Unbreakable Alibi

Herbert Rich is a man who prides himself on his cleverness. Living a quiet life in the Sussex Downs with his beautiful young wife, Joan, his peace is shattered when a wealthy, handsome friend begins showing an undeniable interest in her. Consumed by jealousy and terrified of losing the woman he loves, Herbert decides there is only one solution: murder.

Rejecting simple methods for something far more ingenious and complex, Herbert meticulously crafts an elaborate, seemingly foolproof alibi using his expertise in photography. He has thought of every possible angle and accounted for every minute. But in a game of life and death, being too clever can be a fatal mistake.

First published in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine in 1953, Freeman Wills Crofts’ Unbreakable Alibi is a masterful, suspense-filled short story from one of the true legends of Golden Age detective fiction.