First To Fall by Carys Jones

Aiden Connelly’s first case…

Lawyer Aiden Connelly has traded the frenzy of Chicago for a slower pace in sleepy Avalon – and his first case appears to be as open-and-shut as he could hope for. Hired to defend a local ex-beauty queen accused of murdering her husband, he’s confident that he’ll have the case closed in record time. But below the surface lurks a darker truth…

Will be one he’ll never forget.

Suddenly, a quiet backwater has transformed into a dangerous pressure cooker. In a town where everyone knows everyone, gathering evidence should be easy… but the harder Aiden searches, the more he appreciates how tangled this net of loyalties is. And as he digs deeper, Aiden begins to realise that his very first case in Avalon could be the beginning of his undoing…

 I was delighted when I was asked to take part in the book tour for First To Fall and jumped at the chance. After how much I loved Prime Deception I couldn't wait to read Carys' next novel and it did not disappoint, Carys has the most amazing writing style that grabs and pulls you into the story straight away.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started to read this book, and especially because it wasn’t out yet it meant that I hadn’t heard or seen anybody else’s thoughts on it. I loved this because it meant I had a blank mind going into the book and was able to form an opinion on it without thinking ‘well people have said it gets good so I’ll carry on reading’. However, this was not the case at all with this book, you don’t have to force yourself to keep reading you just can’t help it, I was hooked from the first chapter and finished this book in a day and a half (whilst also being in work both days)!

The story opens with lawyer Aiden, his wife Isla and daughter Meegan who have moved from Chicago to Alvalon where they want to start their life again and work on their marriage. His want for a peaceful life however is quickly changed when he is given his first case in his new job, a murder. Although it seems a simple, already solved case at first, it may not actually be what it seems, as Aiden soon finds out.

There are so many things I loved about this book, but mainly that you don’t have to wait for the story to build up, it is such a fast paced book that starts straight away and keeps you guessing the whole way through. Also, unlike a lot of other books it is not predictable, what you think may be the case at the start of the book may not be the case at the end! I was so excited throughout the whole book which is something that I don’t always find, I just couldn’t wait to find out what happened and I was so tempted to read ahead so many times! (I didn’t though)! Did Brandy really kill her husband? Or will the truth be something else? You will have to read the book to find out!

Each character was a perfect addition to the story and made it what it is. I thought Aiden was the perfect lead character for the story and made it what it is, he was strong and determined, he wanted to do right by his wife and daughter but also solve the case that he has been given and in turn do right my Brandy. He seems to be somebody that tries to please everybody and is dedicated to his work.
Isla however, at first I did like her and thought she was just missing her old life where she was very sociable, missing her husband due to him working long hours, was stressed out with the move, not knowing anybody and looking after Meegan whilst Aiden was working, but as the story went on she started to get on my nerves a bit. She seemed very needy, selfish and unreasonable. Yes she was finding it difficult to make friends because her husband was defending the woman that killed one of the most popular and well thought of men in Avalon but this seemed too much of a problem for her and she treated her husband and daughter very badly.

I don’t want to say too much more about this book because I urge everybody to go and buy a copy and read pretty much blind like I did, it makes it SO much better! I can’t tell you enough how much I loved this book. There is a twist at the end of the book that I did not see coming at all and it got me so excited for the next book in the series.

I mentioned in my review of Prime Deception how much I love Carys’ writing style and this opinion hasn’t changed, this book proves even more how much of a talented writer she is. She has the ability to transport you from your life straight into the middle of her character’s lives with such ease.

There is nothing negative at all that I can say about this book because I really did love everything, the plot, the characters, the writing style, the twists, the way you just don’t know what will happen next! Everything! I was felt as though I was living the character’s lives with them and it will take me a long time to get out, I can’t stop wondering what is going to happen in the next book now! Each of Carys’ books I read makes me fall in love with her writing style even more, this book has gone straight on my list of my favourite books of this year! I would recommend this book to anybody and everybody even if you don’t read novels of this kind of genre because I guarantee you will enjoy it!

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