A solid mystery from Kendra Elliot ! This book starts right away with the murder that will make the plot which I really like, no unnecessary filer.
It starts out w the murder of assembly man and an attack on his wife. Then jumps ahead 13 years and the wife is now a detective and her husbands murder is still unsolved. The MFC still has memory loss from the night it happens so we follow the new investigation and what she may or may not remember.
The plot jumps to different pasts and the future seamlessly and the past information adds good detail to the whole story. The book is fast paced, leads you on different paths so you think you know who the murderer is. I didnt figure it out until almost the end of the book. This was also a very easy read and well written. I finished in two sitting. Would definitely recommend.

I was able to read an eARC thanks to NetGalley and Montlake. Thank you both !

In this author's newest crime series, the protagonist isn't the main detective, but actually a suspect in a murder. Her husband's murder.

Assemblyman Derrick Bell was brutally murdered one night, his wife, Noelle is of course, is a suspect. Even though she herself sustained injuries too. Did she hurt herself to cover up his murder? If not, who killed him and why?

This story is basically told in two parts, the initial murder and investigation and the follow up investigation, given the murder was never solved. Now Noelle's last name is Marshall and she's a sheriff's detective. Who inspired this new job? You'll never guess.

Anywho, there are a lot of mini timelines (too many in my opinion), some giving a backstory on the couple, some counting down to the murder itself, which shows that Derrick was a huge asshat to Noelle, along with his Mom. Was this motive for murder? I didn't think so, but I definitely thought Noelle hadn't revealed everything, mostly due to memory loss following the murder. How convenient. LOL.

The big reveal was a surprise for me, as the author never indicated anything about the particular character that concerned me. What was more shocking was how was also part of the tragedy and why everything went down. It's sad that no one saw the signs earlier to help this person struggling.

Overall, this was an intriguing mystery that had several surprises along the way. A good choice for those who like police procedurals.

Her First Mistake is book one in the brand new series Noelle Marshall by Kendra Elliot.
Another thoroughly enjoyable novel from this author.
Elliot has the ability to create a story and characters that will pull you in and keep you reading late into the night.
Yet again I couldn't put the book down and am looking forward to reading more of her work.
I can’t wait for book two No One Knew.

Her First Mistake by Kendra Elliot is the first book in a new series featuring Deschutes County, Oregon Detective Noelle Marshall. Thirteen years ago, Assemblyman Derrick Bell was murdered in his home and his wife, Noelle, was left for dead. Past and present leads collide when the FBI decides to take another look at the case and is reinterviewing everyone. While a team in Sacramento interviews the Bell family and others, Special Agents Keaton and Rhodes are dispatched to interview Noelle and her family in Bend.

Noelle had a memory loss of the attack, but has been having dreams about it. How much of her dreams are real? Her husband had been charming and privileged, but he hid a dark side from others. The interviews spur memories and action as events unfold.

Noelle doesn’t usually lack confidence, but she realizes it took hard work to overcome her past and how she allowed herself to be manipulated by others. She’s a quick study, hard worker, and consistent. While working as a bartender before her marriage to Derrick, she received a college degree in psychology and became a level 2 certified sommelier. She’s sharp, observant, loves to solve puzzles, and loves her current job in law enforcement. She’s also been a supporting character in the Columbia River series by this author. The other characters have good depth for the first book in a series. It was also great that Mercy Kilpatrick from another of this author’s series had a cameo appearance in the story.

The book gives a lot of Noelle’s background so it sets the stage for the series featuring her. This includes her grandfather and great-aunt who raised her and her two sisters, her terrible in-laws, and her married sister’s husband. It was also great to get to know Agent Keaton.

While the story is largely told from Noelle’s point of view, it does go back and forth in time. However, Kendra Elliot is skilled at making this seamless with excellent flow. The start of each chapter tells readers when the events are occurring. While this starts out as only a cold case investigation, violent events begin to occur adding action, danger, and suspense. With the help of the FBI, Noelle must determine what really happened 13 years ago and stop the violence.

Full of twists and turns, lies, and action, this novel has good world-building, great characterization, and a gripping storyline. I was immediately drawn into the story that also has a hint of a future romance. However, getting through the emotional effects of this story’s ending may take a while for Noelle to recover her equilibrium. What an ending!

Overall, this was a tense, clever, and suspenseful novel with well-developed characters and a great start to a new series. I am looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book. If you enjoy police procedurals, crime novels, and mysteries with a strong female protagonist, then I recommend that you check out this series.

Montlake and Kendra Elliot provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for June 10, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

New Series!

I really enjoyed this book, the first in a new series. The female main character is Noelle, a detective with a troubled past. Someone murdered her husband and tried to kill her, and now 13 years later the FBI is revisiting the unsolved case. Someone isn’t happy about that, and ultimately Noelle and members of her family are at risk.

I feel like this book was very well developed, the reader gets an in-depth character building of all key players, and the mystery was also well-crafted. I have read a lot of prior books by this author, but this one just feels different in a very good way. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to see how Noelle’s story progresses, and if we run into any more characters from prior series, like Mercy who appears briefly here.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

The format of this novel was really interesting and different from what I’ve recently read. Noelle is an intriguing character and her backstory (really, the focus of the book) had plenty of twists and turns. The book is the type where you can feel something is off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was wrong. I had plenty of suspicions and it feels at times almost everyone is not to be trusted, but it pushes the story along and makes it for a quick easy read. I found it really fun to read and was anxious to get to the end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing | Montlake and MB Communications for gifting me both a physical and digital ARC of the latest police procedural by a favorite, Kendra Elliott. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Thirteen years ago, Assemblyman Derrick Bell was murdered in his home by an intruder. His wife, Noelle Marshall, was left for dead. The crime was unsolved, but it wasn’t forgotten. In the present, the FBI is taking a closer look at the case and especially at Noelle, now a detective for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. It's bringing up way too many bad memories for Noelle, who has been hiding something about the night Derrick died.

If you're a fan of Elliot's books like I am, you'll recognize some of these characters from previous books, but this is the first book in a new series starring Detective Noelle Marshall. Elliot is a master of this genre and this was a tense, gripping novel that left me guessing until that shocking ending. The story spools out between the past and present timeframes so we get Noelle's backstory before her marriage to Derrick and afterwards, as well as learning about her family. Plus there are new characters that I can't wait to read more about in the next installment, No One Knew, which will come out next year. Highly recommended!

Kendra Elliott is an auto read for me, I’m never disappointed when I pick up one of her books.
This was a great start to a new series. I really liked Noelle in the Mercy Fitzpatrick series and the Columba River series. Turns out Noelle definitely had a more exciting back story than I thought she would. 4.5 stars.
** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher**

Her First Mistake by Kendra Elliot is the first book in the Noelle Marshall series and is suspenseful, fast paced, engaging and a perfect mystery thriller with engaging twists.

Thirteen years ago, Noelle Marshall was left to die in her house next to her dead husband, well-known politician Derrick Bell. Now Noelle is a detective of the Dechutes Sheriff’s Department. When the FBI shows up and informs that they have reopened her husband’s case and are interviewing everyone involved, Noelle knows they think she knows more than she actually remembers.

This story went back and forth in the past before and after the murder and the present, while unravelling the mystery of who killed Noelle’s husband.
Once again, we witness how much money and power can do. Once again, we can see how family influence freedom to choose.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this copy.

Make no mistake about it, Her First Mistake is a gripping and thrilling book! Kendra Elliot takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Noelle Marshall's life going from the present to the past and back again! I found Her First Mistake to be an engaging and intriguing book. It's been a long time since I have read a book by Kendra Elliot, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read another one of her books!

Thirteen years ago, Detective Noelle Marshall was left for dead when her husband, Assemblyman Derrick Bell, was murdered. The case has remained cold but now the FBI is looking into it once again! Noelle's in-laws have always placed the blame for their son's death on Noelle. Even though Noelle has tried to put the past behind her, the past has come calling. Will her husband's murder ever be solved? Will Noelle's memories come back from that night?

This is the first book in a new series by Kendra Elliott. It is off to a great start with an interesting mystery. I enjoyed the tension while trying to do my own super sleuthing to determine whodunit as the plot unfolded. I also enjoyed how the book took readers back and forth from the present to the past. This doesn't always work for me in books, but in this book it worked quite well for me. The time transitions gave readers insight and glimpses into the evolution of Noelle through the course of her life. There are also a few twists and turns along the way which kept things interesting and moved the plot along.

I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series while trying to catch up on some of Kendra Elliot's previous books.

A new Kendra Elliot series with an absolutely charismatic character.
We have several timelines that help us delve into the complicated life of detective Noelle Marshall as well as the current case.
A well-paced book with secrets and twists that keep you glued to the pages.
Looking forward to the next one.

Having read several of Kendra Elliot’s books, I went into Her First Mistake with high expectations—and it absolutely delivered. I experienced this story in both audiobook and print, and I have to say: both formats were stellar. The narration brought a gripping tension to the story that had me hooked during every commute, while reading it allowed me to really savor the intricacies of the plot.

The story moves across three timelines in Noelle Marshall’s life, and somehow, Kendra Elliot weaves them together seamlessly. The pacing never lags, and despite the jumps in time, the narrative flow feels effortless. I was fully immersed in Noelle’s world—her trauma, resilience, and the quiet strength she carries as she pieces together a past that refuses to stay buried.

I thought I had the mystery figured out more than once, but the twists kept catching me off guard in the best way. It’s not just the suspense that pulled me in—it’s the emotional undercurrent running through every page. The story explores grief, guilt, and survival without ever losing momentum, and Noelle is a character you genuinely root for.

Her First Mistake is not only a brilliant standalone—it’s a compelling start to a new series I’ll definitely be continuing. Whether you're a longtime fan of Kendra Elliot or new to her work, this one’s a must-read…or a must-listen. Either way, you're in for a ride.

Note = I totally want more

This book kept me in suspense as it explored Noelle’s past and present life surrounding the murder of her husband Derrick. When the case resurfaces 13 years later, new clues, buried memories, and new suspects collide, taking the case to a shocking new direction. The timelines and flashbacks were strategically placed that added depth and helped build the story in a gripping way.

At times, I did find some of the shifts between characters to be hard to follow and see who’s POV I was reading. Overall, it was intriguing, suspenseful, and left you needing to figure it out! This was my first book by Kendra Elliot, but I look forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC copy. My review is honest and voluntary.

Noelle Marshall has tried to put the murder of her husband, Derrick Bell, behind her. She's now living in Deschutes County working in the Sheriff's department with her family nearby. But when the FBI comes to town to interview Noelle and her family about the case it stirs up not only old feelings that Noelle had, but an old danger as well. Will Noelle finally get answers and feel safe?

The story had three main timelines: the current investigation, the first investigation thirteen years ago, and when Noelle first met Derrick. I enjoyed the back and forth in timelines at the beginning as it kept the pace of the book moving really fast. I'm excited to get more stories about Noelle and Max - the next book is already on my 'to read' shelf!

Thank you to #netgalley for a review copy of the ebook and the opportunity to share my voluntary and unbiased opinion.

Honest to Pete, this book was riveting from word go. I thought the author did an excellent job of going back and forth in time to show the differences between the characters then and now.

The abject horror and sorrow you feel for Noelle as she tries to remember what happened. Not to mention, all the abuse she had to endure between her husband and his family. I spent a good deal of the book wishing that it was kind of like Looney Tunes and that somewhere out of the blue a giant safe or piano would just land on at least one of them. Horrible vile people they ended up being, right until the very end.

I know a lot of people will come out of this thinking that Noelle got what she deserved because of the fact that she did let herself get fooled into being with her husband, who ended up being nothing more than a drug addled panderer who wants nothing more than political greatness and doesn't care about anyone else. However, I don't feel that way. He promised her that they would do it all together. That he would rise politically with her support. Not with him using her as some sort of a trophy to help get him elected.

Derrick's character, even from the get-go disgusted me. I could tell right away that he was a slimy charlatan hiding in a nice suit. However, just like the saying goes 'even the devil comes as an angel of light.' Sometimes we only see what we want to see, and I think this is a perfect case of that.

The ending though, was completely astounding and I was dropped jawed for most of it. I loved how everything came together and wow, it was so worth it. I cannot wait to read the next book. Kendra Elliot is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publishers, and to Kendra Elliot for the ability to read and review this book. All opinions are my own and are completely honest.

Loved it!! I really enjoy this series and seeing characters from previous books. I didn't know much about Detective Noelle Marshall before reading this, except that she loves her boots and heels and always seemed put together. She's lucky to be alive after a horrible attack in her California home that left her husband dead. Unfortunately, Noelle doesn't remember anything. Her choice in men isn't always the best. Thirteen years later, she's a detective in Oregon, when the FBI shows up asking more questions about what happened to her husband. The same question is asked. Does she remember anything? The answer is still no. The Bell family believes Noelle had something to do with Derrick's death and doesn't believe she has memory loss. Loved how the book alternated between Noelle in the present and the past. I knew as soon as Noelle met Derrick her life would change. Derrick wanted to change Noelle and started gradually with her hair color. It progressed with clothes, jewelry...the list goes on and on. I loved Noelle's family, Great Aunt Daisy and her grandfather were the best. There was always something off about Lucia. The family always treated her like a child. They always made excuses for her. Loved Noelle's relationship with Alice and Savannah. I was hooked from the start and couldn't wait to find out who killed Derrick and left Noelle for dead. Who anonymously called 911 about the attack? Great mystery with so many twists and turns. I never guessed who was involved. I was shocked when it was finally revealed who killed Derrick. I definitely wasn't expecting that outcome. At least Noelle finally got her memory back and a possible love interest.

Definitely recommend the book. It was a great mystery/thriller. Loved the characters, story and writing style. Looking forward to reading more books by the author. I can't wait for the next book in the series and possibly learn more about Max Rhodes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Her First Mistake starts a new Noelle Marshall series in the same world as at least two other series. She works with Evan Bolton from the Columbia River series, which is a mix of stories utilizing characters from some of the author's other series or supporting characters. She was in a book as a side character. Mercy Kilpatrick is in this book , of the Mercy Kilpatrick series.

This is the foundation of Noelle Marshall with her history and current case. The story does alternate between past and present. Thirteen years ago her second husband Derrick Bell, who was in Congress, was murdered. She was attacked and had a head injury and was found unconscious. The case has never been solved. Now the FBI is looking at the case again and comes to Oregon where Noelle and her family members are to ask more questions.

We learn much of her past, upbringing and family members. Noelle started with a degree in psychology. After Derrick died, she went into law enforcement where she works now. The detective, Alice, from her husband's case encouraged her. Noelle does have some memory issues related to her head injury but works hard to compensate for them.

Now with the case reopened things go wild. I won't spoil all the events but it escalates and hurtles along flying at the end. Because of the case, and her husband's family always disparaging her, Nicole has been private and kept to herself and family. When in school and starting the new career, Nicole was able to regain herself. Now with the facts becoming clear, Nicole may be able to move on with her life. There is an FBI agent who may be interested in joining her. I'll definitely be reading more next year in No One Knew.

First novel I have read from this author and it didn’t disappoint. Enjoyable from the first to last page. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me enthralled. Well rounded characters and very well written. Look forward to her next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I will never turn down a Kendra Elliott book. I am always intrigued and surprised. This one was a little difficult for me due to the constant time change, though each chapter was labeled making you aware. Once it came to the present day, I was 100% on board. Mercy makes visit and Evan (Noelle's partner) is of course on board. There is a lot going on with family, the good, the bad and the ugly. The perp was a surprise, and there were other surprises. This is book 1 so I am looking forward to following this series. Thank you for the advanced copy. I freely share my honest thoughts and opinions. #HerFirstMistake #NoelleMarshall #KendraElliott #Montlake #NetGalley

4.25 stars
This book is the debut of a new series and features Detective Noelle Marshall. Noella is a minor character from one of the author's other series but takes center stage in this book. I wasn't familiar with the character, but that didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. 
Noelle was the victim of a crime thirteen years ago and is now a detective with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Department. The FBI is now reinvestigating the cold case in which Noelle's husband, Derrick Bell, was killed and she was left for dead. The questions from the two agents are bringing back painful memories for Noelle, but she can't deny the connection she feels between her and Special Agent Max Rhodes.

The story alternates between three main timelines - the present investigation, the initial investigation thirteen years ago, and a few years before that when Noelle first met Derrick. I enjoyed both of the faster-paced investigation timelines the most. I like the FBI agents Alice Patmore and Oscar Wilson from the original investigation and the current timeline is suspenseful since Noelle again seems to be in danger. Despite the act Noelle puts on for her husband's constituents, she and Derrick didn't have a perfect marriage and some of their interactions were unpleasant. 

The plot is complex, often dramatic, and has several twists. It was clear several characters were keeping secrets and when they are revealed, there are some big surprises. The author's acknowledgements in the back say there will be a second book with Noelle that will reveal more of Max's backstory. I look forward to reading it and seeing what happens next in their lives. 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for the review copy of the book. My review is voluntary and unbiased.