Evie is living the dream. A handsome and well-off boyfriend, Ryan, who she is about to move in with. What could possibly mar this chapter in her life? Oh, I don’t know, maybe because Evie isn’t her real name and Ryan, well, he is her latest assignment (from her boss, the mysterious Mr. Smith). Yeah, it’s complicated.
Hold onto your book, because nothing in First Lie Wins will be simple to figure out. Most of the story takes place in the now with some chapters that explain how Evie became, well, Evie. So many twists and turns! Devon, who I won’t say much about(spoilers) was also such a great character. An enjoyable weekend read and wouldn’t I just love to see Evie again. I’m being deliberately vague since half the fun was in never knowing what would happen next and I don’t want to give anything important away. 4.5 stars.

An incredible thriller! Wow, this was such a good book! It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and had the best twisty surprises. Fast paced with a great "cat and mouse" type of plot that kept me guessing. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for more from this author!

I found myself very intrigued after reading the first few chapters and it kept me hooked as I got further along. I was surprised by the twist and finished this one within a day. A solid mystery/thriller where I’d read another story by this author.

Fast-paced! Heart-racing! Suspenseful!

Such an excellent mystery/thriller. I had so many questions from the get go and that immediately enticed me. I kept finding myself trying to solve the fmc dilemma of who is her boss, Mr. Smith. It felt so personal with the challenges she was facing on her job and as it comes to the end all of the loose ends get wrapped up so nicely. It was so well written and executed.

This book started off strong and finished just as strong. Even when you think you might have figured out what is going on, there is a surprise in the next chapter.

First Lie Wins follows the story of Evie as she struggles to balance her new relationship and the lies that got her to where she is. Her life gets turned upside down when she is confronted with a blast from her past and she must tangle herself out the web she has weaved if she wants to claim the life she has always wanted.

I actually decided to read this book based on the cover, but I wasn’t sorry. It was one of the best thrillers I read all year. I was immediately drawn into the plot and couldn’t wait to find out what happened.

This was fun! I truly didn’t know where the story was headed and that’s the sign of a good mystery/thriller! I think this has the potential to be a hit when it releases next Winter.

The protagonist, Evie Porter, seemingly has the life she always wanted. She's moving in with her boyfriend into his gorgeous Southern house with a perfect spot for a garden to tend to. What everyone doesn't know is that Evie is very good at hiding her secrets and will do anything to protect them. But she's not the only one with secrets.

This Southern thriller pulled me in from the start all the way to the end! The story line was very appealing and the characters were written in a way that felt exciting to read about. Evie Porter was such an enigma that I kept wanting to know more and was not disappointed. I loved the flashbacks to different parts of her life that led up to the final reveal. The pacing was on point and I never felt the story stalled in any way. The author has a talent for leaving breadcrumbs throughout the book that will keep the reader guessing about what will happen next.

I loved this book and truly hope the author comes out with a sequel!

The title of this thriller was so intriguing that I wanted to read it right away!

Evie Porter lives a lie every day, under aliases provided by her unknown but powerful boss, Mr. Smith. Her risky but lucrative full time job is to secretly act like a spy, get compromising information on targeted individuals that Mr. Smith uses to his advantage.

Evie's real name lives only in her memory though she hopes one day to leave Smith, reclaim it, and be honest about her past growing up poor.

The suspense in the novel comes from the risky ways Evie has to get people's private information. Luckily, she has her own secret - a helper named Devon who is tech savvy and totally loyal to Evie. Suspense is heightened when Evie thinks Smith is targeting her for removal, which means she has to find ways to survive.

I found the plot unusual, entertaining, and the characters very well developed.

Wow, couldn’t put this book down. I almost had it, but in the end I was just close, but not exactly. The amount of intelligence this book took to create was incredible. There were so many details that could have led to dead ends but didn’t. Where it was all coming from kept me from ever putting it down, I just had to know who was being so clever and why? The protagonist was even made out to be so real with real feelings even though she covered it well. It kept you rooting for her. I’ve already recommended this books to everyone that reads this genre and can’t wait until it comes out. This one will see big, at least by me!

I really enjoyed this book and think my students will as well. A complicated woman with a job to do, a woman who shows up with her name and almost her face. A mysterious very dangerous boss. A love interest who is also a mark. A lot to work with. I esp liked the first part of the book and did like how it resolved 4.5

"First Lie Wins" by Ashley Elston is an absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the very first page! Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down—its gripping narrative kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly wanting to know more. Every chapter brought new revelations and unexpected twists, leaving me eager to uncover the truth behind Evie Porter's mysterious identity and her mission.

The author's skillful storytelling and well-crafted characters made the reading experience immersive and intense.

"First Lie Wins" is a high-stakes thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. The unpredictability of the story kept me turning pages late into the night, eager to uncover each thrilling twist and turn. The fast-paced narrative and heart-pounding suspense left me breathless, and I can confidently say this is a book I'll be recommending to all my fellow book lovers. If you're looking for a suspenseful and adrenaline-pumping read that you won't be able to put down, look no further than "First Lie Wins"!

This was a bit of an unexpected like for me. I enjoyed the twisted, sort of missing identity storyline -- it came across as a spy thriller and kept me on my toes the whole time. Truthfully I did not find the characters to be particularly likeable, but it didn't detract from the story at all. I think the overly confident main character and the vibes of a person able to be a chameleon in modern day society reminded me of the TV shows "Dollhouse" and "Nikita".

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of First Lie Wins.

Evie Porter is a ghost in her own life. When her mysterious boss calls, she travels to a different city for a new job.

She assumes a new identity, a new look, and learns everything she can about her mark.

Once she obtains her objective, it's on to the next job.

Ryan Sumner is her current mark and the job seems simple enough. Until it isn't.

Then, Evie implements a new plan because the only person who can look out for you is you.

This started out well, getting to know Evie, why she was evasive and not keen to divulge any details about her life.

The flashbacks provided necessary exposition into how she started working with Mr. Smith and his team.

Then, it started to veer into the hard-to-suspend-disbelief category; how she found a loyal and expert IT guy in Devon, how she could run rings around Mr. Smith.

I don't doubt Evie has some street smarts but I just can't see her taking down someone like Mr. Smith, who is so mysterious and has so many contacts and people working for him that no one could see what Evie was up to?

The flashbacks and exposition started to drag the pacing of the narrative, especially at the end when Evie gives Mr. Smith his comeuppance.

I'm also not sure about her and Ryan coupling up.

I never believed their relationship was genuine; there was no chemistry, no rapport, no true connection between them except they're both thieves and involved in illegal activities.

The writing was good, and Evie was a decent character. I didn't dislike her but I didn't love her.

I liked the premise but the narrative began to drag towards the end and became more difficult to suspend disbelief as it went on.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. I tried several times and it just was not interesting to me.

I LOVED this one! The entire book kept me guessing while being so entertaining. Reminds me a little of the tv show Imposters. I can’t wait to see what else this author comes up with! Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this great thriller!

First Lie Wins
Ashley Elston
Pub Date: Jan. 9: 2024
Pamela Dorman
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Loved this book and will be recommending it! The plot was unique, main characters were complicated and I was rooting for them. I was excited to see Elston move up from YA to adult. If you like thrillers this book is for you!
5 stars

Loved this book. It was such a great cat & mouse kind of plot, trying to figure out what everyone’s motives were, and a lot of intriguing con job stories. If you like mysteries with multiple timelines and aliases, then this is a book you could enjoy. With subtle initial tones, right from the start, about false intentions and identities, it's one of those stories you just don't want to put down! SO good just wish it was longer!

I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and easy to read. The ending was great and had me guessing. I will definitely recommend this book to others once it hits the shelves!

Evie Porter has just moved in with her handsome boyfriend, Ryan. They are happy, in love, and excited to begin their lives together. Unfortunately, they are both hiding secrets that threaten to destroy more than just their relationship. Evie is not who she says she is, and Ryan is far from the squeaky-clean businessman he appears to be. When a woman named Lucca shows up, she threatens to destroy everything Evie has worked hard to protect, including her life.

This book was a thrilling ride from start to finish! The plot is unique, and I had no idea where the story was going. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in 2 days. It is easily the best book I’ve read in a long time. I loved the complexities of the main characters (Evie, Ryan, and Devon) and was rooting for them to win.