The First to Lie
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3.7 • 48 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
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 is that 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?
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this stellar standalone from five-time Agatha Award winner Ryan (The Murder List), broadcast journalist Elle Berensen relishes her first assignment for Boston's startup Channel 11 proving that a much touted drug made by the pharmaceutical company Pharminex can make women barren. Elle wants to ferret out the information with facts and ethical journalism, but Meg Weest, her new, overly enthusiastic assistant, is consumed by the story. Lacking scruples, Meg will go to any lengths, including lying, cheating, and violence, to usurp Elle and humiliate the family who own Pharminex. Elle has to wonder whether security agents for Pharminex have uncovered her investigation after her home is broken into and she's followed a couple of times. Meanwhile, confident Nora Quinn, the drug firm's newest pharmaceutical sales representative, who visits doctors' offices and chats with patients in waiting rooms, has her own agenda. The breathlessly energetic plot touches on corporate intrigue, journalism ethics, revenge, and the corrosive nature of lies. Ryan could win a sixth Agatha with this one.
Customer Reviews
Twisted storylines and unreliable characters!
"The First to Lie" was a whirlwind of a read with twisted storylines and unreliable characters to boot! Who's to say you wouldn't do the same? Sleuth and deceive in the name of justice. How does that old saying go... the end justifies the means?
The Vanderwald family was the epitome of money and power. The IT family, heading up one of the largest pharmaceutical companies around, Pharminex. The game-changer, their money-maker if you will, a pill called Monifan with the intended off-label benefit of potentially increasing fertility chances. Women everywhere jumped at the possibility of a miracle drug that could solve all of their problems, give them a family. Little did they know, if unsuccessful, the side effects would be devastating. This right here, this brief glimpse into the pride and joy of Hank Phillippi Ryan's central family in "The First to Lie" is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I'm disinclined to give too much away, so I'll leave you with this ... what would you do if your chances at procreating were almost completely taken out of your hands?
I would be livid if placed in the situation these women were put in; it's no wonder new realities were chosen, with carefully concealed pasts. Each of these characters only ever shared just enough, with a little lie here and there to get by.
Keeping all of the lies and who's who straight was quite the thrill! I almost had to pull out a pen and paper just to keep it all straight, luckily though, as the story progressed, the dots started to connect. I was held in suspense the entire time as the truths, duplicitous characters, and hidden agendas unfolded! The back-and-forth narratives from past to present times make for quite the ensemble of viewpoints; altogether, they each helped bring "The First to Lie" full circle. I enjoyed trying to fit all of the puzzle pieces together, yet never quite figuring it all out - I almost had it, though! Ok, part of it!
I would recommend "The First to Lie" to thriller fans everywhere! If you're a fan of intense build-up, character deception, and retribution, this is one you won't want to miss!
Thank you, @ForgeReads, an imprint of @MacmillanUSA, @NetGalley, and the author, @HankPRyan, for providing me with a complimentary copy of "The First to Lie." I have voluntarily and honestly reviewed this title, rating it 4 stars.