Anatomy of an Alibi

By Ashley Elston

FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FIRST LIE WINS

Two women. One dead husband. And only one alibi.

"Elston expertly unravels a web of secrets and lies. You won't be able to put this excellent thriller down until the final shocking page." --Megan Miranda

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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593834453
• ISBN13: 9780593834459
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Great thriller!

I was so looking forward to reading this book when I heard it was coming out and by the author of First Lie Wins which I devoured and loved with all its twists and high stakes. This one also delivered with the twists galore, devious deeds, and of course murder! With a plot entangled with deeds from 10 years ago and questionable if not outright illegal actions committed by various characters, it was hard to decide who to trust. Though I must admit, I did like Aubrey best as although she did have hidden secrets, she seemed most trustworthy. I also really liked her friends who had her back (especially Deacon, though he was fairly morally grey but protective of Aubrey). Camille was a bit harder because of her family and connections but her story was interestingly twisty too. And there are lots of twists as the story jumps back and forth in time and several points of view, revealing connections and making for a thrilling ride and had me wondering who was going to survive the tumultuous time after Ben's death. I will just say, it is not fair that the wealthy and connected can get away with so much when they can buy or blackmail alibis! Though this story has a satisfying if chilling ending because of that. This was a great thrilling book and I am so glad I got the chance to read it and get sucked into it. I enjoyed this as much as her first book and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this chance.