Play Audiobook Sample
Alibi (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.02) - 619 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
From the bestselling author of Los Alamos and The Good German comes Joseph Kanon's riveting tale of love, revenge and murder set in postwar Venice. Winner of the Hammett Prize It is 1946, and Adam Miller has come to Venice to visit his widowed mother and try to forget the horrors he has witnessed as a U.S. Army war crimes investigator in Germany. But when he falls in love with Claudia, a Jewish woman scarred by her devastating experiences during World War II, he is forced to confront another Venice, a city still at war with itself, haunted by atrocities it would rather forget. Everyone, including his mother's suave new Venetian suitor, has been compromised by the occupation, and Adam finds himself at the center of a web of deception, intrigue, and unexpected moral dilemmas. When is murder acceptable? What are the limits of guilt? How much is someone willing to pay for a perfect alibi?
Download and start listening now!
"This was a pretty good book. I chose it because of the location of the story: Venice, Italy. It was full of twists and there was so definitive good guy-bad guy, which is always interesting. It was a bit of chore to get through, especially the beginning. I think the writing style just wasn't easy to flow through. I rushed to finish it to find out what happened and although I wasn't quite happy with the ending, I'm glad I read it."
— Crystal (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Kanon’s richest, most full-blooded work to date…[He] has mastered the art of the historical thriller.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Burrowing deeply into Patricia Highsmith territory, Kanon has crafted an absorbing tale…[Kanon] is frequently compared to the likes of John le Carré and Graham Greene. With Alibi, he shows that he’s up to the comparison.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Alibi is a thriller with a slide-rule perfect plot…Wholly engrossing and one of the finest thrillers you will read this year—up there with the classics of the genre.”
— Daily Telegraph (London) -
“Disturbing and hypnotically readable, Alibi is a mystery, a love story, and a work of philosophy—and a perfect companion for the thriller reader who wants a philosophical challenge, as well as entertainment.”
— Richmond Times-Dispatch -
“Joseph Kanon is a specialist in superior historical thrillers…Moody, deeply atmospheric, and as labyrinthine as the streets of Venice.”
— Seattle Times -
“Once again Kanon has written a novel set against the backdrop of World War II that is evocative and sensitive, moody and thought-provoking.”
— Arizona Daily Star -
“Kanon juxtaposes a powerful love story and a gripping thriller against a palpable historical moment…The novel holds us completely, with its vision of a sadly inadequate hero striking deep at our worst fears about ourselves.”
— Booklist -
“Kanon offers such vivid sensory detail that a reader emerges as steeped in atmospherics as a seasoned diplomat with a passport full of visa stamps. You feel initiated, as if you’ve been let in on some dark and well-kept secrets from some of the twentieth century’s most pivotal moments…In Kanon’s eclectic cast of policemen, soldiers, revolutionaries, and ex-pat socialites, no one is spared the deep, dark smudges offered by war and its aftermath.”
— Baltimore Sun -
[Kanon] is fast approaching the complexity and relevance not just of le Carré and Greene but even of Orwell: provocative, fully realized fiction that explores, as only fiction can, the reality of history as it is lived by individual men and women.
— The New York Times Book Review on The Good German
Awards
-
Winner of the 2005 Hammett Prize
Alibi Listener Reviews
-
" Really enjoyed this one but still trying to figure out if I really know what all the characters' motives really were.... "
— Kelly, 2/13/2014 -
" Interesting topic, ie. "Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." "
— Bob, 1/30/2014 -
" Not the type of book I typically read, but I really did enjoy this. It begs to be made into a movie... just imagine it shot on lcation.... bella! "
— Leanne, 1/25/2014 -
" I just finished this book for my book club. It was an historical fiction piece. I don't care for a backwards mystery, where the murder happens in the beginning, the murderer is revealed, and then whether or not they get caught is the main subject of the novel. While an additonal mystery is threaded throughout the novel, it is not as compelling as it needs to be sustain a popular fiction type of pace. I was really caught up with the story in the beginnong, for about the first 100-200 pages, but then, it began to lose momentum. "
— Kim, 1/19/2014 -
" I have read other of Mr. Kanon's books that I have enjoyed more. This one seems muddled and improbable, too manufactured to really pull the story off. I won't Mr. Kanon off completely but I'd recommend 'The Good German' instead. "
— Amy, 1/15/2014 -
" This was somewhat of a "typical" book for Kanon. It was not bad, and keeps you turning the pages, but it is somehow not as fresh and engaging as his first novel _Los Alamos_. "
— Leo, 1/2/2014 -
" Post WWII, death, romance, and venice "
— Amy, 12/26/2013 -
" Although it is fiction, it is telling of the anti-semitism and sheer indifference of many italian citizens during the holocaust... "
— Liz, 12/18/2013 -
" Kanon seems to have specialized in post-WWII European suspense, and this is the best of them in my opinion. I liked the Good German as well, but the atmospheric love story at the novel's core just pulled at me. I recommend you give this one a shot. "
— Greg, 12/10/2013 -
" A complex thriller, character driven, intriguing plot "
— Anna, 12/8/2013 -
" I am a huge fan of Kanon's writing, and I just loved that I had no idea where the book was going -- lots of surprises. The historical feel was on the money and I love that. "
— David, 11/23/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book very much. Romance, history, mystery--a little of everything. I could see it being a very good movie. "
— Lois, 11/22/2013 -
" Post-WWII this mystery takes place in Venice. Great location, but the storyline isn't too strong. "
— Cindy, 11/4/2013 -
" This book was fantastic. It is really well written yet still a thriller full of suspense. The post-WW II Venice setting was fascinating. I would recommend this book to anyone. "
— Betsy, 1/11/2013 -
" Another Powell's sale table book - quite good, but kind of depressing. Set in Venice, which is partly why I picked it up "
— Nancy, 11/25/2012 -
" Gave up 150 pgs in as it just wasn't working for me. "
— Eric, 10/29/2012 -
" Started a little slow but I liked it once it got going. This book is somewhat tragic and poignant as it looks at politics in post WWII Vienna. Sad story that seems realistic, which is what makes it so tragic. "
— Johanna, 7/22/2012 -
" Very suspenseful, I've always been a fan of historical fiction and there's a lot of morality issues here that makes you want to reflect. "
— Joy, 4/18/2012 -
" Not the best Joseph Kanon book i have read but i still enjoyed it. "
— Lindgirl, 10/18/2011 -
" The star of this book, set in post-WWII Italy, is the beautiful city of Venice, described in vivid detail in this thriller about hunting Nazi collaborators and sympathizers. This would make a good Hollywood movie, especially the setting! "
— Jane, 7/29/2011 -
" I wanted something World War II related so I was excited about this one. It started off strong and I was really interested, but it went on too long and I stopped caring about 4/5 of the way through. Wish there was a 3.5 star rating "
— Lisa, 6/18/2011 -
" This story bored me, didn't really like it at all. "
— Michelle, 2/27/2011 -
" Started a little slow but I liked it once it got going. This book is somewhat tragic and poignant as it looks at politics in post WWII Vienna. Sad story that seems realistic, which is what makes it so tragic. "
— Johanna, 8/29/2010 -
" This was somewhat of a "typical" book for Kanon. It was not bad, and keeps you turning the pages, but it is somehow not as fresh and engaging as his first novel _Los Alamos_. "
— Leo, 8/9/2010 -
" It was worth reading through the book, that at times seemed to be going nowhere, to get to the final chapters with its twists and surprises. Oh, those Italians!! "
— Signora, 5/3/2010 -
" The star of this book, set in post-WWII Italy, is the beautiful city of Venice, described in vivid detail in this thriller about hunting Nazi collaborators and sympathizers. This would make a good Hollywood movie, especially the setting! "
— Jane, 4/27/2010 -
" Liked the book...there were a lot of layers - not a typical mystery. I guess it was not Kanon's best...so I'd like to read more of his work. "
— Chris, 3/22/2010 -
" This book is promoted as post-war murder mystery; but is much more of a romantic tale about post-war Venice, the city of canals. After a certain point I just did not care anymore about the romantic interest of the American soldier trying to help her find her fathers killer. "
— Patrick, 2/25/2010 -
" I am a huge fan of Kanon's writing, and I just loved that I had no idea where the book was going -- lots of surprises. The historical feel was on the money and I love that. "
— David, 2/18/2010 -
" A complex thriller, character driven, intriguing plot "
— Anna, 2/15/2010 -
" Good post ww2 novel, set in Venice - started off very well but found it lost it's way a little from half way through and was a little drawn out. Author seems to be keen on weaving love stories into his plots - based on the two books I have read by him.. "
— Joe, 2/2/2010
About Joseph Kanon
Joseph Kanon is the Edgar Award–winning author of many novels, including The Good German, which was made into a major motion picture starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.
About Holter Graham
Holter Graham, winner of three of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voice of the Year awards, is a stage, television, and screen actor. He has recorded numerous audiobooks and earned multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actor, his film credits include Fly Away Home, Maximum Overdrive, Hairspray, and The Diversion, a short film which he acted in and produced. On television, he has appeared in Army Wives, Damages, As the World Turns, Rescue Me, Law & Order, and New York Undercover. He received a BA degree from Skidmore College and an MFA from Vermont College.