The Disguised Alibi

Tony Landry’s affair and John Bristow’s carefully constructed family alibi collapse under scrutiny.

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The Oxford Detour

A Strange Journey The conference account Tony Landry says he attended a family-law conference in Oxford, yet he also claims to have returned to London to visit his ill sister. The unusual journey initially appears to be a detail of an ordinary workday. A second explanation Robin discovers that Alison went looking for Tony at his hotel, while Strike learns that Cyprian May was troubled about her absence. The supposedly routine trip begins to look like an attempt to locate Tony rather than conduct legal business.

A Lover’s Cover

Secrecy in the Family Firm A concealed affair Strike tells Alison that Tony is having an affair with Ursula May. Her vehement denial reveals personal investment, while her evasions about the Oxford trip expose how carefully she has guarded Tony’s movements. An alibi by coincidence Tony’s claimed visit to Yvette may have helped John, even though Tony’s actual reason for leaving town was to meet Ursula. Their overlapping lies create an accidental protection for the killer and leave both men uncertain about what the other knows.

The Alibi Unravels

No One Saw Him The mistaken assumption John has believed Tony’s claim that he saw him at Yvette’s home. Yet John never personally saw Tony there, and Yvette cannot remember her brother visiting. A brittle alliance The story had seemed mutually useful: Tony could conceal his affair, while John could appear to have an alibi. Once Strike questions its details, each man’s silence and self-interest become liabilities rather than protection.

On the day before Lula's death

When Strike questions Alison at Rochelle's funeral gathering

Near the end of the investigation