Listen for the Lie
by Amy Tintera
Pub Date: 05 Mar 2024

Listen for the Lie is a fast-paced thriller you are sure to be hooked on from the very first page until the last! It's a murder mystery rolled into one. Overall, a phenomenal thriller. A Very entertaining read.

Synopsis:
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.

Many thanks to #ListenfortheLie #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for an E-ARC of this book.

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.

Listen for the Lie - Amy Tintera
Format: e-book
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub date: March 5th 2024 (tommorow)

Thanks to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for this ARC!

Here is my review ⬇️

I've seen so many great reviews for this book so I was excited and thrilled to read this as an ARC. I was certainly not disappointed. This mystery/thriller was medium/fast pace and kept me reading. I stayed up past my bedtime a few nights 🌃

One thing that confused me was all the flashbacks (not the actual chapters where you know it's 5 years ago). It really confused me! And that voice, that kept coming... That was also confusing until I knew what was going on.

Overall, I really liked this book. I loved the story + podcast concept. It kept the story interesting and wanting more.

I give this book a 4.5 ⭐

I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller! A solid whodunit mystery where EVERYONE was ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT the murderer at some point in my mind! 🤷🏻‍♀️🕵🏻 Okay, so maybe I’m not the greatest detective but I had a blast witnessing this story unravel regardless!!

The format made it totally bingeable - mixed media (podcast/interviews), short chapters and SO many cliffhangers!

I couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to the author @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review! Prepare to see this gem everywhere!

What a story..

I'm definitely a girl who's read her share of thrillers, most of the time able to figure out the plot early on. However, this one had me guessing the entire time!! The story flips from 5 years ago/ present day Lucy to a podcast trying to figure out the "who done it", it definitely gives off " None of this is true" vibes but in its own amazing way!

Five years ago, Lucy is found wandering down the road of a small little town with a head wound and what appears to be blood on her dress. Only to find out her best friend Savvy was murdered and it was in fact Savvy's blood on her dress. Everyone in their little down believes Lucy was the murderer, but with no real evidence she can not be convicted. The biggest problem is Lucy has absolutely no recollection of the night in question, as she had a traumatic brain injury. To make matters worse, if that is even possible, her parents do not believe her and her husband kicked her out. She leaves the small town in Texas and heads to California with no desire to return, until her Grandma persuades her to come home for her birthday party. In the meantime a true crime podcaster Ben Owens decides to take on the case and try to see if he can get to the bottom of who really killed Savvy that night... but "does the truth even matter"

If you are looking for a gripping fast paced thriller, this one is it for sure!

If you were a fan of Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True, add Listen for the Lie to your TBR immediately! The audiobook is produced well, with a full cast of voices. With a story that centers around a podcast, I love the cuts to the podcast transcription (in the book) and surrounded by the theme song in the audiobook. Until the very end, Tintera did a fantastic job keeping me on my toes until the bitter end.

Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books, and McMillan Audio for both the Kindle and audiobook versions in exchange for my honest review.

5 years ago Lucy's life was altered irrevocably in a single night, the only issue is that she can't remember a single thing about it. This tends to be a very big problem when your best friend is murdered and you seem to be the only suspect. After her entire small town, including her own parents, turns against her, she flees to the bright lights of Hollywood where she is just Lucy. Until a true crime podcast makes Lucy's past life national news. Shes's then forced back to her home town to face her past, her family, and maybe some memories that aren't as forgotten as she has led everyone to believe.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for the E-Arc of this book. I've been on a bit of a murder spree lately (meaning I am reading all the suspense/thriller/murder mysteries) and this book fit right into that mood reading for me.

Amnesia can be seen as a bit of an overused trope, I myself have said before that it is so annoying when it is thrown into a plot. It oftentimes feels like it is used to fill holes in the plot or to condense a story. The entire premise of Listen for the Lie is that Lucy has amnesia, or does she? This book is not a nail biter. It's not an edge of your seat thriller, so if that is what you are looking for, you won't find it here. What it is though, is unputdownable. When I tell you this book had a choke hold on me, I mean that I literally could not put it down. I started at 2pm and did not stop until I was done around 8pm. I cooked dinner while reading, and went on bathroom breaks with this book. Listen for the lie was glued to my hand.

Amy Tintera writes a captivating tale of murder in a small town that unfolds through the eyes of the people who live in it as they are being interviewed for a podcast, and Lucy, the woman accused of killing her best friend. Lucy is totally my vibe. She is bad ass in that she won't sit down and shut up. The entire town turns against her only because she is a square peg they can't fit into the round holes of their societal make up. The entire book will have you asking whodunnit as you learn more about each of the characters in Lucy and Savvy's lives.

I totally recommend this to anyone who enjoys true crime podcasts, the slow unraveling of mysteries and a new take on the amnesia bit. Hopefully you will be as enthralled by Lucy as I was. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 stars for this fascinating look at podcasts, the stories they share and the lives affected by not only crime, but being put under the microscope for the world to see.

4.5 stars
Amy Tintera has been a favorite YA author of mine. Some of my faves have been All These Monsters duology and The Q. She stepped away from YA for this book to write an adult thriller and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

The novel centers around Lucy, haunted by the unsolved murder of her best friend during their teenage years. With memories clouded by uncertainty and guilt, Lucy finds herself back in the mystery when a new podcast begins investigating the case. As revelations surface and tensions mount, Lucy struggles with questions of her own involvement and the possibility of hidden truths that her amnesia has been hiding.

One of the standout elements of this book is Lucy’s irreverent humor and unfiltered honesty. It made her refreshingly authentic and relatable. Tintera balanced the darker aspects of the story with Lucy’s sharp and snarky wit. Her dark humor made the story even more entertaining with multiple laugh-out-loud moments.

The intricacies of the murder mystery kept me on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn. Tintera skillfully planted seeds of doubt and suspicion. The addition of the podcast element added an extra layer of intrigue to the mystery.

Ultimately, this is a dark and wickedly entertaining thriller that showcases Amy Tintera’s versatility. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking an exhilarating read that will keep them guessing until the very end.

AUDIO REVIEW: Fabulous! While I went back and forth from the audio to digital copy, I truly enjoyed the audio. January LaVoy and Will Damron excelled in the cadence of their voices to match the mystery and also humor of the moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for the digital copy and MacMillan Audio for the ALC!

The book releases March 5, 2024.

Listen for the Lie is the story of Lucy, a woman largely believed to have murdered her best friend five years ago. She has no memory of the night of the murder and with no evidence at the scene or clear motive (the police obviously suck in this small town, just go with it), no one is charged for the crime.
When Lucy returns to her hometown for the first time since the murder for her grandmother’s birthday, and a well-known true crime podcaster takes on the cold case, it may finally be time to unearth the truth.

This was a fun, fast-paced thriller. Lucy, while not exactly likeable, is an interesting main character. The podcast episodes included are well-done and reveal a lot of interesting twists and juicy dirt on all the town’s inhabitants. It was like watching an episode of Desperate Housewives in the late 90s. No one is particularly likeable, but they’re still a lot of fun to read about.

4 stars!

I was really excited for this thriller because I love podcast thrillers and I thought the premise sounded extremely interesting. When reading, I thought this read really fast and I was very engaged in the mystery. I was interested in what was going to happen and I liked how everyone had secrets which were revealed slowly throughout the story. I didn't love either of the main characters, Lucy or Ben, but I don't think that's a necessity for me in a thriller. I did really like Lucy's grandmother.

Where I don't think this was a perfect 5 star was in two aspects. I am not a huge fan of the amnesia trope because at the end of the day the information the main character needs to know is there, but they've just blocked it out. I also did guess what ended up happening, which is always a little disappointing for me and a thriller.

Overall, I thought this was a promising debut and I would definitely be interested to read more of Amy Tintera's writing in the future!

I’m getting tired of both the true crime podcast angle and the unreliable narrator trope, but I’d heard so much early buzz about Listen for the Lie that I took a chance. I’m so glad that I did, because neither of those things kept me from devouring this book. We know from page one that Lucy had no memory of the night her friend was murdered, and uncovering the truth about that night right alongside her was full of incorrect guesses and twists I didn’t see coming. I definitely recommend this one, even if you’re on the fence about the premise. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Listen For The Lie immediately captures your interest and so it's easy to listen. More challenging will be detecting the lie!

Everyone in Lucy's small town believes she murdered her best friend, but absent any evidence she was never prosecuted. Now, a popular true crime podcast has cracked open the cold case, hoping to unearth the truth.

Listen For The Lie is an addicting and bingeable read. It's the perfect book to pick up if you're stuck in a reading slump. Lucy is a fantastic and multifaceted main character. She's funny, kind and caring, but there is also an edginess to her leaving you uncertain about whether you think she's a murderer or victim. Despite the fact that this is a murder mystery at its core and that there are several heavy topics explored, Tintera frequently utilizes dark humor making this book easy to read and a stand out in its genre. I loved the large cast of characters we got in this small-town setting, think the drama of Stars Hollow but everyone might be an ass with something to hide?

I read this in print, but I've seen so many reviews mention the audiobook is fantastic. You may want to check it out in that format.

Listen For The Lie is out tomorrow, 3/5.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 Stars

📖 Listen for the Lie
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: Celadon Books
Genre: thriller
Format: Kindle
Pages: 338
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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"You don't owe anyone your whole story."
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A FIVE star thriller!! Amy Tintera had me invested from the beginning. LOVED the true crime podcast in between the chapters. I was back and forth guessing who the murderer. I was entertained the whole time. HIghly recommend it!!

You’ve seen this book everywhere, and I’m here to tell you that this book is worth the hype. I’m always skeptical of books that *everyone* gives 4-5 stars, and I tend to stay away from them for that reason. BUT, when I noted several trusted bookstagrammers giving this one high ratings, I decided to give it a go.

At first, the silly, flippant inner voice of our FMC, Lucy was giving me Finlay Donovan vibes (which is not my jam) and I was a little worried that I’d fallen for the overhype. But, as the plot got going I became hooked and wanted to know who killed Savvy just as much as anyone. Also, the tone of the book grew away from silly and more into to dark humour territory. I can’t add a lot more to this one that hasn’t already been said, so let me just say that I really enjoyed this one! It was smart, well plotted and I didn’t see the twist coming. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Celadon Books, NetGalley and Amy Tintera for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you are a lover of mystery/thriller AND enjoy books that can make you laugh out loud, this one is for you. The snarky attitude of Lucy and Beverly give such an entertaining element to this book. The clues being dug up through the interviews is such an interesting delivery of the story and there were enough twists to keep me glued to the pages. I couldn’t put it down! Absolute perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera. I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read and it kept me coming back. It alternated between the present, the past and a podcast. The podcast was done well and the book flowed nicely. It was a lot of fun to read and I would highly recommend this book to others. I gave it a five star rating.

Lucy has been found guilty of murdering her best friend… at least in the court of public opinion of her small Texas hometown. Which is why she moved to Los Angeles and hasn’t been back in five years. Until a true crime podcast starts looking into the case and she’s pulled back to finally face what happened.

This book is so much fun! The voice of our protagonist is strong and made me fall in love with her immediately. The twists are well executed and I flew through it in less than 24 hours.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, Celadon Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the adult debut novel by Amy Tintera - 5 stars!

Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy's blood. Lucy has no memory of what happened, but everyone in their small town thinks she's a murderer. She moved to LA to get away from everything and everybody and started a new life. Then, true crime podcaster Ben Owens comes her her Texas town to investigate Savvy's murder for his second season. Lucy is forced to return to TX to help solve Savvy's murder, even if it turns out that she's the guilty party.

All the buzz around this book is spot on - it's perfect! Lucy is the best of characters - she's snarky, full of sass and dark humor, and her Grandma is the same. You will find yourself laughing out loud more than you'll ever do in a thriller. Plus, I love books that incorporate different media to tell the story, and this one uses Ben's podcast episodes to give us backstory and insight into Lucy and Savvy's relationships and her murder. Plus, Lucy keeps hearing Savvy's voice in her head telling her to kill. There are plenty of questionable characters that will keep you guessing as to the real story. Listen for the Lie is just a phenomenal read - I couldn't flip the pages fast enough. Highly recommended!

Simply one of the most engaging and entertaining thrillers I’ve read in a long time. It had me from apology chicken. You’ll see what I mean in the beginning and you’ll be hooked too.

Lucy, our MC, is the subject of a podcast about an unsolved murder from years ago. The murder of her friend Savvy. Not many knew this piece of her past except her hometown in Texas. Now the world knows. Lucy is pretty much considered guilty in the court of public opinion and to make matters worse she doesn’t remember a thing from that night. Will the case ever be solved? Did she do it? If she didn’t, will she ever remember the true events?

If you are looking for a fast paced addictive thriller this is it! Witty and creative. This is not your typical whodunit. The story is told partly in Lucy’s perspective and other parts via the podcaster interviewing people involved in the crime. Gripping and entirely bingeable. An absolute 5 star thriller!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A big thank you to celadon books and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Murder, weddings, affairs, podcasts, memory loss, small town vibes! This book has it all. The story follows Lucy who has suffered memory loss after she was found covered in her best friends blood who was later found murdered. The problem is that Lucy doesn't remember. The story is told in present time back does flashbacks to 5 years back.
There is also a unique factor to the book because it brings in Ben who is a podcaster trying to uncover the truth. The book has short chapters and at the end of some of them it incorporates script from the podcast. I liked this unique aspect of the book.
The book was fast paced and kept me hooked wanting to uncover the truth. I recommend this book as it has a great story line! Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books. All opinions are my own.