First Lie Wins
Ratings189
Average rating4
I really enjoyed “First Lie Wins”! This book is different from what I'm used to, but it turned out to be a quick read and an absolute page-turner—I finished it in a single day! The private investigator vibes added a fun twist, drawing me into the mystery from the get-go.
The intricate plot and morally complex characters completely captivated me. Right from the start, I was pulled into a web of lies and deceit, making for a thrilling ride that kept me guessing until the end. The main character's twisting nature and her alibis are as intricate as the plot itself. I found her both fascinating and frustrating; just when I thought I had a handle on her motivations, the narrative would flip, revealing new layers and truths that kept me on my toes.
Ashley Elston does a phenomenal job of crafting a suspenseful atmosphere, with each chapter peeling back more layers of the protagonist's life. The way her alibis unfold—some plausible, others questionable—adds to the tension. I often found myself questioning not only her actions but also the reliability of the people around her. Who can you trust when everyone has something to hide? This theme of deception runs throughout the novel, creating a sense of unease that lingered long after I put the book down.
The pacing is spot-on, with each twist and turn leading to unexpected revelations that kept my heart racing. I appreciated how Elston balanced the suspense with deeper emotional moments, allowing readers to connect with the characters on a personal level. The exploration of trust, betrayal, and the lengths people go to protect themselves made for a thought-provoking read.
Overall, “First Lie Wins” is a gripping psychological thriller that had me hooked from beginning to end. If you're a fan of complex characters and mind-bending plots, I highly recommend picking up this book. It's a wild ride that will keep you guessing, leaving you to ponder the fine line between truth and deception long after you've turned the last page!
WOW! Just wow. I think the only thing that made this a 4 star instead of a 5 star is I listened to this as an audiobook. I'm certain if I read this in book form it would be an easy 5 stars. This has to be one of the best psychological thrillers I've ever read. The back and forth between aliases throws you for a loop but it is so well written, you don't get lost. The very end made me laugh. SO SO GOOD!
This book had me hooked!! Such a fast paced read and great twists and turns. Highly recommend!!
This book hooked me and didn't let go. I loved that she labeled the chapters so you could keep up with time changes and “characters.” I will be reading more of her books. Think I may have found a new author to binge!! I thought I had this figured out...I did not.
I never go into a book thinking I'll dislike it, but sometimes I'm on the fence if I will love it or not. This was one of those books because it's not my typical kind of thriller, but I was very wrong; I LOVED this. It was so full of twists and turns that I didn't want to put it down until the last sentence.
4.5
This is no doubt a 5 star book, it was character driven as well as plot and the MC was loveable in my opinion and I was rooting for her. I thought I had the twist figured out then I was shocked because I didnt guess it and I loved the way things tied up at the end.
that was amazing maybe its the only thriller that i want a second book of..perfect honestly
Could not get into the jumping back and forth, was boring and couldn't keep the story straight
Expected this to be some "light, exciting action with unexpected twists" and that was kinda what I got. Enjoyable and quick read. Did not like the ending for some reason.
I found this book pretty easy to read and exciting...(read within a few days)!! You almost feel just as alone as Lucca as she's navigating this life she has found herself in. The way the chapters are organized and pieces of information are revealed at the right moment is very clever. I feel satisfied and wanting more after every chapter. I love Lucca's complex character. She has heart, she wants community, she misses her past/mom (though imperfect), she even tries to save the people in her jobs. The connections she forges makes her a likable character. The reader can't help but root for her! By the end of the book, becoming Miss Smith, was a cool full circle moment but I was also left wondering if that's something “Evie” would actually want? To continue the work of the boss she hated? Maybe she made the jobs to her liking? Part of me was hoping she would leave the criminal life, as she told Devon, but maybe it's all she knows and that's the real kicker. The dream ending of any “gray” moral character, riding off in the sunset with your shady boyfriend doing shady things with your shady friends (lol).
Anyway, overall, I thought it was great writing! I would definitely recommend to any of my friends who want a good, fast paced, mystery novel to get through! Five stars!
Contains spoilers
When I read the acknowledgements at the end of a book, you know I loved it.
This review contains major spoilers on the events of the book. Seriously, do not click to reveal the spoilers if you plan on reading it.
I loved this one. I haven't had the "it's 2 in the morning but I want to keep reading" experience in such a long time. The pacing of this book is incredible: I was terrified at first when I saw it jumped from present to different points in the past quite often, worried I wouldn't be able to follow the timeline. But it wasn't the case at all. The author did a great job of moving between timelines and introducing a bunch of distinct characters (I only had a hard-ish time remembering which one was Mitch and which one was Marshall when they were mentioned, but that's a me problem with same-initial names). I was delighted to find that every single flashback served its purpose and was tied to the current timeline events in some way.
I genuinely liked all of the characters. Lucca won me over from page one. Smart characters who can outsmart others are my weakness; as for Rachel, I liked her from the very first time she shows she can read Lucca more than most people. I really wish there was a final scene with her before the ending. I liked George. Well, up to a certain point. I even liked Devon despite him being a bit of a stereotype - your typical "I'm in" hacker guy, but I loved him anyway; really enjoyed Amy as well. I knew she was alive and well when it became clear that Lucca was the one to set the hotel room on fire - to use cliché words: Lucca is many things, but she's not a murderer. When Amy takes the Porter last name at the end of the book? My heart.
Now, for the main twist of the book: oh. my. god. What a ride. So, quite early in the book there's this scene where we learn that Ryan is a little shady, right? Well, more than just a little. And my mind went "please don't let him be Mr. Smith". Not because I particularly cared about Ryan (but more on that later), but because I wasn't a fan of the idea he was actually her boss and had faked such a contrived plan for *reasons*. So when Lucca listens in on him talking to George and assumes Ryan is indeed Mr. Smith, I was so disappointed. Disappointed that the book's major twist did not surprise me one bit. Annnnd I was wrong. What a well-executed red herring. I was indeed very surprised when Mr. Smith's actual identity was revealed. And it was in front of my face! All along!
To be honest, I am not too sure I buy that a guy like Mr. Smith, who supposedly has an extensive network and perfect organization, could be uncovered relatively easily. And also, the name thing... I know it's the concept of "being hidden in plain sight" but that just sounds extremely sloppy to me. To be fair, their plan took four years to come to fruition, so I understand it wasn't actually "easy", but it kinda appeared that way.
I enjoyed the latter part of the book so much. I think the author did a good job of filling in the blanks without it looking like a big exposition from the main character. There were also little hints here and there throughout the book that make sense when everything is wrapped up.
And yeah I don't know what this book did to my brain but for some reason I started caring about Lucca and Ryan's relationship at some point, probably because it felt genuine and it was the only other thing - besides Devon - that brought parts of the real Lucca to light. I liked their reunion at the end, their starting over. The fact that he has the garden thing in progress when she goes to see him? Aw man.
It wasn't a perfect book, some things did require suspension of disbelief for the sake of enjoyment, but the writing and characters made it quite easy, and I'm actually sad I'm already done reading it. Can't wait to see what the author does next!
This book is a fantastic thriller. It does not have your typical whodunnit plot, which seems to be the premise every thriller being published these days.
First Lie Wins is about a woman named Evelyn Porter. Her childhood did not have some memorable moments rather filled with deceit. Years later, she seems to have a stable life with her boyfriend Ryan Sumner. At least that's what you would think. But, Evelyn Porter isn't her real name. And Ryan isn't her boyfriend but a mere assignment. Her assignment gets locked in jeopardy when she is at crossroads with her past. Why she is with Ryan, who endangers her assignment and why she does what she does is the remainder of the story.
You should definitely read this one for a different take on the thriller genre. I have been bored to death with every thriller book having the central theme of a dead body and who the killer is. Although it has similar plot points throughout, I must say Ashley Elston has done a commendable job in captivating the readers from the get-go. It does not have any mind-blowing twists but it is definitely worth a read!
Great, great fun! Wasn't ever really sure what was truly happening and the jumps between the past and present kept me on my toes.
Fun thriller to fill my rainy days! Good for a beach read or a quick reading slump solution.
Took me a bit to get started into this one, but once I got a good third of the way, I really started to enjoy it. I love a good game of cat and mouse, but this is not a book I would have chosen to read myself. (Thank you book club.)
《SPOILERS》
My main critic is that the real cat and mouse isn't introduced into the mix until a third of the way into the book. Once the police become involved in Lucca's life, the pace really starts to pick up and the plot becomes interesting. I really enjoyed all of the different characters and their interactions. After the reveal of the main cat/mouse game, I'm not shocked at all by the hints that are dropped as foreshadowing. I was pleasantly surprised that practically all plot points are wrapped up nicely. I would have loved to see Lucca go back and check on the kid from her first job, especially given how important the paper crane ended up playing a role in the story. Felt disappointed that we didn't get to see him as a teen thriving with his dad.
Quick read.
Great characters. I like the way everything was tied together.
I get confused on these back and forth books, but this one wasn't so bad. In print, it might be less confusing. In the audiobook, I found that I missed a few spots where she switched, but once I went back and listened again, it was more clear.
Also, these characters are so foreign to me. I would never think about doing anything like this. I don't have the fortitude or the “hootzpa” to be able to do things like this. So, the story is a stretch, but still a very enjoyable read.
2.5 ⭐️
I wanted to be surprised but the ending was predictable, I guessed halfway through. The ending was disappointing and the premise was really great but I was let down I don't regret reading it but I wouldn't strongly recommend it, there's better options.
What I did enjoy was hearing about the characters history through some time jumps and some of the scheming did really come together in a way that I was surprised by.
Lots of twists and turns, Great ending, one of the best books I've read this year! DN
This is the first physical book I've read in a long time. I started it yesterday and stayed up to finish it. It was fun and compelling.
Espionage, mystery, and high stakes situations under a carefully curated lie.
This exceeded all my expectations. I didn't anticipate I'd enjoy this as much as I did as it's not a genre I often reach for, but it hooked me early on. Once it did, I couldn't put it down.
The Plot: Non linear timeline. The characters' actions, both past and present, are truly what drive the narrative forward so you're not really getting details that don't directly serve the plot. Sometimes this makes it feel like things are happening in a giant sandbox, despite being set in multiple times and locations. It's meticulously plotted out and comes together in a satisfying end.
The Characters: Due to the fact that the main character is living under a false identity and trying to remain detached emotionally from the people within it, you really don't get a sense of who she is. Other characters feel equally flat as they really get boiled down to the information Evie has gathered about them. If the plot hadn't grabbed me the characters would not have been developed enough to get me to finish it. It does get better as you get further into the story but I didn't really feel attached to any of them until close to the end.
The Pacing: It's a quick read. You get important information often enough that it keeps the momentum going. The flashbacks are usually big moments that tie into the present day chapters around it so it flows nicely and doesn't feel like you're being held back from the main plot.
The Writing: The writing was pretty average for me. Nothing stuck out (good or bad).
I don't think I'd reread it, just because a lot of the interest comes from not knowing what's coming next, but I would definitely recommend it for someone looking for an easy to read, fast paced spy novel.