It just fell a little flat for me. Maybe I'm reading too many thrillers but The First Mistake never really pulled me in. Don't get me wrong, the pacing was fast and on-point for the genre (if a little breakneck at times), the suspense for the reveals was well-built, and the characters were sympathetic but realistic in that they all have their faults to keep them from being too perfect. Despite its pacing, it felt as though it took the characters too long to not only confront the problem but also to figure it out. Alice in particular spends a long time making excuses and lying to herself, which I understand from a character development perspective as it fits her background but as a reader I found myself wanting her to just get on with it.

As far as figuring out the reveals, it wasn't too difficult in this one because some of them read a bit formulaic to me; this is a thriller that if you read a lot of the genre, you might not have as many surprises as someone who reads them less often. And I won't lie, the ending was a bummer for me. I was coasting toward a higher review, despite my reservations, until the last chapter. After so much guessing, I prefer knowing the complete 360 view of the events in the story at the end and the vagueness here left me wanting more clarity. All this being said, I think this would be a great thriller to those looking to try out the genre or who don't read much of it.


Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher Minotaur Books, and the author Sandie Jones for the opportunity to do so.

The First Mistake was a solid, enjoyable read for me. It didn’t have the wow factor I went in expecting but definitely kept me guessing. The shift from first person to third in the middle had me setting the book down more than I had in the previous section. The switch stalled the momentum and things really didn’t pick up until the narrative changed back. I loved both Beth and Nathan’s character development but found Alice’s anxiety and neediness a little overdone. The ending wrapped everything up to a satisfying conclusion. I was intrigued by the breadcrumbs and would recommend this to anyone looking for an exciting beach read.

Wow! Did not see the great dark twists and turns in this psychological thriller. Nicely developed characters, you just never know who you can trust in this one! So many OMG moments in this book. Very well done, highly recommend!

I have been loving thrillers lately. Sandie Jones came on my radar with The Other Woman last year and I looked forward to this book. Alice, Beth, Nathan and Tom are all characters that I liked but also didn't see the twists coming. Just when I thought I figured things out, I didn't! I finished this book late last night and woke up thinking about the characters and the situations they were in! I read this one quickly because once I started, I couldn't put it down! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and recommend this fun book!

I loved this author's first book! This one had a lot of hype, and as other readers I was a little worried. She did not disappoint! There's so many twists and turns in this book that it made me dizzy! Very well developed characters and a story that engages the reader all the way to the very last sentence. I predict a huge career in the world of books for Sandie Jones! Not to be missed!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!
I also received not one, but two beautiful paperback ARCs from the publisher, Minotaur Books! Thank you, Minotaur Books, as usual, You Rock!
All opinions are my own.

The First Mistake is a fast read--and that's because everyone and everything in it will be familiar if you've ever read a thriller. The best thing I can say about this is that as soon as you start this, you know exactly where Alice, Nathan, and Beth are headed.

But! Let's run through the checklist:

--Mc Alice being attractive and rich but still insecure enough to be "relatable"

--Mention of the "best friend" not having as much money or success or of a love life (all three!)

--Copious wine drinking

--Main male character is a gorgeous charmer whose charm lasts for about two chapters

--Big plot twist that is obvious

And if hitting every single tired note of that wasn't enough, about a third of the book is devoted to unnecessary and totally obvious backstory for Beth.

Overwrought and obvious, The First Mistake is a paint-by-numbers cookie cutter thriller that thinks it's much cleverer than it is. (And is it just me, or has this book been padded with extra spacing to make the page count higher?)

5 stars for Sandie Jones latest thriller! OMG! Another fantastic, suspenseful crazy ride and I absolutely LOVED every minute. I was hooked from page one, paragraph one heck from word one. This is a MUST read for those that love twists and turns. Just when you think you've figured out what's gonna happen next, Ms. Jones shows you how wrong you are. This book so deserves all the hype, all the buzz and deserves to be added to your to be read list. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ms. Jones for the opportunity to experience this crazy awesome thriller with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is my second book I've read by Sandie Jones and it's obvious she is a talented psychological thriller/mystery/suspense writer. She takes characters that seem normal at first notice, but then turns us all around until those same people leave us questioning everything about them.
I found The First Mistake a quick and fast paced read. It was tantalizing. At the beginning, I wasn't sure where she was going to take our seemingly successful couple, Alice and Nathan. They seemed quite normal. 2 kids, a nice house, successful business and a wonderful marriage. What could possibly be wrong with this scenario? We are then introduced to a few side and past characters. We learn more of Alice's first husband, Tom and what happened to him and their marriage. Her friend Beth, who's daughter is best friends with Alice's youngest daughter. Then, just to mess with us, the author decides to write a section in Beth's POV. Why do we need to hear about her past? How well do we know any of these people and what mistake is going to be made on who we trust??

The characters, the setting and the development of their story to lead us to the end was nicely paced. It was more rapid fire and easy to read as opposed to being drawn out. I enjoyed that a bit.
Although I did figure out the twist rather early on, I was still turning those pages quite quickly to see if I was right and where she was going to take us. The lies all the characters told made me want to hate everyone. Yet, here I was pulling for some when I know I shouldn't. I didn't get all of the twists right away, so I was still left in shock with certain aspects, but I loved the way it ended. Some may not, but I am one to think in the brilliancy of being left with a question.
You will enjoy this if you enjoy a domestic thriller. No one is who they appear to be. Or are they?

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.

Unlike many of my fellow readers, I haven't read The Other Woman by Sandie Jones yet, so her writing was unfamiliar to me as I started this novel. I love British Thrillers, so I was quite excited to experience this one, knowing the hype surrounding this author. As I started this novel, however, I found my mind wandering on nearly every other page. I didn't know if this was due to my lack of focus, due to circumstances in my life at the moment, or if it was due to the story. I was struggling with not wanting to pick up the book but decided to push on, sure my inability to tune to in to the story was all on me. Finally, about 30% of the way in, the story picked up and I was later shocked by one of the revelations that came to light.

Immediately after, the perspective changes and we are taken back nine years in time. Again, I was finding it difficult focus and knew this time it was definitely related to the story. From this point forward, I found the plot to be incredibly predictable, as if we were being hand fed every detail that was to come. I hoped that wouldn't be the case, however, so I eagerly kept reading to see if some off the wall twist would occur. There were a few pieces I still couldn't fit in with the explanation I had concocted for the story.

Later, I would discover those details would be missing pieces to elaborate on the prediction I already had for the story. Unfortunately, I did know the ending halfway through and things didn't veer off course much differently than I expected. There were parts that had me reading quickly to see if what I thought would happen would come true, but there were also parts that dragged for me. I think I may be in the minority because I have seen many great reviews surrounding this book, from exceptional reviewers. In my opinion, The First Mistake was good but it didn't knock me off my feet, like I had hoped. It could simply be due to poor timing on my part.

Be sure to check this one out for yourself when it releases on June 11th.

Oh, my, where do I begin? It's so hard to review books that have such great writing style yet seem to reach so far for a twist. Don't get me wrong, by the books I review you can easily see that psychological thrillers and twists make me happy! But this story had some problems.

There is a very short Prologue followed by Part 1 Present Day - Alice. We are introduced to Alice who has lost her first husband and is now married to Nathan. She is extremely paranoid. Her husband, Nathan, is kind, understanding and a wonderful father. Alice, who is far from a social butterfly, does manage to find a best friend, Beth, at her daughter's school. She quickly becomes Alice's confidant.

Part 2 is Nine Years Earlier - Beth. The reader learns Beth's involvements with a man.  Frantically, I began to try to fit all the pieces neatly into this little mystery puzzle. But not so quick . . .

Part 3 is Present Day - Alice and Beth which starts to tie the stories together. I was sure at times I had it all figured out, but like most good books, that can be a hard thing to do.

And I didn't quite figure them out.

What Concerned Me: 

Though many reviewers are rating The First Mistake very high, for at least a couple of reasons I have a problem with the story and the twist.

It started out way too slow. Only midway through did the story capture my attention.
I felt it was far too convoluted. Without my handy dandy decoder ring, it was confusing and almost silly. (Yes, technically it makes sense, but way too far fetched for me.)

What I Loved Best: 

The writing is very good and the book did become a terrific page-turner toward the last.

I won't hesitate to read another of Sandie Jones's books.  But this mystery/thriller missed the mark by a little.

The First Mistake is an edge of your seat domestic drama/thriller that had me turning the pages as fast as I could. The book was surprisingly puzzling to me, and thankfully I went into it blind otherwise I think it would have taken away from my reading experience had I already known what was happening going in. I suggest readers who enjoyed The Other Woman (the authors debut novel that released last year) do the same if they plan to read this one!

Without going into plot details (as it would spoil potential readers) I will say that this book consumed me in the best of ways. I love how it is told in alternating POV's thus allowing us to see all three sides of the issue at hand. This worked really well for me as I didn't fall for any one particular character. Rather, I was able to take everything in and then judge! Even more, there are enough twists and turns in the story for any reader of the genre! You won't find this one lacking in that feeling in any way! Kudos to the author for bringing this story to life!

I recommend this book to those who enjoy domestic drama and thriller novels as well as those who enjoy mystery and suspense!

I had fun reading The First Mistake by Sandie Jones. It was a quick easy read for me and had my mind reeling with all the twists and turns. Despite the fact that I was correct with some of my suspicions about what was going on the in the book, I enjoyed finding out why things were happening and who was doing exactly what.

Alice lost her first husband in an accident, had a nervous breakdown and was 'saved' by her second husband, Nathan, who now works with her in the business that Alice and her first husband created. Beth is Alice's best friend and the person Alice confides in when she starts having suspicions concerning Nathan. Then Alice's life goes farther downhill when she finds that her life with her first husband could have been a lie.

Things get twisted and tangled and it's hard to know who to believe or whether Alice is overly paranoid and mixing too many drinks and medicines to even think clearly. One minute I'm thinking that Alice is way to quick with her anger and blame and the next minute I don't trust anyone in the book. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved this book. It was so well written. I devoured this book in a day. Its told in 3 parts, present day with Alice and Beth, 9 years ago with Beth and present day again. The characters were really well devolped that really added to the plot. Its definitely a twisty thought provoking thriller. At one time i thought i had the story figured out but i didn't see the ending coming. The First Mistake follows Alice and Beth best friends. Alice a married mother of 2 daughters. Beth a single mother. Alice works as a business woman at a business she created with her first husband who tragically died on vacation. Alice thinks she is finally healing 10 years later and is ready to make big advances with her new husband by buying property to develop in Japan. Weird things start to happen and Alice begins to question everything to do with her relationship with Nathan. Then twist after twist loads of drama, jealousyand suspicion arise. Is Beth really her friend? Who is her husband excately? Is this Japan investment worth it?

I would like to thank netgalley and St.Martins Press and Minotaur books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.



You can also find my review on my Instagram Instagram www.instagram.com/teatime_with_a_book and my goodreads

Thank you St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for sending me a copy of The First Mistake by Sandie Jones for review. Available June 11, 2019, people are certainly going to be talking about this one!
Mainly told from the present day viewpoint of Alice, a mother who has started to have questions about Nathan, who she married soon after she became a widow. There is a few chapters told from the viewpoint of her best friend Beth, 9 years in the past before they met.
I liked Alice’s viewpoint the best, though it was slightly predictable and slightly soap opera plot by the end. It did not surprise me as much as the author’s first book, but I did like the writing just as much.
The First Mistake is a quick and fun read and some of the twists were shocking. If you are looking for a good beach read, this one should be on your list!

Despite having been unexpectedly widowed ten years earlier, Alice has it all. A handsome husband, two beautiful girls, a magnificent home, a fantastic best friend, and a successful business. But it all comes crashing down when she suspects her husband is having an affair...

Ladies and gentlemen, Sandie Jones has done it again.

The First Mistake is brilliantly weaved together with the kind of twisty drama and suspense that will keep your stomach in knots until the end. I loved every bit of the ride Jones sent me on with this novel. I couldn't put it down.

I don't normally read domestic suspense or thrillers, so it might be easier for the avid readers of the genre to guess how the book might end, but for me, a million scenarios were running through my mind up until the big reveal, and I can honestly say I did not entirely guess what would happen. Jones definitely threw me off with one particular twist!

As far as content goes, Jones leaves it relatively clean aside from a few explicit curses and some very mild sexual interludes. She does grapple with the topic of mental illness a bit in Alice's development, and for the most part I think she did a fine job at not adding to the stigma of struggling with anxiety. I commend her for that!

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for a e-galley to read and review. I loved it!

A perfectly twisted story unwinds between two friends.

I absolutely loved this novel.
For fans of novels like "The Other Woman" or "Gone Girl" THIS IS YOUR NEXT READ

First I want to thank @netgalley and Minotaur Books for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been looking forward to reading more from Sandie Jones ever since I read her debut novel, The Other Woman. Needless to say, I was not disappointed and absolutely loved The First Mistake. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. There are a number of twists and turns throughout the story and the ending had me mind blown. While I do feel that it ended abruptly I still enjoyed the story. Finishing this book in a day, I’d definitely recommend it to my fellow thriller lovers!
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The beginning of the story is told in Alice’s point of view after losing her husband and getting remarried to a man named, Nathan Davis. The middle of the book is told in Beth’s point of view from 9 years ago and then the last part of the book brings us to the present day. Alice has two beautiful kids and a successful business, she couldn’t be happier. However, when she starts to believe her husband is keeping secrets Alice leans on her best friend, Beth. With every new revelation she slowly starts to wonder if her trust has been misplaced. In a story where nothing is as it seems, will Alice be able to handle the truth or is she in more danger than she realizes? Is Beth really there for her?
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#NetGalley #TheFirstMistake

**I will be posting my review to my bookstagram page closer to the publication date.**

The First Mistake is a character-driven psychological suspense novel based on four characters: Alice, the wife (and main character), Nathan, her second husband, Beth, her best friend, and Tom, her first husband who disappeared on a ski trip and has been declared dead.

Alice never got over the shock and grief of losing Tom so unexpectedly. In her eyes, he was the love of her life, and things couldn't have been more perfect - they had started a business together which was doing well, had a daughter, and were looking forward to a bright future together. His death sent Alice into a deep downward spiral. She was committed to a psychiatric hospital for acute depression for a few months until she pulled herself together and decided to live for her daughter.

Certain she'd never find love again, she is surprised when Nathan comes along and wants to fit into her life. Admittedly, she compares him to Tom all the time, but they have mesh well and marry. Nathan sticks by her through thick and thin, helping her deal with her anxieties and helping her grow her business. They have a good marriage, and have a daughter together. Again, life looks good. Until Nathan starts acting out of character which combined with intercepted text messages, hotel bills and several other things lead Alice to believe Nathan is having an affair. She finds herself doubting everything he says, though he denies it all. With additional work and child-related dramas being heaped on her, Alice finds herself getting anxious again.

Beth is Alice's best friend, the one she shares everything with, losing Tom, raising her daughter as a single parent, dating again, finding Nathan; Beth knows everything about Alice. But Beth begins acting strangely as well, and when Alice finds out something about Beth's past, she feels totally betrayed.

Can she trust anyone? Is anyone who she thought they were?

Sandi Jones has put together a very entertaining read that will keep you turning pages to find out what will happen next. There are several unexpected twists and turns, which I always enjoy. Pure escapism, but isn't that exactly what we need at times? This book gets 3.5 stars from me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Alice's first husband and soul mate died tragically leaving her and her young daughter to fend for themselves. But now Alice has a second daughter with Nathan who helped her pick up the pieces and put her life back together. They are running a successful business and are on the cusp of hitting the big time with a new deal. When Alice begins to suspect that Nathan might be cheating on her she turns to her best friend Beth for support. As secrets start to be revealed Alice struggles with knowing who to trust and which parts of her life have been a lie. While Part One of this novel was a bit slow for me the rest of the book picked up pace very quickly and I couldn't put it down until all of its secrets had been revealed. Great beach read!

Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Unputdownable-ness: High
Ugly Cry Potential: Low
LOL: Low
Character Development: Fair
Originality: Low
Quality of Writing: Fair
Intellectual Depth: Low
Emotionally Trying/Hard to Read: Low

THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.

HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.

HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced . . .
The first mistake could be her last.

I loved Sadie Jones' other book and couldn't have been more excited to get the opportunity to read her new book. It was even better than I thought it was going to be! If you liked her first book you're going to love this one! The plot of this story is insane!

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of The First Mistake by Sandie Jones
Pub Date: 11 Jun 2019