A Dead Red Alibi

A Dead Red #4

by R.P. Dahlke

This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00N2VQW2Y

successful, but reclusive young artist with a secret life.
A wannabe lawman and his dotty gun-toting granddad
An abandoned mine pit, a curious dad and the local police chief found with him.
When Lalla and her dad take a trip to Arizona to inspect her new property, Dad disappears. But when Lalla enlists the help of a local tracker she's relieved to find him unharmed, but in the bottom of a mine pit. Unfortunately, he's got company--a local police chief, and it looks like he's been murdered. Then too, a young woman artist living nearby has also been murdered. What're the chances that these two murders are going to be related? Well, if you're Lalla Bains, you don't guess, you start looking for the killer!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Amazon, Cozy Mystery, Suspense, Ebooks, Detective

216 pages, ebook

Published August 26, 2014

About the author

I write the Dead Red Mystery series,
and a romantic sailing mystery trilogy starting with A Dangerous Harbor and now Hurricane Hole. I LOVE to hear from readers! e-mail me: rp@rpdahlke.com

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Reviews

[Kerry Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lalla Bains and her dad has come to Wishbone, Arizona, a community close to the Mexican border, in order to examine a house and property that her Aunt Mae has given her. When Dad fails to return after several hours from an exploratory trip to a gold mine in a distant section of the property, Lalla and a nearby neighbor trace his tracks to an abandoned shaft where they find him trapped at the bottom with the murdered body of Wishbone's police chief. When Dad's jacket is found outside the home of another murder, the police begin to treat Dad with suspicion. This is enough to get Lalla involved in doing her own investigation. This newest book in the Dead Red series is the first that I have read, but I sense that just stating why Lalla and her dad are in Arizona would be a spoiler for dedicated readers of the first three books in the series. For those readers, just be assured that cousin Pearlie and Caleb appear and are prominent in solving the mystery. I will say that the story was spunky, focusing more on Lalla and Pearl's cocky and dangerous investigation than the actual mystery at times, but it still was an entertaining read.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A zesty new entry in a popular mystery series

On her wedding day, Lalla Bain waited an hour and a half past the appointed time for her missing fiancé, Sheriff Caleb Stone. When he didn’t show, hurt, disappointment, and anger propel her out of California.

Lalla, her dad, and her cousin Pearlie visit Lalla’s newly inherited property in Wishbone, Arizona. Things at the new place get off to a rocky start, especially when Lalla’s dad is implicated in a murder. In the blink of an eye, there are two murders and so Lalla and Pearlie put on their private eye hats and start asking questions.

Dahlke’s lively pacing adds to the zest of this 4th book of her series. The rich characterizations, broken hearts, and the whodunit drew me quickly through the pages. After four books, Lalla feels like family!

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review. That being said, this book was quite entertaining. After Lalla walks out on her wedding day, she winds up in Arizona to take care of some family business. There is action and twist in this story plus unique characters such as cousin Pearlie (you know the one that always gets you in trouble).

[Elaine Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dahlke has moved her characters from California to the desert, but the tension and plot make this book the same great read as the earlier Dead Red books.

[J.C. Wing · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first sentence of this fourth installment of the Dead Red series, author R.P. Dahlke had me hooked. “Except for a lank rope and ancient boards loosely sheltering a dark hole, my dad's brand new four-wheel-drive Jeep sat coolly detached and totally unconcerned that its driver was nowhere around.” Of course I wanted to know just what might be in that hole and how this unfortunate soul came to be there. As with all R.P. Dahlke mysteries, she begins by throwing out an enticing rope. Not once have I been able to refuse grabbing onto it, and I’ve been rewarded with a fantastic ride each and every time.

There is something most intriguing about a well written series, and R.P. Dahlke has created just that. With her debut novel, A Dead Red Cadillac, she introduced a host of characters that held tremendous appeal. In each novel since, the main players have grown increasingly more captivating. The ones who have been added or subtracted, (this is a mystery series after all and not everyone makes it,) have been many things. They’ve been deceitful, playful, funny, evil, intelligent, dim-witted and crafty, but never have they been boring. You never know what kind of character you may be introduced to in a R.P. Dahlke novel, but you can be darn sure that whoever shows up will be successful in keeping you well entertained.

A Dead Red Alibi is my favorite of the series so far. The mystery is a solid one. There were a few times I thought I had it figured out, but Dahlke’s a pro. She’s gifted when it comes to weaving an exciting tale and knows well how to leave crumbs for her readers to follow. She’s clever with her clues and even better with her ability to surprise.

This was a fun read with an enormously satisfying ending that will have you shaking your head, laughing out loud and wondering why all books don’t wrap up so creatively. I hope this author is busy right now at her computer. I can’t wait for book number five.

[Allene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A DEAD RED ALIBI by RP Dahlke begins a new adventure for Lalla Baines and her zany family of characters. Left standing at the altar by true love Sheriff Caleb Stone Lalla just wants to get away. Rich Aunt Mae to the rescue. She gives Lalla the deed to a piece of property in Arizona where her great Uncle Ed found a gold mine. Since her dad, Noah, has sold his business, bought a new, bright red Jeep, he offers to accompany Lalla to see the gift property. It’s only a matter of hours until Noah is at the bottom of a mining pit with a near dead police officer, Caleb is wondering around the desert wearing nothing except his underwear, and Lalla is plunked down in the middle of yet another murder scene. The only one missing is crack pilot and wannabe P.I., Cousin Pearlie who soon shows up at the local airport. There is a suspicious deputy dubbed ‘Deputy Dumb-ass’ by Noah and a community of local artists who all have something to hide. Mix in a drug cartel, a member of the mob and you’ve got a rollicking escapade that features a downhill roll over in the new Jeep, a million dollar Italian race car, another shooting, a bomb and nonstop action. Oh, did I mention the Emu?
RP Dahlke has a unique talent for blending humor, excitement and bigger-than-life characters in her Dead Red series. There are sad moments, moments when we are reminded of real life problems of real life people. But all together A DEAD RED ALIBI kicks off a promising following of Dahlke’s stimulating series.
.

[LLona Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the primary characters, Lalla Bains, her dad, her boyfriend, Sheriff Caleb Stone, and the aero-ag business that gave Lalla a truly unique personality to fit her vocation. Her cousin Pearlie has been a quick moment of comic relief in previous books in the series, and in small doses that was okay. In this one the aero-ag business has been sold (see note below), and cousin Pearlie seems to have taken the lead with her antics, which fits current 'cozy' humor releases, but distracts from the mystery for me. It's still a good story with a believable plot, plenty of red herrings, and after a little bouncing around finally comes to a good ending.

Note: In the post scrip, Dahlke explains her reason for leaving behind the aero-ag business which I'm sure her fans will understand.

[Sally Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Lalla’s fiancé Celeb is delayed on the way to their wedding Lela spooks and convinces her father to come with her to Arizona to check out a property which was an early wedding gift from her Aunt. Little did they know soon after their arrival they would land in the middle of a whole mess of trouble that would take a whole lot of ingenuity, luck and some help from cousin Pearlie to dig their way out of. Along the way, Lalla learns about herself and why she keeps running away.
I found this book to be very enjoyable and even though I have not read the previous novels which featured these characters I fell easily into the rhythm of their lives. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who likes Who Done It Thrillers or crime mysteries with a humanitarian twist.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dead red Alibi (The Dead Red Mystery Series #4) by R.P. Dahlke

Former model Lalla Bains and her Dad take a trip to Arizona to Look at her new property. Then her Dad disappears and she finds him in the bottom of a mine pit. Also in the pit they also find the local police chief, and it looks like he's been murdered. Soon after a young lady artist if found dead too. Lalla decides to look for the killer and see if the two murders are connected.

A fast paced who-done-it. I like Lalla, she is not perfect, she has her flaws but she is likable. Also Lalla's Dad, he is likable as well. The plot is original, and the story moves swiftly, and has all the makings of a cozy murder/mystery. Everyone is a suspect. A definite page turner.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great series

Lalla and Caleb fail at getting married and wind up in Arizona. As it turns out it isn't exactly a vacation as you might guess at least this time it's not Lalla who's in trouble. It gets hairy and things go from bad to worse. From murders to drug trafficking and back to murder it is very tense The guy Mac is a real piece of work and almost gets away with it and much more. Caleb and Lalla are in grave danger. Caleb is really hurt, will he be able to save them? How many more people will be murdered before this guy is stopped? What will happen to Pearlie? How will Lalla ever survive?
This is a great book and I do indeed hope that Ms. Dabble will continue with more to follow soon.

[Lynnette Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even now that Lalla has decided has decided to start a new phase of her life after being a model and a crop duster there's still fun to be had.

Her father has sold the crop dusting business, she's walked on her wedding and they've both taken off for Arizona to decide what now. But when her Dad disappears and is found in an abandoned mining pit the mischief and mayhem has begun.

You'll enjoy the non-stop action, twists and turns and quirky characters they find in Wishbone, AZ...oh did I mention one of the quirky characters that show up is Lalla's cousin Pearlie who fancies herself an investigator (which, by the way, comes in handy when there are murders to be solved).

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.
This is the fourth in the Dead Red Mysteries. In this book, Lalla Bains travels to Arizona to check out some new property. Her dad comes up missing but is found later in the bottom of a mine pit with a dead body. The dead body is the local police chief and her dad is accused of murder! Lalla doesn’t believe her dad is capable of that and is hot on the trail. This story had plenty of twists and turns, kept you guessing to the end. If you love a good mystery that has plenty of twists and turns, keeps you guessing, contains some laugh out loud scenes and action, you will not be disappointed buying this book.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of you familiar with her previous "Dead Red" books, k find this one a wonderful change. As usual, Lalla can't seem to stay out of trouble, but with her fellow characters seems to pull herself out in the end. This story takes place in a new location she has just inherited and within hours stumbles across a murder, or two. There's plenty of action,mystery and humor for anyone to enjoy this series. She never leaves a cliffhanger, each story could stand on its own but the characters become family if you read from the beginning. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading a great mystery with wonderful humor and slightly eccentric characters.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book that is part of a series. It is fairly easy to join the series in progress. When Lalla is left at the altar she stomps off and ignores all calls from her fiance. And she would probably get more support if he wasn't a cop who has a REALLY great excuse for being late.

Her great-aunt gives her a property in Arizona as a gift so in lieu of a honeymoon she and her dad head off in his new Red Jeep Wrangler to check out the land and look for a gold mine. Instead the stumble into a crimes scene, multiple murders and a race car.

This is an enjoyable mystery.

[Deborah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can't just read one!

Well, you can because they are individual stories, but if you ever read RP Dahike books you probably won't. Read just one that is. I enjoy her books because they are good light-hearted mysteries that have fully developed characters which are both interesting and humorous. I haven't found one I didn't like. However, if I finish a book, you can bet I liked it. I don't waste my time on books that don't entertain me or capture me in intrigue.

[Martha Mcneely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner

Rebecca, I am so sorry to learn about John, but not in the direction your characters have taken!

This is book four in the A Dead Red series a they just keep getting better and better! Ms. Dahlke has managed to seamlessly move her entire cast of characters from one State to another and in some cases even given them a new career without missing a beat!

Great mystery, can't wait to meet my new friends in the next book!

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

IMO, the best one so far.

Another quick and fun read; the fourth installment in this series, and I liked the introduction of a new setting for those fun, familiar characters -- along with a few new ones. It's another good mystery, with a bit of romance. I'm looking forward to the 2015 installment planned for these enjoyable diversions!

[Jai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite a change in location to rural Arizona Lalla soon finds herself searching for the murderer of the man down the pit, and another body found the same night. Her cousin Pearlie and fiancee Calib aid in the search, with mixed results. Land grabs and a vintage race car muddle the case which gets tied up neatly in the nick of time. An enjoyable read.

[Gina Mashai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy for an honest review.
I didn't realize it was #4 in a series however,it reads as a stand alone. The author did an excellent job explaining her characters without over explaining. I did not find the book slow or lagging. I look forward to reading the previous books in the series and I hope the author continues this series.

[Mrs. Garen L. Herd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

This is the first book by RP Dalke that I have read, but it won't bet the last. I listened to most of it on my Kindle while driving on a 2 1/2hr trip. It was very entertaining, funny, and a great mystery. I think other drivers thought I belonged in a hospital when all of a sudden I laughed out loud (I was alone in the car). I loved Pearly. Highly recommend.

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely the best of the 4 books. This one flowed much better and I only had once instance where I had to go back and reread to figure out exactly what happened. I like the change of locations and found the resolution of the book to be actually believable. Probably calling this one my last one. I like Noah, Lalla and Caleb but not sure if I really need to continue to have them in my life.

[Blanche Wegman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great.

Finished number four last night. What a great series, they have everything you want in a book, mystery, suspense, romance, love, terror.. and fun. I hated to see them come to an end. I laughed, I cried, and did not want to put it down to sleep. I recommend them to everyone.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wishbone, Arizona

A police chief and a man's daughter are found murdered on the same day near a town called Wishbone, Arizona. Lalla Bains and her cousin, Pearlie Bains become involved because it was Lalla's dad who accidentally found the police chief's body. And the police are kind of suspicious of him. Good story and light humor.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to live in Tucson, so I like to read books about Southern Arizona, and I spent enough time in the area southeast of Tucson to recognize the book's setting. It's not a bad story - actually, it's a good mystery, even though the writing was very uneven and there were gaps in the storyline.

[Cornflakefrontiernet.net · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This was a great book. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. Just enough characters to keep you riveted so that you won't put it down. Lalla is quite a girl. Love her father. His anecdotes are hilarious. This author gets two thumbs up from me.

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really loved this one. As much as I enjoyed the previous books, this one is the best! Some of my favorite points would include spoilers so I will not do a summary, but I very much look forward to the next book in The Dead Red Mystery Series!

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dead Red Alibi

Another well-written Dead Red mystery. Lalla Bains and her dad travel to Arizona to see the property Lalla's grandmother gave her, and they immediately get into trouble.

[Frances Livingston · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review Of " The Dead Red Mysteries."

Another cute entertaining story in this story line. Well developed plot and characters. I look forward to reading more of Lala, her family, friends and the murders that she finds herself mired in.

[Robin Clemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

This story was fascinating and kept me coming back for more.

I would, however, that you read the first three books in the series before reading this one. It is thrilling enough for young readers but also interesting to older readers such as myself.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Book

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. The humor was just my type of eye-rolling sarcasm; the main characters were engaging (no pun intended); the twists were clever. I would recommend this book for a fun, light whodunit. Enjoy!