First Lie Wins

Author: Ashley Elston
Genre: Thriller, Psychological Thriller
338 pages
Publisher: U.S. Publisher Pamela Dorman Books, 2024

Synopsis
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston is her first novel in the adult psychological Thriller genre. Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, a tight group of friends. The only catch? Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

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 her job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job isn’t like the others. 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.

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.

My review
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston was a mediocre read for me. It started slow, but I was interested enough in the premise, I stayed with it. I’m sure my review will be in the minority since most readers rated this book much higher, but for me it ultimately falls short in execution. First Lie Wins didn’t resonate with me as a psychological thriller; I would categorize it more as a mystery. Recognizing that this is Elston’s debut novel for adults, the writing was straightforward and approachable, yet it seemed geared more toward a young adult audience.

First, let’s talk about the plot. While it initially captured my interest, I found myself having to suspend my disbelief too frequently for the story to truly thrill me. The ending felt hurried, and while it did catch me off guard, it was too implausible to be truly impactful. I prefer thrillers that sprinkle clues throughout, with a few red herrings to keep me guessing. Unfortunately, I managed to unravel the main, and frankly only, twist early on in the narrative.

While the characters initially piqued my interest, they ultimately lacked depth and development. This made it challenging for me to become fully invested in their fates, which is something I typically do when reading thrillers.

Overall, First Lie Wins has its moments of intrigue, but it fails to deliver the satisfying payoff that I would expect from a psychological thriller. While fans of the genre may find some enjoyment in its premise, others may be left feeling underwhelmed by its execution.

My recommendation: skip it.