First Lie Wins

Espionage, mystery, and high stakes situations under a carefully curated lie.

This exceeded all my expectations. I didn't anticipate I'd enjoy this as much as I did as it's not a genre I often reach for, but it hooked me early on. Once it did, I couldn't put it down.

The Plot: Non linear timeline. The characters' actions, both past and present, are truly what drive the narrative forward so you're not really getting details that don't directly serve the plot. Sometimes this makes it feel like things are happening in a giant sandbox, despite being set in multiple times and locations. It's meticulously plotted out and comes together in a satisfying end.

The Characters: Due to the fact that the main character is living under a false identity and trying to remain detached emotionally from the people within it, you really don't get a sense of who she is. Other characters feel equally flat as they really get boiled down to the information Evie has gathered about them. If the plot hadn't grabbed me the characters would not have been developed enough to get me to finish it. It does get better as you get further into the story but I didn't really feel attached to any of them until close to the end.

The Pacing: It's a quick read. You get important information often enough that it keeps the momentum going. The flashbacks are usually big moments that tie into the present day chapters around it so it flows nicely and doesn't feel like you're being held back from the main plot.

The Writing: The writing was pretty average for me. Nothing stuck out (good or bad).

I don't think I'd reread it, just because a lot of the interest comes from not knowing what's coming next, but I would definitely recommend it for someone looking for an easy to read, fast paced spy novel.