3.5 stars... Finished this in one sitting. I found Lucy to be completely insufferable and she drove me nuts. "The truth doesn't matter" like girl, stick up for yourself! She was so lost in all aspects of life and seemed to refuse to grow at all. She just let things happen to her and it infuriated me. I was hoping at a certain point she'd actually try to redeem herself.. which I guess she kind of did? It mostly felt as if she'd accept her fate had her memory not come back. She just let Ben do all the work to find the truth and didn't seem to care about what happened to her.

spoilers ahead... but the fact that she just kept sleeping around with whoever would give her attention made me feel like she had just given up entirely. That instead of clearing her name, she accepted the comfort or "acceptance" of men who didn't care about her. I think I would've liked the story more had Lucy fought, at all. I also found the whole side plot between her and Savvy wanting to kill Matt to be interesting but then.. fell flat, like nothing came of that beyond Savvy's voice in her head which to me didn't make any sense? Was that just a red herring to lead us to believe Lucy really did do it? I just didn't really understand what the point of that aspect was.

5 ⭐️s. I received this book from NetGalley. Lucy is found roaming with her best friend’s Savvy’s blood all over her. Everyone in her Texas hometown thinks she killed her friend Savvy. Lucy claims to have no memory of the night and has made new life for herself in LA. That is until a podcaster decides to find the truth. Or does the truth matter? Lucy returns home five years later and all the secrets unfold. . Did Lucy kill Savvy and block it out?

This is a rollercoaster ride thriller you don’t want to miss! There are lots of twists and unexpected surprises! I could not put this book down! Put this on your TBR list!

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon books for this eARC.

This was a unputdownable story, and I was able to read it in the course of two days. It is a pick for you if you like mystery/suspense and if you listen to true crime podcasts. I thought this was a great breakout for Amy Tintera in adult novels from her YA career.

What would you do if you couldn't remember one of the most significant and horrible events of your life? When popular true crime podcaster takes interest in the worst day of Lucy's life, she is forced to relive and remember the horrible day her best friend Savvy was murdered. Lucy knows two things: she was there when her friend died and she was found injured and walking on the side of the road the next morning with no idea how she got there.

Listen for the Lie is incredibly well-written and hooked me from the start. I love how the author slowly unravels Lucy's memories from the past and how no one is what they seem. The author made sure this book isn't like anything I had read before and kept me guessing until the end. I thought I had the story figured out up until the very end and was very, very wrong. I devoured this story over the course of a single day because I could not put it down. The twists and revelations kept me on my toes and wanting to learn more about the characters' relationships.

I would absolutely recommend this book to those who love suspense and thrillers, but need something less formulaic as this story is a breath of fresh air into the genre.

Thank you Celadon for my advance copy via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

MY REVIEW:
Lucy is unemployed and her boyfriend is about to break up with her. And all because true crime podcaster Ben Owens has decided to rake up her past and try to solve the murder of Lucy's best friend, Savvy. Lucy hoped that by running away to LA she could escape the suspicion that she was the one who did it, but now she has to go back for Grandma's birthday and face it all again. Will being back help her shake some memories loose? And if she does remember, will she like what she learns?

I was absolutely sucked in! Lucy is so messed up. And we slowly learn how messed up so many people around her were and are. I loved how approachable the story was because of Lucy's humor. The dialogue and internal monologue are fantastic! I also appreciated how I could vividly see the story playing out in front of me, and at just the right pace. This book covers some pretty dark themes, including trauma and a trickly memory, but they are handled in such a way that I felt safe exploring them despite my sensitivity to darkness. Had I known in advance that this was a psychological thriller I would likely have stayed away, but I'm so glad that I didn't! There are hopeful themes too: protection and knowing which voices and stories to trust.

Trigger warnings: I don't want to spoil it but there are several types of violence and abuse, gaslighting

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted early copy.
It's been a while since I've loved thriller as much as I loved this book! This book had a great story, interesting plot, engaging chapters, and the desire to continue reading. I loved the main character and her sass, she made me laugh so much!
The ending wrapped up in such a smart way. I did not see it coming, but it was not out of nowhere, the hints were there all along.
I highly recommend it to anyone and am so excited to read more of this author.

This was a fun one! Impressive for her first adult novel.
Five years ago, Lucy is found wandering the morning after a wedding with her best friend's blood all over her. Everyone in town, including her family and husband thinks she is guilty of murdering her best friend, Savvy. Now-a popular podcast is digging up the dirt and revisiting the case.

Positives:
Engrossing from start to finish
Despite being labeled a murderer, I truly routed for the main character and her dark humor
The minor characters were also so enjoyable and well-characterized: Lucy's 80th grandmother, Beverly; Ben the podcaster, the voice over from her dead best friend Savvy, even her parents (genuinely dislikable people) were well-written characters.
The writing style was engaging and in-between the chapters, the podcast was enjoyable and entertaining
mutiple timelines well done

Negatives:
The last 10% was a bit confusing, but I just had to slow down and read very carefully. Just lost a bit of flow here.


I can't wait to read more by this author and will recommend this one to others!

Smart and fun thriller with a unique voice! I thoroughly enjoyed reading and listening to this book. It was such a quick and fun read.

Thank you for the advanced copy!

Your best friend has been murdered. You were the last to see her. You're found wandering the streets with her blood on your clothes. And you have no memory of that night. What do you do? Let your grandmother convince you to return home 5 years later and speak to a true crime podcast host with the hope of clearing your name. Obviously!

This book was amazing; I read it in one day it was that good! The plot instantly grabbed my attention and the fact that it's based in Texas only further convinced me to read it.

You get a lively cast of characters, no one is as they seem at first. Each unraveling as secrets get exposed in service of uncovering the truth. While the book is from Lucy's perspective, you get to hear from other people via the transcript of the podcast. It balances out and adds to the mystery while offering up many different conclusions as the story unfolds.

I'll be honest, I couldn't predict who'd done it. That's all I ask of a mystery book and this one delivered.

Thank you NetGalley & Celadon Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒊𝒕.

Savvy is dead. Lucy’s entire hometown of Plumpton, Texas believes she did it. Lucy cannot remember a single thing from that night. Her husband throws her out, her parents are ‘a-holes,’ and she’s left with not only a dead best friend but no memory of what happened.

Lucy leaves it all behind for LA, to try and escape the whole nightmare-ish ordeal.

Fast forward five years, a true-crime podcaster is rehashing the whole case to try and discover the truth. But, does the truth even matter?

The podcast reveals that Lucy may be a murderer and her LA life spirals from that. She loses her job, might be losing her boyfriend (who she doesn’t really care about anyway), and is forced to return to Plumpton for her Grandmother’s 80th birthday.

Back in Plumpton we meet all of the characters from Lucy’s past, her sassy pants Grandmother (my favorite!), and the smug yet very good-looking podcast host. Does Lucy get her memory back? Do we learn the truth of who killed Savvy? You’ll have to get yourself a copy to find out!

It was a thrilling, twisty, charming read that I devoured in two days! The characters are feisty and full of personality. Binge-worthy and absolute fun, I could not put this book down!

Thank you Celadon, NetGalley, and Amy Tintera for the early read!

A classic whodunit with a podcast intertwine and lots of dark, sarcastic humor. I don't think I've ever laughed this much reading any thriller! I love a book that stands out from the rest!

5 years ago, Lucy's best friend Savvy is murdered.
Everyone thinks Lucy killed her.
The problem is, Lucy simply can't remember a single detail of that night!

The events of the night attract true crime podcast host, Ben Owens. And thus, Lucy finds herself at the root of a true crime podcast. Lucy gets roped into trying to find out who killed Savvy, even if it means she finds out that she was actually the one who killed her. Ben uses his podcast to investigate the murder of Lucy's best friend, casting doubt on all of the characters. As Ben delves deeper into the case, he uncovers shocking secrets and hidden motives that point to a different culprit. The tension rises as Lucy's innocence hangs in the balance, making listeners question who they can trust.

Lucy's character is great! She's quirky, snarky, and sarcastic and she is just the type of girl I can see myself being friends with!

The podcast element provided a unique way to dig deeper into the characters' backstories and motivations, making the overall experience more immersive. Additionally, the alternating perspectives between the podcast and the main narrative kept the pacing engaging and suspenseful.

Listen for the Lie comes out on March 5, 2024. Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early!

5 years ago, Lucy Chase is found wandering the highway with her friend, Savvy’s, blood all over her. Lucy sustained a head injury and doesn’t remember who killed her friend. It’s either another person from her small town or her. Now, Lucy is living in Los Angeles, but she just lost her job and her boyfriend. She decides to return home to Plumpton, Texas for her grandmother’s birthday. Shortly after she arrives to her home town, she discovers that podcaster, Ben Owens, is there investigating Savvy’s murder. Lucy agrees to be interviewed and help Ben with his investigation. She misses her friend, Savvy, and just wants to find the murderer, even if it’s her. I thought this was a fun, fast-paced read. This book held my attention from the first chapter until the end. I think the short chapters really helped to speed this along. I also really loved Lucy’s grandmother, Beverly, who was vibrant and entertaining. She could have a whole book; and I would read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for this ARC.

5 Stars!!
Listen for the Lie
By Amy Tintera

Thank you to #NetGalley, Macmillan Publishers and Celadon Books for the Advanced Ecopy for Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera. I am so happy to give this sensational book 5 stars!! What a success for Tintera, as this was her debut in Adult fiction! This funny, sarcastic, who-done-it thriller captured me from the first page and kept me glued until the surprising conclusion. Lucy, an unconvicted murderer of her best friend, must return to the hometown she fled 5 years ago to run from the terrible event. But she didn't leave to escape her memories, because she has no memories of the horrible night when her bestie "Savvy" was killed. She returns back to her hometown because the popular "Listen for the Lie" true crime podcast investigator is in search of answers regarding the murder of Savvy and Lucy's connection and Lucy is looking for the truth too.
Lucy is a bright, brave, tough woman with a snarky attitude toward life in general. Her wicked sense of humor is her defense mechanism against doubting herself and feeling guilty that she might have killed her best friend. Few are able to break through those defenses, but she would do anything for her grandmother, the smartest character in this story. The characters are developed beautifully and the suspense does not stop. I did think I had solved the mystery about 75% into the book, but I was totally wrong and so happy that was the case! If you need an enthralling thriller that will keep you mesmerized and distract you from the Winer Blues in 2024, ReadThis Book!!

I could not put this book down and ended up reading it in less than a day. This was my first book by Amy Tintera so I didn’t know what to expect. I have read other thrillers/mysteries focused on true crime podcasts, but this was by far the best one I’ve read. The main character, Lucy, is very likable, even though she’s trying not to be. Her inner monologue is enjoyably funny without being cringey. The plot is intriguing and kept me guessing the whole time. I loved how the podcast episodes were weaved into the chapters and kept the story moving at a reasonable pace. I cannot recommend this book enough, you’ll be unable to put it down!

This may be my favorite impulse-request I’ve ever made on NetGalley!

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is a whodunnit with dark humor; it’s laugh-out-loud funny, which I wasn’t expecting, but it’s just so good. Tintera literally had me hooked from the very first line.

I didn’t know who did it!!! I’m not bragging when I say it’s hard to surprise me with who the killer is in thrillers- I’m almost always right. (It’s my one gift, let me have this 😂) And you know what? I’m not mad about being wrong.

But let me tell you- I was SO invested in this story. Tintera made me love and root for Lucy- even with her violent, murderous fantasies and (possibly suspicious) amnesia about the murder of her friend.

I also loved her grandmother!! She was just as funny as Lucy, and always had me on my toes- I never knew what she’d say next.

5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Listen for the Lie comes out March 5, 2024. Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this early. All opinions are my own.

Wow. This was the best thriller I’ve read in ages! I devoured this book in one sitting. It was seriously so twisted. Lucy is suspected of killing her best friend Savvy 5 years ago, but it couldn’t be proven. A podcaster decides to dig into the case, and Lucy is dragged back to her hometown in Texas. She has no memory of the night of the murder but knows she would never kill her best friend. The podcaster Ben has an open mind and isn’t convinced that Lucy murdered Savvy. LOTS of secrets in the town come pouring out during the course of her visit and the podcast recording.

Can Lucy piece her memory back together? Did she really kill her best friend? And if so, why?

Only note, at the end, when recounting the wedding, it talks about Emmett grabbing her “shirt” but it should say dress, as that’s what she was described wearing to the wedding.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the ebook and physical ARC of this title!

For fans of true crime podcasts, this story revolves around a young woman named Lucy, who is being shunned by her small Texas town for having allegedly murdered her best friend five years ago. Because there hasn't been enough evidence and due to her ongoing memory loss from that night, Lucy has not been convicted. We are shown just how terrible people can be when they have made up their mind about a guilty party and how different people can sway opinions.

Given the podcast element of this book, I would have enjoyed listening to the audio of this, but still really enjoyed this fast paced who-done-it. I like the dry snarky humor that Lucy brought to her difficult situation. It lighted the tone a bit. And her Granny was the absolute best!!!!

WOW! The new thriller, Listen for the Lie, by Amy Tintera was very unexpected! The main character, Lucy, had a personality that I would (almost) die to have and gave way for bits of laugh out loud humor that I don’t usually get when reading a thriller, but was very welcomed.

Lucy and her now dead best friend, Savvy, make for quite a ride. A wide range of characters join in throughout the story and just when I thought I had the ending figured out, BAM! There was something new to throw me off and I was back to wondering how this could possibly end. Tintera does an amazing job in wrapping it up and leaving us saying, I did not see that coming!

Thank you to Celadon books and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for this digital ARC!

Before I started reading, I was a little worried that this book may be more suspenseful that I typically like, but that could not have been further from the truth. It was surprisingly funny! I loved the author's voice for the main character, who seemed unapologetically herself & unreliable throughout the book. I loved how she wrote the podcast episodes too since they flowed like many of the true crime podcasts I've heard. Loved the relational themes throughout the book to include the cute & sassy grandmother. This book was a win for me & I highly recommend for a quick, funny mystery with a unique narrator!

Thanks @emilysbookshelf_ for the recommendation for this read!

Podcast thrillers are all the rage right now, but what sets Listen for the Lie apart is that the main character is not the host of the podcast -- but the prime suspect in the unsolved crime the podcast is investigating.

Five years ago, Lucy Chase emerged from the woods covered in her friend Savvy's blood. Hours later, Savvy was found bludgeoned to death in those very woods, and the court of public opinion in Plumpton, Texas, immediately convicted Lucy of her murder, although Lucy was never formally charged. Now Lucy lives in Los Angeles, and a journalist named Ben Owens is producing a new season of his hit podcast, "Listen for the Lie," that's based on Savvy's death. Lucy is left with no choice but to return to Plumpton to try to clear her name. The only problem is, she has no memory of what happened the night Savvy died -- and it's entirely possible that she actually is the one who killed her.

With cover blurbs from so many big names (seriously, look at those blurbs!), it's no surprise that Listen for the Lie has generated so much pre-publication buzz. My expectations were high with this one, and they were mostly met. This is one of those bingeable, fast-paced, "maybe I can fit in just one more chapter before bed" sorts of books that are, for me, just pure fun to read (even and especially if they are about murder). But in addition to the pure popcorn fun, there is a lot of interesting commentary hiding within the compulsively readable chapters, as Amy Tintera raises some interesting points about the influential, often one-sided nature of true crime podcasts and explores the darkest parts of the human psyche -- the parts deeply buried beneath a socially-acceptable and enviable facade. So this is a fun one, but it definitely has meat to it.

Listen for the Lie is anchored by Lucy's narration, and she's a character that I think most readers are going to either love or hate, with no in-between. As for me, I enjoyed her sarcastic voice, her dark humor, her hard edges, and her grudging acceptance of her most self-destructive tendencies. She's a woman who has been through things that irrevocably shaped her, and her character felt authentic to me.

But the best character in the book is Grandma. You won't be able to change my mind.

I'm not a fan of the amnesia trope generally, but I thought Tintera handled that aspect very well and realistically. I was also surprised by the identity of the killer; I think I'd guessed everyone except for that person. All in all, Listen for the Lie is an engaging, fun thriller that definitely brings something fresh to the genre. Thanks to Celadon Books for the early reading opportunity.