First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

 

Ryan Summers and Evie Porter are a typical couple.  They are young, professional and living in Ryan's hometown, in fact in his family home.  The relationship isn't long, in fact only a few months long, but it looks like it's headed for marriage.

There's just one problem.  Evie Porter isn't Evie Porter.  She's a con artist, working for a shadowy figure, taking whatever assignment he gives her.  Sometimes it's stealing something priceless, sometimes getting information and sometimes setting someone up for blackmail.  She has come to the town to get information and her mark is Ryan himself.  Ryan has a legitimate business that takes most of his time but his family business is also one of the biggest middlemen in stolen goods in the South.  

As Evie attempts to finish her assignment, troubles start to crop up.  Mr. Smith, her boss, has sent another operative to town to let her know that she isn't producing as fast as he wants and the other operative is going by Evie's real name.  As tensions mount and bodies start to accumulate, it's unclear if Evie will be able to finish this assignment or if it will be the end of her.

This is my first book by Ashley Elston.  She has been writing in the young adult genre and this is her first adult book.  The plot is intricately woven and the pacing is fast.  The book alternates between this assignment and past assignments of Evie's that fill in her backstory.  The ending is exceptionally well done and Elston has created a book that hopefully will keep her in the mystery genre.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.