First Lie Wins cover art

First Lie Wins

A Novel

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First Lie Wins

Written by: Ashley Elston
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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About this listen

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK | #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“This fast-paced read has everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat & mouse game that kept me guessing the whole way through.”—Reese Witherspoon

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. . . .

©2024 Ashley Elston (P)2024 Penguin Audio
Best of 2024 Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women's Voices Exciting Heartfelt Boss

What the critics say

“This fast-paced read has everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat & mouse game that kept me guessing the whole way through.”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club January ’24 Pick)

“A relentless cat-and-mouse thriller. . . This is a classic twist-stuffed suspense for fans who plan to read late into the night.”—Elle

“The cleverly crafted plot and whip-smart protagonist mean you won’t know who to trust in this edge-of-your-seat thriller. . . Riveting.”Reader's Digest

All stars
Most relevant
I had high hopes for this book and it really didn’t hit the mark for me. The beginning was enthralling but the story became repetitive with the “Alias” chapters. I understand the chapters from the past giving us a fuller picture of Evie’s life leading up to the present, but they kind of took me out of the story whenever the present day chapters felt like they were finally going somewhere. There are some serious plot holes and the ending was meh. Also, the male voices sounded pretty much the same, which could get confusing at times.

Such a let down

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The same voice trying to speak all the parts, didn’t like that at all, sounded like a joke
,

Corny far fetched plot line

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The story line was good, the twists were exciting and kept me listening. Would recommend!

Kept me listening

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I found the ending a bit predictable and "happy ever after". good read though and excellent narrator.

Great plot and narrator's voice.

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I really enjoyed this book.
Kept me entertained and guessing.
My favourite narrator. Such a great job portraying each character.

Enjoy this!

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A fabulously entertaining story set in the southern USA about an underground gang of fixers who practise long and short cons to do the jobs they're assigned to by their boss, the incognito Mister Smith, whom they only 'know' by his voice, run through sound distortion. I enjoyed every minute of this intelligent twisty thriller. Saskia Maarleveld continues to enthral with her award-winning narration. If her name's on it, it'll be good, smart and totally engrossing. This is my first exposure to author Ashley Elston, and it will not be my last. I could not have asked for better as my first read of new books published in year 2024. It did nothing to disappoint, from nonstop action to a terrific ending. Happy New Year!

Good, Smart and Totally Engrossing

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This book was a fun listen, not totally predictable. There were some plot holes that prevented this story from being fantastic but really appreciated a narrative and leading character that wasn’t cookie cutter. A good beach read.

Not cookie-cutter.

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masterfully written. profound plot with twists you don't see coming. each chapter pulls you deeper into more deception. definitely recommend.

intricate layers.

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If you liked Imposters on Netflix, you’ll enjoy this one. I would have preferred a little more suspense, but overall a fun story to listen to.

3.5 stars

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The story made for a desire to see what happens next. It's a great page turner

The pace was great

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