Alibi for Murder
by Edale Lane
Released: Jun 03, 2025
Genre: Mystery
Why this book and why now?
I promised readers that as long as they continued buying books in my Lessons in Murder Series, I’d keep writing them. You delivered on your end, so it was my turn. Twelve books in doesn’t begin to equal some of my fellow mystery writers’ series, so here it goes! At the end of book 11, Jenna and Randi were talking about having a baby, so the results of their decision flow through book 12. While purposefully varying the crimes throughout the series, I looked for a trope not yet used, landing on the Columbo/Monk style “unbreakable alibi” bit. “He or she couldn’t have done it because …” and yet, they did. How?
Is there anything you wish readers knew before diving into this book?
Even though this is book 12, it’s OK to read it as a standalone, as the books are episodic in nature. Sure, it would be great if you had all the inside scoop on how the MCs met, fell in love, moved in together, and got married, but it isn’t necessary. A variety of political and religious views are presented by different characters in this book, and many sensitive topics are touched on in my efforts to present realistic people in real situations. My betas assured me it is all done with grace and understanding.
What’s one fun fact about your book that most people wouldn’t know?
While researching for this book, I learned a fascinating fact: Did you know that since COVID, the number of couples using at-home artificial insemination kits instead of paying tremendous fees at clinics has increased significantly, with similar success rates? While clinics continue to spout better positive pregnancy data, many factors come into play, such as the woman’s age and general health condition. Average success rates run around 20% per cycle, with at-home couples declaring a 69% success rate over six cycles. Randi’s takeaway was, “Save money; do it yourself.” Oh, and these affordable kits have come a long way since the turkey baster.
Which character do you relate to the most, and why?
I relate the most to Randi because I was a teacher for most of my life. I also have a bad tendency to turn conversations into lessons, wear character T-shirts, and work Star Wars, Star Trek, or Lord of the Rings into any occasion. I love to cook, am good at it, and can still be astounded by simple things in nature. Like Randi, I always look for the best in everything. I looked like she does when I was her age, took karate, parents died before I was old, and I love classical music … only I never got my PHD or taught college.
Which character was the most fun to write, and which was the hardest?
I enjoyed introducing a new character in this book – Tyrone Hendrix, the young tech genius who ends up filling a spot vacated by a character who moved away. He’s a type 1 diabetic whose dad is a police sergeant. He’s bright, bouncy, uses young person lingo, goes around with earbuds, and really knows his computers, internet, and electronics. He’s also a huge mythology buff who likes to go by Tyr, like the Norse God of Justice.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Randi would pour a glass of unsweetened iced tea and squeeze in a lemon wedge. No wine cooler or cider this time because she’s pregnant now!
If your book had a scent, what would it smell like?
Sweat, pizza, citrusy shampoo, and salty beach breeze.
Do you outline your books in detail, or do you prefer to discover the story as you write?
I do various levels of pre-planning when writing, but for this book – and all my mysteries – there’s a lot that must be in place before the first word goes down. That was especially true in Alibi for Murder. It has a very convoluted plot, and every piece had to be planned in advance in order for the mystery to work and unfold correctly for the readers. It’s delicate business sprinkling subtle clues for the astute readers’ detective side to pick up on without making them obvious. The more impossible the scenario, the more meticulously it must be explained. Then there’s laying clues Jenna can follow and her team can put together as well. It’s kind of like creating a jigsaw puzzle and making sure all the pieces fit, which doesn’t happen on the fly. Now, conversations between characters and filling in social details can indeed be done in the moment, just not the mystery part.
Were there any books, movies, or personal experiences that influenced this story?
The “howdunit” is a trope I used to watch on shows like Columbo, Monk, and several other classic mystery series. In them, the detective gets a gut feeling that a certain suspect is guilty, only to discover they had an unbreakable alibi. The work then becomes figuring out how that person could have committed the crime and uncovering evidence to prove it. However, to the best of my knowledge, no other author, scriptwriter, or criminal has put these exact elements together in this way to commit a murder, and while it is indeed possible, please, do not try this at home! My stories are for entertainment and enlightenment, not as manuals for murderers. Note: the killer gets caught in the end.
