Review: The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Title: The First to Lie

Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan

Published: August 2020, Forge Books

Format: ARC Paperback, 352 pages

Source: Publisher/Publicist

Summary: 

Bestselling and
award-winning author and investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan
delivers another twisty, thrilling cat and mouse novel of suspense that
will have you guessing, and second-guessing, and then gasping with
surprise.

We all have our reasons for being who we are—but what if being someone else could get you what you want?

After
a devastating betrayal, a young woman sets off on an obsessive path to
justice, no matter what dark family secrets are revealed. What she
doesn’t know—she isn’t the only one plotting her revenge.

An
affluent daughter of privilege. A glamorous manipulative wannabe. A
determined reporter, in too deep. A grieving widow who must choose her
new reality. Who will be the first to lie? And when the stakes are life
and death, do a few lies really matter?

My thoughts: I
have been a fan of Hank Phillippi Ryan for quite some time and am
always left stunned at her books and this one was no exception. This newest book was one of my most anticipated summer reads and it totally delivers. I devoured it in one day – I just could not put it down!

This book completely drew me in right from the start and with all the twists and turns it takes, I felt it never let up. The pacing is nearly pitch-perfect and this is definitely one of those books that I found myself saying “just one more chapter” as I flew through the pages.

I love a good revenge story and this one takes the cake. But because I think this book is so much better going into it blind, I am not going to give any plot details. All I will say is that every single time I thought I had things figured out, a new twist would be thrown into the mix and I was left trying to figure out how these new pieces fit together. It was nothing short of brilliant as to how everything came together in the end and I never once got there myself. The suspense builds the entire time, keeping you on edge and hooking you so that you just cannot walk away.

What I loved most about this book is that as we get deeper into the book, you come to a point where you don’t know who to trust. Who is telling the truth and who is lying? And even more frustrating, who is really who they say they are. All the characters you meet are so well-written and dynamic, but I just liked some more than others. Some I immediately became suspicious of, and it turns out, I was right to do so.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It is addicting and completely binge-worthy and filled with deliciously fun characters. I’ve loved all of Hank Phillippi Ryan’s books, but this might just be my new favorite!