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The First Lie

Shadows of Deception, Book 1

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The First Lie

By: N. H. Steele
Narrated by: Jake Mahler
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Summary

One audit. Two men. And a dangerous obsession that will change everything.

Olivia Hart thought landing a job at Sterling Enterprises was her big break. But when a routine audit uncovers financial irregularities, she’s pulled into a world where nothing—and no one—is what they seem.

Ethan Sterling, the powerful and magnetic heir to a billion-dollar empire, quickly becomes fixated on Olivia. His attention is intense, relentless… and impossible to ignore. What begins as unease soon turns into something far more complicated as Olivia is drawn deeper into his world of power, control, and desire.

At home, her husband offers stability—but even that begins to crack under the weight of secrets she can’t explain.

Caught between two men and a web of lies that grows more dangerous by the day, Olivia must navigate a path where trust is fragile, loyalty is tested, and every choice has consequences.

As the truth begins to unravel, Olivia is forced to confront what she really wants… and what she’s willing to risk to get it.

A dark, emotionally charged psychological suspense filled with obsession, betrayal, and impossible choices.

The First Lie is Book 1 in the Shadows of Deception trilogy and ends on a dramatic cliffhanger. The story continues in Book 2.

©2025 Melissa Marie Sovak (P)2026 A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC Domestic Thrillers Genre Fiction Psychological Thriller & Suspense Emotionally Gripping Marriage
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Use of the same phrases over and over again, Unbelievable charaters and story. Nothing really happens.

Poor writing. Not a thriller

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This book had no real ending. The story kept building slowly and I was waiting for it to wrap up but instead it just stopped with a ‘to be continued’. Who writes a book that isn’t even a complete story within a larger series? This was a disappointment that I invested 9 hours without a payoff at the end.

Some of the phrases and concepts also felt outdated. I actually assumed the author must have been older, but when I checked, that turned out not to be the case.”

No ending .. to be continued. A disappointment

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Was good until last few chapters where nothing really different happened and the same scenarios and phrases were repeated over and over. Very unrealistic and hard to believe without additional information or other plot twists. No real ending or cliff hanger at the end which doesn't make me want to read the next book in the series. Characters were very one dimensional. Wasn't really a fan.

Repeated phrases

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Stupid story, repetitive phrases. I listened till the end to see if the story unfolded better but it just droned on and on and then! To be continued. No thank you

What a load of rubbish

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So many red flags and I only got half way through chapter 3 and couldn't go on. Poor narrator

life is too short

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