Reviews with content warning for Car accident - First Lie Wins

This is a well-written and constructed story about a con woman whose motivations the reader learns only over the course of the story. I like that the main character, Evie Porter, is an intelligent and cunning woman who, although her livelihood may be unsavory, is admirable as a grounded woman who can think on her feet and is able to cultivate strong relationships.

This is a story where it's known right away that not everything is as it seems, and clues of what's really happening are revealed leisurely as the story unfolds. It seems that all the primary characters have secrets and a lot of them are out to get the other. Although the characters are interesting and fit the story well, I never warmed to any of them so I wasn't as invested in reading the book as much as I would've liked.

All this said, I think this is a good story and has enough reveals to keep the reader turning the pages to find out what comes next or get a better understanding of what the heck is going on!

I listened to the audiobook and feel the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did an excellent job voicing both the primary and peripheral characters, especially the females.

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hesticht's review

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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anissawren's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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juanat77's review

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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beckyremillard's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I went into this one pretty blind but enjoyed it quite a bit more than I expected to.

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nadiamasood's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I strongly recommend diving into this blind! Resist the urge to sneak a peek at the blurb or book jacket, and steer clear of any summaries. Also, for maximum enjoyment, this book demands a profound suspension of disbelief. All good? Let's continue.

I loved First Lie Wins! It's fast-paced and action-driven. There are con artists, morally grey characters, secret identities, mysteries unfolding, and did I mention lots of secrets?

There’s an old saying: The first lie wins. It’s not referring to the little white kind that tumbles out with little to no thought; it refers to the big one. The one that changes the game. The one that is deliberate. The lie that sets the stage for everything that comes after it. And once the lie is told, it’s what most people believe to be true. The first lie has to be the strongest. The most important.

Evie Porter, our main character, is already my favorite. She's smart, brave, and kind. I think her character is nicely fleshed out, and the dual flashbacks give depth to her character as we get to know her better.

While some readers may find the dual timeline, numerous aliases, and character names a bit confusing, I had no trouble keeping up when I listened to the audiobook.

The one letdown for me is the lack of insight into Mr. Smith, who is essentially the whole point of this book. Even after the mystery unravels, his character remains unexplored. It would have been a much more satisfying conclusion if we had delved deeper into his story. Nevertheless, I still found the book enjoyable.

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kimveach's review

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adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'd wanted to read an excellent thriller, and this is the one. This book had an interesting protagonist, excellent pacing, helpful flashbacks, and a terrific ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this, even if it kept me up late.

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chloecam's review

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

genuinely loved this - read it in a day

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