Book Blurb:
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.
My Review: 3.75 stars
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston lives up to the crazy hype this book received in that it was a twisted game of cat and mouse. The shockers were real and kept this reader guessing from the start.
You may know that I’m not a huge suspense/mystery reader, but I always ending up reading about a dozen of them every year. This one had Charlie’s Angels vibes as the person giving her instructions and “jobs” was unknown to her. He was known to her as Mr. Smith, and she continued working for him as it was a way to make money. Well, usually, often it was hairy. When she caught feeling for one of her marks, the lines began to blur and Mr. Smith brought other players into his web to teach Evie a lesson. Everyone is a suspect and no one can trust anyone.
Interestingly, the characters weren’t very likable, which in a way made them more realistic and relatable. With a large cast of characters and a lot of surprises along the way, I was entertained and very curious to find out how the story would conclude. It all came together in the end with a satisfying and believable ending.
Quotes I liked:
She learned the only person you could trust, the only person you could truly rely on, was yourself.”
“There’s an old saying: The first lie wins. It’s not referring to the little white kind that tumble out with 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.”
“No one gossips more than God-fearing, casserole-toting women.”
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