I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you’ve ever had interest in true crime, podcast and love, a snarky, sarcastic main character, this book is perfect for you.

Five years ago, Lucy’s best friend was murdered at a wedding. She quickly became the prime suspect when she couldn’t remember any details from that night. Through lack of evidence, she was never convicted, and she went on with her life, believing she killed her best friend. Ben, who has a true crime podcast takes an interest in the case, and decides to investigate it for the next season of his show. Together Ben and Lucy work together and muddle through the small town drama to figure out what really happened that night.

This captivating mystery is full of surprises that keep you hooked from start to finish. The podcast element and the missing memories and voices in Lucy’s head all added an intriguing layer to the story, but I found the ending a tad lacking from a closure perspective.

My rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Celadon Books for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review .

What a great adult debut! This book had me hooked from the very first line. I also found the narrator very interesting and funny at times. Every character in this book is morally gray and unlikeable, which I usually hate, but it worked so well in this book. As someone who is from a small town in Texas, the vibes of this small Texas town was spot on. The mystery was so intriguing and I could not put the book down because I just had to keep reading. I read this book in one sitting.

The podcast element was really great! I loved that we kept finding more and more information as new episodes came out. It felt incredibly realistic that way. I think this is going to be THE thriller of the year.

Listen for the Lie was surprisingly not as predictable as I expected it to be when I started it. In fact, the ending was nothing that I expected at all, that twist was a fantastic way to end the story. And I was very impressed with how realistically Lucy was written as a character. She is a very well-written and well developed trauma survivor. Like most survivors she wants the healing that comes from discovering the truth, but she also fears it. This conflict within her drives everything that she does, and you can't help but to feel for her and attach yourself to her as the friend who wants her to know the truth.

I loved this book so much that I have already begun recommending it to friends that I know love this type of book. If you love reading crime books, or listening to true crime podcasts this book will be perfect for you.

3.75 stars.

If you love a good podcast thriller this might be right up your alley. This follows a woman who, five years ago, was thought to have killed her best friend, Savvy but has no recollection of what happened.

She ran away from her home, her family and her husband to move to California. She was never arrested for the murder, but people assumed she did it and hated her for it.

After 5 years, Ben, a well loved podcaster for true crime, starts opening up the details of the case again and drudging it all back up. Lucy decides to go back to her small home town in Texas for her grandmothers birthday party and things start coming back.

I felt like the writing style for this book was so good. It definitely captures your attention for the first chapter to the last, however, I found Lucy to be insufferable. I rolled my eyes the whole way through the book, but I LOVED grandma Beverly so dang much.

That woman made this book so much more enjoyable. Who doesn’t love a drunk grandma that tells you how it is. I loved her character and the way she was written so much.

I was able to predict the who did it, but I didn’t know the why. So I was still very much engrossed in the plot. There were so many people that had motive, but if you’re a thriller lover you know it’s never anyone they dive deep into.

This book comes out March 5th, I am so appreciative to NetGalley for the early access. This reviews is my own and my true thoughts of this book!

Wow! Where do I even start with this review?! Absolutely freaking incredible! I love podcast style books and this one was done SO WELL. Despite having a lot of characters, it was so easy to keep track of them. I loved the main character, Lucy. She has a “don’t give a crap” attitude and sarcastic sass. Her grandma was so fun too. I loved everything about this book. This has got to be hands down a Top 5 thriller of 2024! Also, this author writes YA books and THIS book is her adult thriller debut. Fantastic writer!

Listen for the Lie is Amy Tintera’s debut adult novel and it’s not to be missed. Full of twists and turns, you’re left believing one thing until you realize, you had it all wrong. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers and mysteries, don’t miss this one. Release date: March 5, 2024. Thanks to Celadon press and NetGalley for the ARC!

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.