Alibi [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Teri Woods (Author), Paula Jai Parker-Martin (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 6, 2009

Two men think they've found the perfect opportunity--a chance to rob the stash house of Simon Shuller, one of Philadelphia's biggest drug lords. But their plans are spoiled when one of Shuller's men catches them as they break into the stash house. Temperatures flare as the men capture Shuller's worker, Poncho, and force him to show them the goods. What they didn't expect was for Poncho's partner to be armed and very dangerous. An altercation breaks out and when the smoke clears, Nard, Poncho's accomplice, is the only one left standing. Thinking quickly, Nard cleans shop and makes his escape, but not before being spotted by a few neighbors. Not wanting to kill anyone else, he makes a mad dash for the streets but wonders if the witnesses will give up his identity. What he needs now is a plausible alibi. If he doesn't come up with one fast, it could mean life in prison, or death on the streets.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in Philadelphia in 1986, this blistering first in a new urban noir series from bestseller Woods (True to the Game) introduces 22-year-old Daisy Fothergill, a naïve African-American stripper. Daisy accepts $2,000 from an organized crime rep to provide an alibi for Bernard Nard Guess after he shoots two thieves to death as well as a buddy by accident in a North Philly drug house. An innocent witness to the bloodbath identifies Nard to the police, but pays a fatal price. When Daisy arrives home to tell her mother, Abigail, of her windfall and finds Abigail dead of natural causes, she discovers the $2,000 barely covers funeral costs. Her life takes an even nastier turn once Daisy starts dating Reggie Carter, a fast-talker who soon deserts her. Later, a pregnant Daisy flees to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to seek refuge with her aunt, but eventually she must return to Philly for a day of reckoning. This wickedly satisfying page-turner will leave readers eager for the next installment. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Street-lit queen Teri Woods moves into crime thrillers with her latest novel. Daisy Mae lives a hard life with an ailing single mother, supporting them both by working as a naked exotic dancer. When her sometime-boyfriend, a drug dealer, asks her to provide an alibi for a “soldier” who was recently caught in a holdup gone bad, she readily agrees to do it for $2,000. Little does she know that her lie can never be left behind. Woods writes with feeling and a strong sense of her Philadelphia setting; in addition, her characters manage to become more than just the stereotypes they initially appear to be. Fast-paced and exciting, Alibi is an action-filled story about the desperate life of one urban girl and the consequences of trying to break away. Woods’ following will snap this up, but it can find a wider audience with thriller readers who liked George Pelecanos’ The Turnaround (2008) and with fans of the urban crime drama The Wire. --Jessica Moyer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD: 1 pages
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (August 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600246435
• ISBN-13: 978-1600246432
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 5.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,023,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

True to the Game by New York Times bestseller author and publisher Teri Woods has been undisputedly titled a classic. While working as a legal secretary for a law firm and juggling motherhood in Philadelphia, PA Teri Woods completed her first novel, True to the Game. She submitted her story over a period of six years to more that twenty different publishers, all of whom rejected her. When major publishing houses refused to embrace True to the Game she wasn't discouraged. In 1998 instead of giving up, Woods' printed, bound, self-published and began selling hand to hand her first book True to the Game.On December 18, 1999 with the support and encouragement of friends, Teri Woods recognized the selling power of her story. She credits her overwhelming success to hard work and perseverance. Teri Woods often slept in her car and on the couches of acquaintances, as she spent countless hours selling her books on the streets of New York. Moving thousands of books primarily from the trunk of her car she was determined to have her story read. Her grassroots tactic paid off; Teri Woods became a self-made millionaire in just three years selling her novel, True to the Game. With the release of True to the Game, Teri Woods has reinvigorated the urban fiction market and created a growing trend in publishing.As owner of Teri Woods Publishing, Woods' published: True to the Game, DUTCH I, DUTCH II, Deadly Reigns I and II , Angel, B-More Careful, The Adventures of Ghetto Sam, Triangle of Sins, Rectangle of Sins, Tell Me Your Name, Predator and Double Dose. True to the Game, B-More Careful, DUTCH, Triangle of Sins, Rectangle of Sins, Deadly Reigns I and Deadly Reigns II has all been featured on the Essence Bestseller list numerous times collectively. Teri Woods Publishing has sold over 1 million copies independently and generated over 15 million dollars in gross revenue. Woods jump started the entire urban-book marketplace. Teri signed a five book deal with Grand Central Publishing in 2007. True to the Game II (GCP, 2007) and True to the Game III (GCP, 2008) both debuted on The New York Times Bestsellers list. Teri's first hardcover, the urban thriller, ALIBI will be published in August 2009

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not one of her best..., July 25, 2009

By 

Jason Frost "RubiconReader" (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Alibi (Hardcover)

I liked this book but it was missing something. The brutality and violence that I'm used to from Ms. Woods isn't here. The plot seems "too big" without enough dedication given to it. There were a number of HUGE things that happened in this book that would have made King-Kong do a double take, but instead they were just glazed over.

The best parts of this book, even though they only made quick cameos', were Dizzy and Simon. The power these characters gave off in the few paragraphs they were in had me shaking my head saying, "why couldn't the rest of the story be as engaging as these two"?

Even good authors "trip up" from time to time. Unfortunately, this time its Teri's turn.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth..., September 16, 2009

By 

Urban Reviews "Your Source for the Best in AA... (Online) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Alibi (Hardcover)

While tallying up daily profits from drug dealing, Nard and Poncho fall victim to an attempted robbery that ends up in a triple homicide. Having to cover all bases to secure his freedom, Nard goes to Sticks to clean up his mess. With two murders already under his belt, he's on a mission to eliminate all witnesses that hold his future in their hands.

Daisy Fothergill, a stripper, gold digger, and jump off of Sticks, is about to become involved in an explosive mixture for the love of money. In the midst of sexing Sticks for money, Daisy accepts $2,000 as payment to become Nard's alibi. Naïve to the serious issue that she has become an integral party to, Daisy finds herself in a dangerous liaison with cold blooded killers.

Alibi is a mediocre read with an enhancement of suspense. The plot is acceptable, the characters are ordinary, and there really aren't any riveting people in the entire storyline. There are minor lessons that could have been better developed such as the mother-daughter relationship and the admonishment that existed. Each time a scene was showing promise with a bit more depth, it was cut off too soon. Alibi is a quick read that with better development of characters and plots, had potential to be a notable read. Suspense, manipulation, murder, and intimidation centered around mafia ties abide within the pages of Ms. Woods' latest production.

Reviewed by Tazzyt2bossye

for Urban Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars AAMBC Book Reviews, July 7, 2010

By 

African Americans on the Move Book Club "AAMB... (San Antonio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alibi (Paperback)

In the urban literature tale Alibi, Terri Woods tells the story of Daisy Fothergill, a 22-year-old stripper who has trouble making ends meet. All at once, she sees the chance to get ahead when her street hustler boyfriend Sticks offers her $2000 if she will complete one simple task: she must provide an alibi for murder suspect Nard. Daisy does as she is asked but unwittingly gets herself in a whole new world of trouble. Alibi could have been a compelling look at a young woman trying to get her life together but instead falls into cliché. The book that tries very hard to build suspense to its predictable climax, well, doesn't. The characters are one- and two-dimensional at best and the reader can find no reason to care about what happens to them. Worst of all, this is a pretty boring read. Woods tries to focus more on character development rather than the sex and violence that pervade the book, but the results are lackluster. Seriously, the most exciting part of this book is the preview of the inevitable sequel due out next year. Yet, after reading Alibi, you might find yourself looking for your own to avoid reading Alibi II.

TaKeshia Brooks

AAMBC Book Reviewer