The page turning mystery was so much fun to read. I love when a book has an added media. In this case it’s a podcast. I swear I could hear the podcast in my ears as I was reading it. I was really absorbed in the story. I couldn’t get through it fast enough. The ending was a surprise to me too.

Can you tell who is lying and who is telling the truth?

Thank you to NetGalley, Celedon Books and Amy Tintera for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Five years ago, Lucy Chase was found wandering down the road covered in the blood of her best friend, Savvy, with no memory of the past 12 hours.
Lucy became the prime suspect in her murder. But, without enough evidence, Lucy is never charged and moves away to Los Angeles.
Podcaster, Ben, decides to dig up this cold case determined to find the truth. Lucy and Ben find themselves in an unlikely alliance to uncover what truly happened that night five years ago.
Everyone is hiding something and damning secrets are finally revealed.
And everyone is tuning in to find out, did Lucy Chase truly kill her best friend?

This was such a great, fast paced thriller.
I couldn’t devour this book fast enough.
I loved Lucy (no pun intended) She was so unapologetically herself. Dark humor with zero fucks to give.
Ben was such a fun character. Him and Lucy had such great chemistry and I loved seeing them work their way through this mystery.
But the best character by far was 100% Lucy’s grandma! She was sassy with such spunk and so loving.
This book was a wild, twisty ride filled with secrets and shocking revelations.
You’ll love this book if you enjoy
- Murder mysteries
- Return to hometown
- Amnesia
- Small town secrets
- Dark humor

A must read for every mystery lover!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best thrillers I've read in a long time!

I thought it was perfectly paced both in terms of plot and in terms of the truth coming to light piece by piece. The main character, Lucy, was edgy but loveable even as she was the definition of an unreliable narrator.

I don't even care if you're over the true-crime podcast trope, if you like thrillers and unreliable narrators, you've got to give this one a go.

Review on Instagram @fromsarahsbooknook coming closer to release date.

This was a rollercoaster ride I didn't want to get off of. Was the ending the actual truth? Do I think it was? I'm not sure. But I loved it.

If you want a mystery thriller with a sharp and somewhat unreliable narrator (due to amnesia and also secrets) with a podcast element, you should absolutely give this a go. Because most of this really worked for me.

I think where I lost some of the fun — and don’t get me wrong, there is a surprising amount of fun to be had with this reading experience, especially considering the subject mater — was where it devolved into focusing a lot on the very messy romantic entanglements that seemed very common and popular in this small town. Everyone’s a liar, everyone’s a cheater, there’s a prevalence of violence that most people look away from in the same way no one really acknowledges the infidelity except it’s, of course, worse, and.. yeah. It was messy.

I’m also struggling a little bit with the big solve and the aftermath of what realistically happened with said character between then and when this story picks up because I just don’t really get it.

Outside of that though? Lucy constantly imagining how to kill people while also not knowing if she killed her bestie? Very entertaining. Lucy’s constantly-drinking grandmother? Amazing. The dynamic between Lucy and the podcast host? Flirty with a side of fuck yeah. Plus, you know, I loved the whole podcast except elements. It’s probably great on audio, too. There was also something particularly sharp and poignant, and dark, about how the truth didn’t ever really matter, that everyone’s mind was made up, no matter what evidence did or didn’t exist, and the sad reality that it’s easier to believe a man’s version of events than a woman’s.

So, yes, a surprisingly mostly fun murdery time was had. And I would definitely read more from Tintera if this is the direction she is going in these days (I remember really loving her zombie sci-fi YA from way back in the day so this was a cool way to reconnect with her writing) and oh, yeah, that’s another thing I loved. The writing was really well suited for Lucy’s narrative voice and that helped make this a one-sitting kind of read which is exactly what I needed right now.

Wow! This was certainly a page turner! I was sneaking chapters in on my phone, in the shower, wherever. The dry sarcasm of the main character, Lucy, speaks to me. I love her. The set up of this book is super fun. The premise is a podcast made by a journalist about the murder of a young woman. Lucy is the main suspect but can't remember anything from that night. The entire town of Plumpton believes Lucy is guilty but will this podcast prove otherwise? Will it send Lucy to jail? I definitely had fun finding out! This incredibly twisted tale of deceit will definitely keep the pages turning!

Five years ago, Lucy Chase was found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend's blood. Her best friend is dead and she can't remember a thing. The entire town and even her family turn on her and believe she's murdered her best friend. And now a popular podcaster has come to town to investigate. Will this podcaster discover Lucy's deepest, darkest secrets? Did Lucy really kill her best friend or is she another victim in this case?

This book was engrossing and addictive from the start! I loved the short chapters, the podcast interviews sprinkled within, and the dark humor was highly enjoyable!

Gripping, suspenseful, and impossible to put down. Amy Tintera has knocked it out of the park in her adult debut and I can't wait to read more from her in this space!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Book for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A fast, fun mystery thriller that was nearly impossible to put down.

This was a twisty and darkly humorous story that uses the framework of a true crime podcast and its host, Ben Owens, to solve a murder. Five years ago, Lucy Chase was found covered in blood -- the blood of her best friend, Savvy, who was dead in the woods. It's widely believed by everyone in their hometown that Lucy killed Savvy. No murder weapon or other evidence was found, and Lucy had a traumatic brain injury from her own head wound that caused amnesia about the events of that night. Ben is using his podcast to investigate the case and Lucy decides to help him to finally find out if she really did it.

I really enjoyed this one. The characters were very well drawn, and Lucy was the sort of protagonist that you are skeptical of but root for nevertheless. She's very witty, sarcastic, and snarky -- and admits she makes very bad decisions. Her grandma is a hoot. There are frenemies and nasty small-town minds all weighing in during Ben's interviews with their perceptions of Lucy and the night in question. I loved the way the narrative shifted between episodes of the podcast and the voice of Lucy.

If you are looking for a topnotch whodunit with small town gossip, secrets, and lies -- this is it. I believe this is the author's adult fiction debut. Don't miss it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for this e-book ARC to read, review, and highly recommend.

My favorite thriller thus far in 2024! The story is told mostly through the eyes of Lucy, a woman who has been convicted in the eyes of the public (but not actually in court) of the murder of her best friend five years previously. Her chapters alternate with transcripts of a true crime podcast that is attempting to find out the truth behind the murder. I listened and read this one simultaneously, and in the audiobook the podcast chapters are done like actual podcasts...with music and differing character voices. It is so much fun to listen to these chapters interspersed with the rest of the story. Bravo Amy Tintera on your first adult novel--this will be such a big hit.

When I first realized that this book was about a true crime podcast and that I’d be reading the scripts of the podcast episodes throughout the book, I groaned and thought I’d hate it. Turns out, it was written in a way that I didn’t mind! I also didn’t know who the killer was until the final reveal, and that is a sign of a good thriller to me. I could have done without all the cheating and sleeping around, but enjoyed the book overall.

Everyone thinks that Lucy murdered her best friend and its the subject of a very popular podcast. After 5 years, Lucy returns to her hometown where everyone has assumed her guilt. Here’s the kicker, she doesn’t remember the night in question!

Wow, this one was a good mystery and you will not guess the ending. I really enjoyed this one. Really picks up halfway through as we get closer to the truth!!

I really loved this book. Amy Tintera did a great job of crafting a narrator who was believable and who you wanted to root for, even though Lucy was so very complicated. I love podcasts and the blurb on this one sounded right up my alley. I enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait to recommend it to others.

📚PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW📚

"Listen For The Lie"
By Amy Tintera
Publication Date: March 5th

MY RATING:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE SYNOPSIS:

"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.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.

The truth is out there, if we just listen."

MY REVIEW:

Wow. Just...wow.

This book was an incredibly thrilling whodunnit! A quick read that captured my interest immediately and was highly unputdownable...

The intersection of Lucy's narrative now, her narrative from five years ago, and the podcast episodes were woven together perfectly to create a storyline that left a trail of breadcrumbs from one chapter to the next. This is my favorite style of writing - just enough changing POVs to keep it interesting! And the suspense of the story left me ferociously turning pages to see what would be revealed next. Quirky and flawed characters, a small town, several possible suspects, a sarcastically endearing main character, and even a little romance...This book has everything you'd want in a thriller and I highly recommend picking up a copy as soon as you can!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Celadon Books for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! I was really excited to have been given this book and it definitely lived up to the hype and excitement!!

#ListenForTheLie #AmyTintera #NetGalley #advancedreaderscopy

One word: spectacular!

Thrillers and mysteries have become so formulaic lately that it’s hardly worth the time to read them anymore. Everyone is trying to be the next 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 and it’s as if they add plot twists just for the sake of shock value with no regard to how that works with the story they were weaving.

This book is refreshingly different. Between the host of deeply unlikable characters, the sarcastic inner monologue of our protagonist, and the podcast peppered throughout, this mystery remains fresh and interesting. Grandma might be the only truly likable character and I loved the hell out of her. Honestly, despite early misgivings, I even really like Lucy. She’s an unlikable heroine in the best and worst possible ways.

The fun of this book for me was not really knowing where it was going. I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to speculate what the truth was because I was having more fun letting the story unfold naturally. Once I got into this book, there was no putting it down.

Thank you to @netgalley for this early review copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this and think my fellow mystery thriller readers should check it out when it drops on March 5! Fresh, fun, and quite a journey - five stars!

Binged this thriller while sick and was super impressed. Though the true crime podcast premise was not necessarily groundbreaking, the delivery was still entertaining and the narration was hilarious. Honestly after reading the first line (“A podcaster has decided to ruin my life so I’m buying a chicken.”), I knew I would be enjoying this book.
I did not read the Flight Attendant, but I did watch the show and thought the dark humor and plot (amnesiac unsure if she’s is guilty of murder) was very similar to this (I actually frequently pictured Kaley Cuoco as Savvy). Pick this up for a quick, fun weekend read!
TW: domestic abuse

Thanks @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the ARC!

#reader #read #bookreview #newbooks #thriller #justread #books #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #bibliophile #instaread #readersofinstagram #listenforthelie

I just love a book with mixed media formatting! Listen for the Lie was fast-paced, with unreliable characters, and a mystery you can’t wait to uncover. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this early copy!

Five years ago, Lucy is found walking down the street covered in her best friend Savvy's blood. But, Lucy can't remember anything that happened that night after a serious brain injury from being hit in the head. Everyone in town thinks she killed her best friend, but then how did Lucy get so injured herself? Five years later, Ben Owens arrives in Lucy's hometown. Ben is a true crime podcaster who had success finding the killer in the first season of his podcast. Lucy was living in Los Angeles, but comes back to her hometown for the first time since that tragic night to attend her grandmother's birthday party. Ben had reached out to Lucy a few times by email to get an interview, but she had ignored him. Can she avoid him now that they are both in her home town? And will memories of that night come back now that she is back where the tragedy happened?

Opinion:
I LOVED this book!!! It gripped me from the very start. I loved how many times I laughed out loud from Lucy's quirky personality and her even funnier dark thoughts. I absolutely devoured the podcast episodes throughout the book. I was completely immersed in the story to find out whodunit. I did not want to put it down. It was easy to read, had short chapters, made me laugh, and was absolute perfection! I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up! It will definitely be in my top books for this year!

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Tintera, and Celadon Books for this ARC of Listen for the Lie in exchange for an honest review!! Listen for a Lie is out on March 5th, make sure to pick up your copy!!!

I absolutely LOVED this book! It was everything I wanted from a thriller mystery novel. The author's voice immediately pulled me in and I couldn't put it down once I started it.

I hope that Amy continues to write more adult novels in this genre!

I really enjoyed this thriller. I have never read anything else by the author. I liked that we were in the same situation as the main character in that we didn’t know what happened And I found the killer to be surprising. I would definitely read future work by this author. 4.5 overall.

Grab your detective hat and get ready to dive into the thrilling world of "Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera! 🕵️‍♂️ This book is causing quite the stir among readers, and let me tell you, the hype is well-deserved! It's like a rollercoaster ride through a maze of secrets and surprises.
First off, let's talk about how addictive this book is. I mean, seriously, once you start, good luck trying to put it down! With short chapters that practically beg you to keep turning the pages, it's the literary equivalent of a bag of potato chips—you just can't have one chapter!
And can we talk about the podcast element? Genius! It's like having your very own Sherlock Holmes whispering clues directly into your earbuds. It adds a whole new layer of fun to the guessing game—who needs Clue when you've got "Listen for the Lie"?
Now, I won't spill the beans on any spoilers because that's just not cool, but let me tell you, trying to unravel the mystery of 'who dunnit' kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, BAM! Plot twist city, my friend. Amy Tintera isn't afraid to throw a curveball or two, and let me tell you, I was left reeling.
Now, I will say, if you're expecting some highbrow, Pulitzer Prize-winning literature, you might want to adjust your expectations a tad. This book definitely has a young adult vibe, but hey, who doesn't love a good YA romp every now and then?
Overall, "Listen for the Lie" gets two thumbs up from me! Sure, I might be a bit biased, but hey, I'm not alone in my love for this book. So, if you're looking for a gripping mystery that'll have you second-guessing everything, do yourself a favor and give this one a listen. You won't be disappointed! 🎧📘