Author Hank Phillippi Ryan
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Anthony Award nominee (Best Hardcover Novel)
  Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee
A USA Today Bestseller!
  Publishers Weekly Starred Review
  The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2020: Summer Reading Edition (Crimereads)
The 20 Best Books of Summer (Frolic)  

  Now a Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee
  Publishers Weekly Starred Review
  The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2020: Summer Reading Edition (Crimereads)
The 20 Best Books of Summer (Frolic)

The First to Lie

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Anthony Award nominee (Best Hardcover Novel)

Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee

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―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?

The First to Lie

“[A] stellar standalone… Ryan could win a sixth Agatha with this one.”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Stellar…Hank Phillippi Ryan could win a sixth Agatha with this one.
Publishers Weekly * Starred Review

One of my favorite authors of suspense… Book clubs will gobble up The First to Lie.
—Author Sarah Pekkanen

From one of our top thriller writers—a chilling tale of deception and revenge.
—Author Angie Kim
Put this one on your list because Hank Phillippi Ryan is at the top of her game.
—Author Samantha Downing
A masterfully twisty… breathless, keep-you-up-all-night thriller.
—Author Jennifer Hillier

Hank Phillippi Ryan is the modern queen of the cat and mouse tale.
—Author J.T. Ellison

Flawless pacing… powerful… a magnificent, intricately plotted thriller.
—Author Samantha M. Bailey
A must-read for thriller lovers… a compelling and twist-filled plot…
—Author Vanessa Lillie
Expert pacing, richly drawn characters, and seamless storytelling… Fabulous!
—Author Hannah Mary McKinnon
Addictive and utterly compelling, Ryan has crafted a story that is ferociously smart and tightly plotted.
—Author Christina McDonald
A masterfully plotted novel of ambition, revenge, and family grief.
—Author Elisabeth Elo
With jaw-dropping discoveries…will shock even the savviest of suspense readers.
—Author Heather Gudenkauf

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Full Praise

“[A] stellar standalone… touches on corporate intrigue, journalism ethics, revenge, and the corrosive nature of lies. Ryan could win a sixth Agatha with this one.”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review

“Hank Phillippi Ryan is one of my favorite authors of suspense. Her latest, featuring the colliding worlds of a cast of intriguing female characters, is tailor-made for readers who are drawn to taut, propulsive plots with twists that do more than just surprise—they take your breath away. Book clubs will gobble up The First to Lie.”
—Sarah Pekkanen, USA Today internationally bestselling author of The Wife Between Us and You Are Not Alone

“From one of our top thriller writers—a chilling tale of deception and revenge. Filled with sharp insights into the cut-throat worlds of pharmaceutical sales and investigative reporting, Hank Phillippi Ryan’s The First to Lie is a house of mirrors, taking us on a thrilling ride of dizzying twists and shocking revelations.”
—Angie Kim, bestselling author of Miracle Creek

The First to Lie is a twisty, winding road of deception and secrets that starts with a bang and ends with an explosion. Put this one on your list because Hank Phillippi Ryan is at the top of her game.”
—Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It

“Hank Phillippi Ryan is at the top of her game. The First to Lie is a masterfully twisty tale full of all my favorite things: interesting women, family secrets, and well-plotted revenge. Start reading early, because—you will tear through the pages of this keep-you-up-all-night thriller.”
—Jennifer Hillier, award-winning author of Jar of Hearts and Little Secrets

“With flawless pacing and impeccable character development, Hank Phillippi Ryan delivers yet another powerful, relevant story of deceit, betrayal, and the extent to which someone will go to right the wrongs they have suffered. The First to Lie is a magnificent, intricately plotted thriller that will have you questioning everyone’s motives until the stunning ending.”
—Samantha M. Bailey, bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

“A must-read for thriller lovers–the compelling and twist-filled plot fearlessly delves into the intersections of revenge and family secrets.”
—Vanessa Lillie, bestselling author of Little Voices and For the Best

“Ryan delivers a mystery plotting masterclass that had me guessing (incorrectly) right up until the end. Expert pacing, richly drawn characters, and seamless storytelling are just some of the ingredients that make this novel impossible to put down. Fabulous!”
—Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Sister Dear

“A flawlessly written mystery with twists around every corner, The First To Lie is a timely story about deceit, justice and revenge, all centered around the devastation wrought by a large pharmaceutical company and the family that owns it. Addictive and utterly compelling, Ryan has crafted a story that is ferociously smart and tightly plotted. You won’t want to put this one down until you’ve reached the final gasp-worthy conclusion!”
—Christina McDonald, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Night Olivia Fell and Behind Every Lie

“What happens when the most powerful instinct of all—the desire for children—is casually destroyed? Hank Phillippi Ryan’s stunning The First to Lie keeps you glued to the page—and madly guessing—all the way to the explosive ending, as each revealed secret only uncovers a deeper level of deceit. A masterfully plotted novel of ambition, revenge, and family grief.”
—Elisabeth Elo, author of Finding Katarina M. and North of Boston

“Hank Philippi Ryan intricately weaves the past and the present into a compelling tale of deception. True to form, Ryan masterfully escalates the suspense in this smart, twisty thriller. With jaw-dropping discoveries, The First to Lie will shock even the savviest of suspense readers. Ryan’s best yet.”
—Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Weight of Silence

“Intricate, complex, and devilishly clever, The First to Lie is like reading a burning stick of dynamite. Once the fuse is lit you will not be able to look away until the explosive end. Hank Phillippi Ryan is the modern queen of the cat and mouse tale, and this is another brilliant work from a master storyteller that will keep you guessing right to the last page.”
—J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Good Girls Lie