It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Back in 2011, I was an avid reader who had somehow lost my way with reading. Between working and being a full-time student, reading for pleasure had slowly fallen by the wayside.

I wanted to change that. So I gave myself a New Year's resolution to read one book every week for a year. I started A Book A Week on January 1, 2012 as a way to hold myself accountable and share what I was reading along the way.

I didn't quite reach my goal that first year, but I kept reading. I kept reviewing. And all these years later, I'm still here, looking forward to whatever book comes next. Some years I crush my goals, some years I don't, but my love for a good book has never wavered.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

I'm a lifelong reader with a particular soft spot for mysteries and thrillers. I've always loved the genre, and I credit those stories—the twists, suspense, and need to know what happens next—with keeping me a reader as an adult. My reading has taken me in all kinds of directions since then, but I'll always come back to a good mystery.

I love creepy horror novels. A fascinating work of nonfiction can completely pull me in, too. And I've found plenty of favorites in science fiction, literary fiction, romance, and other genres I might never have picked up when I first started the blog. That's part of the fun. I never quite know what kind of story is going to grab me next.

When I'm not reading or writing reviews, you'll usually find me at home with my husband and our pets. I'm a classically trained musician and composer, an enthusiastic home cook, and a backyard gardener. There's usually a trip to look forward to or some new project that has caught my interest, too.

At the end of the day, I just really love books. There's nothing quite like discovering a story I can't put down or finding an author I can't wait to read again. Even when a book doesn't quite work for me, I still enjoy thinking about why and putting those thoughts into words. That's what keeps me reading, reviewing, and sharing it all here on A Book A Week.

Honest reviews, always.

Some of the books I review are ones I've purchased myself. Others are provided by publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. Either way, what I write here is always what I really think.

Not every book is going to work for every reader, and that's part of the fun of talking about books. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't, and hopefully give you enough to decide whether a book might be right for you.

Good, bad, or somewhere in between, you'll always get my honest take.

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I'm always open to considering books for review. I read across a pretty wide range of genres, though mysteries and thrillers tend to be particular favorites. If you'd like me to consider a book, send along a little information about it and why you think it might be a good fit for A Book A Week.

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Ashley Elston burst onto the thriller scene a couple of years ago with First Lie Wins. Making the jump from her usual young adult genre proved to be a major success, as she delivered a twisted, multi-POV thrill ride that I devoured in a single sitting. Naturally, I was eager to see what she’d do next, and that arrived this week in the form of another standalone thriller, Anatomy of an Alibi. It’s yet another page-turner that hooked me from the very first chapter.

Like her first thriller, the less you know about Anatomy of an Alibi going in, the more you’ll enjoy it. As usual, I think the publisher’s blurb gives away a bit too much. The real fun here lies in the discovery. That said, the basic setup is simple enough to share without spoiling the twists that make this book work. The novel centers on two women, Camille and Aubrey, who both suspect that Camille’s hotshot lawyer husband, Ben, is hiding something. They hatch a risky plan: Aubrey will pose as Camille, distracting Ben while the real Camille spies on him. But when Ben is found murdered the very next day, both women are left scrambling to construct an airtight alibi.

Anatomy of an Alibi proves that Ashley Elston has a real knack for crafting twisty, page-turning thrillers. She leans into shifting perspectives, flashbacks, and well-placed red herrings, weaving them together into a suspenseful ride that kept me glued to the pages. Yes, things get a little over the top at times, but that’s part of the fun with a book like this. And while the ending didn’t quite land as strongly as I’d hoped, with some character motivations left frustratingly opaque, the journey to get there was more than worth it. Elston has clearly found her stride in the suspense genre, and she’s quickly earned a spot on my must-read list.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2026, 5)

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14 Comments

Comments

Lark@LarkWritesJanuary 17, 2026 at 11:51 AM
This does sound compelling! I still need to read her previous novel.
Mary KirklandJanuary 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Coming up with an alibi for that seems like would be a lot of trouble. This sounds like a good read though.
Samantha@WLABBJanuary 17, 2026 at 3:08 PM
I loved seeing a YA author successfully make the jump. I have not read any of her adult offerings, but I read all her YA books.
BlodeueddJanuary 19, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Well at least the journey was good even with a bumpy ending
Ashley S.January 21, 2026 at 12:19 PM
This sounds like a great thriller! I really want to read her previous novel too!
SusanJanuary 21, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Although I've been tempted by Elston's books, I've yet to actually read one. Sounds like I need to remedy that, stat.
Rachel @Waves of FictionJanuary 22, 2026 at 12:58 PM
I have this one too and I'm looking forward to diving in soon!

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About Me

It started with a New Year's resolution:
1 book a week, 52 books in a year.
I kept reading, and it grew into something much more.

Reader. Blogger.
Book lover.

Honest reviews, always.

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