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.

Lucy Chase was found bloodied, dirty and with an injury to her head, walking down the road with no memory of what happened to her five years ago. Then her best friend Savvy was found murdered and Lucy’s loved ones and the whole town believed she was responsible. And now a podcast has taken up the case, and with the help of her grandmother, convinced her to come back to her hometown to find out the truth about what happened.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The way Lucy was written was just perfect. She is sassy but not too sassy. She’s got a very dark sense of humor and is just a highly likable character. Her grandmother is spunky and just a riot. Loved her! They really just made the whole book for me.
The storyline was a little predictable and there are a lot of mysteries out now with the whole podcast subplot that it’s becoming a trope. I guessed the killer pretty early on. It says a lot about Amy Tintera’s writing that I was still so sucked in, I couldn’t put it down. Definitely will be looking for all of her future books.. Definitely give this one a chance!
Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

What a surprisingly fun novel that I flew through! “Listen for the Lie” is dark, yet incredibly funny. Yes, funny! I’m not sure I’ve read a thriller with so much humor and snark mixed in, but that is definitely what made this one stand out among the spate of mediocre thrillers that bombard bookstores these days.

Although not as unique anymore, I’m also a sucker for a book that features a true crime podcast, and this one did not disappoint. With that in mind, I wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook for this one! The production was wonderful and they really brought the podcast aspect alive. I’m talking sound effects, intro and outro music, plus two separate actors playing the various parts. It was quite the listening experience and kept me captivated the entire time!

US release date: March 5, 2024.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Celadon Books for this advanced copy!

This is Lucy's story. She may have just killed her best friend. But, she doesn't know if she did. Others may think so, but no one is sure. A podcaster gets involved five years later, trying to unravel the truth.

At the start of this book, my nerves were already shot.
The title had me wondering about everything that every character was saying. I was listening (or reading) for the lie.

Also, I can tell that we have an unreliable narrator. So, can I believe everything or anything she says? What if I miss the lie? What if I think something else is the lie?
Oh, my nerves!!!!!🤯

Fast-paced. Somewhat disturbing, but in the way you expect to be disturbed reading a thriller. Lots of triggers, but, I would expect that most people with triggers would not choose to read a psychological thriller.

A lot of characters, perhaps enough to get confusing. Lucy is very outspoken, sassy and interesting. She's an enigma. Her 80-year-old grandmother loves her cocktails and men. Lucy's parents don't seem to be parent material.

For these, like me, who are worried about missing the lie, don't worry. You won't miss it. In fact, I turned the page back to make sure I had not misread it.

The ending was reminiscent of the endings created by Alfred Hitchcock. You know what you just read. But, do you really??? If the ending is the truth, does the truth really matter?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

I love a mix media book. Podcasts are something I listen to regularly, especially true crime. I love the unreliable narrator, and I truly did not know who to believe.

I haven’t had a 5 star read in awhile, but this one was easy to get into, kept me wanting to know what happened next. The length was shorter than I normally read, but that definitely helped.

Amy Tintera’s adult debut definitely lived up to the hype for me. If you like podcasts, snarky main characters, and dark humor, you’ll probably like this book.

Did Lucy kill her best friend, Savvy? Everyone in her small Texas town seems to think so. Even Lucy thinks she might be guilty because she was the last person with Savvy and has no memories from the night of the murder. Five years after the murder, Lucy comes back to town to celebrate her grandma’s birthday. Ben, who is making a true crime podcast about the murder, is in town at the same time. Lucy and Ben are both trying to solve Savvy’s murder even if it means proving Lucy is guilty.

This book is told in mostly present day with episodes of the podcast every few chapters. There were also several flashback chapters. I love podcast elements in thrillers, but Lucy and Savvy kept me equally invested in the other sections as well.

I love dark humor is my thrillers, so this book really hit the spot for me. I loved Lucy as a main character. She was constantly making me grin and chuckle. I also really liked Savvy from the flashback chapters, but the real star of the book was Lucy’s grandma. The mystery was intriguing, but the sassy characters were what really made me love the book.

This was a fun and fast thriller that centers around Lucy, who is accused of murdering her best friend five years ago. The podcast element and writing is fun and makes this read super engaging and quick! I received an ARC edition of this read.

A woman returns to her small hometown in Texas when a podcaster starts a series about the murder of her best friend - which everyone is convinced she committed. I will forever be waving this book in the air as proof that overused tropes can still work when done right! This was the most fun I’ve had reading a mystery/thriller in years. Don’t take it too seriously and just enjoy the ride.

Listen for the Lie was a quick pace amusing suspense - I would call it "thriller light". Our main character Lucy is showcased during 2 timelines, the first is five years ago just following the murder of her best friend Savvy - which she has no memory of. The current time she has returned home to Texas for her grandmother's birthday, all the while Ben, a true crime podcaster, is sleuthing around town trying to solve Savvy's murder. Lucy is snarky, smart, strong, witty and sometimes reckless. She's had a tough past and for five year's the world has suspected her of murder and she herself doesn't know what occurred.. Her inner voice is often amusing and I did chuckle out loud a few times. Great adult debut by Tintera and I will looking to see what she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for granting me access to this book.

This was a great book. Five years ago there was a murder in the small town of Plumpton, Texas. Lucy Chase was never charged with the murder of her best friend Savannah, but only because no evidence could be found. However, she was there and later found wandering the road covered in blood. She later moved to LA to get away from all the accusations. She soon has to return to Plumpton to attend her grandmother's birthday party. Ben Owens, comes to town too, with his podcast, hoping to find the answer to the question of who killed Savannah.
This book will keep you turning the pages. The tension between the characters, the short chapters, the fast pacing, the drama and a main character that you can't help but cheer for will keep readers engaged all the way to the end. Also, the ending was perfect!
Put this book at the top of your TBR pile!

This was a wild ride! I enjoyed the humor woven throughout the story, and the way the story was told through Lucy's POV and the podcast. This definitely kept me up late reading because I had to know who killed Savvy. This was a great adult debut for this author and I look forward to reading their work in the future!

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera
Publishing date - March 5th 2024
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Book for the advanced copy of this ebook.

This book was engrossing and addictive from the start! I loved the short chapters , the podcast interviews, and the wow 😮 ending!

Gripping, suspenseful, and impossible to put down. Highly recommend this debut novel when it releases on March 5th.

This is so intense and thrilling (in a good way!). I kept making up theories on who the murder was, so you know it’s a good book when it keeps you guessing. Also, I think that the portrayal of trauma was an important theme of discussion, especially because trauma affects how we perceive everything. The main character, Lucy, is a somewhat likable due to her sarcastic attitude towards life and her inherent flaws are vital to make her guilt more substantial. Lucy’s grandmother, Beverly, is someone I admired from the beginning because of her outlook on life and sense of humor. She definitely made the story more interesting and entertaining!

There is a significant amount of victim abuse and domestic violence in this novel, so fair warning to those triggered by those themes.

Overall, such an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author!

Oh, where do I even begin with Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera? Let me just say, this book is absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!
This is one of the most gripping thrillers I've ever read! I mean, seriously, I was hooked from the get-go, and let me tell you, once I started, I couldn't stop till the very end.

After Lucy is discovered covered in her best friend Savvy's blood, suspicions of murder haunt her small Texas town. Lucy and 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.

What really blew me away was Tintera's ability to blend suspense with humor. I mean, 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. As if the mystery surrounding Savvy's murder wasn't enough, now we have this whole other layer of investigation unfolding before our eyes (or ears, I guess). 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.

Listen for the Lie is hands down one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time, and I have no doubt it will be topping bestseller lists left and right. Amy Tintera has outdone herself with this one, and I am already counting down the days until I can read it again. Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this must-read for 2024!