In today’s post, I am taking you on a journey through the intricate and gripping narrative of First Lie Wins, a psychological thriller by Ashley Elston. We will start by diving into the twisted story of Evie Porter, a con artist living a life of deception, constantly shifting identities as she navigates dangerous assignments. Then, we analyze the fascinating cast of characters, from the enigmatic Mr. Smith to the bold and resourceful Amy Holder, all of whom shape the complex plot and add layers of tension and suspense to Evie’s mission.
First Lie Wins Summary
First Lie Wins is follows the story of Evie Porter, a con artist hired by a mysterious employer known only as Mr. Smith. Evie’s real name is Lucca Marino, and her job is to infiltrate the life of a young businessman named Ryan Sumner. She is unaware of the full reason behind this assignment, only knowing that she must become an essential part of Ryan’s life and await further instructions.
The novel alternates between Evie’s current life and interludes that recount her past aliases and jobs. At the beginning of the story, Evie has quickly developed a romantic relationship with Ryan and moves in with him within two months. However, this raises suspicion among Ryan’s friends, particularly his lawyer friend, Rachel.
Tensions rise when Evie meets a woman who claims to be Lucca Marino, complicating her cover. The imposter is connected to one of Ryan’s old friends, and Evie is unsure of this new twist. As Evie waits for guidance from Smith, she begins to pry into Ryan’s life and discovers that his business serves as a front for illegal operations.
Despite her infiltration, things escalate when the Lucca-imposter and Ryan’s friend die in a car accident after a dinner at Ryan’s house. Soon after, the police arrest Evie, claiming she’s a material witness in the death of Amy Holder, someone from Evie’s past. Evie suspects Smith is trying to frame her, and with Rachel’s legal assistance, she is released from custody.
Through an interlude, we learn that during a previous job, Evie had to infiltrate the life of political figure Andrew Marshall. With the help of a hacker named Devon, she managed to escape that job unscathed, using leverage against another politician instead of Marshall.
Back in the present, Evie confronts Smith, who tells her that she’s hiding something in a deposit box in Atlanta. He threatens her, claiming he caused the Lucca-imposter’s death and could do the same to her. Evie heads to Atlanta with Ryan, but she also contacts Cameron Mitchell, a former client of Smith’s.
Mitchell refuses to help her, but Evie uses the interaction to bug his phone and gain insight into Smith’s communications. Along the way, Evie meets with Marshall, asking for a future favor, and confronts George, one of Smith’s associates. Evie begins to suspect that Ryan might be Smith after overhearing a conversation between him and George, leading her to flee.
Eventually, Devon’s hacking reveals that Smith is George, not Ryan. Further interludes reveal that Evie and Amy Holder have been secretly working together for years to bring down Smith. Holder had faked her own death after discovering Smith’s betrayal involving the powerful Connolly crime family. Together, Evie and Holder have been gathering evidence against Smith, who has been manipulating his employees and the Connollys alike.
In the final confrontation, Evie lures Smith (George) to a bank in Atlanta where they open the deposit box. She reveals that it was a trap, and the Connolly family is waiting for him. Now that Smith’s identity is exposed, he has no way to escape. Evie, now in possession of Smith’s communication methods, returns to Ryan, introduces him to Holder and Devon, and shares their secrets. She then assumes the identity of “Miss Smith,” taking over Smith’s role and power.
First Lie Wins Characters
Here’s a list of the key characters in First Lie Wins:
- Evie Porter (Lucca Marino): The protagonist, a skilled con artist with a complex past. She has taken on multiple aliases, and her real name is Lucca Marino. Hired by a mysterious figure known as Mr. Smith, she is tasked with infiltrating Ryan Sumner’s life. As the story unfolds, Evie’s own secrets and past come to light, including her alliance with Amy Holder to take down Mr. Smith.
- Ryan Sumner: A handsome young businessman who becomes Evie’s target. He runs a trucking business that serves as a front for black-market dealings. Throughout the novel, Evie develops a romantic relationship with him, though she initially suspects he might be Mr. Smith.
- Mr. Smith (George): The novel’s antagonist, a mysterious employer who hires Evie to infiltrate Ryan’s life. Evie later discovers that Mr. Smith is actually George, one of his associates. Smith is revealed to be manipulating both Evie and the Connolly crime family for his own gain.
- Amy Holder: A woman from Evie’s past who was involved in one of Evie’s previous jobs. Holder fakes her death after discovering critical information about Smith and works secretly with Evie to bring him down. Together, they gather evidence to expose Smith’s dealings with the Connolly family.
- Rachel: Ryan’s friend and a powerful lawyer who becomes suspicious of Evie. Rachel plays a key role in assisting Evie legally when she is arrested in connection with Amy Holder’s death.
- Devon: A hacker who helps Evie in both her past and present jobs. He assists her in gathering information on Smith, including hacking into Cameron Mitchell’s phone to uncover Smith’s communication methods.
- Cameron Mitchell: A football coach who had previously worked with Smith. Evie tries to use him for leverage, but he refuses to help her and instead contacts Smith. However, Evie uses this encounter to gain access to Smith’s communications through Mitchell’s phone.
- Lucca-Imposter: A woman hired by Smith to impersonate Lucca Marino (Evie’s real identity) and complicate Evie’s life. She is connected to one of Ryan’s friends and ultimately dies in a car accident after a dinner with Evie and Ryan.
- Andrew Marshall: A political figure whom Evie was hired to infiltrate during a previous job. Though he isn’t directly involved in the main plot, he helps Evie by agreeing to provide her with a future favor.
Related: No Longer Human Summary
Final thoughts
I hope you have found this short summary of First Lie Wins helpful. If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy and immersing yourself in Evie Porter’s dangerous world. You will definitely enjoy your read.
