First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

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🎭 First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston – Book Review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ 3.5 out of 5 stars

A twisty con story that requires a seatbelt, a spreadsheet… and maybe a second read.

⚠️ Spoiler Alert!

Spoilers ahead! If you’re planning to read First Lie Wins without knowing the truth behind the lies, come back later after you’ve untangled the web yourself.

🕵️‍♀️ What’s the Premise?

Evie Porter isn’t who she says she is. In fact, Evie Porter doesn’t even exist.

Our main character is a woman who assumes different identities for a living, taking covert assignments from a man known only as Mr. Smith—a handler who doles out new identities, objectives, and locations like he's playing puppetmaster.

When we meet "Evie," she's living in a small Louisiana town, dating a rich Southern gentleman named Ryan Sumner, whose charm and mansion come with just a little too much backstory. Evie’s assignment? We’re not told upfront, because—of course—we’re on a need-to-know basis with this plot.

All we know is: Evie is lying. And so is pretty much everyone else.

🧩 Nonlinear Storytelling = Brain Required

The book jumps around in time and identity, using flashbacks, memories, and different aliases to slowly unravel the full picture. It’s like being in a spy thriller inside a Rubik’s Cube. You’ll meet people with names like Lucca Marino, Devon, Parker, Kelsey, Hollis, and Gwen, and wonder if any of them are actually real.

Spoiler: Some of them are, but not in the way you think.

Evie (real name Lucca) is running from her past and the trauma of a job gone wrong, where she lost a man named Parker, someone she once cared about deeply. Her handler, Mr. Smith, has kept her running ever since—always giving her just enough info to survive, but never enough to stop looking over her shoulder.

🔍 So… What’s Actually Going On?

Stick with me. Here’s the TL;DR plot rundown:

  • “Evie Porter” is just the latest alias for a woman working long cons.

  • She works for Mr. Smith, who assigns her roles and objectives in secret.

  • Her latest target: Ryan Sumner, a wealthy guy with political connections.

  • She pretends to be the perfect girlfriend, but starts genuinely falling for him.

  • Meanwhile, she’s haunted by a past job where her partner Parker died (or so she thought).

  • Twist: Mr. Smith is Parker. He’s alive. And manipulating her.

  • Twist #2: Parker wants revenge. He’s testing her loyalty and feeding her false jobs.

  • Final twist: Evie figures it all out, turns the game on him, and escapes the con with the help of her own wits.

  • The book ends with her using his tricks against him. She finally decides to stop running and reclaim her own life.

🎭 Why It’s Confusing

Let’s be honest: First Lie Wins is a bit of a name soup, and the nonlinear format doesn’t help. You get dropped into a world where everyone is lying, most people are pretending to be someone else, and every chapter teases a new clue out of order.

You can piece it together… but it takes work. Like, possibly a corkboard and red string.

💬 My Thoughts

This one is a 3.5 out of 5 for me.

✅ What I liked:

  • The pace was brisk and bingeable

  • The premise is genuinely fun (who doesn’t love a con artist?)

  • The final act delivers a decent payoff

❌ What I didn’t love:

  • The nonlinear narrative made it hard to invest emotionally

  • Too many aliases and side characters with not enough development

  • The final twist—about Parker being Mr. Smith—felt less “mind-blowing” and more “meh”

  • It gave off The Imposters TV show vibes (but without the humor or zing)

In short: it felt like a smart idea executed with just okay energy.

📚 Love a good con story? Try these:

  • The Lying Game by Ruth Ware – layered identities and long-buried secrets

  • The Passenger by Lisa Lutz – dark, thrilling, identity-swapping chase

  • The Impostor Syndrome by Kathy Wang – espionage, tech, and ambitious women with secrets

🛍️ Buy the Book:

📘 Get First Lie Wins on Amazon
🎧 Listen on Audible

🧠 Final Takeaway?

First Lie Wins will keep you guessing, but also occasionally asking, Wait—who’s that again?

Still, if you enjoy twisty thrillers about identity, betrayal, and con artistry, it’s a solid pick for your TBR pile.

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