Reviews with content warning for Grief - First Lie Wins

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston serves as an adequately diverting thriller that holds up as long as one doesn’t think too hard about it. Which, to be fair, is more than can be said about a lot of entries in the thriller genre. This book delivers twists and turns that make logical sense in context of the narrative, even if their mechanics are a bit fuzzy. The story avoids gaping plot holes, although it frequently leans on some dubious plot conveniences.

Elston’s clear, straightforward writing style works in this thriller’s favor. She demonstrates an instinct for balancing technical details with an entertaining storyline, letting the reader indulge in the fun of the main character’s espionage. The main character (who goes by multiple aliases throughout the novel), is not nearly as intelligent, sympathetic, or competent as her partner-in-crime, Devon. Devon gets little character development beyond being the token Black person who helps the main character, which is a shame because one gets the sense he would be a much more interesting protagonist.

The falling action of First Lie Wins hinges on the assumption that

the reader is rooting for the main character. While she’s not an awful human being—her actions demonstrate that she has a moral compass—her motivations for crime aren’t particularly altruistic. More eyebrow-raising is the apparent happily-ever-after ending between her and Ryan, a bland and doting boyfriend who also uses violence to keep people in line at his smuggling operation. It’s supposed to be a cute ending because they’re both “morally gray,” but it ends up feeling more distasteful. If one wanted to take a more critical lens to this ending, perhaps they would question the decision to celebrate two white, financially well-off people’s choice to continue a life of crime without consequences when in reality, innocent Black and brown people are regularly murdered by law enforcement on the street in the United States.

But that is more a critique aimed at the spy/thriller genre more generally, and not necessarily a reason to condemn First Lie Wins in particular.

TL;DR:

First Lie Wins manages to avoid some of the worst pitfalls of its genre and provide a somewhat entertaining story in the process. That said, the narrative and characters fail to be particularly memorable or believable.

The Run-Down:

You will might like First Lie Wins if . . .

· You enjoy cat-and-mouse spy thrillers

· You’re looking for a break from domestic thrillers

· You want a story with a splash of romance

· You like stories that take place in the American South

You might not like First Lie Wins if . . .

· You don’t typically enjoy thrillers

· You hate convenient plot points

· You don’t like stories with frequent flashback sequences

Content Warnings

carissa230's review against another edition

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mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Evie Porter isn't her real name. She was born into a different life, but is now working with Mr. Smith to get whatever he needs from anyone he needs it from. She has discovered secrets, created blackmail, and stolen things. She has lived by many names, but Evie Porter is in danger.

Mr. Smith created Evie to get information on Ryan. A gorgeous man with secrets of his own. When she finds herself falling for Ryan things get difficult. Mr. Smith already doesn't trust her after her failure on the last job. Can she earn back his trust? Does she even want to?

This is a fast-paced page-turner. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and a lot going on considering it's not a long book. Could have been slowed down a little to build more connection to some of the characters.

Content Warnings

itsheyfay's review

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Content Warnings

beckyremillard's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I went into this one pretty blind but enjoyed it quite a bit more than I expected to.

Content Warnings

kimveach's review

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adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I'd wanted to read an excellent thriller, and this is the one. This book had an interesting protagonist, excellent pacing, helpful flashbacks, and a terrific ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this, even if it kept me up late.

Content Warnings

itstruly_flower's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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