Trigger warnings// mention of rape, alcoholism, domestic abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, graphic murder, serial adultery, and sexual assault.

First, I want to thank netgalley for the chance to receive the e-arc for listen for the lie.

I wanted to finish this before the release of the book but here we go, I would like to point out that this is the first novel I’ve read from this author and I really love the shortness of her chapters and the ability to make you keep wanting to read on.

Listen for the Lie has a lot of positive points, I loved the way the podcast chapters were set up. I really did love Lucy, and she was a very good unreliable narrator. The pacing of the book was pretty good, I felt towards the end it was going in circles though and all the relationship/hooking up culture being all bunched at the end kind of killed it but I will say for a murder mystery, it wasn’t predictable.

What probably will make it predictable for others is the feeding certain tropes a little too much or focusing on all the raunchy stuff other characters were doing & how there was only one angel among them all.

My favorite character was Beverley, Lucy’s grandma was everything.

In terms of the other characters they fell flat for me, and the subject of domestic abuse being the reason for creating a violent image for Lucy was a little eh, also didn’t like that the author played down how awful abusive and toxic marriages are by making Lucy kind of blame herself for simply just standing up for herself.

Despite that, this was a pretty well rounded murder mystery/podcast/thriller. Definitely recommend if you want a quick read in this genre.

Listen for the lie was a fantastic read. It kept me engaged until the very end. Anyone who loves a good thriller will enjoy this book! My first 5 star thriller of the year!

This was a win win win and I feel like it was absolutely meant to be on my to-read list! I dove into this and had trouble putting it down.

Years ago, Lucy was found wandering roadside still wearing the dress she wore to an acquaintance’s wedding and covered in blood. Her best friend’s blood. But she has no recollection of how she came to be covered in that blood or what happened to her friend, Savvy, whose body was found in the woods not too far away. With no evidence, no motive, not even a murder weapon to link Lucy to the murder, she was never arrested or tried. No one was. Lucy left her small town of Plumpton, TX and her life as she knew it behind, immersing herself in the chaos of Los Angeles. Until a podcaster has brought the case back to the surface and Lucy finds herself back home and back under the microscope. With no new memories and the whole town, even her own parents not sure of her innocence, Lucy must face her past as she and Ben, the relentless podcaster behind this revisiting of the crime, seek the truth.

I fully expected this to be pretty run-of-the-mill and formulaic. But even if you figure out what happened before the end (I had my suspicions), the book is so well-written and darkly funny, that it will hold your attention. I love the humor, the personalities of the characters, and the bits and pieces of small town truths which are exposed once the digging begins.

Many thanks to Celadon Books, Amy Tinterra, and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this incredible page-turner.

Five years ago, Lucy was accused of murdering her best friend. But she wasn’t arrested due to lack of evidence and the fact that she’d lost her memory of the whole night. She comes back to her hometown for her grandmothers 80th birthday, knowing everyone still thinks she’s a murderer. Ben is a podcaster and has been interviewing everyone he can, trying to solve this case and he finally gets Lucy to talk to him. I like the format and the podcast and there are some surprises, but I didn’t like any of the characters. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to.

Loved this one! A good podcast thriller. (One of the better ones I’ve read lately) Would highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author, for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Lucy has no desire to go back to her small town, but her grandmother guilts her in to going for her birthday party. Lucy is thought by almost the whole town to have murdered her best friend, Savannah, known by most as Savvy. A podcaster, Ben Owens, whose pocast called "Listen to the Lie" is now delving in to the case and Lucy has no where to turn without poeple suspecting the worst of her including her boyfriend, who doesn't seem upset to see her go. When Lucy gets to her hometown, she tries not to run into people, but her grandmother has other plans. Lucy is still reeling after all these years, because truthfully, she cannot remember that night, all she remmebers is bring covered and blood and being found walking along the road by a stranger, surely she wouldn't have killed her best friend, but if she didn't, who did? And what bout that voices in her head, why are they so set on murder?

I enjoyed the pace of this story and the characters were well written; I especially loved Lucy's grandmother, Beverly, she was the best. I will definielty watch out for more of this author's books.

4-4.5⭐️
- Small town mystery
- A complex FMC with dark humor, sarcasm, and wit - she might have murdered her bestie but she can’t remember? (Selective amnesia, head injury?) But everyone else thinks she did???
- Podcast episode chapters mixed in
- An iconic grandma (we stan Beverly)
- Many twists and turns, unpredictable whodunnit
One of the best mystery/thrillers I’ve read recently! I would definitely recommend. I ate this up and if I didn’t have a busy week, I could have easily read this in just a couple sittings.

I loved this book! Once I got into it, it was difficult to put down. I loved the writing style that combined the podcast narrative with the bulk of the story. I fell in love with the FMC's (Lucy) sarcasm and pragmatism as a way of dealing with everyone's suspicion of her. Ben was a great MMC, and his banter with Lucy was top notch. As for the twist, I genuinely didn't see it coming! Amy Tintera does a great job of throwing you several legitimate candidates to be the murderer, and they all seem viable at various points throughout the story. I also laughed out loud at multiple points throughout the story, which is NOT typical with other trillers I've read. It was a fast read, and I'm looking forward to checking out other titles by Amy Tintera.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I first picked up "Listen for the Lie", it was due to my reading several of Amy Tintera's books in the past. After reading, I had to go back and look to see if I had actually read any of her books because this one was so different from my previous reads of hers. (The answer is yes! Same author!).

Listen for the Lie was a twisty "whodunit", where the main suspect has always claimed that she has amnesia surrounding the night of the murder. As you read through the book, alternating between the POV of the suspect, Lucy, and the True Crime Podcast that is attempting to uncover the truth about what happened to Savannah (Savvy). I love a book with an unreliable narrator, and it was delivered here!

This is one of those rare books that really trips you up on figuring out who did it. You'll have suspicions, and those will change, and then you'll waver -- it's messy -- which is great.

Don't read this if you like character's that are perfect and likeable. Definitely read this if you like to be tripped up!

Special Thanks to Netgalley & Celadon books for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Listen for the Lie is mystery/thriller about a woman is who is accused for the murder of her best friend but has no memory of the night. A podcaster takes interest in the case and Lucy is drawn back into her small hometown where lies and deceptions are uncovered. This novel is fast paced that keeps you invested and guessing as you put the clues together with Lucy. Lucy is a character that you emphasize with, she was sarcastic and self-deprecating and dealing with trauma and the crappy people in her life. The podcast chapters added to the depth to the plot and characters. Listen for the Lie is a solid and enjoyable story with a satisfying ending.

This book was sooo much fun, I just had to give it 5 stars!! How can you not love a book that makes you laugh out loud?!

Listen for the Lie has a loveable main character full of wit and who is funny as hell. Pair that with a whodunnit that keeps you wondering who is guilty and who is innocent right up until the end, and you've got some terrific entertainment!

This is a perfect read if you're looking for a light-hearted mystery. An absolutely binge worthy debut novel from author Amy Tintera, I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ebook in exchange for an honest review. It's out now so go and grab yourself a copy!

LISTEN FOR THE LIE by takes a v popular trope (true crime podcast) and absolutely kills it (pun intended). It’s fast-paced, absolutely unputdownable, and constantly keeps ya guessing.

🤷‍♀️ UNRELIABLE NARRATOR
Lucy does not remember what happened the night Savvy, her best friend, was murdered five years ago. But the small town in Texas where she’s from is convinced she did it. Without her memory, she can’t even rule it out herself. I know this trope is also pretty common, but Lucy’s sarcastic and witty persona was SO fun and refreshing that it didn’t matter.

🤌🏼 CHEF’S KISS PACING
This book FLIES by with short chapters and tons of activity (you’re never bored, promise). Even though there are a lot of characters, I never felt lost or confused.

Listen For The Lie
By: Amy Tintera
Publish Date: March 5, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and the author, Amy Tintera, for the advanced copy of Listen For The Lie.

Lucy is found walking around the neighborhood, late at night with blood on her shirt in a disheveled state. Her best friend, Savannah is found dead shortly after. Everyone believes Lucy killed Savannah. Follow along while Lucy tries to remember the events of the evening with or without the help of her friends, ex-husband, and the crime solving podcaster, Ben along the way.

I enjoyed the writing style of this story- the alternating timeframe from 5 years ago and present, to the podcast transcript mixed in every so often. The character relationships felt relatable and I was curious what would happen next!

True crime podcast format? Sign me up. This was such a thrilling read, I couldn't put it down. Bingeworthy! I loved the main character, Lucy and every aspect of this book. This will definitely be one of my top books of the year. I will be recommending this one for many months to come.

Holy Crap!!! It’s been a very long time since I’ve read a book this addicting and this good! I was hooked from the very first page. I can honestly say that I had no clue who to believe or who the killer was and I LOVED that - there’s honestly nothing better than a thriller that keeps you guessing.

If Listen For The Lie is on your TBR, bump it up immediately! I am contemplating getting it on audio because I have a feeling it will be just as good!

Read if you like:
✨ Unlikeable/unreliable characters
✨ Small Town vibes
✨ A twisty whodunnit
✨Podcast vibes
✨Grandma Beverly!!!!

Wow! Just WOW!!! This is going to be one of my favorite thrillers of 2024 for sure! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This being a debut book and it was so good, I cannot wait for more from this author! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Couldn't put this one down. It's no wonder everyone wants to read this. Thanks Celadon Books for allowing me an early preview. You won't want to miss this one.

Wowwwwwwwwww. Call me fooled! There were so many guesses of what was happening throughout this book and I did not guess correctly at all. Loved this book. Our main character was witty with a dark sense of humor, which I really enjoyed. This was fun! And the ending was wild, keep up!

The way the podcast script was woven into this story was particularly brilliant!

I didn’t pick this one from my Book of the Month subscription because I thought it was just another podcast true-crime, all the same formula book. However, I kept seeing buzz about it so I went ahead and grabbed it off of Netgalley to read. I’m glad I did! This author mixes humor and sarcasm into the murder mystery very well. I really like Lucy’s character, even though I wasn’t sure if she was a murderer or not throughout the book. The twist did surprise me and wasn’t as predictable as a lot of twists are. Overall, a solid choice for podcast/murder mystery fans!

Thank you to Net Galley and Amy Tintera for allowing me to grab this thriller as a Read Now! Listen for the Lie is out now, and if you enjoy podcasts, an unreliable main character, and secrets upon secrets, grab this now!

Lucy moved to LA after being accused of murdering her best friend in their small town of Plumbton. Without the right evidence, they couldn’t convict her. Savvy, her best friend was the happy, go lucky sweetheart and the town tore apart humorous, say it like it is Lucy. She left for 5 years and hasn’t returned home until now… when her grandma asks her to return to her hometown for her 80th birthday party.

Ben is the podcaster for Listen for the Lie podcast series, and is digging through this case to try to solve the murder. As he entwines through Lucy’s life and story, many people in the hometown start to lose their cool with the lies and secrets Ben is uncovering.

Lucy was found covered in blood while Savvy lay dead in the woods. As Lucy suffered a brain injury, she lost memories of that night and couldn’t recall what truly happened. There is a little voice in her head that is telling her thoughts… which kind of annoyed me at times. Her amnesia played a huge role, and mixed in with the harsh thoughts, she’s a wild card.

The author does a good job of making you question every person’s motives and secrets, and I went back and forth trying to figure it out.