Lucca has grown up in a mobile home with just her mother in a small town in North Carolina. She took a job doing missions for an unknown boss. Each job she's given a new identity with a lot of background info but on a job she runs into a woman with the same name, from the same small town. She takes this to be a warning. This is a twisty thriller that can get a bit confusing as it jumps between the different identities and past jobs but its a reasonably good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Evie Porter has been playing a role for a long time. But the time for games stops when she meets someone who is her.

This is one of my favourite books I’ve ever read. The plot was intricate, and so clever. It was brilliant. The characters were on point, and were complex and entertaining. We read from Evie’s point of view throughout, and see how she ended up in the predicament she is in the present day. It was a real thriller, full of red herrings, plot twists, and lies. I’d highly recommend this book.

This is a story with so many unexpected twists and turns that one can’t do anything but wonder how the author kept it all together – but she did it quite masterfully. In this cat and mouse tale we are told the story of Evie Porter. She is young, intelligent, extremely resourceful and devious. These are the qualities that help her to leave a difficult childhood behind and climb the social strata where she eventually allows herself to dream of a happier future.

She gets recruited, even blackmailed, into employment with the ominous, secretive ever so powerful and very ruthless Mr Smith who is using her talents to get under the skin of others - until the time comes for her to turn things around and the hunter becomes the hunted.

This smart thriller ticks many boxes, it is fast-paced, suspenseful, a love story as well as a tale of female solidarity with an almost unpredictable ending. What’s not to like?

I am grateful to NetGalley and Headline Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. It was the best book I’ve read so far this year. Absolutely brilliant well written story. The storyline and characters were fantastic. I was kind of thrown near the end as I thought it was one person and yet turned out to be someone totally different. As in Mr Smith. Definetly worth 5 stars and more. I loved it. It was a brilliant, brilliant book.

Amazing! The best book I've read this year. I'd never heard of the author before but the synopsis interested me. I'm very glad I picked it. Thank you to the publishers and NetGallery for the advanced copy.

This is a fast paced thriller that keeps you gripped from the very first page. The lead character is not who everyone thinks she is... who is she? You won't be able to stop reading until you find out. Even though I guessed the big twist it didn't make the story any less enjoyable.

I will definitely be looking out for more books by the author.

Well, all I’ll say for now because it's too early is that I like my thrillers twisted and clever and this didn't disappoint.
I couldn't put it down and I never saw any of it coming + the ending and rounding up all loose ends was very well done.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for the digital ARC!

This is a brilliant, twisty suspense novel which kept me guessing all the way through. The pacing is spot on, and somehow Elston has made deeply flawed characters immensely likeable, so you can't help but root for Evie, and the situation she finds herself in. All too often, books like this just miss the mark in the ending, but this was an incredibly satisfying conclusion. Totally a recommended read.

Absolutely fantastic!
From the first page the characters leap out at you and the chapter by chapter reveals of Evie's past life, real identity and secret missions keep the pages turning.
Very cleverly plotted out from 2 points of view the twists seem obvious at first then the complexity of the situation reveals itself in a mind blowing ending!

This was good! A bit of a ‘what is going on here’ at the beginning, I couldn’t get to grips with where it was going, I liked the past and present chapters as we learn about Evie Porter.

There is a lot of mystery and intrigue throughout, I thought I knew what was going on but the last twist was absolutely brilliant!!

I am recommending this book!!

Love love love this book! Fantastically written! Kept me guessing and as for the characters, so much description and depth to them - really understood why things were done! Will be looking forward to reading Ashley Elston’s future books!

I absolutely loved this book. It hooked me right from the start. The characters are so intricately described. The plot is twisty and intriguing. I kept racing through the chapters and didn’t want to put the book down. I am surprised that it’s the author’s first adult-book but I am sure there will be many more to come!

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

Evie Porter has everything a girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a picket fence, a fun group of friends.

The only catch: Evie Porter doesn't exist.

Wow that text grabbed me and I knew I was in for a great read . I wasn't disappointed ! A fab book.
Every chapter leaves you wanting to read another one . A real physiological thriller.
Loved it.

Wow I really enjoyed this suspenseful guessing game of a novel. Evie is not really Evie, she has so many identities and her latest job even seems to touching her heart in a way others haven’t. Who can she trust?
I was surprised at the end of this book to read it was the authors first adult novel. It is so well written and so clever. I just couldn’t see how or if Evie was going to get herself out of the situation she was in.
I don’t want to give anything away but you are in for a good ride! I will be looking out for other titles by Ashley Elston. Brilliant,

Loved this thriller! Enough twists and turns to keep you hooked, without becoming frustrating whilst you wait for the reveal! I’ll be looking out for more by this author.

I loved every moment of this book. Twisty, turny, exciting and thrilling. The plot is amazing, a well set out and choreographed dance of players. I nearly reached for a white board and dry marker to set up something like the tv crime boards with all the characters and lines to each with their details and dates. Even then I'd have missed a few of the twists. I loved Evie, and Ryan too, I was willing him not to be a bad guy. the other characters, Devon, a sweetie, Rachel, "Go Rachel!" George, I really wanted to trust him! And I can't say anything more, it is too deep, too complicated, to intriguingly interwoven. Too wonderful! Yes, I got some of the twists but a few genuinely made me jump. Just an incredible, well written and planned out thriller. WOW! More please!!

This book is incredibly captivating. Evie Porter finds herself deeply enamoured with Ryan Summer, prompting them to take the bold step of moving in together. While Ryan's friends express concern over the speed of their relationship, both Evie and Ryan harbour hidden secrets.

The narrative is a rollercoaster of twists and turns that ensnare you from the very beginning, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The story revolves around Evie's relentless pursuit of a better life after losing her mother at a young age. The book masterfully weaves between present-day events and past occurrences, seamlessly engaging the reader.

Evie is a brilliantly intricate character, and I relished following her through all her endeavours. However, right up to the very end, I had no inkling of how the story would conclude. The book is incredibly fulfilling, encompassing a wide range of elements.

The storyline is mind-bogglingly intricate and expertly crafted, leaving you constantly questioning who the heroes and villains are, and how everything fits together. I particularly enjoyed the seamless incorporation of backstories. I can't praise this book enough. I found it incredibly hard to put the book down and felt a real sense of a disappointment when my adventures with Evie came to an end.

What a thriller of a book. Excellent writing and a book to keep you on the edge.

How one person wants to make her life better after her mother died when she was so young. The book's real thriller of cat and mouse flits from present day to past events effortsley and really engages you as a reader.

The main question who is Mr Smith? I thought I had this one sorted quite early on, but as the general trend in the book I was wrong.

This book would make an excellent drama program.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this. A new author for me to follow with interest.

This is a real page turner of a book.

We know from the off that Evie Porter is hiding something. She is about to meet the best friends of her boyfriend and she's fully expecting all of the usual questions and she knows exactly how to shut down the ones that she is not happy to answer.

Especially since Evie Porter doesn't actually exist. This character is given a new identity - and full background history - every now and then by Mr Smith, her mysterious boss who then sends her off on various missions.

Every chapter kept me wanting more. We're given insights in to previous identities and missions as well as the real background of this woman who just wants to finally earn enough money that she is able to walk away and go back to her real name.

Except a woman who bears a startling resemblance to her and even has her real name has just turned up.

What is going on?

This is a fast paced book with lots of twists and turns. Fantastic characters who I wanted to know more about.
I will be highly recommending this book to everyone that will listen.

Brilliant novel. Unusual, psychological thriller but brilliantly written by an author I´ve not read before but will certainly be looking out for in future. Extremely clever storyline. Don´t want to give anything away, but I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.

Masterful!

My thanks to NetGalley and Headline for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

If you found this book in the hotel library to take to the pool you wouldn't be disappointed. Not an in depth read but but not a bad read. Somewhat predictable, reminded me of the BBC series Hustle which did things somewhat better.
Clearly others loved it so all good. The writing needs to mature a bit I feel, possibly because it's a US book this is a cultural thing.
I would give the author another go as I understand this is a debut novel so could well get better