Not another book about a true crime podcast! Have no fear, this book is not like the others. The originality of the plot, Lucy’s characterization, and an awesome cast of side characters allow Listen for the Lie to stand out in the crowd. It’s addictive and propulsive!

I went into this book with absolutely no expectations and was completely blown away. Lucy’s dark humor, Ben’s ability to see right through Lucy’s family and neighbors, and the layer of truth underneath all the speculation kept me hooked from start to finish. I loved the addition of Lucy’s amnesia to add that extra element of mystery to Savvy’s death and how candid Lucy is about her own probable culpability in the crime.

I wouldn’t be property reviewing this book without giving a shoutout to Lucy’s grandma, Beverly, the true MVP of this story. She stole every scene she was in and is responsible for manipulating so much of the plot behind the scenes. I adore her and strive to have her same candidness and outlook on life when I’ve aged. Plus, she seemed to be the only person actually looking out for Lucy.

I was just as eager for Ben to uncover new facts and find out what truly happened the night of the wedding. As the plot goes on it seems like everyone in Plumpton has something to hide. The aura of mystique and suspicion was extremely well done and present throughout the entire narrative. Listen for the Lie is an immersive adult debut and one thriller you won’t want to miss!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book has all five star reviews for a reason. Well worn ground - true crime podcast stirring up old secrets - but the writing keeps it fresh and a delight to read. Lucy was a very likable unlikable heroine. Will definitely spread the word on this book and look out for Amy Tintera’s books in the future!

Quite different than I thought it would be ! A little hard to follow but interesting nonetheless! I'm still wondering how family would doubt child ,Memorie loss would be hard to fake I would think.

"Make today so awesome, that yesterday is jealous" - Listen for the Lie

Weird quote for a murderous book but it got me in my feels and made me think, "I want this to be my new motto".

I also want to note, that, I am typically a cover snow so it was wild that I decided to choose this book when there was no cover available. With just the title and synopsis it was enough for me to be intrigued, although I am very curious as to what the cover will be and I am excited for it to be revealed!

So many part of this book resonated with me. The friendship between Savvy and Lucy, being described as "non romantic soul mates", made me think of my own best friend and the bizarre relationship we have. We understand one another when no one could quite possibly understand us. It's what I love most about our friendship.. feeling understood.

Savvy and Lucy loved each other, Savvy, always looking out for Lucy. There is no way Lucy would kill her best friend? Right? Well, Lucy, can't remember. Instead of claiming her innocence, she also just wants the truth and has a sarcastic and blunt way of showing it. With the help of Ben, a true crime podcaster, slowly but surly the truth starts to break free and when I tell you there is no way you will figure out what happened, Im telling you the truth.

I am obsessed and I mean obsessed with podcasts especially ones that circulate around true crime. I would love to find one in real life like Ben's that are able to solve unsolved crimes. I felt right there with them and tried to piece together my own opinions as to who did it. I mean, I was wrong every time but it was still fun to play amateur detective!

Amy Tintera is a well known best seller who has previously posted YA books. Unfortunately YA, doesn't really work for me but I am eager and hopeful Tintera stays on the adult thriller genre for the future. I would love to read more from her! I would also love to see another book with Ben as the podcaster, solving another crime. Ive never been one for a series but I think that Ben has a lot more to uncover and bring justice to those wronged!

This book was also a lot more than just a thriller, we also had a bit of some romance and family drama. I have to say, Beverly, was hands down my favorite character! Who doesn't love a wild, boozy grandma who loves men?

All in all, this book right here captivated my soul and I know I will be thinking about it for quite some time. Im going to miss having Lucy and Ben for company. Fingers crossed Tintera has something else in the works for me.

Check out this teaser :

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?

After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.

The truth is out there, if we just listen.

Listen for the Lie written by Amy Tintera is a wonderful book! I absolutely love that I wasn't able to predict the ending! I usually can BUT this twist at the end had me rocked!!! I would rate this 5/5 stars. Easy to read. Captivating. The storyline was easy to follow. The storyline was told in such a unique way, interviewer style in some parts! I absolutely loved it! About to read it again to see if I missed any clues in the beginning!

Lucy Chase is best friends with Savannah Harper, Savvy! They weren't friends in high school as they both were in different social groups. After Lucy graduates from college, she comes back to live in her hometown with her new husband, Matt. Lucy meets Savvy again under different social terms and become close friends.

After the majority of the town attends a local family wedding, Savvy goes missing and is eventually found dead. Lucy is found by a local man walking a dark road, mumbling and covered in blood. Lucy was "conveniently" struck with amnesia from a head injury. Lucy recalls nothing after arriving at the wedding which is highly suspicious to the people in the town she lives in. Lucy is now divorced and decided to move away to escape life in a small town after being painted as a murderer.

A Podcaster, Ben Owens, comes to her hometown to help solve the murder mystery. He has solved unsolved murders before so why would he think he can't solve this case? Does he find enough evidence to have Lucy arrested once and for all or does his investigation yield the true killer? Do both Lucy and Ben survive the killer that's been hiding this long without being discovered?

Poor Lucy — she left a wedding with a girlfriend and the friend ended up dead. Lucy was also severely beaten and can’t remember anything, and subsequently her very narrow-minded Texan small town (close relatives included) has somehow come to a wild unsubstantiated conclusion that the police never entertained, that, in absence of her recalling what happened, Lucy therefore must have killed her friend Savvy. No other suspects (like a whole bunch of other wedding guests?) No forensic evidence (like what could have hit Lucy/where’s the murder weapon?) No ongoing investigation for an open murder case. Just lazy, mean-spirited gossip. If you can get over this weird plot point (and the fact that the police are never really mentioned again), then enjoy this fairly twisty and fast-paced podcast themed story.

Lucy fled to LA 5 years ago and she’s been tempted back by her beloved grandmother. Coincidentally, a famous podcaster, Ben Owens, is also in town, and has made Lucy the centerpiece of his newest investigation. Instead of a super-tragic character, Lucy is likable — frustrated by the town gossips and mistrusting acquaintances, sullied by the new burgeoning attention of episodic podcast “fame”, and still vexed by the head injury that made her forget what happened. She is certain of one thing — she would have never killed Savvy and even with the, oh-oh, voices that keep talking to her. As she says “sugar is my main weakness, unless you count my inability to stop murdering people in my head.”

This is the first adult novel from YA author Amy Tintera, and it’s well-written and plotted, with the podcast scripts interspersing with what Lucy is learning about the past. It ended up being a page-turner for me (a read-in-one-sitting book). 4.5 stars!

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO Just some blue eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Just a kerfuffle about daisies vs pink roses in grandma’s centerpieces.

I read Amy Tintera's Listen for the Lie in one sitting and I didn't want it to.end.... it's THAT good. Lucy is reluctant to return to her hometown because... well, everyone there believes she murdered her best friend.... but her grandmother convinces her to come back for her eightieth birthday party. When she arrives in Plumpton, Lucy is forced to face her unsupportive family, her abusive ex-husband, and the podcaster who is determined to interview her. She doesn't remember anything about the tragic night so she can't prove her innocence, but Savvy's persistent voice in her head, scary and hilarious at the same time, is leading her toward the truth.... whether she wants it to or not.

This was such a good thriller! It’s one of those books you can’t stop thinking about and will want to read again in the future. It kept me guessing until the end and I couldn’t put it down. Definitely one of those “one more chapter” books 🤣 I received this as an ARC but I cannot wait until it’s released so my friends can read it.

My eyes were glued to this book from the very first sentence to the final word! This is a brilliant Mystery about a young woman suffering from amnesia because of witnessing or possibly participating in her best friends murder.

Lucy Chase decides to return to her home town for a family birthday party. The town where she is hated and suspected of being the murder of her best friend. When she arrives she finds a pod caster who believes he is capable of solving the murder mystery and he is waiting to interview her, and her friends and family.

The characters in the story were authentic and believable especially the grandmother who is the most colorful and honest character in the book. Many interesting twists and turns with an original unexpected ending.

This book deserves every one of its five stars and I look forward to reading many more books by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co. and Amy Tintera for allowing me to review this book.

I loved this book! A fantastic mystery/thriller that I will definitely be recommending to people. I expect this to be a bit when it’s released next year.

This book had me hooked from the beginning! I just had to know if Lucy killed Savvy!!! The storyline was easy to follow, shorter chapters, and while it is set following Lucy....you get other views due to the podcast. Character development was wonderful, Beverly had me cracking up several times. Highly recommend and so glad I was chosen to review this book.

My hands and eyes were glued to the pages as this brilliant, twisty dark comedy-meets-murder mystery captured my entire nerdy gray cells from the very beginning. Lucy Chase, a blunt, smart, and straightforward anti-heroine, is a complex character that you can't help but root for, even though there's a chance she may be a cold-blooded friend murderer.

The plot revolves around Lucy Chase, a widow and presumed killer who got away with the murder of her best friend, Savannah, the town's sweetest girl. Starting over in LA to build a new life, Lucy finds herself stuck in a meaningless job and a boring relationship with Nathan, who lacks the courage to end things with her. Her only solace is publishing romances under a pen name, but it's not enough to escape the traumatic effects of a brutal incident that occurred five years ago. The same incident took Savannah's life and left Lucy with brain trauma, resulting in temporary amnesia and blackouts.

Enter Ben Owens, a smug and good-looking podcaster who starts delving into the murder mystery of Savannah, stirring up a storm that threatens to unravel the new life Lucy has painstakingly built. Her lovely grandmother, the only person who believes in her innocence, invites Lucy to her birthday party, further tempting her to return to her hometown of Plumpton, Texas, where the townies have already labeled her a killer, including her self-righteous, difficult parents. Ben Owens' arrival in town at the same time to interview anyone who thinks she's guilty adds fuel to the fire. But Lucy already has enough on her plate, with voices in her head screaming "Kill!" and the ghost she keeps seeing everywhere. Her increasing ability to visualize creative ways to kill those who anger her becomes another side effect that hinders her pursuit of a happy life.

Despite the risks, Lucy decides to face the truth and confront the smug podcaster by returning to her hometown, even if it means potentially ending up behind bars. Is Savannah truly the sweetest girl in town, as everyone claims, or does she also harbor dangerous secrets? What if the entire town is hiding skeletons in their closets, secrets that may be worse than Lucy's actions? And the most crucial question of all: Did Lucy really kill her friend, or is she another victim unjustly crucified by everyone?

The smart, sarcastic tone, perfect characterization of the heroine, and portrayal of flawed, biased townies, combined with the riveting pacing and a twisty, dark, yet fair conclusion, made me adore this book. It deserves a well-deserved five stars, and I would even add an additional star for Grandma Beverly, the wittiest, most colorful, and adorable character in the book. I wished to be adopted by her!

This is undeniably one of the best novels I have wholeheartedly enjoyed, and I highly recommend it to anyone addicted to great dark comedy and riveting thrillers. I eagerly look forward to reading more works by Amy Tintera!

I extend my sincere thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this amazing book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I thought this was a wonderful book! I was anxious to find out the true story of Lucy and Savvy from start to finish and I really enjoyed Lucy’s personality and how the book itself was written. Definitely worth a read!

Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co. and Amy Tintera for the ARC of this book for my honest review.

Lucy’s dismal life in LA has just gotten worse when true crime podcaster Ben Owens decides to investigate the murder of Lucy’s best friend, Savvy. Savvy was murdered five years ago in their small hometown of Plumpton, Texas, and Lucy was found wandering the woods covered in her blood. Everyone thinks Lucy killed her best friend and no one believes that she cannot remember what happened that night. Lucy is summoned home to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday unaware that she is being set up to meet Ben and finally solve Savvy’s murder. Is Lucy finally ready to remember and face what happened that night? As Ben investigates the case, other potential suspects are identified including Lucy’s ex-husband Matt, her high school friend Nina, and Savvy’s ex-boyfriend Colin. Like in all small towns, behind their fake smiling faces Plumpton residents have many dark secrets to hide and the one closest to Lucy just might get her killed.

This is an excellent thriller with loads of dark comedy. Lucy’s grandmother Beverly is an absolute hoot and had me rolling. Lucy is complex as she is sarcastic and blunt as hell but secretly writes romance novels. I thought this was a great addition to her character to show her softer side. I really liked the layout of this novel. The podcast transcripts were written at the end of most chapters, and this was a brilliant way to have the story progress quickly and keep the action moving.
Highly recommend!

"Let's Kill-" would you do it? Could you do it?
.
Totally going 5 stars on this one. From the moment you meet Lucy you have to feel sorry for her, everyone believes she killed her best friend and no-one believes she can't remember it.
.
Leaving her hometown to start over there is noway she is going back there, until the one person in the world she trusts insists she comes home for her birthday. Her grandmother has more in store for her than just attending her birthday she wants to help clear her name.
.
Not only was Lucy not a popular kid in high school but her and Savvy were not friends at all until after Lucy came back from college with her new husband Matt. Their relationship was toxic and Savvy hated Matt. No-one understood how Lucy and Savvy could be best friends now when they are total opposites. But there was no way Savvy was going to let Lucy put up with Matt hurting her "Let's Kill-".
.
What really happened the night of the wedding? What caused Savvy to get so mad that she pulled Lucy away from there in her car to the woods. The next morning Lucy is found walking barefoot down the road with Savvy's blood all over her, beaten up and Savvy is found dead in the woods. All things point to her killing her after what others viewed as a fight between them at the wedding. Oh and how convenient for Matt to be able to say yes my wife did it when he wasn't even there. Let's not forget her parents who also believed she did it all because of Matt. But did she?
.
Amy does a great job bringing you into this story with great suspense as if you were Lucy. This was a great read, good characters, even though there are several of them the story is easy to follow with who is doing what and where. Definitely one for your TBR. Thank you @Netgalley and @ Amy Tintera for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lucy can't remember - her best friend was murdered following a wedding and while much of the evidence seems to point to her, she just can't recall. Declared guilty by her town, she makes a new life in LA. But when a true crime podcaster picks up the case and her grandmother insists she return, she has no choice but to face all of the people who doubt her. The problem is, she still doubts herself. She actually sees and hears Savvy in her mind - unfortunately it is usually advice on who to kill and how.

Fun, ironic, dark humor with podcast interviews thrown in, this is a thrilling mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. If you are true crime podcast buff, love a thrilling mystery, or just like your protagonists to be a little bit....off, this is a book for you!
#HenryholtPress #ListenfortheLie #AmyTintera

I will read every single book this author writes for the rest of my life.
This is perfection! The protagonist is so bitter, funny, and flawed that I loved her immediately. She has been away for five years because her best friend was murdered and she was there but can't remember it. She is in therapy and doing her best but the trauma plagues her. She ends up losing her job when a popular podcaster decides to cover the story. In her hometown everyone believes she committed the murder.
Ben, the podcaster, has been interviewing everyone and has gotten close to her grandma Beverly, who is the coolest grandma of all time, and grandma gets them to meet.
Lucy (the protagonist) comes to town for her grandma's 80th birthday and begrudgingly stays with her parents. She meets up with old friends and her ex husband and the issues and trauma start to pile up.
I can't reveal anything else because it has some good information that might spoil the ending.
But I will say that the quotes from Beverly are the best. I saved some and I will share them when the book is published because OMG they are so spot on.
Thank you for the ARC

I wasn't expecting the sarcasm and cynicism of Listen for the Lie. But once I adjusted my expectations, I loved this book. The podcast transcript does a great job of enhancing the narrative, and the small-town setting was perfectly described. Yes, there are some things I would have changed about how the ending unfolded, but overall I enjoyed this book and I hope Amy Tintera continues to write more like it.

Thank you Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Amy Tintera. I don't think she could write a book I didn't love - and Listen for the Lie is amazing. I seriously have to give it to Tintera; she is a freaking master. I've loved all her books, but this is her first adult mystery, and she knocked it out of the park. I hope she writes even more mysteries, now. It is genuinely one of the best mystery books I've ever read. The humor, the characters, the mystery - it kept me hooked from the first page to the last.

The story is this: Lucy may or may not have killed her best friend Savvy 5 years ago. According to the small town they grew up in, she did it. According to Lucy... she has no clue. When a podcaster decides to deep dive into the case, Lucy is dragged back to her home town to remember what happened 5 years ago.

I won't say much more, but I will say this: READ THIS BOOK. If you like mystery, if you like Tintera, if you just like hilariously funny and blunt main characters, this is the book for you. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will wish you could read this book again and again for the first time.

Amy Tintera, if you read this, please understand that I am your undying fan. Seriously. I will read everything you write from now until the end of time.