January 2026

I thought it would be tough for Ashley Elston to match her previous thriller, FIRST LIE WINS. But she certainly did that, and more, with ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI.

Small towns often have their own hierarchy with those in power who call the shots. They typically are not elected; rather, they wield power because of money or who they know. Many have secrets that go back decades, all linked to their own nefarious deeds. In ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI, Ashley puts those who have this unelected power into the hot seat, as their deeds from the past come back. And this time judgment is made.

Right from the start, there is a setup where an impersonation can help uncover part of a secret. Camille Bayliss enlists Aubrey Price to impersonate her at a bar in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Why? Camille needs some time to spy on her husband, Ben, a man who tracks her every move. (Note here that this is one time a thriller author was happy to have modern technology available for this part of the story! Usually it hinders the storytelling.) She wants out of the marriage, but she would like to “have something” on him before she files.

Camille gets caught by Ben, and an argument ensues. A few hours later, Ben is found dead. Camille is a prime suspect, but (as we already know) she has an alibi. Ben’s law partner, Hank, steps in to help out. Ben was in the process of firing Hank, but alas his death means that Hank is the one with the keys to the firm --- and he wants to protect Camille.

Remember I said that people with money often have power? Well, that is Randall Everett, who is Camille’s father. He has money, and he will flash it anywhere he can to keep his daughter protected. That power game goes back to a fatal drunk-driving accident from decades before when Aubrey’s parents were killed. Someone took the fall for it, while someone else had an alibi.

So now we have two scenarios with deaths in play, and we can look at the anatomy of the alibi(s) with Ashley guiding us along. Right until the end, she will be playing with your head about what is going on, who knows what, and who is lying.