First Fix Your Alibi

Starred review from March 1, 2016
Mansel Shale and Ralph Ember sell recreational substances in the same town and could be seen as competitors, except that they've each carved out their own territory, and with the silent blessing of the local top cop, Desmond Iles, they're allowed to sell as long as they coexist peacefully. But after Shale's wife and son are killed in an ambush meant for him, he's eager to find their killer and seek revenge. Who better to help him out than his business competitor, Ralph Ember? Ember has no association with the man Shale suspects of killing his wife and son; so, assuming Shale sets up a plausible alibi, Ember can have the suspect murdered with no blame falling on either of them. If only it were that simple. The proposed murder seems doomed to fail until a series of bizarre twists changes everything. While James' plots are entertaining, it's his masterful command of language, his darkly hilarious dialogue, and the unique and cleverly drawn characters that make his Harpur & Iles series so remarkable. This is another entertaining, laugh-out-loud, mesmerizing, and completely original installment in an excellent series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)