My thoughts on First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

 First Lie Wins

By Ashley Elston

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 the 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. . . .

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐

First Lie Wins is a sharp, twist-filled psychological thriller that follows Evie Porter, a woman living a life built entirely on lies. Her charming suburban world — the perfect boyfriend, the perfect routine, the perfect mask — is all part of a job assigned by her enigmatic handler, Mr. Smith. As Evie embeds herself deeper into her target’s life, the façade begins to crack, and she finds herself torn between the identity she has been given and the person she might want to be. Elston builds a tight, tense narrative that moves between Evie’s present assignment and glimpses of her past, revealing just enough at each turn to keep you questioning who can be trusted, what is real, and how far Evie is willing to go to survive.

What makes the novel especially gripping is Evie herself — she’s morally grey, vulnerable, and fiercely intelligent, a protagonist who feels both dangerous and deeply human. The web of deception she navigates is intricate and compelling, and Elston’s pacing keeps the story humming with constant unease. While the number of twists and shifting identities can feel dizzying at times, they ultimately add to the book’s addictive sense of unpredictability. The result is a stylish, suspenseful thriller that pulls you into its layers of lies and doesn’t let go until the final reveal.