Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you liked First Lie Wins, try Gone Girl, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Last Mrs. Parrish and Behind Her Eyes. Each follows a woman who is lying to everyone, and you are never sure whose side to be on.
Ashley Elston's thriller follows Evie Porter, who takes on new identities for a mysterious employer while she builds a life with a man she has been told to deceive. The books below share its twisty plots, double lives and tension about who is conning whom. They are mostly adult thrillers.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Talented Mr. Ripley | Patricia Highsmith | Adult | classic con artists |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Adult | unreliable narrators |
| Verity | Colleen Hoover | Adult | shocking twists |
| The Last Mrs. Parrish | Liv Constantine | Adult | scheming heroines |
| The Wife Upstairs | Rachel Hawkins | Adult | retellings |
| The Inheritance Games | Jennifer Lynn Barnes | Teen | puzzle fans |
| Behind Her Eyes | Sarah Pinborough | Adult | jaw-dropping endings |
| The Perfect Marriage | Jeneva Rose | Adult | courtroom suspense |
| Codename Villanelle | Luke Jennings | Adult | assassin stories |
| The Paris Apartment | Lucy Foley | Adult | locked-in buildings |
| The Last Thing He Told Me | Laura Dave | Adult | mystery with heart |
| The Girl Before | J.P. Delaney | Adult | creepy houses |
| The Housemaid | Freida McFadden | Adult | binge reads |
| Daisy Darker | Alice Feeney | Adult | family reunions |
| The Woman in Cabin 10 | Ruth Ware | Adult | claustrophobic suspense |
1. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Tom Ripley is sent to Italy to bring home a rich young man and slowly takes over his life. A classic of charming con artists.
Best for: classic con artists.
2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Amy vanishes on her anniversary and her husband falls under suspicion. Two narrators, two versions of the truth.
Best for: unreliable narrators.
3. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A writer finds an unsettling manuscript while helping finish an injured author's series. Fast and shocking.
Best for: shocking twists.
4. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Amber sets out to take over another woman's life. Cleverly plotted and glossy.
Best for: scheming heroines.
5. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
A dog walker meets a wealthy widower in a gated community. A fun retelling of Jane Eyre with dark twists.
Best for: retellings.
6. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A teen inherits a billionaire's fortune and moves into a puzzle-filled mansion. A fast YA mystery with riddles.
Best for: puzzle fans.
7. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
A single mother befriends her boss and his wife. Famous for an ending nobody expects.
Best for: jaw-dropping endings.
8. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
A lawyer defends her husband in a murder case and begins to doubt everything. A quick and tricky read.
Best for: courtroom suspense.
9. Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings
A young assassin and the intelligence officer chasing her. The basis for Killing Eve.
Best for: assassin stories.
10. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
A woman visits her half-brother in Paris and finds he has vanished. A tense whodunit in a shared building.
Best for: locked-in buildings.
11. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Hannah's husband disappears and leaves a note asking her to protect his daughter. A mystery with warmth.
Best for: mystery with heart.
12. The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney
A woman moves into a minimalist house with strict rules and learns of the previous tenant. Cold and clever.
Best for: creepy houses.
13. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Millie takes a job as a housemaid for a wealthy family with secrets. Fast, twisty and addictive.
Best for: binge reads.
14. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
A family gathers for a grandmother's birthday on a tidal island and members begin to die. A modern take on Christie.
Best for: family reunions.
15. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
A journalist on a luxury cruise believes she saw a woman thrown overboard. Atmospheric and tense.
Best for: claustrophobic suspense.
How to Choose
For the same sense of a woman living under a false name, start with The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Last Mrs. Parrish or Codename Villanelle. For modern domestic thrillers with fast pacing, choose Verity, The Housemaid or The Perfect Marriage. For a teen-friendly puzzle, The Inheritance Games is the best choice. If you prefer closed settings, read The Paris Apartment, Daisy Darker or The Woman in Cabin 10. If you finish this list, consider rereading First Lie Wins to see how the clues were laid out from the start.
Related: Which Terry Pratchett Book Should You Read First? · Which Stephen King Book Should You Read First?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is First Lie Wins about?
Evie Porter plays a role for a man who calls himself Mr. Smith, and it all gets complicated when she starts to care about her target.
Is First Lie Wins a series?
No, it is a standalone thriller.
Who wrote First Lie Wins?
Ashley Elston, who previously wrote young adult novels.
How do I choose the right pace?
Verity and The Housemaid are fast and short, while Behind Her Eyes and The Talented Mr. Ripley build slowly.
What is the twistiest book on this list?
Behind Her Eyes and Gone Girl are famous for their twists.
Are there graphic scenes?
There is some violence, but the focus is on suspense and deception.
Can I read it if I don't read many thrillers?
Yes. It is fast, accessible and a good entry point.
How long is the book?
It is a fast read of under 400 pages.
Does First Lie Wins contain a romance?
Yes, but the romance is a source of tension in a story that is mainly about secrets, lies and who can be trusted.