The First Day of The First to Lie!

DEBORAH CROMBIE:  How lucky am I to be hosting our dear Hank and Rhys with their book launches this week?? And I can tell you, THE FIRST TO LIE is a terrific book! But watch out--it may give you whiplash, trying to decide what's true and what's not, and you will love it right up to the very last page! 

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Launch day jitters! Yes, dear Reds and readers, we are in the full throes of them around here. (And at Rhys’ house, too! And she will tell us all about that tomorrow!)

Yes, I know, THE FIRST TO LIE has gotten amazing astonishing buzz and fabulous reviews--it’s PopSugar’s number one pick for August, and CrimeReads picked it, too, and Publishers Weekly starred review calls it “stellar.“ Booklist says “page turning twists and mind-bending drama.” So that’s excellent. And reassuring. 

Oh, and this just in as I am typing: It’s a Publishers Weekly top pick of the week!  And more about the book below.

I have a full calendar of events – – including two appearances on Canadian television and A Mighty Blaze and BookTrib live interviews  (whoa!) and visits to so many wonderful bookstores! Here are the events—please find one that you love!

Tonight is the big launch at my local dear Brookline Booksmith, and it is quite a wave of nostalgia. For the past eight years, I have had an exciting overwhelming joyful celebration at the Booksmith, friends and family and readers and a wall-to-wall filled to the rafters room. It is hard even to imagine that now.

But I am trying to look at the bright side. Any other launch day, I would be full of worry, because it is supposed to rain like crazy here in Boston, and that would keep people away from the event. No problem with that now, right?

And people who can’t get a babysitter--well, they don’t need one!

And no one has to put on shoes. So all good, right?

So here, by the numbers, is The First to Lie.

1. The first line: “Lies have a complicated half-life.”

2.  The first two main characters: Ellie Berensen— A determined reporter on the trail of an expose of a pharmaceutical company. And Nora Quinn, a determined pharmaceutical sales person. Who may not be quite what she seems.  

3.  Three? This is my third psychological standalone!

4. There’s a fun thing on social media where you have to describe your book in four words. So THE FIRST TO LIE is: Betrayal. Motherhood. Obsession. Revenge.

5. Another fun thing is to reveal your book’s five crucial elements. For THE FIRST TO LIE  it’s:

1. A devastating childhood betrayal

2. An undercover reporter, in too deep

3. A beautiful sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay

4. A rich and powerful family

5. An ice pick that is not used for ice

What it all adds up to:  THE FIRST TO LIE is two strong women, facing off in a high stakes psychological cat and mouse game to get revenge for a terrible childhood betrayal. But which one is the cat, and which one is the mouse? And for one to succeed, the other must fail.

The idea for THE FIRST TO LIE  came after all of my experiences as an undercover reporter. I thought:  what if someone decided that being their undercover persona was more desirable than being who they really were? What if being someone else could get you what you want?

So, my darling Reds and Readers--here we go! Thank you thank you for buying this book, and for your reviews. Posting  them is so crucial for the book’s success. 

I am endlessly grateful for any help you can give--but you know that. Speaking of which: here’s a link.  

Oh, I know you will buy it, so I have one advance review copy for one lucky commenter! Just tell me--something GOOD in your life that was a first!

Love you all so much. Wish me luck!