Yikes. The reviews for this one are so good that I was super excited when I got the opportunity to read and review an eARC from the publisher and Netgalley. I was very surprising and disappointed to find that it was truly terrible. The twists were predictable, the plot was thin, the dialogue was terrible (why did everyone use Molly’s name in every single sentence? No one talks like that.). This was a good book in the same way Black Flamingo is an “expensive club with bottle service” which is to say not at all.

I appreciated the opportunity to read and review, and these opinions are wholly mine. Clearly everyone else is really enjoying this book and I have an unpopular opinion, so maybe it’s just not for me, but I won’t be recommending it to my friends.

First Born by Will Dean Interesting premise, it just didn't work for me. Just couldn't get into the story. Couldn't relate at all to Mollie or understand her actions. The author's fans and other thriller reader most likely would enjoy it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Absolutely loved the fast pace maintained throughout the book. It starts off with Molly finding out the her twin sister Katie is found dead in her apartment. On rushing from London to New York, she finds it was a murder actually. She then goes into investigative mode and finds Katie's friends and all her dubious acquaintances. Just when I kept wondering who the killer could be, the plot goes haywire midway and I was like what is even happening here?? I felt the urgency and frantic behavior in the writing at that point. There was a good twist at the ending but the motive for the death could have been fleshed out more for clarity. The detailed explanation on the two twins' behaviors does explain the motive but it could have been better written.

Definitely, a quick read with a nice twist at the end!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was thrilled to be approved for First Born! After reading The Last Thing to Burn by Dean, I could not wait to dive into this. I also had very high expectations because Burn was a 5 star read for me, and it still haunts me. If I am going to be completely honest about First Born, I have to say that I was so disappointed. This book did not live up to the potential I thought it had. Molly, living in London, our main character, is a twin, and has a very unique personality. She lives, for lack of a better word, paranoid about everything. She finds out that her sister, Katie has died, possibly murdered, and travels to New York to try to find out what happened, play detective and manages to annoy the heck out of you in doing so. Molly raked my nerves BIG TIME, and I just about had enough of her even after the first few chapters. This book is S-L-O-W! I usually like slow burns, but I found it very hard to get through the entire book. I am in the minority here, but I just found the story mundane and I lost interest very quickly. There was a nice final twist, but it was somewhat predictable. I am sorry to say that I cannot give this book 5 stars, or even highly recommend it, as I did The Last Thing To Burn. I give this 2.5-3 stars.

With an intriguing plot, identical twins and idiosyncratic behavior, First Born is a top-notch psychological murder mystery with blindsiding twists that hit you in the face like a coin-filled sock. Will Dean has produced an absorbing thriller guaranteed to keep you hanging on every word and action, where nearly everyone is a viable suspect with motive to commit murder.

First Born follows the peculiar, risk-averse and routine-driven Molly Raven as she travels to New York upon learning of her identical sister Katie’s death. When the police deem it a homicide, Molly starts her own investigation by diving into the world her adventurous and extroverted sister inhabited. Molly quickly finds herself outside her comfort zone and feeling lost without her other half, yet continues to push forward to help the police find the culprit and put them behind bars. But as answers start to present themselves, it becomes apparent that Katie wasn’t the person Molly believed her to be. And like her monozygotic twin, Molly may have a few secrets of her own.

Will Dean has once again delivered a dark, twisted and slow-burning thriller that will bust your brain trying to figure things out. It’s filled with intricate character development. From the twins to their parents, the suspects, and even the guy selling smoothies out of a roadside cart, each person that graces the pages of First Born adds depth and value to the story via their well-crafted backgrounds and motivations. Throw in some seriously big reveals along the way and the result is a glorious character-driven thriller that keeps readers guessing while also cheering for the demise of certain individuals due to their unscrupulous actions.

I’ve quickly become a fan of Will Dean’s writing. Last year with The Last Thing To Burn and this year with First Born, he’s provided two compelling yet different thrillers that show his versatility within the genre. His character development is superb, his writing style is effortlessly engaging and his signature ability to string readers along until dropping game-changing twists is world-class. I can’t wait to see what explodes out of his diabolical mind next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of First Born.

From the reviews I can see here, it's apparent I'm the first outlier.

I wanted to like this more, really, I did; I love stories with twins or siblings as the main characters but First Born really left me wanting.

First, I couldn't relate to Molly; not as a woman or as a sibling. She makes odd comments such as when she remarks if her sister's friend can be violent since she's only in her early 20s?

What does age have to do with being violent?

I get that Molly lives a sheltered life and is fearful of traveling so NYC is depicted as gritty and dark, which I found kind of offensive, as a native New Yorker.

It's clear the author has never been to New York; there are a lot of inaccurate facts such as you're not allowed to purchase pepper spray in the state of New York unless it's through a licensed pharmacist or through a firearms dealer but Molly walks right into CVS and buys it, no problem.

I figured out the twist by the second chapter and I figured the author was trying to shock the reader by throwing in a switcheroo which I saw coming.

By the end of the book, I still didn't understand the motive behind Molly's death.

Because she was a pain in her family's side? Seems weak to me.

There's a lot of superfluous meetings with the cops and meet ups with Violet and Scott that read as filler.

The writing was okay, but the plot lacked suspense and urgency; not once did I care about Molly and her sister, or how they ended up in the predicament they found themselves in.

I did want to like this more but it wasn't for me.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Molly has a twin sister Kate who is the complete opposite of her. She gets a call from her parents that her sister was murdered. It will take everything Molly has to find out who killed her sister.

First Born by Will Dean was excellent, 4.5 stars and I am rounding up to 5! It was so creative and shocking! There were several times I was left with my mouth hung open in disbelief. Those moments are my favorite…and what makes a good book incredible if they are done correctly and Dean did just that! I stayed up two nights in a row to read it. Will Dean has now been added to my list of authors who I will read anything and everything he writes. There will be no reason to even look what it’s about. I read, Last Thing to Burn, last year and it was amazing and I gobbled that one up too.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for inviting me to read, First Born, in exchange for my honest review.

First Born by Will Dean
Rating: Starred Review

Summary: A twin sister living a quiet safe and prepared life in London is called by her parents that her twin sister is dead in New York City. She rushes to New York to console her parents and grieve her awful murder.

Comments: Dean is amazing suspense writer. Never saw a major twist coming and the pages flip almost by themselves. Totally absorbing and shocking. Must read novel of the year.

Ugh, how I despise being a lone wolf! I know that many truly LOVED this book, but for me First Born, by Will Dean, is a akin to a rollercoaster ride that, though it leaves you nauseous and disoriented, is nonetheless an “experience”.

The novel opens with an introduction to Molly—a British woman with overwhelming situational anxiety. She fears everything, is OCD when it comes to protecting herself and lives in a state of constant angst. Molly’s identical twin sister, KT, is murdered whilst attending Columbia in New York, and is found in her bed by her parents, who are visiting her from England. The story follows Molly as she attempts to battle her insecurities in order to first get “across the pond” to her parents and deceased sister, then to help police solve KT’s murder.

The first chapters of the book reminded me of being out on the ocean in a speed boat. You know there are all these beautiful things to see just below the surface, but your boat is moving so fast, you’re lucky to skim the water. When reading, I felt as if I was missing something important and found myself retracing my steps and rereading passages to be sure I hadn’t. I wanted a deep dive to see what was lurking below and was instead treated to what felt like a cursory overview. That feeling intensified as I read, particularly in one scene in which Molly was traveling on a bus and sharing episodic flashbacks. It was like simultaneously viewing individual cells on two different movie reels—confusing and not particularly enjoyable. Additionally, I never fully understood character James Kandee, his “foundation” or his sponsorship, nor did I see the need for Bagby. His backstory added nothing to the plot, and the character development of Bagby tested the limits of just how far I was willing to stretch my suspension of disbelief. In the end it seemed like every character in some way betrayed who they had been portrayed to be: none remained true throughout to the original character as written, and some of their actions were downright ridiculous. Instead of coming across as “growth”, this lack of continuity, and the author’s tendency to step outside of what could be considered realistic, detracted from the plot in a way that nullified any attempted investment.

Definitely a quick read, but not necessarily one that will leave you longing for any more.

I’d like to thank Atria Books and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC for review. Publication is slated for July of 2022.

This was a bit too far fetched for me. I did enjoy the suspense, however the overall plot was a bit unbelievable.

Well now, that ride was better than any theme park thrill ride! The twists and shocks just kept coming, all the way to the last few pages! The protagonist, Molly, is a monozygotic twin who is lost and frustrated when her twin, Katie, moves from their quiet home in London to New York City to attend college. Molly travels to New York City when she learns from her parents (who were visiting Katie) that Katie has been found dead in her apartment. The plot is well paced and the characters very well developed. There were so many 'wait, what?' moments in this one that my head was often spinning! Without revealing spoilers, suffice to say there were dark webs of deceit and nothing was what it seemed! This is the first of Will Dean's books that I have read but I will certainly look for others! Thank you NetGalley, Will Dean, and the Atria Marketing Team at Simon and Schuster for the advanced readers copy.

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own! Out July 5.

Wheww this ended up being a fantastic, and twisted thriller. I read Will Deans THE LAST THING TO BURN and that was a 5⭐!! I knew I wanted to read this one when I saw it. A great mystery to unweave, and it goes to places you will not expect! It starts out slow….but once I got about mid way, the twists started to happen, and it was great! Stick with it, you will be happy you did A must read!

Will Dean writes these characters, Molly in particular, so well that I felt I knew them. I was so enmeshed in their story that even as I raced to finish this I hated that it ended.

This is not one to miss.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

Terrific psychological thriller from Will Dean. I will happily read anything else he might write in the future. Once close identical English twins, one still living in the UK and one relocated to New York, have been estranged since Katie enrolled at Columbia. When Katie is found murdered in her apartment, Molly flies to New York, where she joins her parents who were visiting Katie at the time of her death. Dean’s spellbinding ride starts here and doesn’t stop until the last page is turned.

First, I would like to extend my thanks to Atria for inviting me to read and review this book. Now, I will get into the review.

The first chapter of the book seemed interesting enough. Here you have this twin, Molly, who resides in London and is a completely anxious and exhausting worry wart. She receives a call during the night from her parents who are visiting her twin sister, Katie, in the states. Katie has been found dead in her New York apartment and their parents beg Molly to fly over immediately.

The book was interesting until the storyline kept being dragged out. I found myself very bored with the whole "whodunit" premise. Molly searches desperately for clues as to why and how her sister died, only to learn that she was murdered. Since the story kept dragging at a snail's pace, I skipped on ahead to the middle of the book when low and behold the mystery of who murdered Katie is made clear. Major eye roll here.

While a lot of the other reviews are commending the writing on a "twist" of an ending, I saw it coming from a mile away. I was not shocked at all by the revelation as I had figured out who was behind the murder and scheme by the 5th chapter. As a writer myself, I can easily pick up on these things unless the author does a wonderful job of disguising the culprit which the author just did not do here, in my opinion.

Readers, read this book for yourself and determine whether or not it is a psychological thriller worthy of your time. I will not discourage others from reading it, however, the plot and storyline missed the mark for me.

After reading “The Last Thing To Burn” I couldn’t wait to read “First Born”. Thank you Netgalley for sending me the copy. I loved the intricate way that the story played out and was revealed. I have to say that I was starting to get discouraged about halfway through because I didn’t think the story was going anywhere. I wasn’t “getting” the main character. AND then the ending…….. I love to be surprised!
Anxiously waiting for Will Dean’s next book.

This book got right into the juiciness of the story right from the beginning which I loved. It's a quick read that's easy to binge. I loved the twin aspect of this book, and the author's writing style is absolutely intense and gripping. I found myself questioning EVERYONE and I still didn't even get it right! There are so many details that go into this novel, and they are all handled masterfully. Seemingly small at first, everything ends up tying together nicely with a bow at the very end. I did find myself having to suspend my disbelief at times, but these pieces really make the book what they are. 👀💕

I look forward to reading more from this author! 4.25/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Molly lives in London and her twin, Katie lives in New York. If it wasn't for their looks, you would never guess they were related. Molly is cautious, and when I say cautious, I mean much more than even a safety-conscious individual. She spends her life making sure she is prepared for every worst-case scenario. When I say prepared, you must picture the world crashing down around you, and only Molly, with her prior planning, and maybe her family would survive.
Her parents are visiting Katie and call Molly with devastating news. Katie is dead, and it is looking like she was murdered. Molly must now get at once on a plane and come to New York. Picture everything that could potentially go wrong, and you still won't be as prepared as Molly when you board the plane.
It feels like Molly has lost half of herself, and from almost the first moment when she sees her parents, she is determined to find out who killed Katie. Well, after she gathers the necessary supplies, she is prepared if any catastrophe happens in NY. Katie was well-liked, outgoing, had many friends, and was the opposite of Molly in every way. So, who could have a reason to want her dead?
As always with a mystery and thriller, I avoid shark-filled spoiler waters. See, Molly isn't the only one prepared around here! At first, the mystery around Katie's death and Molly's rather odd personality had me furiously flipping pages. Then, around the halfway point, this book becomes more of a thriller, and I honestly had no idea where it would go.
Well-developed characters, the mystery surrounding the twins' lives, and Katie's death kept me glued to the pages. Then, holy cray cray twist, the ending! Well played, Will Dean. I could not wait to get my book-loving hands-on First Born and it did not disappoint.

I received a DRC from Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books through NetGalley.

There is tension and suspense as I turned the pages of this phenomenal psychological thriller. This well written novel is very fast past paced.
This was entirely brilliant. Atmospheric, genuinely absorbing, incredibly insightful story, And the story is SO addictive, I just fell into it and didn’t come out much, the dramatic senses were tingling throughout the whole of the reading experience.
A thrilling, captivating, character-driven novel that will leave you wanting more.
I was enthralled from the very beginning and never wanted to put the book down. I highly recommend you pick this one up when it becomes available. You will not regret it!
It’s a story that kept me turning pages, anxious to find out what happened and what would happen. And the ending. Wow. I was left thinking about it for days after I’d finished the book.
Dean is just one of those authors who you you know you will pretty much read anything he puts out! I would read his shopping list.... Ok!
The Last Thing To Burn was phenomenal....
But TLTTB doesn't hold a candle to First Born!

Atria/Emily Bestler Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.