The Nora Theory

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston began feeling so much the same as several other mysteries and thrillers that have been popular lately. I thought I knew exactly where it was going, and exactly how the characters were going to get there. I was wrong. This book managed to take me completely by surprise on a wild and thrilling adventure.

Evie Porter is living the dream, in a white picket fence house with a boyfriend who seems to adore her. But it’s not her real life, and Evie Porter is not her real name. This is all just a job to her, done for her boss, a mysterious Mr. Smith. After what happened last time, she can’t afford a single mistake.

This job will turn out to be unlike any other for Evie. The stakes are higher, and her mark, her boyfriend Ryan, is under her skin. Then, things really get sticky when a stranger shows up in town, threatening the one thing Evie has protected above all else, her true identity.

Despite all the deception between them, Evie and Ryan have undeniable chemistry. The reader is never quite sure what to think of these two, and the author carefully keeps every single character in this book decidedly in the land of morally grey up until the very end.

First Lie Wins is perfect for those who liked Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft. It has a very similar energy, especially in the beginning. The two stories diverge significantly in terms of plot, but both feature tough-as-nails female protaganists who you can’t help but root for, despite their questionable tactics in getting what they want.

This seemed so similar to so many other stories at the start. I was confident I knew the framework, but Elston quickly managed to surprise me. My ego was my downfall because it allowed this book to really get me with the twists. Which made it all the more fun to read.

If you are looking for an easy read that will keep you guessing, look no further. First Lie Wins is such a captivating story, I can’t even handle it. I made my fiancé sit and wait for me to be finished with it before we ate because I couldn’t stand the idea of sitting down for dinner without knowing what happened next. It’s a page turner for sure, and a solid book from start to finish.

Note: some of the links included here are Amazon Affiliate links, which means if you purchase through said links, The Nora Theory gets a cut.