“There’s an old saying: The first lie wins. It’s not referring to the little white kind that tumble 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. The one that has to be told.”
My first book review is the latest one I ticked off of my TBR—First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. Released in January 2024, this was January’s selection in Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club. Impressive, right? Then I heard that it was being made into a feature film! It HAS to be pretty good, I thought. I’d been hearing so much chatter about this book in my book club circles and I’m a sucker for a good thriller, so I sacrificed an Audible credit and popped on the headphones. Ready for my Thriller Thoughts? Let’s dive right in!
I’m going to be completely honest: it took me a while to get hooked on this one. It wasn’t until around chapter 8 that I started thinking, “Okay, now this is getting interesting.” I’m surprised I didn’t completely give up before then, but damn am I ever glad I didn’t! As soon as it started to pick up, there were so many things happening it was hard to keep track (in the best way)! Each new twist was as exciting as the one preceding it, some even shocking enough to make me audibly gasp.
The author presents us with 6 different timelines: present day, 4 months ago, 6 months ago, 4 years ago, 6 years ago, and 8 years ago. When we first meet Evie Porter in the present day, we find out that she’s the epitome of a Southern belle. She has the perfect white picket-fenced home, a loving and doting boyfriend, a great job, and the seemingly ideal lifestyle. But what truly lies beneath the surface?
Evie isn’t real.
Yes, you read that correctly! This part of the story is what got me truly hooked—as the plot progresses, we meet more and more of our protagonist’s aliases from different points in time. During her time as a con artist hired by the cryptic Mr. Smith, she has taken on 6 false identities, inserting herself in the personal lives and businesses of her “marks.” Her most recent mark is Ryan Sumner, a handsome and successful businessman. What Evie soon learns is that his companies actually serve as a front for a more sinister operation, and it’s her job to find out the details by posing as his new live-in girlfriend.
Normally once she finishes a job to Mr. Smith’s satisfaction, it’s Thank You, Next as that alias disappears without a trace and she hits the road—on the run to the next destination and next identity. However, once her former identities start bleeding into one another, that’s where her journey takes a turn. To make matters more complex, she meets a mysterious woman who has taken on HER identity—her real one. Twisty, eh? She’s in for a wild ride as the skills and knowledge she gains with each job are put to the test and she goes rogue, uncovering hidden truths about those close to her, and ensuring her own lies remain hidden.
IMPRESSIONS:
- Slow buildup
- Jumpy timeline
- Exciting & fast-paced plot
- Rooting for the anti-hero
- Unpredictable & shocking ending
Slow Buildup
Yep, it took me 8 chapters to get hooked. 8! Up until that point I had no idea why the author was dragging out Evie’s life and why we were meeting so many random characters. This is just my personal opinion—my preference is to be hooked at the start! However, now that I’ve finished the book I understand the foundation the author was building for us in order to understand more about the main character’s background in those beginning chapters before the plot really takes off. Slow? In my opinion, yes. Warranted? Also yes. We need all the information given in these chapters! Would I sit through those 8 chapters again? Eh, maybe not.
Jumpy timeline
As I mentioned above, throughout the book the author takes us on 6 different timelines: present day, 4 months ago, 6 months ago, 4 years ago, 6 years ago, and 8 years ago. A lot to keep track of? Definitely. The timeline jumped back and forth and at times seemed a little choppy. Some readers don’t prefer the skipping around of timelines but I personally enjoy them when done the right way. It did get a little confusing at times as the flashbacks are nearly every other chapter and we meet a new alias in each flashback, which for some may add to the confusion. They are in consecutive order, however, starting with 8 years ago and the author slowly brings us up to speed with what’s happening in the present day. We can easily view the progression of Evie’s skillset with each new job, and the chronological order of the flashbacks helps immensely when it comes to understanding the ending. For the most part I think the author did a wonderful job at keeping us on track with the storyline.
Exciting & Fast Plot
Despite its slow beginning, as soon as the story began to pick up for me I was absolutely hooked and HAD to keep listening to find out what happens! Each chapter and flashback provided more and more pieces to the puzzle and I don’t use the word addicting often but…it was. I lost track of all the twists and turns (and loved every minute)!
Rooting for the Anti-Hero
Throughout the book I kept thinking to myself, “Am I actually supposed to be rooting for this character?” Look at what she does for a living: infiltrating the lives of seemingly innocent people using an alias and gathering information that she hands over to her employer, who then uses her findings against them. That’s almost the definition of the villain, right? I then remembered that she didn’t choose this life—she just happened to be REALLY good at it. I think that’s what makes her so impressive and I found myself admiring and rooting for her! Is she a hero? Not exactly, but I don’t think she’s quite the villain either. She’s more of an anti-hero, and I love a good anti-hero. She’s great at what she’s been hired to do—so great that she’s a threat to the entire operation itself.
Unpredictable Ending
I do this thing (as I’m sure most of us do) when I read thrillers and mysteries where I challenge myself to see if I can figure out the ending before I get there. This is one of the few books where I was convinced I had it all figured out, but the conclusion hit me out of nowhere! It was completely unpredictable (for me atleast). The author did a fabulous job of not giving too much away for the reader. In fact, the main character was making and implementing decisions as a result of circumstances unbeknownst to the reader, which I always find exciting! As the answers unfolded I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied. Like I mentioned above, there were several plot twists where I audibly gasped. As far as I could tell, the author left no loose ends or plot holes.
Rating: ★★★★☆
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book despite the slow progression in the first few chapters and the jumpy timeline, which is why I took one star off. Do I recommend this thriller? Absolutely. It picked up quickly, kept me hooked, and I couldn’t even predict the ending! A round of applause for the author, Ashley Elston, everyone. As one of the most exciting reads of the years so far, was a hit for me!
Thanks for reading! If you have any thoughts or questions leave a comment below!
Buy First Lie Wins from Amazon here: