Wrong Alibi, Christina Dodd: A Review

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.