Ashley Elston Books in Order: Every Novel, Described (2026)
Ashley Elston began as a young adult thriller writer, building twisty mysteries around teens in witness protection, a deadly hunting accident, and a Louisiana family secret. She then added a warm, funny pair of holiday and graduation rom-coms, and in 2024 made the jump to adult suspense with First Lie Wins, a number one New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick.
Because her catalog spans two very different moods, readers often land on one book and wonder what else is out there. This guide lists all eight novels in publication order, gives you a two-sentence look at each one, and tells you where to start depending on whether you want a suspense thriller or a feel-good read.
Ashley Elston Books at a Glance
| # | Title | Year | Audience | Type |
| 1 | The Rules for Disappearing | 2013 | Young adult | Thriller, The Rules #1 |
| 2 | The Rules for Breaking | 2014 | Young adult | Thriller, The Rules #2 |
| 3 | This Is Our Story | 2016 | Young adult | Mystery, standalone |
| 4 | The Lying Woods | 2018 | Young adult | Mystery, standalone |
| 5 | 10 Blind Dates | 2019 | Young adult | Romantic comedy |
| 6 | 10 Truths and a Dare | 2021 | Young adult | Romantic comedy |
| 7 | First Lie Wins | 2024 | Adult | Thriller, standalone |
| 8 | Anatomy of an Alibi | 2026 | Adult | Thriller, standalone |
Ashley Elston Books in Publication Order
1. The Rules for Disappearing (2013)
Meg has been six different people in six different places, including Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri and Olivia in Kentucky, all while her family hides in witness protection. She has had enough of the Suits’ rules and her father’s silence, and she knows the secret she is keeping could change everything.
The Rules for Disappearing was Elston’s debut and was a finalist for Best Young Adult Novel at the International Thriller Writers Awards.
2. The Rules for Breaking (2014)
Anna Boyd almost lost her life to get what she wanted most, her freedom, and now the people from her past are back. When Thomas and a masked man capture Anna, her fragile younger sister and her boyfriend, she decides the only option left is to break every rule, even if it means teaming up with the lesser of two evils.
Read this directly after The Rules for Disappearing, since it continues the same story.
3. This Is Our Story (2016)
Five boys went hunting and four came back, and the evidence says any one of them could have fired the shot that killed their friend. Kate Marino, a high school senior interning at the District Attorney’s office, refuses to let the powerful families bury the case, even though she has personal reasons she cannot reveal.
This is a standalone mystery, so you can start here without reading anything before it.
4. The Lying Woods (2018)
Owen Foster has never wanted for anything, and he has always thought of Louisiana’s Preacher Woods as his own. As he uncovers a terrible injustice tied to those woods, he has to face a shocking truth about his family’s past and decide what kind of future he is willing to write.
It is a standalone, atmospheric, multi-generational mystery.
5. 10 Blind Dates (2019)
Sophie wants one thing for Christmas: a little freedom from her overprotective parents. After a heartbreak sends her to her grandparents’ house, her boisterous extended family takes over with a butcher-paper plan of ten blind dates between December 20th and New Year’s Eve.
It is Elston’s first rom-com, a funny, warm holiday read, and it can be read on its own.
6. 10 Truths and a Dare (2021)
It is Senior Party Week in Shreveport, and class salutatorian Olivia is about to miss graduation over an unsigned gym form. To fix it without her nosy extended family finding out, she talks her ride-or-die cousins Sophie, Charlie and Wes, the “Fab Four,” into trading phones and pretending to be her for a week.
It is a companion to 10 Blind Dates with the same close-knit cousins, but you can enjoy it without reading the first book.
7. First Lie Wins (2024)
Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, and a fancy group of friends. The only catch is that Evie Porter does not exist, and her mysterious boss has just given her a new mark, Ryan Sumner.
It is Elston’s adult debut, a number one New York Times bestseller and a Reese’s Book Club pick, and it is the best starting point for adult thriller readers.
8. Anatomy of an Alibi (2026)
Camille Bayliss suspects her lawyer husband Ben is hiding a dark secret, and Aubrey Price believes Ben knows the truth about the night that wrecked her life a decade ago. The two women swap places for twelve hours so each can get answers, until Ben is found murdered the next morning and only one of them has an alibi.
It is her second adult novel, published January 13, 2026, and a standalone.
Where to Start Reading Ashley Elston
- Adult suspense: First Lie Wins, then Anatomy of an Alibi.
- Young adult mystery: This Is Our Story or The Lying Woods, both standalones.
- Series reader: The Rules for Disappearing, then The Rules for Breaking.
- Light, funny read: 10 Blind Dates, then 10 Truths and a Dare.
Do You Need to Read Ashley Elston’s Books in Order?
Mostly no. Only The Rules for Disappearing and The Rules for Breaking are a true two-book story and should be read in order, and 10 Truths and a Dare is best after 10 Blind Dates because it reuses the cousins. Everything else is a standalone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Ashley Elston written?
Eight novels, from The Rules for Disappearing (2013) to Anatomy of an Alibi (2026).
What is Ashley Elston’s first book?
The Rules for Disappearing (2013), the first book in The Rules series.
Are Ashley Elston’s books standalones?
Six of the eight are effectively standalone. The exceptions are the two Rules books, which form a duology, and 10 Truths and a Dare, which follows the family from 10 Blind Dates.
Which Ashley Elston book should I read first?
Start with First Lie Wins for adult thrillers or This Is Our Story for a young adult mystery.
Is First Lie Wins a series?
No. It is a standalone, and Anatomy of an Alibi is a separate story with new characters.
Are Ashley Elston’s young adult books suitable for adults?
Yes. Her young adult thrillers and rom-coms are widely read by adults, although they are written with teen characters and settings.
About Ashley Elston
Ashley Elston worked as a wedding and portrait photographer for ten years before writing full time, and she is also a certified landscape horticulturist. She lives in Shreveport, Louisiana, with her husband and three sons. Her debut, The Rules for Disappearing, was published by Disney Hyperion in 2013, and her adult debut, First Lie Wins, became a number one New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick.
Publication years and plot details in this guide were checked against publisher and library catalog listings.
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