David Ellis shakes up his Jason Kolarich legal thriller series in The Last Alibi. Though the previous three novels have been in the voice of Kolarich, Ellis pulls in his law partner, Shauna Tasker, to share the narration this time around. Alternating voices and time periods, The Last Alibi proves Newton's first law: once Ellis puts this novel in motion, the forces acting on the story work only to make it move faster.
Kolarich is recovering from a knee injury, and the novel opens with him addicted to painkillers. The problem is exacerbated when court reporter Alexa Himmel shows a romantic interest in Kolarich and takes on the role of his enabler. Then a client appears, insinuating he murdered multiple women--bound by attorney-client privilege, Kolarich can't report anything.
As more women end up dead, Kolarich is ethically torn. The plot's momentum increases when the client's identity comes into question and Kolarich realizes those closest to him are in grave danger.
Though Kolarich remains the lead protagonist, Ellis's additional focus on Shauna gives readers a closer look at the other half of Tasker & Kolarich. The character takes on more depth as Ellis highlights both her strengths and her insecurities, successfully broadening the storytelling palette for the larger series. The Last Alibi is exciting, fresh and suspenseful--and Ellis fails to halt the momentum of this book with "the end." The series is still very much an object in motion. --Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts