This is an extremely engrossing read, filled with twists and totally addictive! very clever writing and plotting from this author, a fun read too! One which I highly recommend and an easy 5*. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This twisty-turny cat-and-mouse thriller totally drew me in. The world of subterfuge and secret identities that Evie Porter lives in is cleverly woven. Each direction the plot takes, and each new revelation, is satisfying and nicely unpredictable. I don’t do well with stories that have too many characters, hidden identities, or overly complex plots - and this book managed to hit a perfect balance: intriguing puzzles, a good cast of characters, and an imaginative storyline, but without losing the reader in complexity.

The story kept me turning the pages as each plot point unfolded. The main character, Evie Porter, and he small group of friends and confidantes are very likeable despite the shady business they’re involved in, and I really wanted good outcomes for all of them.

I found the drawing together of the loose ends towards the end of the book immensely satisfying - any details that would have spoiled the plot earlier in the book were so subtly written that I didn’t spot many of them until their importance became obvious as the plot was revealed.

Highly recommended. I’m also very glad to see that there’s a TV adaptation in the works!

Thank you #NetGalley and Headline for the free review copy of #FirstLieWins in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book pulled me in with its premise from the start. Evie Porter is a con artist, she’s been sent on a job to do something unspecified with/to a handsome rich man, Ryan. Evie (not her real name) is on a warning from bosses after a disaster in her last job, so needs to get this right.
What a ride! This is a twisty, devious plot with a killer twist quite early on. Both Evie and Ryan are really likeable, despite being a bit dodgy and so you find yourself really rooting for Evie, especially as it starts to become clear that this may very well be her last job.
I enjoyed this immensely. Is it the best writing ever? No. But it’s such a joyous romp,which I read late into the night. I could only ever give it five stars for pure entertainment value. I hope this is a great success.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

This is intense and makes you read on to find out what is going to happen. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

The name of the book comes from something that Evie says a couple of times about an old saying:
“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”.
And Evie should know, because she is a professional liar!

She is a fixer, working for the elusive Mr Smith. With a background in grifting, she takes on an identity, getting close to the mark to get information or to manipulate a situation to put Mr Smith ahead in the game. But who will his next victim be? And what are the stakes?

I really enjoyed the book. I liked Evie and was rooting for her and especially Devon - I’ve always had a soft spot for a geek. Mr Smith was a despicable bad guy, keeping the team in darkness and chaos so that he could stay on top. I didn’t anticipate his real identity.

I’d definitely recommend and read more of Ashley Elston’s books. I see that it's set to become a TV series, I'll definitely look out for that!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed reading 'First Lie Wins' Engaging, accessible writing...and a storyline that kept you hooked in right to the end. A psychological thriller with an excellent twist towards the end. Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ACR in return for an honest appraisal.

A fantastic book, really well written. Really enjoyed it. Thank you netgalley and the author for allowing me to read the book.

Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a perfect doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn't exist. The identity comes to 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 target, Ryan Summer. The last piece of the puzzle is the job. Evie isn't privy to Mr. Smith's real identity, but she knows the 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.

This is an addictive and twisted read. The plot line has been well-thought-out, and it's quite unique. The characters are well-developed and intriguing. I liked how the plot unfolded. There were some surprise revelations along the way. If I were you, I wouldn't read the premise, it gives too much away. I think your better off going in completely bling.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Headline and the author #AshleyElston for my ARC of #FirstLieWins in exchange for an honest review.

Evie Porter has been a subordinate of the mysterious Mr. Smith for years. Her boss always gives her a different task, which always comes with a new identity. First, she has to blend in with her surroundings. She would then wait for George, the courier, to deliver further messages from him. Then the person to whom you have to get close in one way or another gains their trust. Then finally comes the task itself.

Years pass, and Evie always successfully completes every mission given to her.

But one day she finds herself face to face with her lookalike, who even owns her real name...

This woman could endanger the success of Evie's mission, and she is no longer sure that she wants to complete the task that drove her into Ryan's arms... Although Ryan trusts Evie, her friends would prefer to take her past into small pieces and analyze everything. With one exception, the others are satisfied with the information that Evie tells them. But Rachel can't be taken down like that...

Over the years, it has become clear to Evie that these dangerous missions are not life insurance, and if the operation goes wrong, there is no one to rely on. That's why she enlists Devon to be her right-hand man.

I just loved it! It was very exciting and kept me interested until the end. Even back then NetGallery's announcement newsletter promoted the book First Lie Wins in a very creative way, which is by the way the first Adult book of the writer Ashley Elston. She previously wrote YA books. Absolutely professional writing, highly recommend it to those who may not be fans of the thriller genre. I rarely read on this topic myself, but I'm happy I did get into it anyway.

This book gets ★★★★★ from me. :)



Thanks to NetGalley and to Headline for the arc in return for an honest review.

Evie Porter appears to have the perfect life, a handsome boyfriend who adores her and a lovely home, everything she's dreamed of since she was a little girl but Evie isn't who she says she is, in fact Evie Porter doesn't even exist, it's one of the many aliases she adopts whenever she takes on a job for her boss, the elusive Mr Smith. Her latest mark, Ryan Sumner is different though, she's falling for him but she knows, if she fails again, things will get very messy and her real identity could be compromised.

First Lie Wins is told from the perspectives of Evie and her numerous aliases throughout this intriguing, yet complex, story and dips back and forth from present to past telling us her back story. It's an interesting tale full of twists and turns at every chapter, which requires a lot of concentration so you don't lose your grip on the story and where it's heading. It's a first for me by this author and is definitely worth a read.

I'd like to thank Headline and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Addictive. Intriguing. Unputdownable (if that’s even a word). I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since finishing it.

First Lie Wins is Ashley Elston’s debut thriller and it is fantastic. Evie Porter had everything: a perfect boyfriend, a house with a garden and a group of fancy friends. Except Evie Porter doesn’t exist! She was given this identity by her mysterious boss Mr Smith and her mission is to discover everything about the town and the people in it. Her target is Ryan Sumner, but Ryan had gotten under her skin and she starts to envisage a life with him. But she can’t make any mistakes, not after what happened last time.

This book is brilliantly written. It had me hooked from the start and each chapter drew me in further. A great debut and I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley, Headline and the author for the chance to review.

Ashley Easton is new to me and I was intrigued by the blurb. Wow! I wasn’t let down. Simple premise but the detail and intricacy of the plotting is superb. The pace early lets up and I found myself literally skipping through this as the scenario unfolded. I love anything with a doppelgänger theme, but it’s not easy to get it all right. Ashley has nailed it with a timeline that moves back and forth and so many unexpected twists it makes your heart race. Very impressed by this tense and taut story that’s haunted me since I finished.

This thriller kept me guessing from start to finish. It was so fast paced, I couldn’t put it down. One of those ‘just one more chapter’ books, before you know it, you’ve finished! Would love a sequel.

WOWZERS! What an absolute belter of a read.

If you love books that have you shocked continuously, second and third guessing and full to the brim of twists and turns then look no further!

This is Evie Porter's story, but who is Evie Porter? Evie has everything but Evie doesn't exist.

Now living in Lake Forbing, Louisiana, Evie works for Mr Smith. She has many identities, many faces and travels covertly from one job to another, never knowing what will be asked of her.

Her latest mark is Ryan Sumner, unfortunately she falls for him which is not part of the job. How can she get her life back, love a normal life when she no longer exists?

An unpredictable, fast paced, well executed cat and mouse read that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

Huge thanks to netgalley and Headline for the ARC.

A fantastic, fast paced thriller that's full of twists and turns. I loved how the book told the story from a totally different perspective, it was refreshing and fun. It had me hooked the whole way through. I'd love a sequel!

Ashley Elston is a female American author and mother of three and this is her debut as an adult thriller writer but she does have experience of writing thrillers for young adults. The book jumps around with chapters flashing back and forwards in time which can be annoying in some books but in this case is integral to the story line. We twist and turn and deceive and trick as alias names and confusion rains. Enjoyable read and clever idea for a plot line that teases the reader to the last page. Thanks the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC.

You meet someone at a party who looks exactly like you. They even have your name. What do you do?

This is the dilemma facing Evie Porter as she works an undercover job. The reader follows her on this job while also discovering her past through her different identities and her uncompromising boss.

This book had me absolutely gripped. Evie is morally grey but you can’t help root for her as she tries to make her way in a high stakes world. Told from Evie’s point of view but through different timelines, you’ll never see all the twists that have you guessing to the last page.

I absolutely loved this book! It kept my attention throughout and hooked me in immediately! I couldn't recommend this enough!

This is a great book!

The plot is clever, the characters felt authentic and relatable... despite being all very shady I could empathise with them on some level. The mystery builds slowly in a crescendo of things that don't add up, until the big blow when the 'true' Lucca meets the 'new' Lucca. Honestly I couldn't get my head around what was actually happening and why and had to stay awake late at night just to find out!

The plot was complex but not difficult to follow, very cleverly built and with a few twists (none of which I was able to predict) that kept me glued to the sofa. And the ending was very satisfying, I very glad all characters got what they deserved.

A must read for thriller fans!

Thank you Netgalley and Headline for an arc in exchange for an honest review.