Everybody thinks Lucy killed her best friend but she's never been charged. Moving away from her hometown and hoping to live a low profile life, Lucy's life is turned upside down again when I hit podcast starts to cover the unsolved case five years later. Some heavy topics are covered including domestic violence. Even so, the story is funny and heartfelt. I really enjoyed it.

This was a very fun read for me! We had a sassy FMC. We had a hot podcaster who is on the hunt for answers. We had a quirky randy grandma. We had every kind of toxic relationship possible for our FMC and then of course a mystery to solve. I liked the cast of characters. I liked the way that the FMC wasn't the most loveable BUT I also understood why she was the way she was. I liked the plot and the time jumps that happened.

Lucy Chase has been running from her past for the last 5 years, but it has finally caught up with her. You see she ditched her small town in Texas after everyone was convinced she killed her best friend. Plot twist Lucy has absolutely ZERO recollection of what went down that night. She did what anyone would do in her situation, she ran. Now however there is a podcast that has started. It's mission is to find out what happened to Savannah AKA Savy AKA Lucy's dead BF. Lucy of course is avoiding said podcast but ends up corralled back home for her grandmother's birthday. Second plot twist, her grandma and Ben, the podcaster, coordinated for her to be in town hoping that if she will help him figure out what happened her memories come back. And so the story begins. Being in a small town, Lucy runs into ALL of her old gang. Her abusive ex husband who didn't believe her story. Her guy BF from high school who she kind of crushed on and is now wondering how different her life would have been if they had tried something out. Her parents who have zero faith in her and also make it very obvious who they think did it while also claiming they are trying to protect her. But what she didn't think about is how maybe being around these people will help jog her memory? Maybe they will help her remember if she was in fact responsible for what happened? Or maybe they will help her figure out the completely unexpected? Now that Ben is her partner in crime, she is game to deep dive.

Lucy is a straight up survivor. She was in an abusive relationship. Her BF died and she has always questioned if it was in fact by her hands. Her parents have zero to do with her because they think she did in fact kill Savy. She has had zero romantic relationships that have gone anywhere, but I liked her and Ben. He seemed to like her no nonsense personality. He seemed to push her to want to be better and help her move on from this rut she has been in.

I did NOT see the end coming at all so shoutout to Amy on that one! I liked how it left us wondering what was going to happen to Lucy but kept us hoping it would be what we thought. Overall I would definitely recommend this book if you haven't checked it out yet! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am really liking all the crime podcast formats that are injected into thrillers lately. I enjoyed the fast-paced readability of this one. And I really wanted to know who the killer was, since the main character wasn’t sure whether she was the killer of her best friend…or not.
It’s going to be a hard one to rate, however. because I didn’t like ANY of the characters, to include the main character, the victim, and all the other suspects. (I didn’t even particularly care for grandma either). Everyone was promiscuous, or they were downright awful, dumb, or full of sarcasm (or a combination all 4).
3 1/4stars
~Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

(Thank you @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy)

If you read it, I highly recommend the audiobook because the narration and switch between the story and the podcast is fantastic!

This was a highly entertaining read - I’ve never laughed so much during a thriller, but the main character’s sarcasm made me laugh out loud multiple times.

There were a lot of twists and turns - while I guessed the ending twist, I was still really happy with this one!

Make sure to grab this one when it comes out on Tuesday, March 5th!

This book was fabulous!
With echoes of None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, this is another thriller with a murder mystery, a true crime podcast setting, and different POVs, which is all my favourite elements thrown together!
You just keep reading, there is so much to hold your attention and keep you guessing, that it is easy to read compulsively.
This book is so much fun to read, and the title makes you question EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE. The scenes with Lucy's humour and sarcasm are hilarious, as are the scenes where Savvy's 'ghost' makes an appearance and she brilliantly reacts to what Lucy is experiencing.
I loved this book, so much that I gained access to the audiobook and relived it all with wondeful narration too.
I haven't read any Amy Tintera prior to this book, and I cannot wait to read more from her.

Listen for the Lie is an engaging standalone modern podcast crime thriller by Amy Tintera. Released 5th March 2024 by Macmillan on their Henry Holt Celadon imprint, it's 338 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a mystery with roots in a long ago cold case murder. The format is familiar - podcast dialogue interspersed with third person descriptions and flashbacks with dialogue. Podcast/true crime mysteries have become quite a popular subgenre in the last few years and this is a fairly good one.

Readers should bring an extra generous helping of patience. Although quite well written, the first major reveal happens at around 90%. The denouement and resolution were (mostly) satisfying and fair play. There's a hint of enemies to romance as well, and some foreshadowing for the future for the characters.

Four stars. This will undoubtedly already be on acquisition lists for most public libraries, and is also recommended for crime thriller readers. It's written as a "true crime" podcast but is fiction and (as far as publishing/author info indicates) not based on actual events to any degree.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Happy Pub Day!!! 🥳

I can't believe this was the authors debut adult novel . Kudos 👏
It's amazingly gripping

This entire book is like that Netflix show you just need to binge . It sucks you into all the drama ! & There's soooo much of it ! The podcast angle imo was a nice pace to the book . Added an extra element that I personally enjoyed.
I love a book that surprises me & this book delivered !!!!
It was also hilarious. I know I know it was about a murder but between Beverly who btw was easily my favorite character , Ben, & Lucy I was busting up . Lucy's mom has some pretty good one liners but I wasn't a huge fan of her character.
Overall I 100% recommend this book. Something here for everyone I think. 🖤

#ListenForTheLie #NetGalley
Thanks a bunch for the Arc 🖤

I very much enjoyed this book. I was entertained the whole way through. I enjoyed the writing, characters , and the plot. Definitely a page turner for me. I really liked how the podcast segments were sprinkled in. I really enjoyed most of the characters (except for the obviously dislike-able). I laughed out loud at Lucy’s dark humor. Lucy’s relationship with her grandmother is very sweet. I enjoyed their interactions. Definitely a good fast paced thriller. I loved the ending as well. Recommend 10/10.
Thank you to Net Galley and Celadonbooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This book was exactly what I was looking for...and then some. Twisty, suspenseful, and full of laughs too. Part past, part present, part podcast. There are a whole host of characters and getting them all sorted took a minute but overall this book drew me in and kept me there until the last page. 4 stars.

"Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera is a riveting and immersive young adult thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Tintera, known for her gripping storytelling and compelling characters, delivers a masterful narrative that combines pulse-pounding suspense with thought-provoking themes of trust, betrayal, and identity.

One of the most captivating aspects of "Listen for the Lie" is its protagonist, Lyla, a highly trained operative with a unique ability to detect lies. As she navigates a dangerous world of espionage and intrigue, Lyla's journey of self-discovery is both thrilling and emotionally resonant. Readers will find themselves drawn to her strength, intelligence, and resilience as she grapples with the complexities of truth and deception.

Tintera's writing style is crisp and atmospheric, with vivid descriptions and heart-pounding action that propel the story forward at breakneck speed. From high-stakes heists to adrenaline-fueled chase scenes, Tintera keeps readers on the edge of their seats with a series of twists and turns that keep the suspense high until the very end. Her ability to build tension and suspense is truly impressive, making "Listen for the Lie" a page-turner from start to finish.

Moreover, "Listen for the Lie" is not just a thrilling adventure—it's also a thought-provoking exploration of morality and ethics in a world where truth is a rare commodity. Tintera deftly navigates the complexities of trust and betrayal, challenging readers to question their assumptions and examine their own beliefs about right and wrong. Through Lyla's eyes, readers are reminded of the power of honesty and integrity in a world where lies can be deadly.

The novel is also notable for its richly drawn characters and intricate world-building. Tintera creates a vivid and immersive world filled with secret societies, hidden agendas, and moral ambiguity, adding depth and complexity to the story. As Lyla uncovers the truth about her own past and the dark secrets lurking within her organization, she must confront difficult choices and betrayals that test her loyalty and resolve, making for a compelling and emotionally resonant narrative.

In conclusion, "Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera is a must-read for fans of young adult thrillers and espionage novels. With its engaging characters, pulse-pounding action, and thought-provoking themes, it's a book that will appeal to readers of all ages. Tintera has crafted a gripping and immersive story that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.25⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: mystery/thriller 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I really enjoyed this one, it was such a quick and fun read!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Whoodunit mysteries
True crime podcasts
Unreliable narrators
Captivating and bingeable reads
Uncovering secrets
Dark humor
Suspenseful thrillers
Dysfunction family
All the drama
Sarcastic FMC

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Grandma Beverly was the best
Short chapters

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
I’ve said it before but I’m not the biggest fan of the amnesia trope however this one wasn’t too bad lol
A little repetitive at times

Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio @celadonbooks and @netgalley for the ALC/ARC!

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

This book is highly rated for a reason!! It follows Lucy as she returns to her hometown 5 years after being accused of her best friend’s murder. Lucy has no memory of that night and now a true crime podcaster, Ben Owens, is looking into the case and digging up Lucy’s past.

I loved the true crime podcast element to this story… that is an immediate “yes” to me when looking at a books storyline! Lucy has been avoiding her hometown and past because even she doesn’t know what to make of what happened the night her best friend Savvy was murdered. Podcaster Ben is interviewing everyone around Lucy including her hilariously sassy grandma. I loved Lucy’s grandma! She’s so funny and straightforward. And she always had Lucy’s side! 🫶🏻

Lucy has a lot of dark thoughts and is very blunt, which rubs people the wrong way when it comes to this unsolved murder. I do love how Lucy stands on her own and says what she thinks, despite people stepping on eggshells around her.

I liked Ben as a podcaster too. He seems to want to give Lucy a fair chance and just find out the truth in this unsolved mystery, instead of going with the majority.

This will definitely be one of my top mystery books of the year, even though we are only in March!

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🎙️ True Crime Podcasts
🎙️ Unsolved Murder Mysteries
🎙️ Dark Humor
🎙️ Whodunnit
🎙️ Family Drama

Man, I love a podcast thriller! Weird because I don’t even listen to podcasts! And before those people who hate podcasts in their stories write this one off, the podcast is NOT the main event. Lucy is lured back home for her quirky grandmother’s birthday. She hasn’t been back for 5 long years and returning means facing all the ghosts from her past; a failed marriage, a dead best friend, and a whole town who believes she killed her best friend. The reason Lucy isn’t currently doing hard time for this murder is because she was injured in whatever scuffle took place and she can’t remember a single thing from that horrible night. Enter Ben the podcast guy; he’s going to do what even the cops or therapists couldn’t do and solve that murder once and for all! This story is not perfect but it is FUN! I highly recommend if you love a good murder to solve while snickering under your breath. This one is a really good time! Thank you Netgalley, Henry Holt and Company and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available NOW!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I have read other books by this author and am a fan. This book was a different genre than her past and she absolutely nailed it! The writing is smart with snarky dialogue, well-drawn characters, and leave you on the edge of your seat, flip the pages as fast as you can suspense. Adding the podcast to the storyline was clever and draws the reader even farther into the drama.

Lucy is suspected of killing her best friend, Savvy, but was never charged due to a brain injury and amnesia stemming from the night of the murder...there was no concrete evidence. She leaves town in a fog of accusation and even her parents hold suspicion in their eyes. Years later Grandma Beverly (the only one with true belief in her innocence!) concocts a plan under the guise of her birthday party to get Lucy to come back to town. Her ultimate goal is for Lucy to meet up with Ben who is a podcaster doing the story on Savannah's murder and hoping to clear Lucy's name,

Lucy is the perfect anti-heroine! She has a such dry, dark humor and a too the point attitude...not to mention the voices in her head instructing her to kill in many an imaginative way. Don't worry, she has gone to therapy. lol Grandma Beverly is an absolute hoot and Savvy's "ghost" is a dark delight. What can I say about Ben other than he is perfectly matched to Lucy. I really enjoyed the two of them together and their twisty partnership/relationship.

As much as I adored some of our characters, I despised many of the others! Boo hiss on Lucy's parents and ex-husband! The author did an excellent job of stirring up emotions!

The whole book was masterfully done, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. I wouldn't even care if our heroine ended up being a psychopath at the last page...the question is, was she? :)

READ THIS BOOK!! 5 Stars

Five years ago, beautiful, glamorous Lucy Chase was accused of murdering her best friend, Savvy Harper. There was never really any proof beyond circumstantial evidence – and definitely not enough to make a case strong enough to stand up in court – but the entire town of Plumpton, Texas, believed that she did it. With her marriage already in a shambles, Lucy got a divorce and took off as soon as she could to lose herself in crowded Los Angeles.

In the city, she tries to lead a relatively quiet, anonymous life, accompanied mostly by the acerbic voice in her head. Her main contact with Plumpton comes in the form of persistent phone calls from her grandmother, the only person who staunchly believes in Lucy’s innocence.

Thing is, not even Lucy believes that she didn’t kill Savvy. The main problem is that she simply doesn’t recall what happened that night. She’d gone to a wedding, and left with Savvy afterwards. The next morning, she was found roaming the backwoods, covered in blood and calling out for her best friend. At first, everyone thought that she’d been attacked, too. But her inability to explain what had happened, along with the scratches on her forearms and her skin cells being found under Savannah’s nails, soon turned the town against her. Not even her parents were on her side:

QUOTE
There is nothing my mother wants more than for me to confess to killing Savvy. Not just because she thinks it’s the right thing to do, but because she would excel as the mother of a murderer.

She’d be a star at church. She’d give long speeches about forgiveness. She’d write a book about overcoming the guilt she felt at raising a murderer. Sometimes I think that she’s angrier about me depriving her of this than she is about me actually (maybe) murdering someone. Mom enjoys being the best at everything, and I’ve denied her the opportunity to be the best mother of a murderer.
END QUOTE

Lucy’s unexciting life in Los Angeles allows her the freedom to follow her hidden passions, until popular, handsome podcaster Ben Owens decides that Savvy’s murder is what he wants to investigate next. Losing her job and probably her boyfriend as a result of Ben’s spotlight on her past spurs Lucy to finally agree to come home to Plumpton at her grandmother’s behest. Beverly’s eightieth birthday is coming up soon, and she wants her favorite granddaughter in town to help her celebrate.

Returning to Plumpton is just about as terrible as Lucy thought it would be, but the last thing she expects is for her grandmother to have a secret ulterior motive for getting her there. Beverly has actually invited Ben to town too, and wants Lucy to speak with him on the record about the case. Given how Lucy has spent the past few years of her life trying to put this all behind her, she has zero interest in complying. But Beverly will not be deterred:

QUOTE
“Lucy, let’s not pretend that you’re not going to do this for me.” She pats my hand.

Dammit.

“You need him,” she continues.

“I do not need that idiot.”

“Yes, you do. People believe men. Especially men who look like that. If he says you didn’t do it–if he even casts enough doubt–people will actually believe him. Look at the Ronan Farrow fellow. No one believed that movie man assaulted all those girls until he said it was true.”

I sigh, because she’s right.

Of course, that also means that if Ben decides I did it, I’m extra fucked.
END QUOTE

It is somewhat comforting that Ben seems to believe her. But in that case, who really killed Savvy? As Lucy and Ben dig into Plumpton’s past, they discover that not everything is as it seems in the bucolic Texas town, and that some people will stop at nothing to preserve their perfect reputations.

I was instantly captivated by Lucy’s wry and resilient narrative voice, and fell deeply in love with her delightful grandmother as well. The characterizations in this book, particularly of the “good guys” is outstanding. The feminist underpinnings of the novel are exemplary, even as they acknowledge that there are far too many circles of society in which a woman’s word will never be believed over a man’s. Plot-wise, readers will spend a lot of time wondering whether Lucy actually did it: the conclusion is thus a deeply satisfying cap to a wonderfully entertaining small town mystery.

Amy Tintera's Listen for the Lie is a thriller mystery with a plethora of twists, dark humor, and surprises as one woman travels back to her hometown of Plumpton, Texas to face the hatred of being thought of as the woman who killed her best friend 5 years ago. As the story opens, Lucy Chase's world is about to come crashing down thanks to one man's True Crime podcast. She not only expects to lose her job at an investment firm, but she will also likely lose her boyfriend.

Thanks to Ben Owens' "Listen for the Lie" Podcast, and the fact that Savannah Harper's younger sister believes that Lucy got away with murder, Lucy has little choice but to return to her hometown at the behest of her grandmother who is turning 80. A hometown where Lucy and her best friend Savannah Harper were the golden girls of the small Texas town. 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.

Lucy's marriage didn't last that long because one night, a night that Lucy can't remember, her best friend was murdered and she was picked up walking the streets wearing clothes dripping in blood. Lucy's injuries were severe so she left for California to heal. Lucy tried her hand at romance novel writing while working boring jobs, but it's not enough to escape the traumatic effects of a brutal incident that occurred five years ago, or the curious voice in her head.

One of the darker sides of this story is Lucy's ever-increasing ability to visualize creative ways to kill those who anger her or accuse her of doing things she doesn't remember. That includes her ex-husband, her parents, people who she went to school with, and a variety of others. The only person who seems to believe that Lucy is innocent is her scene-stealing grandmother, Beverly. Even though Ben is clearly doing the podcast to extend his fame, he might actually be the one person who can dig up the truth about that night.

The story itself is told in shifting narratives from Lucy and the chorus of the town in Ben’s podcast, Listen for the Lie, and podcast episodes that carefully reveal Lucy’s mysteries in a page-turning, thrilling way. The one thing about amnesia tropes is that you have an unreliable narrator. A narrator who can be cutting, sarcastic, and sometimes downright churlish at times. If you were to cut out all the cheating that happens in this book, you would have a lot of room for other things. In many ways, while this is a serious subject matter, the writer chose to write a comedic mystery thriller.

Every male character is entitled, and an abuser, adulterer, or both. Even the semi-good-guy love interest (that I think we're supposed to like?) is described as "smug" about 15 times. Every female character's main, and usually only, noticeable trait is sleeping around. Promiscuity isn't a personality. The characters manage to read like immature 9th graders and 40-something bored rich people at the same time, which I found annoying since they are actually late 20's. You're told in the beginning that the main character has a head injury and is known to be unreliable. Thus, you can pretty much ballpark the trajectory of the story from the very start.

That aside, the pacing is good. The writing is good. It feels well plotted. I actually liked the podcast chapters. I think the writer should apply her talents to characters worth knowing and a story that actually deserves to be told. This wasn't it.

A lot of books get overhyped and then turn out to not be worth the read. That isn't the case here. In fact I finished it in less than a day. Listen For The Lie had me hanging on every word from the opening sentence. It's days later and I've still got this book on the brain.

Most people think Lucy killed her BFF (Savvy) since Lucy was found wandering the streets that night covered in Savvy’s blood and has no memory of what happened. Five years later Lucy is forced to return to her small hometown, since hotshot podcaster Ben Owens has decided to look into the unsolved case for his next season.

If I wasn't clear, I loved everything about this black comedy thriller. Lucy was fantastic as the book's witty, sarcastic narrator. All the morally gray characters were distinct, each having their own voice. And the hilarious grandmother (in her tiny pink house, who watches The Avengers, drinks too much, and debates the hotness of Chris Evans with her granddaughter) alone is worth the price of admission. This may not the first book with a true crime podcast plot I've read, but it's definitely one of the best.

Amy Tintera's adult debut novel is an absolute must read. This is the second book I will be adding to my list of Best Books for 2024.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Company, Amy Tintera, and Netgalley for an advance digital copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and given voluntarily.

5 Bright Shining Stars

Highly Recommended for fans of:

Thrillers, Mysteries, True Crime, Podcasts, General Fiction, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Action, Adventure

Why do we have a limit of 5 stars? Amy Tintera deserves many, many more for LISTEN FOR THE LIE. Lucy Chase never got the benefit of innocent until proven guility. Found wandering the road covered in her friend's blood, everyone automatically declared her guilty of murder. That was 5 years ago and Lucy thought moving from Texas to LA and changing her name would let her life without the questions that were never answered. When a popular podcast decides to investigate the murder, Lucy is outted. Now she must return to Texas to clear her name and find out exactly what happened that night. But if they expect Lucy to meekly go along with the program, there's surprises in store for everyone.

While this book is a great mystery/ thriller, it's Tintera's characters that carry the story to "best seller" level. Characters with character brings the reading experience over the top. This one is going to the top of my book club recommendations.

this has been one of the buzziest thrillers of the year so far, and although it wasn’t quite on the level of a 5-star read for me, it’s definitely very solid. I personally am a bit fatigued with the podcast element in thrillers but Tintera uses it here as the actual basis for the story instead of just including it for trendiness. Lucy was a fun, flawed narrator and i enjoyed the wit and sarcasm from her and the other characters. it will make a fun summery thriller for sure