It’s only January and I already know this is going to be one of my favourite reads of 2024. This is a brilliant cat and mouse thriller, with plenty of twists and great characters. I read it in one sitting and loved it.

I always love a good thriller, and that's exactly what this is. Twisty, intense and clever, this was an absolutely fantastic read that had me hooked from start to finish. Featuring plenty of suspense, high stakes, well-crafted characters and a brilliantly thought out plot, it's hard to believe that this is Elston's first adult novel. An incredibly talented author, I can't wait to see what else she has in store!

What a fabulous debut thriller. Welcome to the world of grifting where no one is who they seem & the truth is a very rare commodity. Told across multiple timelines but from Evie’s POV, we follow our protagonist as she sets her sights on the given target.

Evie Porter’s new assignment is Ryan Sumner. All is going to plan until she attends a party with him & they meet James with his girlfriend Lucca Marino. Except Evie is really called that, so who is James’ girlfriend?

A brilliant plot concept & I can’t really say anymore without giving the game away. Twist after twist kept me reading until the early hours. More please!

I knew as soon as I heard about First Lie Wins that this was going to be my kind of book - it has been getting lots of positive reviews and trust me when I say that it is worth the hype and you’re going to be hearing lots more about it. It is a clever, twisty and utterly addictive cat and mouse thriller that I raced through in a couple of sittings - what a great way to start 2024!

It is the story of a female con artist who works for a Mr Smith - he provides her with an alias and new identity at the start of each job; this time she is Evie Porter. Evie is enjoying her latest job as girlfriend to Ryan Sumner a little too much and a real future with him is an appealing prospect - but she is on thin ice with Mr Smith, her last job not having gone to plan, so she needs to keep her head in the game ….

There is so much to love about this book - the way in which the plot unfolds, with twists that keep coming and keep the reader on their toes and, if you’re like me, frequently blindsided, and a cast of characters none of whom you can really figure out so have no idea who to believe or who to trust. And in Evie, Elston has created a great main character - moving between her past and present we get to know her and understand what a complex character she is, undoubtedly morally grey but with so much to like about her that you find yourself unexpectedly rooting for her despite her profession.

I do think this is a book worth going into relatively blind so I don’t want to say too much about the plot. But if you are looking for a fun read that will take you on a wild ride and keep you guessing right to the end, then the sooner you read it the better!

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this, it is out now!

We meet Evie, just as she is about to move in with her boyfriend. It appears she has it all, the gorgeous partner, house and job in a beautiful town.

And then she meets ‘herself’?! What?! Yeah she isn’t really Evie, all this is a lie and someone else is using her real identity.

This took me a few chapters to get into but when I did, I was hooked! It’s such a well thought out plot, and as we get closer to the end of the present day, Evie is taking us back through her past and so it all comes together nicely with lots of ‘ah’ moments.

Brilliantly plotted, twisty and full of suspense! This cat and mouse drama is executed brilliantly, a must read! 📚❤️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Wow this book was so cleverly written it absolutely blew me away.

It’s hard to say to say much without spoiling the plot! But all the characters were so well written and it didn’t get confusing at all.

It will definitely be in my top 10 books of this year!

Absolutely loved this book! It’s so clever. The lead character is a woman and is set in present day and also has snippets of her life in the past eight years. It’s difficult to write a review without spoiling the plot, I was hooked from the beginning and really enjoyed the story. It would make an amazing film, I definitely recommend it and will be patiently awaiting other books from Ashley. Thank you net galley.

Great book. This is well written and the characters are easy to follow. A bit of a twist at the end which is always good to. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

A complete gem! I was on the edge of my seat for the entire book. If you love THE LIES I TELL, this will be right up your street!

This is my first five star read of the year. I listened to this on audiobook and I was completely addicted from the first chapter. Such a brilliant and original thriller! I read quite a lot of books in this genre and although I'm never that good at making preductions this one was impossible to guess. I actually went into this book blind and I think it made it even more enjoyable but I've copied the synopsis below.
This is going to be my recommendation for everyone in the weeks to come. I think it might even be my top thriller for 2024. It will be hard to beat!

This book is so hyped and I'm struggling to understand why!

I made a short video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bxUK4m...

1. Intriguing premise and that's why I picked it up.

2. It's slow, boring, far-fetched and nothing really happens till the last chapters.

3. I like it more when clues are peppered throughout the book and I get to work out the mystery myself, instead of having the reveal at the end.

4. This is the second book I read this year in this "tell me, don't show me" vibe and I hope this is not a new trend :/

5. Might be your next cup of tea, it just wasn't mine.

What a very apt title for this book as titles so rarely, truly reflect what follows.

A really good story in so many ways. It kept me page turning to the extent that I had to say goodnight at one point or I would have kept going until the last page. Frankly, the break was a good idea as it offered an opportunity for parts of the plot to clarify themselves and crystallise.

Whereas so many books of fiction really do need total suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy same, this book is not one of them. For sure, the odd question or two pops up but, for me at least, nothing to derail the story.

I am now waiting patiently for Ashley Elston's next offering.

Oh my goodness! Buckle up for an amazing read!
Was not expecting this to be as amazing as it was.
Am even more impressed to now learn that this is the author’s first adult novel! Amazing- she. Writes so cleverly, every twist and turn a surprise.
Loved it! Cannot wait to read more from this author!
Make this a must read for 2024!

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

First Lie Wins follows Evie Porter who is a con artist so is given a new identity, target and life on each of her jobs. Throughout her years in this career she has always protected her true identity as an escape plan that is until she meets someone claiming to be her at a party.

This book was absolutely incredible! Our narrator was very intelligent and it was fascinating to follow her thought process as she tried to outwit her boss and escape to her previous identity. As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, I'm usually quite good at guessing plot twists however this story was so unpredictable and incredibly addictive to read. The ending was genius and it was so satisfying to see clues from both the present and past timelines come together so seamlessly. I would love to go back and reread this and see if I can piece it together myself on a second read.

Overall I would recommend everybody reads this but be warned you will need to cancel any plans you have as this book will suck you in and you won't be able to put it down!

It's not you, it's me. I have to stop expecting too much of commercial thrillers. I had to DNF at around 20% because the prose, voice and characters were so generic, I couldn't connect to them at all.

Circumstances in Lucca's youth lead her to working for the mysterious 'Mr Smith'. He sets her undercover jobs, where she takes an alternative identity, and worms her way into peoples lives. She then awaits further instructions as to what her job will be.
This time around, she is 'Evie Porter', and is now living with Ryan, who is the 'mark' of her current job.
One day, at a party, 'Evie' is introduced to a woman, who looks remarkable like herself. Not only this, but she introduces herself by using Lucca's birth name. Could she be another employee of 'Mr Smith's?'
I won't spoil the story for others, but you are in for a great read.

i enjoyed this a lot more than I expected too. I was absolutely gripped and couldn't put it down. Engaging writing and well developed characters

So far, this year is proving to be a goodie, book-wise! I really enjoyed First Lie Wins.  It’s complex (in a good way), so cleverly plotted, and written in a way that keeps you reading on.  It’s so original in its plot and style of narration.
 
I don’t know how to begin explaining this one!  Never mind cat and mouse, this is cats and mice.
 
Essentially Evie Porter has a great life – her loving boyfriend Ryan, great friends, lovely house etc.  Only – none of this is real; Evie Porter doesn’t exist. 
 
Evie is an identity provided by her employer, along with details of her job and her mark, Ryan.  However things don’t go quite as planned. Evie starts to imagine this life as something permanent.  She’s kept her real identity safe to return to one day, that is until a woman who looks remarkably like Evie, rocks up using her real name.  What in the .. ?
 
So now Evie has to find a way to navigate this complex web of lies and stay one step ahead. Or seven.
 
It’s soooo good!  It’s fast paced and twisty and clever and gripping.  I didn’t want it to end.  It’s so visual, it’s one of those books that I kept mistaking for a TV show, looking forward to the next episode.  Actually, this would make an excellent TV series – think Killing Eve meets Orphan Black.
 
Evie is complex, whip smart and bad-ass, yet Elston writes her in a way that gives glimpses of vulnerability.  Whilst she’s shady at times, and doesn’t let things like right or wrong stand in her way, you can’t help but root for her.

A huge thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for review consideration.  All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this book. It started brilliantly, but the plot soon descended into impossiblity and incredulity. Good effort by a debut author.

A very intriguing read, struggled to put this down, with all the twists and turn I just had to know how it ended, and a very satisfying end too