbaro's character and his growth, as well as the other characters. I also love that there is a lesbian relationship that, though tragic, does not seem sexualized for straight men's benefit. The emotions of the characters come off of the page and the writing is gorgeous. I was in a bit of a reading slump when I started this but once I had time for it it flew by. Absolutely my new favorite Tami Hoag novel.

[Cecil Huston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast moving story, with many red herrings. I have not read the first book in the series yet, but Elena is bold to the point of danger an awful lot of the time. My guess is she feels like she earned that right with all that happened in her past (that I only got glimpses of here). The plot gave a sad glimpse into the life of the rich and fast-living, that while fiction, may be too close to the truth. Good statement on just how well money talks. Was a fun ride, will have to check out the first book to see what brought our MC here.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like this one.

A lot of detective stories (I think) eventually all start sounding the same but this one has a very distinct voice. I like the "bad shit happens and there's nothing you can do about it" very cynical tone.

overall good read. If you're into murder mysteries, you might consider buying this for a discounted price.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars When I first started the book there was several times when I wanted to stop reading. The beginning is why it is 3.5 stars and not 4. As the book went on I really enjoyed it and couldn't to find out how it was going to turn out.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good suspense with some twists. Based in the horse training area of Florida.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am bummed there are only 2 books in the series with Ms. Estes, I really like her character.

[Ευαγγελία Τσουκαλά · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μου φάνηκε αργό στην αρχή αλλά μετά σελίδα τη σελίδα έγινε πιο γρήγορο και οι τελευταίες σελίδες με ενθουσίασαν.