Anatomy of an Alibi

Picked this up for a plane read, and it was quite suitable for that! The narrative POV is interesting...first person from several different characters with a bit of time shifting...and enables a twisty, dramatic reveal of the basic plot points throughout. I wasn't as surprised by the ending as I wanted to be, and honestly, there are no heroes in any traditional sense. You might think that means the characters are "more real," but in this case, it just means an embrace of flaws that should have been embarrassing, if not criminal. That all said, I kept coming back, chapter after chapter, because I wanted to see how each person would progress. And, as a murder mystery goes, it's a great plane read!

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 show more 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.

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Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston is the kind of book that’s dangerously easy to read “just one more chapter” of—until suddenly you’re done. The writing is fast, clear, and incredibly engaging, making it hard to put down once the story gets rolling.

The plot is packed with twists and turns that keep you guessing without ever feeling confusing or overcomplicated. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, the story pivots again, keeping the tension high all the way through.

Best of all, the ending is genuinely satisfying and pulls everything together in a way that feels earned. If you’re looking for a gripping, twisty read that flies by and keeps you hooked from start to finish, this one absolutely delivers.

A very good twisty thriller about two women who have issues with lawyer, Ben Bayliss. Camille, his wife, wants out of their marriage but needs proof of his wrongdoing. Aubrey Price lost both her parents when she was sixteen in a hit and run accident. She's certain that Ben knows something about what actually happened. Since Ben follows Camille's every move, Aubrey will take her place for twelve hours so Camille can spy on Ben and hopefully get answers for both of them. When Ben is found dead, only one of them has an airtight alibi. Recommended!

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 and Camille change places for just a few hours and when Camille gets home…her husband, Ben, is dead. Did she do it? Did Aubrey? Who?

This story definitely kept me guessing. And trust me, I thought I had it figured out…I DID NOT! I love it when that happens. There is so much I want to say about this book…just read it!! I loved the guessing game and the intricacies.

Just an FYI, this has multiple points of views and different time show more periods. This could cause some issues with audiobook readers. But trust me, you need to read this however you read!

This was very close to a 5 star read for me. I just felt the ending was a bit rushed. But it has some great twists!

Need an intricate tale to keep you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. show less

Dutiful Southern wife Camille suspects her husband of having an affair when she finds a contact number for Aubrey but the truth is much more complicated than that. Aubrey and Camille conspire together but both hold secrets from each other. When Camille's husband is found dead both become suspects but the reasons go back further in their connected history

This book really cranks up the suspense as it goes through. The start feels a little disjointed as not much detail of the motives is given but then it really blossoms into an intriguing thriller. I loved the fact that Aubrey and Camille were both victims of their family's past and I also thought that the juxtaposition of the wealthy criminals agains the more blue-collar criminals was show more played nicely. show less

I read this in one sitting, although I didn't find it quite as gripping as that might sound. It begins with Aubrey pretending to be Camille for a day to give her an alibi. Then it goes back and forwards in time, explaining what alibi this is and why Camille might need it. There are sections from the viewpoints of Camille, Aubrey, Ben (Camille's husband) and Hank (Ben's law partner) and at times it was hard to remember which characters were aware of which facts.

I found the novel of intellectual interest rather having emotional impact - none of the characters made me care about them, and they were mostly morally compromised in some way. There was one good twist I didn't see coming.