I really liked this collection of short stories. I have not read a collection before and for being my first I enjoyed the different storylines and directions that the authors took me in. The exposure to authors I may not have read was great. I will include individual reviews below -
Death Row - Frieda McFadden
I loved this book, it had me hooked from the beginning. I am a huge Frieda McFadden fan and I was not disappointed! Despite knowing that the twists were likely going to be amazing, the end still took me by surprise. Loved it and left me wanting more!

Ex-wives club- Sally Hepson
Painted a picture perfectly from the beginning. I felt like I was right there with the ex-wives in the restaurant.
Little twists throughout meant I didn’t want to put the book down and it kept me entertained. I was slightly disappointed at the ending but I found myself wishing it was longer. I will be reading more by Sally Hepworth.

False note - David Lagercrantz
First sentence had me gripped and the book did keep my interest. I was glad this was a short story and would’ve liked more twists as I found the end to be fairly predictable.

Skydivers - Chris Bohjalian
This short story starts with a compelling premise—an inheritance and sibling tension. It was a good read and the idea has potential, the plot feels rushed towards the end. Ultimately, it doesn’t deliver the emotional or suspenseful impact it aims for however the ending was unexpected.

Good Neighbours - Chad Zunker
This book kept me guessing with twists and turns right up until the final page. The pacing was great for a short story and just when I thought I had it figured out, the story shifted in a completely unexpected direction. Couldn’t put it down, it was a satisfying read

Small Things - Wanda M. Morris
I loved this short story, I was hooked and couldn’t get enough! The story line really kept me guessing and I wished the story was longer. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an ARC of this multi-authored collection.

As it does periodically, Amazon has compiled an anthology of six short stories by best-selling authors arranged around the concept of ‘alibis.’ Each takes under an hour to read, each, as puts a different spin on the term, and each is a mystery/thriller in compact form.

The first is Freida McFadden’s ‘Death Row,’ which sums up in its title what it is about. Talia, a young woman whose only real character flaws seem to be a blazing jealousy concerning her handsome and charming husband Noel, and a tendency to lie—that he shares—is awaiting execution for his murder. She has two weeks until the lethal injection, maintaining her innocence every step of the way, attempting a last-minute legal appeal, all to no avail. Even her lawyer, her otherwise kindly guard Rhea, and the priest who gives her the last rites, are thoroughly convinced of her guilt.

The story alternates between flashes of her relationship with Noel and her present circumstances. There are hints throughout that the story unfolding is not the real story, but McFadden builds suspence through to the end. The result is a true lesson in the consequences of suspicion and retribution. No one accepts her alibi that she wasn’t there. This is the collection’s most masterful contribution for me.

The second story is Sally Hepworth’s ‘The Ex-Wives’ Club’. It concerns an over-the-top egomaniac celebrity chef and restaurateur, Ian Curley, and is set in his wildly popular Melbourne restaurant. The middle-aged Ian has married three times while building his fame and fortune, and has just dumped his third, and youngest, wife. His new girlfriend is much the same age as his young adult children, Max, by his first wife, and Daisy, by his second. The exes and the children all love each other, and they all, while pretending otherwise, hate Ian. It’s hard not to hate Ian. He is emotionally abusive, callous, and just plain awful despite the grand show he puts on as a father, ex husband, lover and business owner. Few genuinely mourn when he is found accidentally frozen in a seemingly malfunctioning freezer.

Most of the plot unfolds through the set pieces of police questioning in the hands of Detective Charlene Li and her less-than-astute co-investigator. But each of the main characters and some of those on the periphery has a part to play, a story to tell, a way to steer the action, and, of course, an alibi. This is a fascinating multi-perspective read, but that may be part of its problem—too much going on, both in public and behind the scenes, and a lot of it

The third entry, ‘False Note,’ is a dark little tale by David Iagercrantz, translated by Elizabeth Denoma. This one is about the dangers of narcissism, how it damages love between father and son, between men and women, not to mention a healthy love of self. The father is a ‘monster’ of the most beguiling sort. An opera star, he uses his celebrity to seduce women into one-sided, fleeting relationships. Once he reels them in, his pretence of love and passion turn to hatred and physical abuse.

The story is told through the son’s POV. Intelligent and perceptive, his childhood is warped by his father’s manipulative affection, but he takes a deliberate stance against becoming like him, even while thwarting his own desires to do so. Things explode when he is persuaded by the young woman he loves that he must introduce her to his father. In the end, there are so many betrayals and so many conflicting emotions that it’s hard to feel much more than distaste for all the characters, who act like hapless victims but are in fact perpetrators at the same time. And even what should have been an airtight alibi becomes a betrayal.

Chris Bohjalian has made a name for himself as the author of tightly-written, gripping thrillers, and he carries off the challenging short story genre very well. ‘The Skydivers’ features two brothers, very different although attached to each other, whose different ambitions and loyalties lead them to disaster. Peter is an aimless musician, Leo is a steely military man. They come together at their Vermont homestead to ease their father into death, and of course, to divide the spoils.

But Peter suddenly wants to keep the farm, yearning for a fresh start away from the urban music scene. He envisions working it in partnership with his older brother Leo. Leo, the pragmatic one, coldly insists they would both be better off selling it and splitting the proceeds. Both seasoned skydivers, they promise their dying father that they will scatter his ashes over the farm.

Most of the story is told through the eyes of a stranger, a woman who just happens to be driving by and witnesses the skydiving. But she is no mere spectator, and proves to be an expert witness. Thus story strays furthest from the alibi theme, while suspicion is cast in the obvious direction, there is an unexpected twist at the end that makes it less than a satisfying conclusion.

Chad Zunker’s ‘Good Neighbors’ has the most traditional structure of all the stories. The central trope is a privileged middle-class suburban enclave of two car-two child families and neat yards, where everything is surface. And much that is below the surface is seething.

Kara and Jackson and their kids are one of these storybook families, Bill and Mindy and theirs are another. Mindy thinks Bill is having an affair and confides in Kara who, recently arrived and eager for a friend, provides a sympathetic ear. She doesn’t question that Bill might have his own side to tell. When Mindy asks her to ‘keep her eyes open’ for adultery evidence, she is very committed—to the point of entering their home and witnessing a shocking event. This is a very fast-paced and highly suspenseful story, marred only by the fact that Kara is determined to suspect only the obvious, and that rarely turns out to be those truly suspect. And they, as usual, have their alibis neatly lined up. She is so unquestioning as to be idiotic. At least she can run fast to make up for it.

Wanda M. Morris closes out the collection with her intriguing ‘Small Things.’ The lead female character, nicknamed Birdie as a child because of her love for small found objects—coins, buttons, sparkly things, sort of like a crow—still lives a small life as an adult. She is married, takes care of her domineering husband’s every wish, and immerses herself in crafting jewellery. Her favourite space is her little backyard shed, where she can lose herself in music and her art.

The problem is that her husband is so set on controlling her that he can’t allow her even this one small outlet. He constantly berates her for her less than perfect housekeeping, cooking, appearance, and fertility. She takes it all, uncomplainingly, striving to make herself ‘even smaller’ as he consumes more and more of herself. Only when he padlocks her beloved shed and threatens to have it demolished does she show some creative agency on her own behalf. And, unlike her belligerent husband, she has a ready alibi in her neighborhood.

Interestingly, half these stories concern domestic violence at the hands of abusive men.

A selection of short stories from popular authors. I found it a mixed bag, some I liked , others were just OK. My favourite was The Ex wives club by Sally Hepworth

This is a really great collection of mini thrillers. The only book I really did not care for at all was the Freida McFadden book. It just did not resonate with me at but the others, I really enjoyed and have encouraged my thriller, loving friends to read this collection.

Alibis is a mixed bag. Some stories were genuinely captivating and pulled me in right away, while others felt either confusing or dragged a bit. Overall, the collection was solid, but I found myself wishing a few of the more intriguing pieces were expanded into full-length stories—they had so much potential. As with many short story collections, it really depends on which pieces resonate with you. Worth a read, but be prepared for some uneven pacing.

Book #1 Death Row by Freida McFadden - 2⭐
Book #2 The Ex-Wives Club by Sally Hepworth - 2⭐
Book #3 False Note by David Lagercrantz - 1.5⭐
Book #4 The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian - 1⭐
Book #5 Good Neighbors by Chad Zunker - 3.5⭐
Book #6 Small Things by Wanda M. Morris - 3⭐


I mean it's really fast reads, the storys are for most of them fine but nothing extraodinary.

This was a fun collection of six stories. There are lots of ways to kill a persons and lots of people that need killing…I guess. I was impressed.

I will post a review for each book as I read it.

Book #1 Death Row
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: Primarily in the death row of a prison
Genre: Psychological Thriller/Crime Fiction

Death Row might be a tiny book, but don’t let that fool you—it packs the kind of punch that lingers long after you turn the last page. This short story is Freida McFadden at her best: fast-paced, chilling, and brilliantly twisted.

From the very first line, I was hooked. Talia Kemper is sitting on death row for a murder she swears she didn’t commit—her own husband’s. No motive. A solid alibi. But no one’s ever believed her. Until he shows up. The man she was convicted of killing. Alive. Or is he?

What follows is a haunting, high-stakes race against time that kept my heart pounding and my mind spinning. I was torn between hope and dread with every page. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Freida dropped a twist so sharp I audibly gasped.

The tension, the emotion, the psychological mind games—it’s all masterfully done. And somehow, in so few pages, McFadden gives us a fully fleshed-out character whose desperation feels real and whose story I couldn’t look away from.

If you’re a fan of quick reads that leave a lasting impact, Death Row is an absolute must. It’s dark, suspenseful, and utterly unforgettable. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

#netgalley #deathrow #booked_this_weekend #freidamcfadden


Book #2 The Ex-Wives Club
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: A chic, upscale restaurant (owned by the victim) where the three ex-wives meet weekly in their favorite corner booth.
Genre: Domestic Suspense; Psychological Thriller; Mystery; Short Fiction / Novella

The Ex-Wives Club is classic Hepworth: sharp, witty, layered with just the right balance of dark humor and juicy suspense. When a celebrity chef is found dead in his own freezer (yes, really!), who else would top the suspect list but his three ex-wives—who just so happen to meet at his restaurant every Friday night for drinks and venting? You can’t make this stuff up… except Sally Hepworth can, and brilliantly.

Anita, Mary-Jane, and Rosie are all flawed, fascinating, and suspicious in their own ways, and the story kept me guessing until the end. Short, snappy, and SO satisfying—I didn’t want it to end! If you love a smart whodunit with heart and sass, this one’s for you.

Hepworth fans, this is your next must-read. And if you’re new to her writing? Buckle up. You’re in for a delicious ride. 🍷🔪

#netgalley #theexwivesclub #sallyhepworth #booked_this_weekend #alibiscollection

you either hate if or you love it and I ate this up
I love twists like this and I know some people don’t but I said what and wtf (and gasped) so many timess within those few pages

2 bleh! stars - grabbed this for Freida M's story only - really disappointing, she's pretty hit or miss & always over the top! Might try one or two others later - just not feeling the rest. Anyway, thanks to Amazon & NetGalley for the free ARC

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. These stories were so good and fun to read. I loved the twists too!

I loved this collection! Thank you Amazon!

Death Row by Freida McFadden
4 stars
I loved this one. It found the twist quite clever!
Alternates between before and after, the mental state of Talia throughout was a driving factor for me.

The Ex-Wives Club by Sally Hepworth
5 stars!
Sally! We have had an up and down relationship over the years but this one was a big winner for me! The investigation leaves enough doubt on each character that we aren't sure what could have happened. Good twists at the end too!

False Note by David Lagercrantz
About 3.5 stars
This one wasn't a runaway winner for me. I could find a good sense of resolution by the end but the journey wasn't it for me.

The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian
4 stars
I thought the author did a wonderful job of giving enough backstory on the characters that the reader can understand their thoughts and actions. I loved Ceci's character and her backstory. And the ending was quite clever. Poor Pete.

Good Neighbors by Chad Zunker
4 stars
I liked this one a lot too! I loved the way this resolved. This one had more of a cozy vibe for me with how Kara is trying to 'spy' on her neighbor's husband and then has to figure out who did the terrible thing she witnessed, which I thought was so good.

Small Things by Wanda M. Morris
5 stars!
LOVED THIS ONE. I think this is one of my favorites in the series. I'm not sure if it says anything that my two faves are the ones with terrible men getting what they deserve but idc. This one made me want to yell "GRL PWR" as soon as I finished. YES.

I’m not expecting much from these little Amazon reads—after all, they’re short stories and free. So far, I’ve found that most of them are either too heavy on characterization with no real plot, or they’re plot-heavy with little to no character development. Death Row, however, struck a nice balance between the two, especially given its short length. I was invested in the story, and it kept me entertained while I did chores around the house today.

The ending seemed pretty clear to me. Some people complain about the simplicity of the writing, but if you couldn’t figure out the ending, I think that says more about you than it does about the author. She wasn’t actually on death row—she was in a coma, being taken off life support. What happens after her death is left open to interpretation, depending on what you believe happens after we die.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

These short stories all focus around different crimes and alibis. Unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of any of them. They all felt way too short and rushed. There was no resolution for a lot of them either.

I hope others love these but I was not a big fan.

Death Row- Freida did it again! A wife on death row for murdering her husband. Told in three different timelines. It keeps you guessing right up until the end. Absolutely loved this one 5/5.

The Ex-Wives Club - Three ex-wives, unhappy children, and one current girlfriend, the one they all hate, turns up dead. The only question is who did it? 4/5

False Note- Toxic relationship between a father and son. Karma gets them both. 2/5

The Skydivers- Two brothers go skydiving to spread their father's ashes. One terrible accident occurs, or was it an accident at all? 2/5

Good Neighbors- One neighbor thinks she is going to spy on her neighbor to catch him cheating. What she sees instead leaves her running for her life. The one responsible is the one she least expects. 4/5

Small Things- An abusive husband finds his wife is making jewelry in the shed, he locks the doors and takes away the only enjoyment she has in life. Is it time for her to make a run for it, or will things work themselves out? 4/5

#1 Death Row: I love anything and everything by Freida McFadden, no matter how short it is. 5/5
#2 The Ex-Wives Club. One Murder. Again I usually love everything Sally Hepworth writes but this was just ok this time. 3/6
#3 False Note. This was my least favorite of all the short stories. 2/2
#4 The Skydivers. Found this one hard to connect with and gave it 2/2.
#5 Good Neighbors. This kept me reading but gave it 3/5.
#6 Small Things. I actually really enjoyed this one! Could not put this one down. Loved it 5/5.

This was so fun to try some short stories by some new authors. I got it because I wanted to read Death Row by Freida and of course I loved that quick, twisty story as it throws you for a loop as you think it is going one way when really it isn't. Freida just has a knack for fooling you every time.

Wanda Morris has a way of getting you to feel so strongly for her characters that you find yourself rooting for them even if they are up to no good. These were my two favorites out of the collection.

I liked that I could read David Lagercrantz, Chris Bohjalian and Chad Zunker who were all new authors to me and give me an idea of their writing style and now I can look for books they have written.

I always read the Amazon short story sets, but murder ones are my favorite. It was nice to have them all together.

I thought the best one was The Ex-Wives Club by Sally Hepworth. I was hooked immediately and it had enough plot for a full book, all in an action-packed 83 pages.

I also really liked the Freida McFadden story. She has an explanation of the ending on her website, because apparently people found it confusing. I thought it made perfect sense and came to the same conclusion as Freida.

All the stories are worth your time, because they're so short! The only one I'd maybe skip is False Note by David Lagercrantz. It's almost a fable (be careful not to turn into what you hate) instead of a story.

#1 Death Row: Quick read. Enticing. Gripping. Thrilling. Mildly confusing. 4/5
#2 The Ex-Wives Club. One Murder. Multiple suspects. Everyone has a motive. Who did it? 4/5
#3 False Note. Toxic father in Law-son relationship. Not as well written or gripping the other 5 books. 2/5
#4 The Skydivers. Found this one hard to get into as well. Liked it closer to the end. enjoyed the different perspectives. 3/5
#5 Good Neighbors. Quick Read. Easy Read. Enjoyed the twists and action! 4/5
#6 Small Things. I actually really enjoyed this one! I think it was my favorite out for the 6. again super fast and easy to read and to follow. Rude ass husband and the polite housewife. 5/5

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers and the authors for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of the "Alibis Collection"!

The Alibis Collection, published by Brilliance Publishing and Amazon Original Stories, is a captivating anthology of short stories that delve into themes of lies, truth, and deception. Each story is a testament to the authors' ability to weave intricate narratives that keep readers on the edge of their seats.

The collection features six compelling stories, each written by a different author. From Freida McFadden's Death Row, which explores the shocking twists in the fate of a condemned murderess, to Sally Hepworth's The Ex-Wives Club, which uncovers the dark secrets of a restaurateur and serial philanderer, every tale is unique and gripping. Other notable stories include David Lagercrantz's False Note, Chris Bohjalian's The Skydivers, Chad Zunker's Good Neighbors, and Wanda M. Morris's Small Things.

As someone new to reading compilations of short stories, I found the Alibis Collection to be a delightful experience. The ability to read one full story in a sitting was particularly enjoyable, and the fact that each story could be read as a stand-alone made it easy to fit reading into my schedule. Whether I had a few minutes or a couple of hours, there was always a story ready to captivate me.

The strength of the Alibis Collection lies in its diversity of voices and genres. Each author brings their own style and perspective, creating a rich tapestry of narratives that explore the complexities of human nature. The stories are well-paced and filled with unexpected twists, making them perfect for readers who enjoy suspense and psychological drama.

Overall, the Alibis Collection is a must-read for fans of short stories and thrillers. The anthology offers a thrilling journey through the darker sides of human behavior, leaving readers questioning what they can truly believe. Whether you're looking for a quick read or a deep dive into the intricacies of deception, this collection has something for everyone.