Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
on January 13, 2026
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Psychological, Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense, Fiction / Women
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
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Everyone at Chantilly’s Bar noticed out-of-towner Camille Bayliss. Red lips, designer heels, sipping a Negroni. But that woman wasn’t Camille Bayliss. It was Aubrey Price. Camille Bayliss appears to have the picture-perfect life; she’s married to hotshot lawyer Ben and is the daughter of a wealthy Louisiana family. Only nothing is as it seems: Camille believes Ben has been hiding dirty secrets for years, but she can’t find proof because he tracks her every move. Aubrey Price has been haunted by the terrible night that changed her life a decade ago, and she’s convinced Benjamin Bayliss knows something about it. Living in a house full of criminals, Aubrey understands there’s more than one way to get to the truth—and she may have found the best way in. Aubrey and Camille hatch a plan. It sounds simple: For twelve hours, Aubrey will take Camille’s place. Camille will spy on Ben, and the two women will get the answers they desperately seek. Except the next morning, Ben is found murdered. Both women need an airtight alibi, but only one of them has it. And one false step is all it takes for everything to come undone.
Having read and enjoyed First Lie Wins, I was excited to read this one and it was another solid read. This novel draws you in from the start with a brilliant premise. So many sides to a series of events, and just when you think you know who the killer is, things change course and you learn parts of a scene you missed, either because the character left it out, the time period wasn’t clear, or the truth was hidden in the words without you realizing it. Alibis can easily be crafted, but knowing how to systematically break it down into pieces, so you can run that fine-tooth comb thru every uttered word, that’s how you reveal the truth and stun your audience.
The characters were all pretty morally ambiguous, and they weren’t likable (except Hank and maybe Aubrey). This is fast paced and told from multiple points of view as well as over different time periods. I did sometimes have to check back on the dates at the start of each chapter as it was a little confusing what time period was being referred to (dates are, for example, 13 October, then next chapter is 9 September, followed by 14 October then 7 September) but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment. It’s one of those books where you just never knew who to trust which I love.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers with a twist that keeps you guessing until the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for our advanced reader copy of this thriller!
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