Federation Book Club Reads First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

If you don’t read spy novels yet want to dip your toes into what that might be like, this book would be a good transition for you. While the novel does not depict spying at a national or international level, it shows the necessary actions a “normal” person must take if domestic espionage is forced on them by organized crime.

Our group often talks about the relevance of titles, and I was grateful that the author explained the meaning of “first lie wins” early on. If you’re going to lie, make sure the first one is all-encompassing. This makes it easier to let the rest follow.

When Evie Porter (an alias) is set to spy on Ryan, the man with whom she lives, her desire to take down her crime boss grows. One of our members read the book twice, another disliked it over “Evie” (not that you can’t dislike a main character and not enjoy a book) until later, when Evie’s conscience began to develop. Some readers had trouble with the timeline and multiple characters, and one thought it, “far-fetched and disjointed.” But the consensus was that the mystery, twists, tension, and cleverness of the plot kept us guessing until the end. Our average score came out as four out of five, for being a “page-turner,” no one considering it a five-star, all-time favorite book.

For me, that would take an actual Ken Follett spy (or historical) novel.

Beth Buechler
Community Contributor

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Upcoming Books:

• September 12: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

• October 10: James by Percival Everett

Book Club meets via Zoom at 4 PM on the second Thursday each month. Email info@thejewishfed.org for more information.