This was a fun whodunnit. I loved the humor early in the book. Really enjoying the rising theme of podcaster to crack the case as has been a theme in recent history. Great thriller/mystery for those who don’t enjoy the scary or gritty parts of murder themes. Think this will be a hit!

This was a really enjoyable murder mystery that had some comedy and snark. If you like books that combine podcasts and take place in small towns, you'll enjoy this one as much as I did! I finished it within 2 days. Thank you Celadon Books for an early copy. Listen for the Lie comes out March 5, 2024.

This book, is one hundred percent deserving of all the hype that it is going to come it's way, it is so good, and hands down will be one of my favorite reads of 2024! I could not stop reading this one, it pulled me right in and kept me guessing.

Five years ago, Lucy is discovered wandering along a highway in Texas covered in blood with no recollection of how she ended up where she is. Turns out, her best friend Savannah is dead and Lucy who suffered a head wound along with trauma can't recall at all what happened, and even though she is the main suspect in Savannah's death, without any evidence the case is dropped. Fast forward to the present day when the Listen for the Lie podcast hosted by Ben decides to focus on Savannah's case, Lucy has to not only return to Texas, but face the memories she can't unearth.

You will question everyone that Lucy and Ben come in to contact with throughout the book. Everyone seems shady and that they have something to hide from the night of the murder. I loved the format of the book where the chapters ending with the podcast episodes, and I want to go back and reread this one on audio to hear how they are done.

The pacing of this book was perfect, it moved along quick with short chapters. I loved the reveals you get along the way and the dark humor mixed in with Lucy's snarky comments. It is suspenseful, but also such a fun read as well, which I feel like you really never say for a thriller, but it works in this book. Plus, Lucy's grandmother is one of the best secondary characters. This is one book I will be recommending to everyone!

A very addicting thriller I didn’t want to put down! I loved the dark humor because when a thriller can also be FUNNY, that’s the best 🤌🏼 This is a whodunnit murder mystery with secrets, drama, and lies. Parts of the book are told like a podcast and as a true crime junkie I absolutely loved that (kind of reminded me of None Of This Is True)! Lucy was a great main character that had me on her side the whole time. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming and that’s the real winner of a thriller novel IMO!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars from me!

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Listen for the Lie is the adult fiction debut from Amy Tintera and is also a March Book-of-the-month pick.

"Years ago, Lucy was found wandering out of the woods. She had no memory of how she came to be covered in her best friend Savvy's blood. Everyone thinks she murdered Savvy but Lucy is never charged with a crime. She moves to California to start over.
Now a popular true-crime podcast, Listen for the Lie, has chosen to investigate this case and find Savvy's killer. Lucy is forced to return to finally clear her name and get justice for Savvy.."

One of my favorite parts is Lucy's voice. Her memory loss makes her question everything. And the voice in her head is not helping. There are secrets that no one knew that come into play in finding the killer.

Lucy remembers a little at a time (yes - dual timelines) and we get the story about what really happened the night that Savvy died. Tintera has the killer hiding in plain sight. I did not guess this one.

Great story from Amy Tintera. Add this to your beach reads this year.

I loved this book so much!!

I’ve stayed up late reading before, but this book had me head bobbing at 5 a.m. because I just couldn’t stop! No regrets! Lol 😂

This story starts with the MC, Lucy, losing her job. This is due to a recent crime podcast hosting an unsolved murder - starring her. What’s worse is that many of the people she knows (including her family), still think that she murdered her best friend, Savvy, and this podcast rips open the bandaid of her past.

Returning home after 5 long years she, with the encouragement of her grandmother, begrudgingly agrees to work with the smug but hot podcast host Ben Owens to help solve her late best friend’s murder. Even if that meant discovering she is the one guilty of the crime.

Told in dual timelines, with a podcast theme filled with interviews of people Lucy and Savannah (Savvy) were acquainted with, made this story feel almost life-like. I was kept guessing the entire time and really liked how the story came together at the end.

❀ Read this if you like:

- Whoddunits
- Thrillers with a podcast theme
- Dual-timelines w/ character development
- Great plot and twists
- Honestly just read it 🫶

♥ A special thank you to @celadonbooks @amytintera for the free ARC! This book was phenomenal!

4/5 🌟

I really liked the format of present day, podcast interview, and flash backs. The story flowed so well and made it easy to read quickly.

Lucy was suspected of murdering her best friend in their twenties but there was never enough information to convict so she moved away and started fresh. Now that she returned to her hometown for her grandmas birthday a podcaster is there to uncover and dig up the truth. We meet each person she knew and they all recount their stories for the podcast. If Lucy is able to revisit some memories can she find the real murderer?

I absolutely loved this one!! I read it in one day!!

I thought Lucy, the main character, was so unique and funny! I didn’t expect so much dark humor, but it really worked for me!
Really all of the characters were very quirky and interesting, and it kept me guessing the whole way through!

I also loved the true crime podcast element of the book, and it was interesting to see how the podcast was both helpful and damaging. (Much like in real life!)

My only criticism is that I thought that the ending was a little dragged out & could have been a few chapters shorter.
Other than that, I really appreciated the fact that this book had short chapters and only a few flashbacks!

There are a fair number of characters to keep track of but I kept up just fine, and reading the podcast transcripts really helped with that too.

If you want a funny and unique thriller, I can’t recommend this one enough! I loved it!!
It will be available on March 5th, 2024!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced copy!

My one regret is not getting the audiobook of this one! What a fabulous story, I can't wait to have a hard copy!

Ohhhh. This book. A suspenseful thriller with a splash of comedy in some chapters, with a plot twist I did not see coming.

5 years ago Savannah “Savvy” was murdered. Everyone in a small Texas town pointed the fingers at Savvy’s best friend, Lucy who was found stumbling along the road covered in blood with no memory of what happened.

Flash forward to now, a famous LA podcaster, Ben is covering the case. Ben and Lucy end up working together to piece together, as Lucy tries to not only remember the night of the murder but also figure out for herself if she is guilty or innocent.

Thank you #netgalley and #celadon publishing for the ARC of Listen for the Lie.

This novel follows Lucy, a young woman who has been haunted by the murder of her best friend five years ago. The whole town thinks she did it, and a podcaster has dredged the whole thing up with a new season of his true crime podcaster. The story was compelling and the voice interesting, reminiscent of Rebecca Makkai’s and Lisa Jewell’s latest novels that mix mystery and podcasting.

As someone who reads mostly mysteries and thrillers, I found the premise for Amy Tintera’s “Listen for the Lie” to be unique. Lucy, the main character, is unsure if she is responsible for the death of her best friend, Savannah (“Savvy”).

This was the first book I had ever read from Amy Tintera and I enjoyed her writing style. I particularly liked the dark, sarcastic humor she gave Lucy. There were a couple times I laughed out loud based on something Lucy said or thought in the book.

This book has short chapters for those who prefer them (like me). As the story progresses, the book alternates between Lucy and excerpts from the “Listen for the Lie” podcast episodes. Besides the interactions Lucy has with the podcast host, Ben Owens, I was also entertained by the relationship she has with her grandmother.

Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

4.5 stars rounded up

This was a book that I initially wasn't too excited about, having been sent it as part of a major publicity push, and not being the target audience of a true crime fanatic or podcast listener. When initial reviews started coming in raving about it, and hyping it up as one of the best books of the year so far, I was even more apprehensive, and had visions of The Silent Patient dancing in my head. Hyped books and I usually don't get along. I'm happy to say that this one actually DID live up to the hype, and was quick and darkly humourous, with flawed and realistic characters, even if that makes them unlikeable, just like in real life.

Lucy fled her small town Texas life after she was found wandering the streets, bloodied and bruised, her best friend Savannah having been found murdered shortly before. Initially thought to be another victim of the terrible crime, the tide quickly turned against Lucy, who conveniently could not remember the events of that night. When a true crime podcast, Listen for the Lie, decides to dredge up the cold case for their newest season, Lucy finds herself returning to her hometown and trying to confront the people of her past and her lost memories. As a character, Lucy was highly relatable to me, down to her physical description and sarcastic gallows humor, and I appreciated her self awareness of the bad decisions she continued to make. I enjoyed the interspersed podcast episode transcripts, and I was excited to keep reading and see what would unravel in the next chapter. I didn't really have a true inkling one way or another where it was heading (though, I should have, because there's no such thing as a nice guy). Even though it was quick paced, I did slightly start to lose interest by the last 20%, and was eager to just have everything wrapped up. The only thing keeping it from a 5 star from me was the ending, which was slightly ambiguous after thinking everything was neatly tied up, and I do like to know things with certainty, which is why I sometimes have difficulty with the unreliable narrator trope. Grandma Beverly was a hoot and the 80 year old I inspire to be one day. Overall I definitely recommend this one for a fast paced thriller with a wide cast of unlikeable, soapy characters.

Five years ago, Lucy was found wandering the street, covered in her best friend Savvy's blood, while Savvy lay murdered in the woods. Lucy was never able to remember what happened that night, but everyone in their small town believes Lucy killed Savvy, and she got away with murder. Now, Lucy has come back home for her grandmother's eightieth birthday, shortly after a podcaster named Ben launches a new podcast about Savvy's murder. Ben and Lucy decide to work together to try and solve the crime, and to see if Lucy will finally remember what really happened that night.

I absolutely loved this one! I really enjoyed the authors writing style, and the dark humour she injected into this story to keep it from being too heavy. All the characters in this story were so well written; I absolutely adored Lucy and her grandmother, Beverly. The plot was fast paced, and kept me turning pages because I needed to know what was going to happen. The podcast element was very well done. I loved how Ben structured his podcast to get everyone's opinion on the case first, and then collected evidence to demonstrate that the town majorly jumped to conclusions when they suspected Lucy, and confronted the major players in the case with that evidence. It gave a lot of great commentary on how quickly we rush to judge people, especially those accused of crimes, how women are penalized if they aren't seen as likable, and how we view crime victims who don't act how we imagine they should in the aftermath of a crime. I think this puts a fresh spin on the podcast thriller trope, and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW🎙️

Listen For The Lie ~ Amy Tintera
Pages: 352
Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Gist: According to everyone in their small Texas town, Lucy killed her best friend Savvy but Lucy doesn’t remember anything about the night in question. When she gets word that a true crime podcast is diving into her story, she heads back home to face the music and hopefully learn the truth.

Thoughts: Thank you to @celadonbooks for an eARC copy of this debut stunner out March 5th! This was an absolute blast from
start to finish - the suspense was enticing, the characters intriguing, and it was funny. Tintera writes with a voice that jumps off the page - sharp, witty, and real. I was just really entertained read this one and felt a hug of a book hangover when it was through.

A March BOTM pick if you feel so inclined but regardless, this one comes highly recommended by me! Preorder today!

Lucy’s best friend was murdered five years ago. She was the only suspect. She doesn’t remember a thing from what happened that night. She leaves her small town in Texas to get away from the looks, the animosity, the inability to know what even happened. But she’s drawn back 5 years later for her grandmother and a podcast that is looking into the events and kicking back up all the things she moved on from.

I enjoyed this one! I liked the podcast element. I liked having a completely unreliable narrator. I liked how it wasn’t like a oh bad things coming at every turn, there wasn’t a lingering suspense in that way. She was back in her small town and talking to people.

I always always always figure out these types of books immediately so I have stopped reading them as much because they got boring. BUT I truly had no idea who did it until the author was ready for me to know. I just couldn’t figure it out. And that was super fun.

Listen for the Lie comes out March 5, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Instagram.Com/encyclopedia_britanika

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC of Listen for the Lie. This was a solid mystery/thriller. It was a a quick and easy read. Short chapters and I loved the podcast format. I would definitely recommend when you’re in the mood for a quick fun thriller.

If you’re an audiobook listener - definitely “read” this book on audio! The narration was fantastic!

After Lucy is discovered covered in her best friend Savvy's blood, suspicions of murder haunt her small Texas town. Lucy & Savvy, once the envy of all for their charm and popularity, now cast a shadow of doubt over Lucy's innocence. Despite relocating to Los Angeles to start anew, Lucy's past catches up with her when the hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie" and its charismatic host, Ben Owens, decide to investigate Savvy's murder. Forced to confront her memories—or lack thereof—Lucy returns to her hometown, determined to uncover the truth behind Savvy's death, even if it implicates her in the process.

Tintera's ability to blend suspense with humor was truly excellent. Lucy's dark wit had me laughing out loud one minute and then clutching my heart in the next. It's such a unique and unexpected aspect of the story that adds so much depth to Lucy's character.

And let's not forget about Ben's podcast (which is definite made better with the audiobook version). As if the mystery surrounding Savvy's murder wasn't enough, now we have this whole other layer of investigation unfolding before our eyes. It's like being sucked into your favorite true crime series, only you're living it through the pages of a book!

And can we just talk about that ending? Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Tintera hits you with another bombshell that leaves your jaw on the floor. It's the kind of ending that stays with you long after you've finished the book, and let me tell you, I am still reeling from it.

Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this must-read for 2024!

this book was phenomenal. I absolutely inhaled it and spent my workday yesterday counting down the hours until I could pick it back up. I usually find thrillers to be mediocre because they rarely strike the perfect balance of believable, intriguing, and solvable. But this one kept me on the edge of my seat without feeling like the ending was cheap. I will be recommending this one far and wide!

I have a feeling that we're going to be seeing Listen for the Lie everywhere this spring and summer. In a market where so many of the over-hyped books just don't live up to the anticipation, this one does. Not only did Amy Tintera grab me right from the very first line, but she kept me riveted until the final one. I absolutely loved the podcast interview style of moving the story forward, and Lucy is a fantastic character who is dark and gritty, but also full of snark and wit. For sure, Listen for the Lie is one I'm going to be recommending to all my thriller-loving friends.