What a great ride! A woman is the main suspect in her best friends murder. She leaves her small hometown and only comes back at the behest of her grandmother when a true crime podcaster comes to revisit the case. Some fun reveals and I loved the snide main character! Highly recommend.

I recommend listening to this one if you can because the podcast elements are really great on audio!

Five years ago, Lucy was found wandering the streets after a wedding, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood. Savvy is dead and Lucy has no memory of what happened, and she is considered a suspect.

In the present day, Savvy’s murder has not been solved and Lucy has been living in Los Angeles. When her grandmother convinces her to come home to Texas for a milestone birthday celebration, she encounters a hometown that still suspects her of the murder of her best friend and a podcaster that is covering the case for her second season.

This was a really fun listen! I loved how the case unfolded, but I did feel like it took a while to set the scene and ramp up to the action. There is a reveal around the halfway mark, and after that point the story really takes off.

I loved the use of dual timeline to reveal what happened to Savvy as Lucy slowly remembers more about that night!

While the thriller worked for me, the romance unfortunately did not. It’s not a huge part of the story, but I felt like the romantic subplot was awkward and a bit forced in the story. Thankfully it’s not a major part of the story and the thriller plot is so good that the story is absolutely worth reading.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

This has been a year of five star reads!! Listen for the Lie was a phenomenal thriller. Twisty, funny, and an ending I never saw coming. I could not turn the pages fast enough and I laughed out loud more than a few time while reading!

The podcasts intermixed were very well done and really added to the story for me. Tintera created well developed and fully dimensional characters. I’ll be adding a print copy of Listen for the Lie to my shelves!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Celadon for the advanced reader copy!

#netgalley #listenforthelie

Whoah, at first I did not like Lucy. Condescending, too cool energy turned into a mask covering really raw emotions dealing with her best friend’s murder.. THAT EVERYONE THINKS SHE DID?! This was a fun, keep you on your toes, read and I was so pleasantly surprised.

I had kind of slid into a reading slump because I was reading a lot of fantasy. This book pulled me right out! I love a good, fast-paced thriller, plus throw in a true crime podcast and I am ALL IN! This book will pull you in from the first line and keep you hooked!

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an eARC In exchange for my honest review.

This is one small town in Texas with plenty of secrets !
This book has twist after twist that will keep you on your toes. Who actually killed Savvy and why doesn’t Lucy remember anything that might convince almost everyone that she didn’t murder her best friend ? Great book !!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book.

A great premise, but my expectations were set a bit too high!

A hit podcast featuring a handsome host, Ben Owens is all the rave. He is investigating a murder and is determined to interview the victim’s best friend, Lucy, who is also believed to be the perpetrator! Can they team up and solve the murder themselves? I wanted to follow the podcast and pick up all the clues!

Lucy has some issues. She can’t stop the “murdering people” thoughts that keep popping in her head. And I mean constantly, at some point I just started skimming her intrusive, murderous thoughts.

There is a lot going on in this book. The podcast interviews, Lucy and her toxic family, Lucy’s amnesia, flashbacks and lots of cheating (talk about getting around)! I wanted more investigating and less Lucy.

It was entertaining enough and I enjoyed the Texas setting and Lucy’s humor and witty comebacks!

I thought this story was SO GOOD! I LOVE a story with some mixed media and this one has podcase episodes sprinkled throughout which brought a lot to the story. Instead of the author telling what the townspeople think, Ben (the podcaster) interviews people and that's how readers learn the perceptions of the story. It was intriguing.

My reasoning for 4 stars instead of 5 boils down to the ending. It was pretty 'meh' for me, after all the secrets and lies that are uncovered throughout Ben's 'investigation' the reasoning for the Big Bad Thing was slightly underwhelming. But that said, this was so fun to read throughout. Lucy's character is super snarky and her dark humor kept me laughing and reading.

Would recommend if you love:
-past mystery slowly unraveled
-snarky FMC
-podcast format & transcripts

This thriller has been all over my bookstagram and has gotten a lot of hype, so of course I was excited to pick it up. I liked the premise and the writing was fun and went down easy. I enjoyed the dark humor throughout the book and found Lucy to be an entertaining character.

I liked this book and had fun reading it; however, it didn’t quite blow me away like I expected based on reviews. At times it was hard to keep track of all the characters to remember who was who, and I’m not sure it was worth it for the way the story unfolded. In the end, the reveal/resolution seemed a little overly simplistic to me.

Like I said, it was enjoyable and I would read this author again, but I don’t think this will really be a book that sticks with me. Still, if you like a good popcorn thriller, this one would probably fit the bill, especially since it seems like many readers are loving this one!

Amy Tintera has a way with words that casted a spell upon me, weaving enchantments with every turn of the story. She has undoubtedly earned the title of a Word Witch in my grimoire of literary wonders.

Amy Tintera offers a captivating twist on the true crime genre, incorporating the popular podcast trope and casting a fascinating light on feminist themes. Departing from the typical narrative, Tintera casts women as the "villains" instead of men, disrupting traditional roles, expectations, and tropes with a magical flourish. Her entertaining prickly narrative crackles with energy, punctuated by sharp comebacks, and commentary with a hint of satire.

Years ago, whispers swirled through Lucy’s small town, accusing her of conjuring the demise of her best friend, Savvy. Yet Lucy's memory remains as foggy as a misty cauldron. Now, drawn back to her hometown after years of exile, Lucy finds herself haunted by the shadows of her past as she unravels the threads of truth, as to what happened that fateful night. Tintera uniquely navigates the dual narrative of past and present, unraveling layers of secrets and lies with each twist and turn. Lucy's quest for answers is further heightened by the investigation of a true crime podcast and its charismatic host, Ben Owens.

As the final pages come to a thrilling unique close and rewarding payoff, Amy Tintera sealed her fate as a word witch. With the flick of her pen, she deftly flips through those tired and predictable true crime podcast tropes, leaving behind a trail of magic and mystery long after the final page is turned.

Amy Tintera is a new author for me. "Listen for the Lie" is a captivating thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Tintera's masterful storytelling draws readers into a world filled with suspense, deception, and unexpected twists. The protagonist's journey is both compelling and relatable, making it easy to root for them throughout the story. Skillful character development adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to connect with the characters on a profound level. With its fast-paced plot and intriguing premise, "Listen for the Lie" is a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense. Tintera's writing is sharp, engaging, and impossible to put down, making this book an exhilarating ride from beginning to end.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m really backlogged with ARC’s but trying my best to play catch up. I’m really sorry I didn’t get to this book sooner, it was fantastic! I honestly didn’t know who murdered Savanah until the very end of the book! The characters are all very complex and well developed and the amount of twists and turns will make your head spin! I also really enjoyed how parts were told as if it was the podcast playing, really makes you feel like a part of the story! I would highly recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and mysteries!

I started this at 9pm one night and immedistely regretted it because I could NOT put this down and knew I’d lose so much sleep reading this. I needed to know what happened.

I really enjoyed the podcast aspects and I loved the main character, Lucy, and her sarcastic wittiness. I highly recommend this especially if you enjoy murder mysteries, thrillers and true crime podcasts!

Literally SOOO GOOD! The hype is real! Might be the book of 2024!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced ARC of LISTEN FOR THE LIE. What a fun, twisty and hilarious who-dun-it! I love podcasts too, so the multimedia approach to tell the story was sooo captivating and fun. I was hooked and could not put it down. I highly recommend!

I've read a decent amount of thrillers and they can start to get predictable. This one? This one genuinely kept surprising me. There were funny lines, clever reveals, and a satisfying conclusion. A stand out read for this year.

Snarky main character (a little too much at times). Story kept me interested. A lot of characters, but easy to follow as the author reminds you who is who. Ending....🤔

The ending of the novel was satisfying. I could have done without the “kill, kill, kill” thoughts popping up and the amnesia of the main character. Overall, it was a well plotted novel.

A favorite of 2024!

Lucy is living in LA when she is fired from her job. She also knows her current relationship must come to an end. She sees no future with him. She knows the main reason is that finally, her past has come back to haunt her.

In her small hometown in Texas, everyone believes she killed her best friend Savvy. She was found with Savvy's blood but Lucy has absolutely no memory of the event. The local police were unable to prove she killed Savvy. After, Savvy's death Lucy divorces her husband and she moves away to begin a new life.

Now, a podcast called Listen to the Lie by Ben Owens is bringing it all back.

When her grandmother calls and tells her to return to Texas for her birthday, Lucy can't say no. Her grandmother has been the one person who has always believed in her. When she arrives, her grandmother convinces her to talk to Ben. At first, Lucy doesn't want anything to do with the podcast but she is done running. She wants the truth to come out even if the truth is that she is the one responsible for Savvy's death.

Listen for the Lie had a great female character. Lucy was extremely likable because she felt real. She didn't show as a damaged drunk or addicted to some type of drug like many of the other female characters in so many plots lately. I liked that we didn't know if she was guilty because she didn't remember it either. We were constantly guessing about the culprit. I did guess who it was but not from the start.

I want to read whatever is next for Amy Tintera.

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Celadon Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It was different than most mystery books I have read. I loved the dry humor in it and the main characters! Definitely give this read a try! #ListenfortheLie #NetGalley

Yay!! A 5 star read!! So good!! This is definitely going to be one of my favorites of the year! Loved every second! If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller, look no further!! I could not stop reading, and I just loved the podcast episodes scattered throughout. Highly recommend!!!

*Thank you so much @celadonbooks for the #gifted egalley in exchange for an honest review.*