I love a book that slowly entices you into the story and then keeps you so hooked that you resent being pulled away from the pages, and find yourself searching for a quiet spot where you can escape for a few moments longer. If I mention that I even read the acknowledgements; my thanks go to Will Dean for finally accepting his destiny and becoming an author. The story is hinged on the connection between twins Molly and KT, and the different paths that they eventually travel. A very clever plot that keeps you guessing, with sufficient depth in the characters to ensure that there are suspects in every chapter; you never sit back comfortably and believe that you have it sussed. Twins born in Nottinghamshire to parents who find their attention dragged to their second born, who struggles with the potential dangers in every situation. One twin forges her own life in New York and proves herself to be confident and sociable but finds her escape has consequences. Excellent, and I want to read it again to see if I missed anything.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this and discover a new author.

This was not what I was expecting, and I mean that in the best way possible!

Molly and her identical twin sister, Katie, are complete opposites. Molly lives in London, and is an introvert who takes her safety very seriously. Katie is much more outgoing, and has recently moved to New York City for college.

Molly’s heart is shattered when she finds out Katie has died in NYC while their parents are visiting. Murder is suspected. Molly has to be brave and travel abroad to be with her family. Once in New York, she tries to track her sister’s life since she moved, and it quickly becomes clear that Katie isn’t who Molly thought she was.

Not to mention…if Katie was murdered, then the killer is still out there.

This is an unputdownable thriller that starts as a slow burn. I thought it was going to be a bit standard…and then BAM! The first of multiple twists occurred. It was a doozy!

The second half goes full throttle, and it’s full of rich atmosphere (NYC and its many famous tourist attractions and buildings are basically their own characters). I suspected one of the twists, but didn’t think it would actually happen. While I may have had to suspend my disbelief here and there and felt deceived at times, I can’t deny that the execution of all the plot surprises was handled masterfully and effectively.

Author Will Dean shows how versatile he is, as this is 100% different from his previous novel, The Last Thing To Burn. I enjoyed this one even more, and dare I predict this may be a standout for me in my 2022 year of reading.

I highly recommend this one. If you’re reading it and think it’s moving a bit too slow, just savor it and WAIT! You’ll be in for a treat!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 4/14/22 (UK), 7/5/22 (US).

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

I was really eager to read this, as the authors previous book (the last thing to burn) was my favourite book of 2021. So it had a lot to live up to, and it did not disappoint.. . I found this easy to read, with a sophisticated plot, and a cunning twist.. I would highly recommend this book

This really kept me guessing right til the end!!!
That twist!!!

This reminded me of gone girl in how will dean seamlessly changed the narrative halfway so flawlessly. Loved the dynamic between the twins and all of the planted red herrings really had me thinking I had figured it out!!! But I did Not! Loved it!

Molly and Katie Raven are identical twins whose paths have gone separate ways. Katie moved to New York to study while Molly remained in the UK until the day Katie is found dead. Molly travels to Nee York despite her own day to day fears. From here this is a fast paced story trying to find the killer. It’s full of twists that you don’t predict are coming. Everyone is a suspect and I couldn’t guess who it was. I was suspecting everyone with each different chapter. I couldn’t put the book down. This is my first Will Dean novel but not my last.

This New York set thriller pieces together what happened when a set of twins are separated by murder. The surviving twin tries to work out why and who was involved while trying to navigate life without their 'other half'. The story takes you in unexpected directions and the plotting is well paced. A good read. (copy received via Netgalley in return for an honest review)

Molly and Katie Raven are identical twins. But that’s where the similarity ends. Molly lives a quiet life in London. Lives her life without risks as, she is paranoid that something is going to happen to her. Whereas he sister Katie lives her life to the full and lives in big town New York
She gets a call from her parents that Katie has been found dead in her apartment, suspected suicide. But when she gets the courage to take a flight out to New York to meet her parents she finds out that her sister has been murdered.
As the investigation takes place, Molly is determined to start her own investigation to find her sisters killer. She goes through her sister’s social media and email accounts and meets up with the people most close to her in New York. Who did this to her and why?
Thank you, Hodder and Stoughton, for and ARC. I was really looking forward to reading this after reading his previous standalone Last thing to burn, which was amazing. This was another fabulous book from the author. It has a tense, unique storyline which was I was gripped throughout. I felt a bit sorry for the character Molly being overshadowed by her sister Katie. But what a twist at the end. This reminded me of that proverb. ‘Never judge a book by the cover’ because the truth will surprise you. 4 stars from me.

Molly Raven lives in London and lives her life quietly and without risk. She weighs up everything she does. Her identical twin, Katie is lively and outgoing and has escaped to New York to study on a special scholarship. She's living her best life.

When Molly receives that phone call from her parents to say that her sister is dead, possibly murdered she knows that she'll have to use all her courage to make the trip alone and by plane!

It's a slow burn until the author throws the reader the 1st twist which left me reeling. I was like wait a minute that can't be happening.

Molly decides to do her own investigations and has promised the police she'll tell them anything important. She arranges to meet those closest to her sister - her hunky rower boyfriend, Scott, needy pal Violet and the older Professor with whom her sister had an affair.

She also believes the police should be checking out the landlady's son. She comes to believe they all need to be taught a lesson. As she delves deeper she finds out more about her sister and the life she led.

As the net closes my heart started racing uncontrollably and I was on the edge-of-my-seat with my heart in my mouth and then the author throws us that final twist!

OMG an amazing must-read. I'm still thinking of it now. So highly recommend.

Twins are expected to be identical in every way. Mollie and Katie don’t fit that mould. Katie is the extrovert, living life to the full, in New York, having received a sponsorship to study there. Molly is the timid twin, terrified of all the ‘what ifs’, and can’t understand why Katie (or KT as she calls her sister) would want to move away. But when Katie is found dead, she knows she needs to pluck up her courage and fly over to support her parents.

Such a really good read, that takes you to some very unexpected places. The plot line is excellent, making you suspect just about everyone but not really having a clue. Then all of a sudden, in one innocent looking sentence the plot is turned on it’s head, and the pace picks up to breakneck speed. The writing is so evocative, New York really comes to life. And a great twist at the end. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As an avid thriller reader, it's not often I find myself at a loss for words to describe one of said books and yet here we are......!! So I had never read any of Will Dean's books before so had no idea what I was getting myself into but OMG.......THIS 👏 BOOK 👏 IS 👏 PHENOMENAL!!! The writing style keeps things ticking along. I was pretty interested in this nice wee story that I thought and was reading and then *boom* my jaw hit the floor!!! And not just the once, two times, three times, I can't find enough good things to say about this boom. The characters are so well written and unique, they're layered and you get such a clear perspective to really understand the motivation. And there are no stupid female protagonist making ridiculous decisions or far fetched story lines that don't make sense. This book is just absolutely amazing. If you like thrillers, if you like twists and turns, you will love this! I finished it in a day and am gutted I've come to the end lol. You will absolutely be swept up I this story and won't be able to put it down until you get to the end. Sleep will become part of a past life that is no longer relevant because you just won't be able to stop reading. You may think you know what you're getting when you start this, but you have no idea. 100% recommend, you will not regret a second you've spent on this story. I'm off to download all of Will Dean's previous books.... you can thank me later. Its one of the best thrillers I've ever read!

How would I describe 'First Born' by Will Dean? Unputdownable!
I gobbled up this suspense filled thriller in one go.
First Born is the latest thriller from Will Dean and it is a taunt, suspense filled and very twisty tale about twin sisters called Molly and Katie (KT). Narrated by Molly, we learn of her constant vigilance and daily fears. And how she must face these fears when she learns of the tragic murder of her twin sister.
Molly now travels to New York to join her parents who were visiting with KT at the time of her murder. Desperate to discover the truth, Molly is pushed to confront many of her fears as she doggedly pursues the killer.
From the opening page to the final paragraph, we are treated to a roller-coaster with twists and turns. I usually pride myself on accurately guessing the 'unexpected twists' but I had no idea of what was coming next. I loved this book and cannot recommend it highly enough.

Will Dean has moved his crime location from eerie lonely forests in Sweden to bustling New York and proves he can write an intriguing thriller which doesn’t rely heavily on the atmosphere of its environment this time. When her twin sister Katie (KT) is found dead in her apartment Molly Raven has to fly over from London to join their parents. She has always seen herself as the underdog in their sibling relationship and she needs to find answers as to why her twin died.
The beginning of the novel is quite slow and the characters don’t feel completely real, particularly in their dialogues , but if you stick with it you’ll be rewarded with an engaging twist and turn plot with a few surprises.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this early ARC.

Brilliant standalone by Will Dean. I was already a fan of his Tuva Moodyson series, but his standalones elevate him even higher in my estimation. This one will make you question everything you think is going on, and leave you wondering how the hell he pulled off that story with such panache. Such an emotive POV to see everything through the eyes of a twin, in a foreign country, dealing with emotions they never dreamed they'd have to encounter. Brilliantly written, expertly executed.

A well written, gripping book. Molly, a girl who lives her life worrying about the fears she could encounter on a daily basis, security concious, constantly looking over her shoulder, always following a strict routine. Her identical twin Katie lives her life to the full, studying at a prestigious university, living not on campus but in a flat. She loves to party, is outgoing, sponteaneous and happy. Absolute opposite to Molly. When Katie gets a phone call from her mother telling her that Katie has been murdered she has to come to face her fears and go to New York to join them desperate to find why.
Molly was not the most engaging of characters, certainly not warm or even likeable but the concept of the story was brilliant. Will Dean captures you on each page with his descriptive writing. This book is a great thriller and I would certainly recommend it.

I had to sit down and write this review within minutes of finishing First Born. I had intended to get on with necessary jobs this afternoon but there was no way I could break off during the second half.. Will is one of my very few favourite authors by far and this book is the best I have read this year. I know we are barely into January but I read constantly, any spare minute. I did get a slight inkling of one of the denouements at the end but this in no way spoilt the plot. To say it is gripping from the first to the last page is putting it extremely lightly. Apart from the fast paced chapters sending you on an exciting roller coaster ride, Will’s book is akin to being a first time tourist in New York City. I was there in the Raven family’s favourite diner, walking in in Central Park, enjoying a luxury suite at the Ritz hotel, talking to Jimmy the smoothie seller and more and even more. I feel as though I’ve been on holiday to the big apple. This book deserves at least ten stars but sadly I can only give a maximum of five. Thank you Will, you are my hero author. Keep them coming.

Risk-averse, neurotic Molly is forced to take a transatlantic flight after receiving a desperate phone call from her parents. They are in New York to visit Molly's twin sister, Katie, but they've found their daughter dead in bed.
Molly becomes an unlikely sleuth, rooting out various suspects, until the story spins off in a different direction.
The author paints a vivid picture of modern-day New York.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an independent review.

Wow lots of twists and turns in this book. Give it time as I found it quite slow at the start but your patience will pay off and you will be engrossed and unable to put it down. Be prepared to read into the small hours! Highly recommend this book.

A stand-alone thriller mainly set in New York. It is an interesting, well-written, enjoyable read with plenty of twists and intrigue. I did more or less guess the twist at the end of the book but it certainly didn't spoil the read in fact I was quite pleased with myself because I'm usually totally wrong.. Although the book is set in the US it is by a UK author and written in the style of UK crime books. Highly recommend.

I discovered Will Dean’s writing with his very first Tuva novel and have eagerly anticipated his subsequent novels ever since then. His books don’t fail to disappoint and First Born is no exception. I read The Last Thing To Burn last year which kept me intrigued and partially horrified in equal measure. First Born is a thriller with several twists that will keep you guessing to the end. Roll on his next novel!

Molly Raven lives a quiet life in London minimising risks in ways most of us wouldn’t consider. She’s always vigilant, on guard for dangers which she constantly calculates. Her monozygotic twin Katie (KT) lives in New York and is as different to Molly as day is to night, as light to shade. She is there pursuing her studies and enjoying a New York lifestyle. Molly gets a phone call from their parents, who are visiting New York, to inform her that KT is dead and Molly knows she has to bravely venture out of her comfort zone to join them where revelations and secrets emerge about KT’s lifestyle. Molly narrates, how reliably only time will tell.

Will Dean knocks it out of the park yet again in this superbly crafted mystery thriller. New York as a setting has a frenetic feel yet also provides a claustrophobic backdrop to the multiple twists and is a perfect match; in fact the plot is probably twisted rather than twisty! The author uses locations extremely effectively such as diners, parks, stores to achieve maximum impact.

The characterisation is outstanding especially of risk minimising Molly and the deep seated psychological aspects of the ‘twin thing’ is excellent and I enjoy the transformations that take place. The plot twists are excellent, talk about wool pulling over the eyes, it’s so clever, and I think as the finale approaches my eyes (once wool is removed!) are out on stalks! My mouth hangs open that’s for sure as it’s so full of tension, suspense and what transpires is so unexpected. Well played Mr Dean!

So, if you like a thriller that starts out as a slow burn, the picks up pace, misdirects and shocks you at times to your very core then this is for you! Be warned though it’s very hard to put down once started!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.