Book Review: Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston

Pages: 352

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: January 13, 2026

Publisher: Penguin

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: First Lie Wins,

and 10 Blind Dates 

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "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."

 

Camille Bayliss appears to live the perfect life from the outside, as she is wealthy, resides in a gorgeous home in Louisiana, and is married to Ben Bayliss, an exceptional lawyer. But things aren't what they seem. Ben is hiding secrets, and Camille is determined to uncover them, but Ben has full control of her. He tracks her every move - literally-  and micromanages her. The story opens with Audrey Price, who is working together with Camille, to help her figure out what Ben is hiding. Audrey is pretending to be Camille. When Ben tracks her, he will think she is in one place; meanwhile, the real Camille is snooping through his office. However, things take a dark turn when Camille finds Ben murdered in their house! Cue the mystery, even more secrets, suspects, red herrings, and more. Plus, the two women will need an alibi! Ashley Elston's Anatomy of an Alibi starts out as a promising domestic thriller, but then slowly evolves into a clunky story with a lot of misdirection and too many characters.
 
While Audrey and Camille present themselves as intriguing characters in Anatomy of an Alibi, I found it challenging to connect with them. They seemed to lack some development, possibly due to Elston's tendency to shift perspectives and timelines frequently, which occasionally led to a feeling of disconnection. Audrey’s suspicions about Ben’s actions serve as a significant point of convergence for the two women as they decide to join forces. However, their backgrounds are quite different—while Camille hails from a privileged Southern family, Audrey has faced considerable challenges, having lost her parents and continuing to navigate a difficult path in life.

There are even chapters from Hank Landry's point of view in Anatomy of an Alibi. Hank is Ben's law partner and friend. As you can see, there were a lot of characters to really keep your eye on, and the amount of misdirection made that tough. Once I figured out where the story was going, more suspects unfolded in the small, sleepy town; it felt like many people had issues with Ben.
 
While I enjoyed Elston's First Lie Wins, Anatomy of an Alibi  was just ok for me. There were some major moments of suspense and some twists that I didn't see coming, so I can see why many readers enjoyed this one, but ultimately, it wasn't for me. 
 
Have you read Anatomy of an Alibi? Are you a fan of Ashley Elston? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.