I had no idea what to expect when i started this book. It was fast paced. Really hard to put down. I found myself saying over and over, one more chapter! i just had to know what happened next. Who is who?!?! That drove me nuts! (In a good way!) i has so many theories! So many questions! I didn’t trust anyone! This book is fantastic. A perfect thriller. Kept me interested and turning the pages and guessing the entire time! The writing was excellent and the characters, while flawed as any real human being were complex and interesting and relatable. I felt for them, no matter where they stood. Good or bad. I highly recommend this book and i will for sure be reading more by this author.

This book was not for me,I DNF at 30 % although never really enjoyed it from the strart,too,any characters and quite confusing and found the narrative annoying rather than suspenseful

I have read a few books by this author so I was interested in trying this one even though the book blurb was very vague. It took me a while to get through this one. In fact, the first half of the book was a convoluted mess. The story flips back and forth between the present day and several years in the past. I usually love this in a book but I just couldn't get into this one. I guessed the big twist way before the main character did. The ending did wrap things up well so I gave this one 3 stars for that simple fact.

This book grabbed me right away and didn't let go until the end. The characters were - confusing - but that kept me on my toes as I was reading, making sure I knew who was who (and that wasn't easy!). There were a lot of "wait? what?!?!' moments in this book and one surprise after another. I guessed a lot of the shockers before they were revealed but there were a few that I didn't anticipate.

The story is complex and told well - a story of revenge and heartbreak. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this masterful and suspenseful book!

The First to Lie is suspenseful thriller written by bestselling author, and investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan. This is the first book I have read from this author and it did not disappoint.
The book tells a provocative story of a pharmaceutical company who has developed a drug said to help couples suffering from infertility to become pregnant more easily. There are physicians who work with the company are seeing patients looking for a miracle. What these physicians aren’t telling their patients before starting treatment is that in some cases patients will have an allergic reaction which causes them to be permanently sterile. There is no opportunity for patients to give informed consent. These patients sign a form, but there is no discussion of this allergic reaction life-changing side effect. Simply put, this is completely unethical practice and certainly not out of the scope of reality.
There are several characters who are undercover in trying to investigate the company about this drug. One is an investigative reporter for a news channel and another her next store neighbour and co-worker. The third character is a lawyer who hopes to sue the pharmaceutical company. Further characters are revealed behind the scenes of the pharmaceutical company, including a couple who lead the company and their children and spouses. But not everything is at it seems in the twisted, suspenseful story. It is obvious that one or more of our characters isn’t who we think they are.
I do not want to give any more of the story away. It is a great discussion on the importance of health care consumers having the right and ability to be informed. All I want to say is “Wow”! If you love a suspenseful, twisted novel which will have you guessing all the way through, this book is for you. You will want to devour this book in one sitting, but I highly suggest you don’t. Read it slowly and digest it in all its magnificence. You may want to take notes. To say this is a highly engaging read is an understatement. This may be my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.
Thanks to Netgalley and Forge Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

Hank did it again - kept me guessing who was on whose side 'til the very end with a complex, deceptive story line. Love the personal dive into journalism ethics - should be required reading in J-school. She also created incredibly rich characters who gave me that visceral how-could-you! reaction. Addictive and un-put-downable.

The First To Lie is a stand alone book from Hank Philippi Ryan and I really wanted to loved it after reading so many fantastic reviews. It took me a really long time to get into this story with so many characters and points of view. And the characters all pretending to be someone else did not help. It was really confusing for a long time. In the end it was a good story but hard to stay on track with who was telling it.

It is a story of revenge, of a rich family who own a pharmaceutical company and are selling a so called miracle drug for fertility, preying on desperate women. Mostly told from the point of view of a reporter who is trying to out them publicly. There is so much going on, so many people involved but if you can get it all straight it is a great story

Thanks to Forge books and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book

Hank Phillippi Ryan Is an Author I get excited about when she has a new book.
THE FIRST TO LIE is her latest masterful woven psychological thriller. The characters are riveting and mysterious. The betrayals and secrets kept me guessing until the last page.
I have heard the phrase, “Revenge is a dish best served cold”. After reading THE FIRST TO LIE, I understand why.
This is an amazing story I read in one day. I highly recommend it is just that good!

Hank Phillippi Ryan's best yet. There is so much to love in this book. The description of place that made me feel like I could see and feel it. The ramping up of tension that made me turn the page. Little twists. Big twists. I did not see that coming!

A very interesting and intelligent story about revenge and long buried secrets. Fantastic story. Highly recommended xxx

Nora Quinn is the epitome of a successful sales rep for Pharminex. She visits doctors' offices and sells them Monifan, designed to help stabilize women's moods, but being pushed for off-label use as a way to promote fertility in women who are having difficulties conceiving. Only problem? It will ruin any chance you have of getting pregnant in some women who are allergic. Ellie Berenson has been hired to be an investigative reporter for a new news station in Boston. She arrives at her new apartment, owned by the news station, only to be confronted by Meg Weest, who is also a new hire for the station. Meg gets assigned to help Ellie, which becomes more and more difficult for Ellie to bear.
A long time ago, a woman married her true love and only wanted to have children with him, but her dreams were destroyed when Monifan destroys her future. And then her husband is killed in a yachting accident. Who she becomes will surprise the reader.
Another young woman hates her family and only wants to leave them behind. She changes her name and moves far away and begins a new life. Until she decides to uncover the truth behind her parents' company.
Deception and lies will destroy lives when these women clash and only one will remain. Great intrigue as only Ryan can write.

I received this e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first of Hank Phillippi Ryan's books that I have read. I enjoyed the story. It was well=paced, and had a number of twists and turns. I'd look for another book by this author.

Wow!!! What a ride that was! I am at a complete loss of words right now. Twists like you wouldn't believe and even when you think you've guessed it, you're wrong.

What starts out as a young reporter trying to uncover a huge pharmaceutical error that was rendering women sterile and unable to have children, turns into a game of cat and mouse where people are actually dying. Now it's up to Ellie to figure out what's going on before she ends up dead.

But remember, no one is who you think they are. Trust no one.

This is a wonderful book. At first, I didn't know who was lying. Then I thought one person was, but then I thought maybe two people were untruthful. Oh, yeah, I got it figured out. What? No way. I was wrong! You must read this book. So many twists and red herrings. You'll love every page.

So entertaining and twisty. I just thought I had the story worked out and Wham! another twist! A large pharmaceutical company makes fertility drugs that actually cause infertility. A reporter wants to make this public. Thrilling and chilling!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The First To LIe
Hank Phillippi Ryan
August 4, 2020

Many people suffered the problems due to the million dollar drug company, Pharminex. Their slogan was Pharminex Loves Women. Their product was Monifan. The claim was it helped to women to get pregnant and/or keep them from miscarriage. Desperate people spend so much money and risk their lives to have the child their bodies never allowed them to have.
Nora Quinn managed to get into Pharminex as a salesman dispensing the drug to obstetricians. Her first visit was with Dr. Douglas Hawkins. She sat in the waiting room patiently observing the women who hope for a miracle from Dr. Hawkins. Although company rules prohibited her from speaking with patients she felt that perhaps a casual conversation with the woman in the seat across from her. Nora felt this woman might help to provide a start in her quest for information about what Monifan.
Ellie Berensen was a reporter for News Channel 11. Her producer assigned her to a major story on Pharminex and the cruel side effects women were prone to have from Monifan. In many cases in the quest to remain pregnant, the drug caused damage to the reproductive system and left them sterile. This investigation needed top security as the family that owned Pharminex, Winton and Brinn Vanderwaldt would stop at nothing to continue marketing the drug.
As I read, discovering more characters and the role they played on either side of the Pharminex history, I wondered who was The First To LIe. Phillippi Ryan’s story continued to introduce us to many characters that could easily confuse the reader if they did not pay attention to the plot and the family history. I very much enjoyed this mystery, my first novel from Hank Phillippi Ryan. She is well known on the bestseller lists and after completing the book I understand why.
The First To Lie will be published on August 4, 2020 by FORGE, A Tom Doherty Associates Book from New York. I appreciate the publisher sending me a copy of The First To Lie to read and review via NetGalley, truly an excellent novel. This is one mystery lovers should not miss.

The build up in this suspense read was excellent. While I had some inkling who was lying, I didn't guess most of the characters' true identities. It was an engrossing, page-turner from start to finish. Entertaining read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader's copy.

I could not put this book down. Though there are plenty of characters to keep track of in this story, it was not overwhelming and held my attention until the end.

The story seamlessly shifts back and forth during two time periods revealing the stories of several characters.. Even though I had some strong ideas of what was going on, it still had me guessing until everyone and everything was revealed, and still managed a couple of twists that took me by surprise.

I really appreciate that Hank Phillippi Ryan is able to write a wonderful book without loads of profanity, violence, or sex. It is a book that I am comfortable recommending to anyone.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TheFirsttoLie in exchange for an honest review.

This book started so well with possible conspiracy theories linked to a huge pharmaceutical company.

However, I found the story and the Boston background well written but so confusing. Each central character changed identities and then their individual POV's making it more so.

In all, too many flashbacks and too ambitious for me. Why couldn't Nora just investigate on her own?

Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books for the chance to read and review.

I will definitely be purchasing a hard copy of this at publishing or the kindle version, it was that good. Obsession, lies, revenge, deceit and all revolves around the Big Pharma ? Yes, please. I didn't have high hopes for this because I have read so many predictable thrillers this year, but THIS NOT ONE OF THEM! Are secrets the same as lies is a recurring question i had throughout this book, I let other readers figure that one out. You think you know how this will end, but you really have no idea.

I highly recommend this as one of the must read thrillers, you won't be sorry and do not listen to the naysayer, they are completely wrong,

Thanks to Netgalley, Hank Phillippi Ryan and MacMillian-Tor Forge Forge Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 8/4/20