Quick Synopsis

Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

Publisher’s Synopsis

The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes–especially after what happened last time.

Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher–but then, Evie has always liked a challenge…

Book Review

If the official blurb (and Reese’s stamp of approval) makes you think this is just your typical domestic thriller, I am here to set the record straight. I am so over domestic thrillers full of miscommunication and unstable women. And First Lie Wins is not that at all. Instead, this novel is a puzzle that unfolds around a cunning professional con woman who sets her sights on a Southern gentleman.⁣
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First Lie Wins is Ashley Elston’s debut adult novel about Evie Porter, a fun heroine who puts herself and her job first (yet is likeable). This action-packed thriller is full of scheming, twists, and even a little fuck-the-rich energy thrown in. While a majority of the narrative is told in the present, Elston allows readers glimpses of Evie’s past. As I mentioned above, it is so refreshing to read a thriller that does not depict the female lead as dumb, naïve, or terribly flawed. Evie is a sly, smart character who can think on her feet, which she needs to do often, and has emotions. ⁣
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First Lie Wins is a relatively fast-paced novel that will quickly grab your attention. Despite Elston’s choice to use flashbacks to Evie’s past, the pacing was even and brisk. This book is delightfully filled with Easter eggs. First Lie Wins was a little predictable at times, but I think most will be surprised several times throughout the story. I particularly appreciated Elston’s attention to detail that left no glaring plot holes despite the narrative’s complexity.⁣

Often with thrillers, authors skim past character development. However, First Lie Wins has solid character development that will have you cheering for the morally grey characters. In particular, Evie feels like a fully fleshed person. I also loved Evie’s male tech geek sidekick, who readers are able to get to know despite his brief appearance on page.

Overall, First Lie Wins is the female equivalent to a spy thriller (without the political espionage). It is a fun, binge-able book that you should pick up. And it has already been optioned for a TV series!⁣

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Character Development