Release date: January 13, 2026
Publisher: Viking
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Synopsis:
A tense, feverish thriller about two women’s lives that are forever intertwined when a murder threatens to expose them both.
“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.
Review:
Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston is a fast, tightly constructed thriller that thrives on perspective and timing. Told across multiple timelines and viewpoints, the story moves between present day with Aubrey, Camille, and Hank, and Ben’s perspective ten years earlier. That structure keeps the tension high and the pages flying, while also slowly revealing how deeply entangled these characters truly are. The premise—two women swapping identities for twelve hours to uncover the truth—feels fresh, especially as it reframes the classic dead spouse trope around the idea of whose alibi can actually hold up.
What really elevates this novel is how smart the twists are. Nothing feels gratuitous or thrown in just to shock; each reveal makes sense in hindsight and deepens the moral complexity of the story. Elston leans into morally gray characters with sketchy pasts and questionable motivations, letting past secrets collide with present day consequences in a way that feels tense, suspenseful, and deeply satisfying. This is the kind of thriller that trusts its readers, rewards close attention, and proves that clever plotting can still pack an emotional punch.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 