The First to Lie is a riveting twisty novel of lies, deception, and revenge! This book takes us in to the world of a pharmaceutical company who becomes the target of an investigation of an intrepid reporter. It was fascinating to read about all the ins and outs of investigative reporting, as well as the inner-workings of big pharma. At the heart, this book is about women who yearn for just one thing--to be able to have a family of their own--women who are desperate enough to do whatever it takes to make that happen--and a company that promises to do that for them. My head was spinning with all the subterfuge that wove through this finely crafted story!

This was a book with a lot of good twists and turns. It kept me guessing to the end. Really enjoyable!

Hank Phillipi Ryan always delivers the thrills. I loved The Murder List so I was very excited to read this book! In this well-crafted mystery, a pharmaceutical company may be manufacturing fertility drugs that actually make women infertile. Ryan brings her journalistic knowledge to bear in this description of what goes on inside Big Pharma. It also has a parallel story from an alternate narrator about a long-ago family drama that becomes important to the plot.

There were crazy twists and double twists in this book. I saw a lot of them coming but they were still very thrilling and well executed. I wasn’t as interested in the family drama aspect as I was in the mystery at Pharminex but eventually they came together in a great way. While I think I like Ryan’s legal thrillers a bit better, this was still a very well-plotted mystery that is very much worth your time. If you like well-written and page-turning mysteries, Ryan is a writer you should not miss.

Thanks to MacMillian, NetGalley and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. I’m excited to read more Hank Phillipi Ryan!

Really enjoy books by Hank Philippi Ryan.Her latest kept me turning the pages staying up late to finish the story.Tense chilling multi layered #netgalley#macmillan

My first time reading Hank Philippi Ryan and she did not disappoint! This is a real page turner that will keep you guessing and second guessing until the end.

A pharmaceutical giant whose greed and deceit are ruining peoples lives. The desire for revenge by those who have been hurt knows no bounds and they will go to great lengths to achieve it.
A cast of literally changing characters (who all lie) will keep you on your toes and engrossed in the twisty plot set in Boston.

This took a while to get into. I started it about 3 times before I could get engaged. Also, it was easy to figure out who was who, even with all the red herrings. As a fan of Ryan I’d recommend it...the Boston descriptions are also worth it but I’m not sure it’s one that would engage new Ryan readers.

Nora is a Pharminex rep who secretly wants to take down the company who has been lying to and harming women. Ellie is a reporter also trying to take down Pharminex. She has connected with a lawyer working a lawsuit against the drug company. Ellie’s new assistant Meg seems overeager and kind of untrustworthy. Is Pharminex responsible for the death of a patent and a rep? Can they all uncover the truth?

A twisting story that has you guessing who is lying and who is telling the truth.

This was a super entertaining read. Had lots of twists I wasn’t expecting, so kept me interested until the end. I enjoyed several of this authors books, but this was my favorite so far. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced reading copy.

Thank you so much to Hank Phillippi Ryan, NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan, for an advanced copy for an honest review.

This book started off and I was already being invested and ready to finish this one as quick as possible, but truly didn't want it to end after all.

I incorrectly guessed multiple times, at exactly what was going on in this book, but I never was correct and at the end of the book, this blew me out of the water. I absolutely loved how Hank Phillippi Ryan started and finished this book, and was able to keep me guessing from start to finish. This read truly shows how life can be a vicious circle, and how everything can come back around again and again.

Love, love, love this one, and I can't wait for the next book by Hank Phillippi Ryan.

At first I was so confused they were so many characters to grasp but as the plot progressed I began to understand and I fell in love with the plot. It's a story about deception. There is Nora a redhead who is overconfident and who has an agenda when she gets a job as a sales representative of one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies ever and that fertility bomb(truth or fiction), Ellie the ambitious reporter and Lacey the mean girl in my head 😂😂 Overally the book was one rollercoaster ride that will blow you away(hold on to your hats)

I don’t read a lot of suspenseful type books. They’re just not my thing. But I didn’t know what to expect, and I’d heard good things about the author. This book did not disappoint.

It kept me on edge, especially once I got all the characters straight in my mind. Nora, Ellie, Meg, Lacey, Brooke ... there were a lot of girls/women to keep straight. The story is told from several different perspectives. It also has some flashbacks to an earlier time.

I did not expect any of the twists that happened in this book. The things that I thought I knew, well, I was wrong. The book has complex characters. The story is well written and keeps you going from page to page

Oh my gosh what a crazy ride!! This book grabbed me from the beginning and kept my brain guessing until the last page! So well crafted and a host of fun characters.
Always enjoy her writing style. Great read and I highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Superb! Wow, this novel has the twists and turns of a carnival ride! I loved it! The author has created fantastically deep and intriguing characters. Readers will be blown away!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

WOW. I don't even know where to begin with this book... Definitely a thrilling read with twists and turns at every corner. There were so many WTF moments in this book that I couldn't believe what I was reading.

The story is about a journalist who tries to expose a pharmaceutical scandal by going undercover and reinventing herself as a completely different person. We follow a story about wealth and greed, learning that the people very close to her are not who she thinks they are...

I really enjoyed the character development in this book. I could definitely relate with the main character (Ellie) and found that every single emotion came through in the writing. I couldn't force myself to finish this book in one sitting as I found the storyline overwhelming and needed to take breaks. The reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is because I found the story line confusing and slightly exaggerated at times due to the number of characters as well as the flipping between the past and present. A slightly challenging read but definitely worth it in the end as all becomes clear.

As always, an excellent addition to the thriller genre from Hank Phillippi Ryan. A recommended purchase for collections where the genre is popular.

Ryan is a genius at twisty, suspenseful writing! I felt the same way about this book as I do when all of my necklaces get tangled up in my jewelry box...I'm never going to get this untangled!

A daughter of privilege and wealth betrayed by the people who should have loved and protected her wants revenge and to get it she will have to be someone else.

A young, heartbroken widow. Betrayed in the same way.

A reporter trying to take down a big pharma company touting a drug that has horrific side effects. And doing it any way she can.

All it takes is a lie. But who will be the first to lie? And are any of them who they claim to be? And when the truth does come out, will one of them be the first to die?

Another crazy, suspense-filled tangle of a thriller!

NetGalley/ August 4th, 2020 by Forge Books/MacMillan





Ryan is a genius at twisty, suspenseful writing! I felt the same way about this book as I do when all of my necklaces get tangled up in my jewelry box...I'm never going to get this untangled!

A daughter of privilege and wealth betrayed by the people who should have loved and protected her wants revenge and to get it she will have to be someone else.

A young, heartbroken widow. Betrayed in the same way.

A reporter trying to take down a big pharma company touting a drug that has horrific side effects. And doing it any way she can.

All it takes is a lie. But who will be the first to lie? And are any of them who they claim to be? And when the truth does come out, will one of them be the first to die?

Another crazy, suspense-filled tangle of a thriller!

NetGalley/ August 4th, 2020 by Forge Books/MacMillan

A flawlessly written mystery with twists around every corner, The First To Lie is a timely story about deceit, justice and revenge, all centered around the devastation wrought by a large pharmaceutical company and the family that owns it. Addictive and utterly compelling, Ryan has crafted a story that is ferociously smart and tightly plotted. You won’t want to put this one down until you’ve reached the final gasp-worthy conclusion!

Thank you to Net Galley and McMillan-Tor Forge for the e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. Sometimes revenge is all anyone can see. In this case, the main character is willing to risk everything to get revenge. But, at what price?

In THE FIRST TO LIE, Hank Phillippi Ryan delivers a mystery plotting masterclass that had me guessing (incorrectly) right up until the end. Expert pacing, richly drawn characters, and seamless storytelling are just some of the ingredients that make this novel impossible to put down. Fabulous!

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We all have our reasons for being who we are―but what if being someone else could get you what you want?⁣
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After a devastating betrayal, a young woman sets off on an obsessive path to justice, no matter what dark family secrets are revealed. What she doesn’t know―she isn’t the only one plotting her revenge.⁣
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An affluent daughter of privilege. A glamorous manipulative wannabe. A determined reporter, in too deep. A grieving widow who must choose her new reality. Who will be the first to lie? And when the stakes are life and death, do a few lies really matter?⁣
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