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dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
4.5
Didn't know what to expect going into this book, but it definitely lived up to the hype. Every time I picked up this book, I was given curveball after curveball as you untangle the complicated webs that surround Evie and her line of work. This type of intricacy could throw off some readers, but I felt that Elston did a great job with executing the unraveling of Evie's career with Mr. Smith and what she ultimately wants from her life. Wanting to know what happens next, this is the kind of book you can get lost in.
Evie was an interesting main character and I think she's the perfect narrator for readers who want morally grey woman MCs and don't mind the idea of FMCs getting their hands dirty. I also felt that Elston was thorough with the overall development of Evie's character, especially when you get flashbacks into why Evie got into her line of work and her experiences working for Mr. Smith before the events of First Lie Wins. Though there were few side characters, I thought that the side characters that were there truly made an impact with examining these different sides of Evie as well as stand out on their own.
For readers looking for intricately-webbed thrillers with a morally grey FMC that will leave you guessing until the very end, this is a book you should keep your eye on.
Evie was an interesting main character and I think she's the perfect narrator for readers who want morally grey woman MCs and don't mind the idea of FMCs getting their hands dirty. I also felt that Elston was thorough with the overall development of Evie's character, especially when you get flashbacks into why Evie got into her line of work and her experiences working for Mr. Smith before the events of First Lie Wins. Though there were few side characters, I thought that the side characters that were there truly made an impact with examining these different sides of Evie as well as stand out on their own.
For readers looking for intricately-webbed thrillers with a morally grey FMC that will leave you guessing until the very end, this is a book you should keep your eye on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Car accident, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Cancer
kelisabeth's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
coffeekitaab's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
I remember reading the blurb of this a while ago but when I went to pick it up, I had forgotten and I'm glad as this one really took me by surprise.
Ashley Elston's "First Lie Wins" is a slick and twisted story of deception and disguises where no one can be trusted and readers will be on edge from start to finish. We meet Evie Porter, a seemingly perfect Southern girl with a wholesome life. In actual fact —Evie Porter doesn't exist. Evie adopts new guises as a covert asset handler for "Mr. Smith", an enigmatic boss whom Evie has never met and their only communication is via calls he makes using a voice distortion software. When feelings for her latest mark, Ryan Sumner, start to develop, Evie finds herself battling between her professional obligations and personal emotions. Before long, Evie finds herself caught in her own web of deceit and multiple players are out to catch her red handed. The only rule: the first lie wins.
This is my first read by Ashley Elston and I was invested in this unique story. Elston is fantastic in penning out the premise and creating a quick-thinking, fierce and intriguing protagonist. I really enjoyed Evie's duality and the use of previous "jobs" as chapters to show how Evie starts out and advances in her career, her morality and compassion whilst she juggles her emotions with the tasks humanises her and adds depth to the narrative.
The supporting characters are all well developed and add significant meaning to the story - I say this to the point I was rooting for Evie and one of the bad guys before the unexpected plot twist at the end so this book definitely keeps you on your toes! Ryan and Evie's chemistry and romance was a welcome relief to the fast paced cat and mouse chasing and tension and I enjoyed the way their angle was dealt with in the book.
The only reason for the story not being a five star for me (but very close!) is I felt it may have been slightly too long/required further editing but that does not take away from the reading experience as I overall enjoyed this book alot and finished it in a couple of days! I would absolutely recommend it for readers who are looking for a gripping psychological suspense and mystery with a twist.
Thank you @Netgalley and @HeadlineBooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest unedited review.
Ashley Elston's "First Lie Wins" is a slick and twisted story of deception and disguises where no one can be trusted and readers will be on edge from start to finish. We meet Evie Porter, a seemingly perfect Southern girl with a wholesome life. In actual fact —Evie Porter doesn't exist. Evie adopts new guises as a covert asset handler for "Mr. Smith", an enigmatic boss whom Evie has never met and their only communication is via calls he makes using a voice distortion software. When feelings for her latest mark, Ryan Sumner, start to develop, Evie finds herself battling between her professional obligations and personal emotions. Before long, Evie finds herself caught in her own web of deceit and multiple players are out to catch her red handed. The only rule: the first lie wins.
This is my first read by Ashley Elston and I was invested in this unique story. Elston is fantastic in penning out the premise and creating a quick-thinking, fierce and intriguing protagonist. I really enjoyed Evie's duality and the use of previous "jobs" as chapters to show how Evie starts out and advances in her career, her morality and compassion whilst she juggles her emotions with the tasks humanises her and adds depth to the narrative.
The supporting characters are all well developed and add significant meaning to the story - I say this to the point I was rooting for Evie and one of the bad guys before the unexpected plot twist at the end so this book definitely keeps you on your toes! Ryan and Evie's chemistry and romance was a welcome relief to the fast paced cat and mouse chasing and tension and I enjoyed the way their angle was dealt with in the book.
The only reason for the story not being a five star for me (but very close!) is I felt it may have been slightly too long/required further editing but that does not take away from the reading experience as I overall enjoyed this book alot and finished it in a couple of days! I would absolutely recommend it for readers who are looking for a gripping psychological suspense and mystery with a twist.
Thank you @Netgalley and @HeadlineBooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest unedited review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
mitkarev's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer
mamallama95's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cancer
aruthj's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Quite literally obsessed with this book. I loved it from start to finish. The ending makes me want to read it again and try to pick out little details that may have hinted at the twist. I cannot recommend this book enough
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Violence, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
audreylj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
businesswife's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a good book. This is a fun book with an interesting plot with some twists and turns and the characters are fun and even the premise is fun. But, (large but) as a person who reads thrillers, mysteries, and generally twisty plot books on the reg this is a very predictable book. That does not make it bad. This is a comfy book. This felt good to read, I breezed through it, I could have read it in 2 sittings. So, it short, worth reading but if you read these types of books you will prob also feel a bit predictable about this too. As an entry to this genre it would be a great entry point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Cancer
nahal3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
marielle2003's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent