Her First Mistake By Kendra Elliot

I loved diving into Noelle’s world during this fast ride in Her First Mistake.

Favourite Quote:

Alice felt an affinity for the woman and admired how perceptive Noelle was. A valuable quality, in Alice’s opinion. But had Noelle allowed her husband’s wants and dreams to push hers out of the way? Not that being a bartender was Noelle’s dream, but Alice suspected being a smiling political wife wasn’t either.

Book Synopsis:

Thirteen years ago, Assemblyman Derrick Bell was murdered in his home by an intruder. His wife, Noelle Marshall, was left for dead. The crime was unsolved, but it wasn’t forgotten.

Today the FBI is tackling a fresh perspective on the case and looking to Noelle, now a detective for the Deschutes County sheriff’s office, for new clues. It is reopening everything Noelle thought was behind her. Memories of her escape from a traumatic childhood. A marriage that wasn’t the perfect love story she’d been promised. And a husband whose charm and privilege hid a dark side. But Noelle has been hiding something a secret about the night Derrick died that she has never told anyone.

As past and present and leads and misleads collide, one thing is frighteningly clear. Derrick’s murder wasn’t just unsolved. It’s unfinished. And only the truth—no matter the risk—can save the next victim.

Review:

I love a thriller that I can’t put down, and Her First Mistake delivered. This was my first Kendra Elliot, and the first in a new series for her, but there are many characters that readers, from what I understand, will have met in other series, including Noelle. I did not struggle to understand characters and relationships though, because Kendra does a great job worldbuilding and setting up the new series in this book. The book does not drag though, rather it’s tightly plotted and will suck you in. It jumps between Noelle’s earlier life and her marriage with Derrick and the road that led her to a new town with a new career as a detective. 

I really appreciated getting to know Noelle’s past in this book – it really explains her focus on family and how tightly she holds her sisters to her in life. Noelle has a traumatic past, to put it lightly, and her character growth is exceptional. She’s a bit of a closed box, and has trouble letting people in. She also has some nagging memory problems and a lack of memory during the time of her husband’s murder because of injuries she got during the home attack. Her life, however, has seemingly moved on since the attack until the FBI reopened the case. 

Derrick came from a lot of money, and Noelle was never good enough for his family. She was a bartender when they met, and she inherited a lot of his fortune when he died. His family always suggested she had something to do with the murder. She escapes to Oregon partially to get away from them. She’s had no one in her life since Derrick died, and even though she is now extremely wealthy, she still chooses to work every day in a hard career. The FBI is really puzzled over her, and Special Agent Max Rhodes can’t help but want to get to know her better, even if she is a murder suspect. As the agents ask a lot of questions, it triggers some of her memory to return. However, it becomes apparent that someone is watching her to see what she remembers, and is keeping track of her. 

The ending of this story is a wild, wild ride. I won’t say more because I don’t want to ruin it, but let me tell you that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I’m excited for more books in the series and to see where Noelle takes her life now that she has some answers. I’m really hoping her path includes the delightful special agent! 

Thank you to Montlake for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.