Anatomy of an Alibi

 

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
1/13/26; 352 pages
Viking/Penguin 

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston is a highly recommended twisty thriller. "It's not just the anatomy of an alibi: having someone vouch you were somewhere else when the crime was committed, but it's the psychology of it: that someone is believable."

Camille Bayliss is married to lawyer Ben and the daughter of a wealthy Louisiana family. She is sure Ben is hiding secrets from her, perhaps even an affair, but she doesn't have proof and her prenup requires proof before she could divorce him. Ben also tracks every move Camille makes and every place she goes. At the same time Aubrey Price is poor and struggling. She is sure Ben Bayliss has inside information about the car crash that killed her parents ten years ago. 

The two women devise a plan where Aubrey will disguise herself as Camille and leave a trail for Ben to follow, while Camille will really be spying on Ben. The problem is that Ben is found murdered the next morning and there is only one alibi, but two women. Unknown to Camille, however, is the backup Aubrey has with her housemates running their own undercover operation to protect Aubrey. Let the guessing games begin.

This is a very well-written, twisty fast-paced thriller that held my complete attention throughout. The secrets, scheming, corruption, and lies are ever prevalent as the bigger picture slowly emerges from the different perspectives of all the characters and from multiple timelines. There are several different complicated relationships all intertwined within the plot to keep the suspense and tension high as the full picture slowly emerges amidst the drama and surprises.

The characters are all depicted as fully realized complicated individuals with plenty of flaws along with their strengths. Nothing is exactly how you think it is and the suspects are plentiful. What lead Camille and Aubrey to work together is surprising, but how much trust do they really have in each other. So many alibis, so many suspects, and so many twists resulted in a compelling thriller.

Anatomy of an Alibi is a great choice for readers who like twisty, complicated thrillers. Thanks to Viking/Penguin for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.