Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

This topic is for the April / May group read First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston.
Spoilers welcome - please note how far you are in the book with your posts.
There is a general topic for spoiler free discussions too. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

I don’t really enjoy heist stories, but this was engrossing. Cerebral criminals do make crime more interesting.

April: agreed, I don't usually gravitate to heist or con-artist type stories but this one had me on the edge of my seat and I stayed up way too late last night so I could finish it.
...and as far as con-artists go - this was a work of art. The plotting and weaving of past jobs in with the present day was very well done.
mild spoiler
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once I realized that most of the characters were on a (mostly) even playing field I settled right in for the ride.

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I don’t really enjoy heist stories, but this was engrossing. Cerebral criminals do make crime more interesting."

Will contain some spoilers to the end
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I was skeptical of this plot at first. I really don't like books where the main character starts out in a compromising position and is in danger throughout the book. That was what I meant in another post when I said I wasn't sure I was going to like the book.

Boy was I wrong. As Ann said in a different way, once I saw that Evie had a strategy for getting herself out of her jam I was all in. The plotting was clever and she was just one step ahead of her pursuers. She found herself an ally and together they got the job done. I was feeling really uneasy about her position with Ryan and was unhappy at what I imagined was going to happen there (I like me a happily ever after story and this did not look like THAT was going to happen) but that sorted itself out as well.

I really wound up liking this book and gave it a 5 out of 5. And it looks like there is a set-up for a follow up book if the author wants to write it.

More spoilers to the end
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I also liked how we saw her integrity as we got further into the novel.... how she wound up not having to compromise her squeaky clean politician guy, how she gave some much needed advice to the football (?) star who later repaid her by giving her an alibi, how she befriended the young boy she was babysitting , how she helped the woman we all thought she had caused to be killed in a fire.

Carol: I agree with your comments and am happy to have this opportunity to recall events of the book.
Mild spoilers to the end

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Evie really was a great character. The initial premise could have been a shallow character in a different author’s hands. Or she could have been clever with no integrity, sly with no moral compass, expedient with no eye to a future.
Instead she thinks around corners, takes chances and does good where she can. I loved the follow-up she initiated with the football player to offer advice and the resulting reciprocal help freely given years later. I loved that she has a chance at happiness with Ryan.

So glad to see everyone enjoying it!!!!

This book kept me up at night like some of you. My husband does not need to read it, I kept updating him as it went LOL.

I started off like you Carol - I did not know if I was going to like it and then it took off for me and I couldn't wait to get back to it. There was a point at the end where I swear there were two twists on the same page. I went from Oh no, put the book down and had to breathe and then picked it up and lo and behold another twist. I was impressed by how everything came together.

I think I mentioned this - my RL reading group - we don't normally agree on books but this seemed to please everyone. It's my go to recommendation lately.

Christina: LOL it's good of you to keep your hubby up to date. Thanks for recommending this one! First Lie Wins was a great title for the book and fun to read.

ChrisQ wrote: "So glad to see everyone enjoying it!!!!
This book kept me up at night like some of you. My husband does not need to read it, I kept updating him as it went LOL.

I..."