Ever wonder what happens to the small towns featured in true-crime podcasts when they dig up an unsolved murder?

It freaks out the whole damn town.

The story is written from the POV of Lucy Chase, a young woman whose life is turned upside-down after a true crime podcast devotes an episode to the murder of her best friend, Savvy. Unfortunately for her, the residents of the town where she’s from , Plumpton, TX, are convinced she's responsible for Savvy's death. The author does an amazing job of capturing the chaos that ensues after the podcast starts digging up the town's history.

I'm, admittedly, a slow reader, but I demolished this book in 3 days. By day 2, I was no longer a reader, but a criminal investigator hell-bent on solving the murder. My girlfriend graciously said nothing about my frantically writing in a notepad under the glow of a reading light. 😂

The author writes murder mystery with a southern sweet tea charm that is absolutely addictive. Lucy is full of snark and sarcasm that is often hilariously inappropriate to the situation she's in. I mean, how can you not root for a witty, anti-heroine...even if she might, possibly, maybe be a murderer?

I had so much fun reading this! I highly recommend this to readers who love mystery and/or dark comedies!

Thanks to New Galley and Celadon for providing me with an advance digital copy!

INCREDIBLE!!! Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a riveting and suspenseful mystery thriller that will keep readers engaged to the very end!! The insane tension, dark humor, suspense, fast pacing, drama, short chapters, secrets, podcast interviews, dysfunctional family, biased neighbors and a main character that you cannot help but cheer for is what makes this a phenomenal thriller!! Also, I absolutely loved the ending and found myself shouting YESSSS!!!! Everything you could possibly want in a book and MORE!! This is my first read by Amy Tintera and it will not be my last! I cannot wait to read more of her books! Another thriller to add to my favorites list for 2024!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Five years ago, Lucy is found wandering the streets with a head wound, covered in dirt and her best friend Savvy's blood and everyone thinks she is a murderer. The problem is she can't remember anything about that night! To make matters worse, her own parents and community think she is lying despite there being no evidence to charge her of murder. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," host Ben Owens, has decided to investigate Savvy's murder for the show's second season. Will he be able to uncover the truth? Did Lucy really kill her best friend or is she another victim wrongly accused by everyone? But does the truth really matter? I guess you will have to listen for the lie to find out!! 🫢

Overall, I was totally engrossed from start to finish!! If you're looking for a gripping suspenseful whodunit thriller that is unputdownable then this is the book for you! I highly recommend and it deserves ALL the stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OMG!

I could not put this book down! I love love loved it!

This is Amy Tintera's first adult book but I sincerely hope it is not her last (she's previously written YA books).

I loved Lucy, the main character, who is suspected of murdering her best friend after leaving a wedding. In fact, all the characters were excellently developed and they leapt off the page. I couldn't get enough of Lucy's sarcastic quips and just overall the way she thought and spoke. Her grandmother was my second favorite character, she was a hoot.

Did Lucy bash Savvy's (her best friend) skull? She can't remember because she also took a blow to the head and was found wandering down the street covered in Savvy's blood.

The town thinks she did it and so does her husband and parents.

Five years later, Ben, a true-crime podcaster comes to town to investigate Lucy's case for his second season. Lucy at first wants nothing to do with it but she soon is convinced by her grandmother to talk to Ben an participate in the podcast's investigation.

I will leave it there so there are no spoilers.

This book is fabulous and my favorite read so far this year and it will make my favorite reads of the year.

⭐: 4.5/5

This book was amazing!!

I loved the story and its execution! What I loved, even more was the fact that I didn’t realize I was actually reading and when an author can do that, hands off to them for creating that experience, because I freakin’ love it! I love it! I love it! I couldn’t stop turning the pages because the story was SO GOOD, and I was invested in it. Plus, the podcast element to this story was brilliant👏👏 I love it when a story is done through a podcast lens because it’s suspenseful, mysterious, and filled with juicy details.

I loved the story as a whole and the main character, Lucy. Her character was absolutely well-written! I loved each and every chapter of hers. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I loved how her character was constructed.

The only reason this lost half a ⭐ was because I knew who the story’s villain was. Other than that, I highly highly recommend you read this book because damn hell! it was freakin’ GOOD! It literally kept me on the edge and I freaking loved that🙌

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m a sucker for a thriller with a true crime podcast. Listen For The Lie is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. As a narrator, Lucy is unpredictable, unreliable and untrustworthy. This book was amazing and devoured in a day. Can’t wait to see more from Amy Tintera.

I don't listen to podcasts. I don't typically like them. This book though, this book was everything. Twisty turns and a fabulous who done it. I laughed and I wondered. I would recommend this book to anybody who needs a pallet cleanser from the cookie cutter books that come out, seems like everyday. Grab this one, read it with a friend. You're going to enjoy it

5.00 stars
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TW: Domestic abuse, Blood, Murder, Death, Addiction, Alcoholism
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Five years ago, Savannah's (Savvy) body was found in the woods with her skull caved in after a wedding she attended. That same night her best friend Lucy was found walking around with Savvy's blood covering her dress. The town immediately begins to speculate and assume that Lucy killed her best friend, although no proof, and Lucy can't remember the night all charges are dropped. Although not charged, the town is convinced that Lucy killed her best friend and is faking not remembering the entire evening.

Present time - Ben Owens a smug true-crime podcaster decides to take on the Lucy Chase case and get to the bottom of what truly happened that evening. I loved the multi-media format, each chapter is broken up with a segment (interview) from the podcast and it was interesting getting to see our characters react to the drama as it unfolds. The podcast is aimed at revealing the truth about Savvy's death but reveals some well-kept secrets along the way. Lucy is such a badass character, she's witty and snarky and has the most amazing banter with Ben.

Lucy decides to team up with Ben (with the help of her grandmother) and give him the interview that everyone's been waiting for. Going in, I was certain that Lucy had done it as nothing else made sense to me but the ending shocked me. It came out of nowhere and secures the whole small-town vibe this novel has.
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I would like to thank NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Amy Tintera for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book will publish on March 5th 2024.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Pub date: March 5, 2024
LOVED!

This is one of those stories that I was obsessed with! I went back and forth in my accusatory mind blaming every character for the death of Savvy.
Is it Lucy, her bestie who came back bloodied and amnesiac? Or someone else who didn’t like Savvy, the towns professed sweetheart that everyone loved. Well, clearly, not everyone ….

When true crime podcaster, Ben Owens, host of Listen for the Lie, decides to focus his second season on the cold case that is the death of Savvy, it opens up a whole can of worms in a lot of people’s lives, most of all, that of the prime suspect, Lucy.

Lucy’s now living in somewhat anonymity in LA, far away from the glares and accusations of the locals who think she murdered her best friend in cold blood and then got away with it.

Coming home for her spicy grandma’s 80th birthday party coincides with the podcast, Lucy decides to use this opportunity to solve Savvy’s murder, even if it means she’s the guilty one.

I loved the way this story was told; in turns by Lucy and then by others, through Ben’s podcast.

Lucy is one of the most flawed characters but she never pretends to be anything else – she is blunt, bitchy, and unapologetic. Ben, handsome and fearless, has no problem delving in to people’s lives but with his irresistible charm, he manages to get secrets out of even the tightest of lips.

I can’t recommend this one enough!

I partnered this with the audio narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, I can’t say enough about what a wonderful listening experience this was. The snark, the banter, the inner thoughts of Lucy – amazing!

Highly recommend this one!

My thanks, again, to @CeladonBooks for this gifted copy!

Listen for the Lie. I enjoyed this dark, thrilling comedy so much! The narrator was funny, witty and likable.

Lucy returns back home to where everyone is convinced she is a murderer. The problem is she can’t remember a detail from the night her best friend was killed. Reluctantly, Lucy agrees to an interview with podcaster, Ben. Soon she find herself remembering more of that night and the truth isn’t what you expect!

#Unputdownable!
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC!

They say that you can never really go home again.

Lucy wants to undo the undone.

It's a slippery slope to mount to the top when everyone, including friends and family, think that you are guilty. Lucy still has no memory of what occured the night that her best friend, Savvy, was murdered five years ago. Lucy was found with a head injury and Savvy's blood on her clothing. But there was no definitive evidence or witnesses to justify an arrest of Lucy that night. Nevertheless, Lucy has been judged, tried, and convicted by the small town of Plumpton, Texas. A done deal.

Lucy escaped the impact of that night by moving to L.A. in a heartbeat. She chose to live among strangers. But a call comes in from her grandmother who wants Lucy to return to celebrate her 80th birthday. Wedged into a corner by a deadend boyfriend, Lucy decides to return. And the threads begin to unravel once again.

This time we've got a different vibe permeating into this storyline. Ben Owen, a true crime podcaster, is hot on Lucy's trail. He's set up his base in a local Plumpton hotel room interviewing individuals associated with Lucy. He and his listeners want to zero in on exactly what happened that night. The grand prize would be Lucy herself.

Amy Tintera has done what few authors do. We're allowed inside of Lucy's persona. It's not just hearsay from other unreliable characters. Lucy is packed with wit and humorous comebacks. She's got "murderous" thoughts floating around inside of her. Does that make the girl a real murderer? Maybe yes and maybe no. The addition of her 80 year old feisty grandmother adds a bit of relief as a pressure valve. Ben's investigation is tangling up some individuals to a sticky web. Will he help or will he uncover more damning evidence? Stay tuned. A gripping read with some crazy happenings.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Celadon Books and to Amy Tintera for the opportunity.

Listen for the lie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Publication date: March 5, 2024

Lucy can’t get out of her hometown fast enough after she’s accused of murdering her best friend. Did she do it? Here’s the problem, Lucy doesn’t know either. She woke up covered in blood and has amnesia around the entire night. Five years later, after being persuaded to come back to her hometown for her grandmothers birthday she is pulled right back into the mystery surrounding her best friend Savvy’s death. Enter Ben Owens, the dreamy host of a hit true crime podcast, to help and solve the mystery, but whose side is he really on?

I really enjoyed this book. I even laughed out loud. Lucy isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea but she is sarcastically funny and is coping through the dark of the darkest humor. Her grandmother is phenomenal. She’s hilarious, brash and really living out loud. These characters have rich and endearing qualities. This is a modern whodunnit that really is gripping and thrilling. There are twists and turns that I did not anticipate.

I love gossip and scandal and this small town is ripe with it. There’s cheating across the board, and lots of lies and secrets. More than one person seemingly has a motive, but Savvy was the sweetest girl you ever met. Really, was she?

For me, Lucy’s character has redeemable qualities but she isn’t the protagonist oozing with charm that we are all rooting for. It’s more like, for better or worse you just want to find out the truth with her. The truth being, whether she murdered her best friend Savvy.

I recommend this book for the proper mystery, gripping, dark and funny.

This book is an amazing layered piece of literature that will keep the reader guessing until the very end. Amy Tintera does an outstanding job of building up the suspense, while letting the reader in on little secrets and lies along the way, captivating the audience. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a well crafted story with memorable characters.

I was in a book slump but I have been reading this since I was approved with little to no sleep. This is such an interesting and amazing way to use my favorite style of writing- epistolary and I want more as soon as possible. Lucy the main character is hysterical and possibly just insane and I love her. The mystery is so twisty that I don’t have words for whodunnit except just whoa. I’m so grateful to have gotten to read this but now back to the book slump because how do you move on from this AWESOMENESS
TL/DR THIS BOOK ROCKS READ IT IMMEDIATELY

I swore off podcast stories because I read so many of them the last couple of years. That is, until I read the synopsis of LISTEN FOR THE LIE and made an exception because it sounded so good. And let me tell you… this story, IT WAS SO GOOD! Definitely a top read so far this year.

Do you enjoy a sarcastic, funny and incredibly unreliable narrator? Do you enjoy small town muuurder? Do you like donning your detective cap and dare I say… listening for the lie? Well, say no more. This book has it all, including a laundry list of suspects, adults behaving badly, and a grandma who needs her own spin-off. Go Beverly! My grandmother’s name is also Beverly, but she’s not nearly as naughty as this one!

This story is fun, fast paced, and will keep you flipping those short chapters in the late hours because you cannot put it down. Go buy a copy, read it within a day (like me) and let’s discuss that ending.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera.

This was my first book by Amy Tintera and I loved her writing style. This storyline consist of a podcast and this my 4th book with the same kind of storyline and let’s just say this is my favorite type of book to read and I hope more authors write podcast thriller books. I really like the main character Lucy and the sarcasm she had. Not many books make me smile but her character had me smiling. I did not guess the ending at all, very well written. Highly recommend.

This book sucked me in right from the beginning and I binged it all in one session, you will not be able to put it down! I found the concept itself very intriguing, Lucy lost her memory of the night her best friend Savvy was murdered, the cops never solved the crime but the whole world has decided that she is guilty. Five years later she returns to her small town and ends up participating in a true crime podcast that is being conducted about her case.

I was kept guessing the entire way through this book, I had so many theories running through my head and I love how we learned information as the reader the same time Lucy was learning it as well. I found it hilarious at times, Lucy's dry, dark humour was a perfect counter balance to the violent murder that was being discussed.

I loved the writing style, varying between a narrative from Lucy's POV and the podcast episodes, for anyone who is a fan of true crime style documentaries or podcasts, this book is right up your alley!

This was a really great mystery/thriller that kept me guessing until the end! I was convinced it was one person, so for me, it had a shocking twist at the end. I don't know if everyone will feel that way though. I do wish there had been more flashbacks to the events leading up to the wedding. I think that would have made me invested in the characters just a tiny bit more, but I did really enjoy this one! I highly recommend the audiobook!

I'd been seeing this one all over Instagram and it lives up to the hype! Unreliable narrators, a multitude of secrets and lies and everyone is a suspect. I'll admit, I kind of saw the twist coming by the end, but that didn't detract from the overall storytelling. What a great fun read!

So freakin’ entertaining! I read this book in one day because I could not put it down. I love mysteries that incorporate podcasts, and I have to say this one did it brilliantly. The podcast seemed legitimate. This book also stands out for being darkly hilarious. The main character, Lucy (who I love), has tons of snark. She literally made me laugh out loud numerous times. I highly recommend this one.

4.5 stars.

Lucy and Savvy were best friends. Savvy is viscously murdered after leaving a friend’s wedding. Everyone thinks Lucy done it because she was found covered in blood with a head wound. Years later podcaster Ben Owens comes to Plumpton, Texas to investigate the case. Lucy has no memory of the incident because of her head injury but she wants to help solve the case whether she done it or not.
This was an excellent read. I especially loved Lucy’s character. She was so funny with her dark sense of humor. She kind of reminded me of Joe Goldberg in You.
Thanks NetGalley and Celadon Books for this eARC that will be released March 5, 2024!