What an adult debut! Amy Tintera just became an automatic buy author for me.This was a perfect thriller that was written so well. I was hooked from the first chapter of the book. Amy masterfully unfolded the plot and kept me hooked through each chapter dying to get to the end of the book.
Plot: Lucy’s best friend Savvy was murdered 5 years ago. Lucy was there and is the main witness…however, Lucy cannot remember any details from that night which placed lots of small town suspicion and judgment on her. Lucy moved away to start fresh after the murder and a divorce but is returning for her grandma’s birthday party. Enter Ben who is a podcaster that has had success solving cold cases. He is recording his second season and the focus is on Savvy’s murder and getting to the bottom of what happened. Relationships are explored, formed, and broken and the truth will be revealed.
Not only was the plot great, but the characters were equally likable. Lucy was smart, sassy, and funny. Her wit and humor really helped set the tone for this book. Her grandma may have just been my favorite character though. Who doesn’t have a soft spot in their heart for a day drinking grandma that tells it like it is and loves lots of male companionship. Grandma has lived and knows what makes her happy and does not care what anyone else thinks. This was the perfect small town murder thriller. I highly recommend reading this 5 star book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for providing me with this Advanced Reader Copy.

It’s warm here in Ohio today and this might be why I’m thinking summer blockbuster reads. This one might be kicking off that season and one that everyone talks about all year. I know it’s on the list of favorites of the year.

While I have never listened to a podcast, I love reading about them. And for the audio version, I loved the little bit of music that played that alerted the listener that the next part was the podcast. This really helped me not miss that switch. I recently was joking that I almost never heard the chapter number when listening even though the narrator always reads it. Ben Owens, the podcast host, is very personable and likable. And I never trust the characters in a thriller, but I really wanted to believe he was genuine. Sorry you’ll have to read for yourself to see if he

I sympathized with Lucy and the weight and stigma of not knowing if she killed her best friend and thought it was gutsy that she would search for the answer. And OMG I loved the voice in her head telling her it wanted to kill. This made me doubt Lucy’s innocence, but brought such comic relief to the tense story. I usually get sick of something done over and over, but that voice never grew old. And January Levoy used the perfect voice to bring those moments to life.

I think both listening and eyeball reading works for this one, but this time I might give the edge to the audiobook. January and Will Damron really hit their narration out of the park.

This will seriously be the book everyone is talking about, so grab this soon so you can be in on the discussion.

Listen for the Lie was honestly so fun. Which is something I didn’t expect to say concerning a book about a woman being accused of murdering her best friend 🙃

This book was full of humor while also staying serious. Lucy was so sarcastic and witty and her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud.

There was such an array of characters and I feel like I suspected everyone at one point or another (yes, even 👵🏼), yet I somehow did not see the end coming.

Listen for the Lie was just really enjoyable. It had my attention the whole time and I didn’t want it to end even if I felt like rushing to find out what happened. Definitely going to be a favorite of the year.

Reviewing Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera will be a challenge to do without spoilers sneaking in…but I try to NEVER spoil the surprise in any book, so here goes. The female protagonist is a young woman named Lucy, who is living in LA after growing up in a small town in Texas. She was BFFs with Savannah (“Savvy”) as they grew up together, until Savvy was murdered. Lucy is returning to the small town she left behind (a place she swore she’d never set foot in again), to celebrate her beloved grandmother’s 80th birthday.

Before Lucy left town, she had married a seemingly perfect guy, complete with a big ring and a big house, and she and Savvy were social stars, and still best friends, right up until Savvy was murdered and Lucy was found covered in Savvy’s blood, unable to remember what happened. Lucy was never charged with the crime, but it seems like EVERYONE just knows she did it – including the gazillions of listeners to a popular podcast, whose host is investigating the murder and comes to town at the same time as Lucy (thanks, grandma!)

I loved this book. It was great fun, fast paced, full of surprises, and well written. Lucy has some family issues, and sees her parents as they are: “Dad’s so good at that Texas thing where you act polite to people’s face and then talk s%$t behind their back.” The story of what happened to Savvy and what Lucy had to do with it unspools gradually, and there is some relatively surprising stuff revealed about Lucy’s failed marriage, complete with outstanding commentary on relationships: “People don’t believe women who fight back. When a man lashes out, people say he’s lost control of his temper or mad a terrible mistake. When a woman does it, she’s a psychopath.”

Highly recommended. I loved the way the podcast was integrated into the mystery, and it all made sense. (I’ve read a couple of mystery/thrillers with podcasting as part of the plot, and it can be clunky if it isn’t well done. This book nails it!) If you want one of those I-can’t-stop-reading-this-please-don’t-even-talk-to-me books that will provide an excellent escape from whatever (in my case, news), GET THIS BOOK. Ms. Tintera has also written for the YA audience, and I hope to read more from her.

Ok, this was one of the most binge worthy books I’ve read in a long time. Filled with common tropes I was looking for something to just rest my brain with but I actually found myself trying to solve the crime along with Lucy and Ben. Will likely go down as one of my favorite thrillers of all time. Can’t wait for more from Tintera!

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 3/5/24!

I absolutely loved the true crime podcast element of this novel! A true crime podcast listener myself, I enjoyed how the author wrote each “episode” into the chapters based on what information was discussed amongst the characters. I read this one quickly and it maintained my attention throughout. I did not see the twist at the end coming and was happy at the resolution of the story. The only thing stopping this from being a 5 star read was some of the MCs inner thoughts; at times, I found it to be exaggerated a little for readers. However, this did not take away from the plot at all and I definitely recommend giving this fun novel a read!

This book grabbed me from the very first sentence and I couldn’t put it down! First mystery I’ve read in a while where I didn’t have a clue to the culprit. A great beach or travel read. Highly recommend!

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: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
--
"You don't owe anyone your whole story."
--
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!!