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First Lie Wins: Reese's Book Club: A Novel

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK | #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“This fast-paced read has everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat & mouse game that kept me guessing the whole way through.” —Reese Witherspoon

Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, a tight group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.


The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss, Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job isn't like the others. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.

Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there's still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn't be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge. . . .

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Published Jan 2, 2024

368 pages

Average rating: 7.57

4,615 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Storyteller 8
Mar 25, 2025
8/10 stars
First Lie Wins has been on my reading list for a while. I regret not having read it sooner. I'm glad one of my best friends got me a copy, so I don't have to wait long at my library. It was popular, and everyone was talking about it, so I couldn't help but be curious. My favorite genres are thrillers and mysteries, but I could be selective about them. First Lie Wins is exactly the type of thriller I love: lots of twists will keep you guessing. This novel kept me reading late into the night, and I didn't even realize time was passing since I couldn't get enough of Evie's story. I enjoyed how detailed it was, and even though I'm not a con artist, reading the story from Evie's point of view made me feel like one. Every page kept me wondering what would happen next and whether Ryan would discover Evie's real identity. I liked Ryan from the start and admired how he treated Evie. As the story transpired, I realized how much Evie had grown to like Ryan. I knew if he found her identity, it would end their relationship, and I didn't want that for either of them. I sensed Evie wasn't the only one hiding something, and something about Ryan made me question what he was hiding. I was rooting for the two of them. There was so much going on in this novel, and just as you thought you had figured it out, another twist threw your assumptions out the window. I was on the edge of my seat until the end. I couldn’t wait to see what Evie would end up doing next. I liked how the chapters switched between her identity and the one she used when working for Mr. Smith. From the start, I was skeptical of Mr. Smith; something was off about him, and no one knew where he was or who he was. I was as intrigued and suspicious of him as Evie was, and I figured if anyone could bring him down, it would be her. I was rooting for her the whole time. This was the first book I read by Ashley Elston, and she did an excellent job for her adult debut. I see why everyone was talking about this book. I'm eager to read her young adult works. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers and mysteries. Be ready for a fantastic journey!
WineforReading
Mar 02, 2025
8/10 stars
Fun quick read..surprising twists and turns.
Anonymous
Jan 14, 2025
10/10 stars
Fun, twisty cat and mouse mystery/thriller. I appreciate it when authors give enough hints that I can sort of guess where it’s going without being too easy to guess all of the twists. This would make a great movie.
Juliaj
Dec 31, 2024
8/10 stars
Love this book. Easy read.
KenzieReadsAlot
Dec 12, 2024
10/10 stars
I know this took me forever to read, but really because I was reading a physical book and it’s never as convenient as my kindle.

BUT DAMN, this book was honestly so good. I loved it. Little cat and mouse vibe. I like that I didn’t figure it out at any point in the book. That tells you how good the writing is.

This book made me want to read more like this.

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