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 revenge.An affluent daughter of privilege. A glamorous manipulative wannabe. A determined reporter, in too … determined reporter, in too deep. A grieving widow who has to 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?
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.
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Wow! How does she do that? Hank Phillipi Ryan has done it again! The twists, the turns, the lies, the surprises! I couldn’t read it fast enough! I’d like to tell you so much more…but that would spoil it. You’ll just have to read it yourself. Seriously – put this one on your list.
Hank Phillippi Ryan has written another winner with The First to Lie. Multi-dimensional characters and plot twists that keep you guessing until the very last page. Be careful or you might just get caught up in Ryan’s web of expertly crafted lies. This book is a definite must read!
Well, it’s happened again. Hank Phillippi Ryan has written another page-turning mystery/thriller! First To Lie is about a pharmaceutical company and the family that owns it, and about all the good and the bad that has been perpetrated on its customers and owners. Our heroine’s motives are a little fuzzy at first, but not to worry. There is much to discover in the many twists and turns of this very enjoyable novel. The characters have just enough depth to intrigue the reader into finding out who is who and what the heck is really going on without bogging down in pages of description and ancient history. I enjoy those types of books too, but not when I’m reading a thriller. Ms. Ryan definitely delivers on the action. She’s also careful to explain everything by the end so no one is left hanging. The ability to write a good thriller is a special talent, and Ms. Ryan definitely has it. I loved it!
Ellie, a reporter for a new company due to open in a few weeks believes she has the perfect story to put her front and center, as well as cement her hard work and investigative skills into a permanent position. A large pharmaceutical company is knowingly giving pills to desperate women, claiming this will fix their ability to not have children. It seems a last resort miracle drug, but is it really what it is? Ellie is determined to uncover the truth of what this company has been doing for decades and getting away with.
Nora, just obtained a new job at a pharmaceutical company. It is somewhat of a dog-eat dog world and everyone is out for themselves. However, she is a top sales rep and her inventory is always on. There are rumors of bad apples pocketing stuff. It is no uncommon to see a locker being emptied out, and another employee being let go. But she knows that these pills are not the miracle drug it’s been totted out to be.
Meg, obtains a job as a reporter as well and has been assigned to Ellie as an assistant. This does not seem to go over too well and Meg seems different. Ellie is careful on what she let’s Meg know, but she always seems to be a step ahead, or at places when it does not seem she should be. But she claims she has access to someone who had dealt with this Pharminex company and she is willing to tell her story under certain circumstances. Maybe Meg really just wants to be a reporter and is still learning the ropes.
The Vanderwald’s, Pharminex have a large gala event coming up, in order to raise money in memory of their son who was lost in a sailing accident years ago. That was a huge tragedy within the community and family, and this is their chance to bring his memory to the forefront once again, but someone from the past is about to make an unknown grand entrance.
As Ellie, Meg and Nora do their jobs, they uncover truths, lies, secrets and patterns. Two car accidents also raise eyebrows when it seems there is a connection back to Pharminex. What really is going on at this company, and who is out for revenge or to keep people quiet? This novel really is about the first to lie. Will the truth get uncovered in the end? And what exactly is the truth?
Hank is a master at getting you to think one direction, to then come back and sideswipe you with the truth at the end. Her writing is suspenseful and a quick read, as you want to figure out what the heck is going on, who is all involved and how. Thank you to the author, Hank and Forge Publicity for the free arc for review.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
The First to Lie is about Nora, a pharmaceutical sales rep and Ellie, a reporter for a station that hasn’t gone on air yet. Ellie is looking into the pharma company that Nora works for. The pharma company makes pills that help woman become pregnant.
Ellie meets a young woman outside her apartment and finds out (the next day) that this woman, Meg, is now a producer at the station and also working on the story into the pharma company. The pharma company is owned by a very wealthy family who has 2 children, Trevor and Brooke. Trevor is an accomplished sailor but mysteriously dies on a boat with only his sister on board. After his death, Brooke disappears and there is a gala being planned in Trevor’s memory which Ellie thinks Brooke may show up to.
There are a couple of deaths and some deceit in this book but it is not rushed and wraps up nicely in the end. I have recently discovered this author, even though I’ve seen her on a local news channel. I am really enjoying reading her books
I kept seeing lots of four and five star reviews for The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan, so I kept putting off writing this review, rethinking what I had read and if I really should be giving it more stars. But reviews are just one person’s opinion, so take that into account before deciding if you’ll be reading this book after reading my review. Who knows, you may end up being one of the people raving about The First to Lie.
I love the concept since I enjoy reading about Big Pharma getting its comeuppance. And the way the ladies went about their investigation was very intriguing and kept me wondering if they would get caught. I had no problem going back and forth between the characters, or even into the past with other characters. I actually enjoyed the flashbacks because I thought it added great character development and another interesting layer to the story.
What went wrong for me with the story was all the “secrets”. If only one character had done it and it was presented in such a way to be a cool reveal at the end, I would probably be giving The First to Lie five stars. But numerous characters did the secret numerous times and it was far too unrealistic. Now I know fiction doesn’t have to be realistic, and I love reading Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, and Sci-fi so I enjoy books with lots of imagination in them, but for a suspense novel this was way over the top.
Since I try not to include spoilers, I’m not going to write more, but if you really need to know send me a message and I would love to get into a lot more detail with just how far fetched The First to Lie was.
When I first starting reading The First to Lie, I was a tad confused by the characters and how they related to the story. As the secrets come to the light, it makes for a great thriller! This book has so many twists and turns and so many secrets, you will not be able to put it down! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Releasing September 2020.
As a Super Reader, I was gifted a NetGalley copy of “The First To Lie.” This is also the first book of Ms. Ryan’s I have had the opportunity to read.The premise of this book is that a large pharmaceutical company, Pharminex, is marketing a drug that has more side effects than they are willing to admit. There are quite a few people who were hurt by this drug, either physically or emotionally. So many characters in this book were pretending to be someone else entirely in order to uncover the cover-up about this drug.
If you like a read that has characters that are sometimes hard to keep up with as to which identity they are at certain times coupled with some deep-seated family secrets and perhaps a bit of romance along the way, I highly recommend you add this to your to be read stack!
entertaining, twisty and convoluted. while i guess a lot of the twists, there were a few that surprised me. enjoyed the book and the moral questions it raised, though the ending felt weak to me and not believable esp the identity of one of the main character. it felt harder, as well to get involved in the backstories of brooke and lacey, maybe needed more of a bridge from the past to the present. it was an ambitious effort and i am glad for the arc and the chance to read it
This book is a maze to find the truth. I’ve never read a book that had so many lies and identities that didn’t confuse me in some way, but not this book. Ryan writes in a clear and precise way that I was able to easily follow all the twists and turns. The storyline pulls at the heartstrings. The character development is well thought out. I’ve been to Boston many times and through the author’s detailed descriptions I was able to picture exactly where the characters were often throughout the book. This was an enjoyable and thought provoking book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Once the story begins to gel, the intrigue deepens, and the plot twists become unpredictable. A true guessing game with underlying heart wrenching sadness, resolved in a very satisfying manner.
THE FIRST TO LIE is my first book by the esteemed Hank Phillippi Ryan who has expertly fused all the essential ingredients into this dark and devilish thriller.
The story centers around a pharmaceutical company, whose mission is supposedly to offer various medical services in order to fulfill patients’ needs, that evolves into something more complicated and sinister entwined with layers upon layers of lies, lies and more lies, that keep you guessing until the last page!
I enjoyed tremendously THE FIRST TO LIE and my curiosity satiated, but I want MORE!
I would like to thank Hank Phillippi Ryan, Netgalley, and Forge Books for giving me this wonderful opportunity to read the book.
#NetGalley
#TheFirstToLie
Just finished a 1st Readers ARC copy of Hank Phillippi Ryan’s new book, “The First to Lie”. Hold onto your seat – this book isn’t a roller coaster ride, it’s the Wild Mouse! Starts out slow and easy, but then don’t think you’re just going to go down – you’re going for a ride!
It’s almost too many lies to take in. My head was in a whirl for the first half, trying to follow who was who, even when I thought I knew (I never did). Three-fourths of the way in, it all starts to come together, but just wait! There’s one last dizzying reveal (or would that be two?).
In any relationship, business or personal, who is the first to lie? In this thriller, you’ll be asking yourself not only who was the first to lie, but what is actually true? Is everyone hiding something? Ryan has done it again! Created another book I just couldn’t put down. The First to Lie is a twisted blend of psychological thriller and ‘who done it’. You truly won’t be certain of anything until you turn the final page.
Another phenomenal book by Hank Phillippi Ryan! The First to Lie had so many twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. I love how no one was who they seemed, and I didn’t know who was who which was a great thing, because it kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another scenario happened that blew my theory out the window. I absolutely loved this book, and I highly recommend it!
What a superbly crafted book! The story revolves around Big Pharma, a drug that causes more problems than it solves and the family that owns it. A TV reporter trying to find a way to bring the story to the air; a researcher who may not be who or what he says and all manner of twists and turns. I could not put this book down! Just when you think you have it all figured out, wrong! Yet another twist! This rivals any true life story of Big Pharma. It will keep you up till all hours of the night just because you can’t put it down! Hank Phillippi Ryan has written another prize-worthy book!
This story moves like lightning! It is a classic case of just one more chapter before I go to bed. And then, just one more. . . Loved it! I wish I had a lie detector that worked on book characters after reading The First to Lie.
I loved The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan! Lots of twists and turns to keep the reader interested and want to find out the answers in the end. Very effective use of moving from present-day events to the past to fill in lots of information. Lots of red herrings to keep you guessing! I would definitely recommend this book.
This novel is a total thrill ride! It’s a page-turning adventure, making you wonder what is going to happen from chapter to chapter. There are so many twists and turns that I found myself gasping on repeat.
The characters are dynamic and interesting, and the plot is fascinating. The story line is brilliant and intelligent, and the world is incredibly described and well crafted, creating pictures in your head as the story unfolds.
If you’re looking for an exciting read that will keep you up all night, this is a fantastic choice!
That was a twisted story! It’s an edge of your seat , trying to figure out what just happened story! Wow!
Lots of twists and turns in this book! I enjoyed it!
Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy