Before I even made it to the end of chapter one, I knew this book would become one of my faves in 2024.

Listen For The Lie was all kinds of amazing. Lucy is my new fictional BFF and I absolutely loved her! This was a mystery/thriller with a podcast element and some dark humour that had me grinning from ear to ear. In all honesty I have nothing but praise for this little gem. Writing, story line, plot, pacing and the characters were so darn good. Such a fun thriller that I seriously need a physical copy now. As do you 🤣.

Just when Lucy thought her past had escaped her, it's coming back to haunt her in the form of a podcast. Years ago, Lucy was discovered walking the streets covered in her dead best friend's blood. Everyone thought Lucy had murdered Savvy, but there was no proof. Lucy still can't remember what happened that night in Texas. Lucy has started her life over in L.A., but a true crime podcaster named Ben Owens decides to investigate Savvy's death for his podcast called "Listen For The Lie" completely imploding everything in Lucy's new life. Lucy decides to return home to Texas, determined once and for all to find answers to who murdered her friend, even if she finds out that it was her.

This was one twisty, fun, thrill ride of a read. I don't think I've had this much fun reading a murder mystery in quite some time. Lucy, despite her curmudgeonly, sarcastic self, is such a fantastic character. She's pretty sure she didn't kill her bff, but she isn't quite confident in that fact. She's tired of being judged by everyone about the murder and has developed this who cares philosophy, especially with everyone from her smalltown. When Ben, the podcaster, shows up in Texas, he starts stirring up some trouble and ruffling some feathers, then sits back and watches. I thought I wouldn't like his character, but it turns out I was wrong. The podcasts in the book are a fun addition and throw everyone in Lucy's town for a tailspin. This one kept me on my toes, and I definitely did not see the twist at the end.

I read this fresh whodunnit in one sitting! I'm a sucker for an unreliable narrator, and Lucy certainly fits the bill.

I found Amy Tintera's writing clever and entertaining. It added moments of levity to an otherwise dark plot. I was enthralled from page one. Grandma was a hoot.

I saw some readers didn't care for Lucy's snark. As someone who isn't a fan of snarkiness, I didn't find Lucy snarky at all. She was blunt with a dry wit, and I thought it worked well for her character.

A debut adult novel that is unputdownably well done! 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC. This book was so good I finished it in 1 day! I just had to know what happened. The story follows Lucy, who 5 years ago was accused of murdering her best friend. She can't remember anything from that night, but her best friend Savvy is dead. Now Ben, a popular true crime podcaster is following this story to try and solve the case, interviewing all Lucy's old friends and family back home. Lucy goes home for her Grandma's birthday and meets Ben who is on her side and wants to help her figure out who murdered Savvy. The story takes us through Lucy's story and also we get to see all the interviews Ben does on his podcast. With Lucy back home it's bringing up all these memories and she keeps getting closer to remembering what happened that night, and when she does its the biggest twist yet! This book lived up to all they hype I was seeing about online!

I could not put this one down! I found myself looking for excuses to pick up my Kindle again, just to go back to reading it. The tension is superb, but what I did not expect was the humor! More than once, I giggled at the MC's cutting sharp wit. Loved it and was very sad to see it end.

4 ⭐️. This book was pretty great, it’s a whodunit mystery about Lucy who was never charged but accused (in the peoples opinion) by her small Texas town of killing her best friend, Savvy, in an event that she can’t remember. It centers around a podcaster trying to solve the mystery in a mix of present day, podcast recordings and some past flashbacks. My favorite thing about this book is short chapters!! I can’t be the only one who adores short chapters in mysteries, it makes me feel like a speed reader.

This is the author’s first adult thriller and I love the way it was written, our fmc Lucy is full of dry, sarcastic humor, which made me like her and laugh (note: dark humor). I liked the way the podcast aspect was done in this book, I’ve read others with a podcast element and it didn’t work for me, this one worked for me, as the transcribed episodes didn’t drag. I gobbled this book up in 2 sittings, very bingeable. I hate when I figure out mysteries ahead of the reveal and I can honestly say I wasn’t sure where this was going. It takes a leap of faith in believability for the whole thing, but overall I was very impressed and would definitely read more from this author if she comes out with more adult thrillers.
Tw: domestic abuse.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this book if you like mysteries and true crime podcasts with some dark humor. Book is out March 5, 2024.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Amy Tinera for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lucy hasn’t been back to her hometown in five years, since she was found walking down the road covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood. Unable to remember anything from the night of Savvy’s death and branded a murderer, Lucy fled to LA to start a new life. Only upon her grandmothers request to come back for her 80th birthday, does Lucy finally venture back home. This also happens to coincide with a podcaster, Ben, focusing his recent season on solving Savvy’s murder. As Ben interviews people from Lucy’s hometown and begins spending time with Lucy herself, many secrets come to light. Who actually killed Savvy? And who knows more than they are letting on?

I wasn’t sure about this book at first- the podcast format took some getting used to. But once I got through the first few chapters, I was fully invested. So many twists and turns, and so many intriguing characters.
I also really enjoyed the underlying commentary throughout the book about what behavior/actions are considered acceptable for a woman versus a man. The book does a great job at framing the reality that our society is quick to believe a man’s word over a woman’s.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a podcast style book and this one did not disappoint! It was the perfect whodunit with a witty MC and a cast of likeable and unlikeable characters. With an unreliable narrator, it was hard to tell who to believe. It all came together in the end, sort of. The truth doesn’t matter.

This book has some blurbs by some amazing authors (Stephen King anyone?) but I have to admit I downloaded this title because I'm familiar with Tintera's YA work and was curious to see how she jumped both genres (she's previously done either Sci-Fi/Dystopian or Fantasy) and age groups. And holy crap guys she knocked it out of the park. This 100% deserves all of the blurbs it's been getting and absolutely qualifies as a grade-A page turner. I did not want to put this book down and blew through this whole book in under two days. I kept telling myself "slow down, you have other books you need to read and you have more than enough time to finish this" but I didn't listen because I felt like I HAD to keep turning pages. First things first, this book is WILD. I have no doubt that there are going to be some people that read this book and scoff at some of the elements of it because at some points it almost reads like one of those Real Housewives shows what with all the drama, but man I did not care. And honestly I don't think it's unbelievable. Would it be something you would expect to see all the time? No. But I'm sure there have been crazier real-life cases out there, and it makes for a damn entertaining story. I also need to add three cheers for Lucy. She is a likeable unlikeable main female character and I couldn't imagine this story having anyone else as a main character. Shout out to her grandma though, because I love her. My only real complaints with this story were slight; first I didn't love the romantic subplot, it seemed a little unnecessary and a little silly, but I'm not shocked it was included. Second, the ending/reveal felt slightly rushed. But in a thriller I think that's not overly unusual, and especially one like this you can't draw it out too much or it becomes unrealistic. Even with those small faults I can't really complain, because I just had so much fun reading this. I will also admit pretty much every twist (save maybe...one or two) were complete surprises, so bravo to Tintera for that. The podcast element was wonderful, and added that extra little spark to the story. I can't wait for this book to hit shelves so I can recommend it to everyone looking for a new mystery/thriller to read, and I will 100% be writing a shelf-talker for it to go up ASAP. I sincerely hope Tintera continues writing adult mystery/thrillers, but I also wouldn't be upset to see her try her hand at YA mystery/thrillers (I also certainly wouldn't say no to her writing another YA sci-fi though). Basically anything Tintera wants to write I will read, but fingers crossed she writes more msytery/thrillers, because she's proved with this one that she could very well turn into a powerhouse of the genre easily.

This is an interesting mystery with a podcast element to add to the intrigue. While I found many of the characters to be quite unlikeable, Grandma was a gem. I’d read a whole book based on her character alone. If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced whodunnit, this is for you. And you’ll likely be surprised by the ending.

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

I loved this mystery! It hooked me from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. The main character, Lucy, is one of my favorite characters of all time. I loved her sarcasm and snarky attitude. Her grandmother, Beverly, had me laughing in almost every scene she was included. This book is a fresh take on a whodunnit. Amy Tintera led me on a wild goose chase wondering who the culprit could be.

I love it when mysteries/thrillers include elements of true crime podcasts within the book. It enhances my reading experience. Lucy also struggles a bit with intrusive thoughts throughout the book. This felt very Stephen King-esque (which I loved)!

I recommend Listen for The Lie if you loved None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell and First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston.

Well first of all thank you so much Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC!!

Did I just get sucker punched ?? Because I am still processing what just happened , I did not see that one coming !!

Imagine being accused of killing your bestfriend , and having zero recollection of what happened that night , and now five years later a podcaster wants to dig up the story and find out the truth what really happened that terrifying night ??

Lucy has been living in misery and torturing herself every since the night Savvy was murdered , and her taste in men still has still not improved. Now she is being beckoned back to her small hometown in Plumpton TX all by the coercing of her grandmothers plan to connect her with Ben the infamous podcaster .

This is a gripping novel that was full of mystery , unlikeable characters , comedy, annoying boyfriends , podcasts , short witty chapters , murder and kept me guessing to the very END!! Honestly I kept trying to find "the Lie" I was duped 😲 Well Played Amy Tintera!!

The author did a fantastic job of laying out all the puzzle pieces. I really enjoyed the way the story was told between Lucy's thoughts and yes at times they were morbid ( those were my favorite LOL), and bounce between the podcasts , present time and the past.

If you like engrossing obsessive reads and were fans of None of This is True, Murder In the Family and Mother- Daughter Murder Night then you will inhale this novel!!

I was provided both the print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this. It is told in mixed media format in alternating chapters told from Lucy's point of view and through a podcast episode from Ben's eyes as the story unfolds. Similar books/audio performances in this format are Sadie, The Night Swim, and Dark Corners with the story unfolding in real time as well as via a podcast. If you liked those I think you really enjoy this, and I recommend them if you end up liking this book.

Lucy doesn't remember what happened on the night her best friend was murdered. Naturally everyone in her small town thinks she did it when there weren't any other suspects. Tired of the gossip and accusations, Lucy moved away to start over. When Ben Owens begins investigating Savvy's murder for his popular podcast, word gets out about Lucy's involvement and her life is once again turned upside down. She returns home to celebrate her hilarious grandmother's birthday and ends up meeting with the handsome podcaster. Ben convinces her to reconnect with old friends and places in an attempt to figure out what really happened that night and set the record straight despite years of avoiding those exact things. As Ben's podcast gains momentum, Lucy begins to understand that there is so much more that happened that night that what she's forgotten.

Tintera does an amazing job crafting this story. I was hooked from the beginning. Lucy is a bit of a sarcastic, no-nonsense character. She has developed a think skin and makes jokes to deal with the constant accusations and harassment. The story unfolds, her demeanor makes sense. While I enjoyed Lucy's chapters as she revisits her old stomping ground and works with Ben to figure out what happened, I was always so anxious for the podcast chapters to find out what Ben had uncovered about the case. Those chapters drove where the storyline was going to go next and kept things exciting and kept the pace moving. This had great pacing by the way. I had a hard time putting this down once I started. I could have done without the romance subplot. I don't think it really added anything to the book, but it didn't detract either.

If you are looking for a fast paced thriller, look no further. This is out March 5, 2024 and is going to be a huge hit!

Great debut into the adult book world by Amy Tintera! Some parts were a little slower than others but overall I did enjoy the plot. What kept me engaged was switching between the story and the podcast episodes. Give it a read! Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Amy Tintera for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publication date, March 5, 2024.

4.75⭐️

Dark, twisty and surprisingly funny? The characters in this book were exquisite. Mystery aside, I was laughing out loud at the FMC and at how witty she was. The side characters, especially the grandmother also had me cackling. For a thriller about a woman’s murder in a small town, it was quite humorous. As for the mystery aspect of the book, it was a very gripping and twisty story. The ending left a bit to interpretation in my opinion and I wonder if that was on purpose or because the ending was slightly rushed. However, I couldn’t give this book anything lower than 4.75⭐️ because of how much I enjoyed every aspect of the book.

Thank you Celadon for sending me the physical copy and the audiobook for Listen for the Lie. I had a blast.

I've been on a thriller kick lately, and this one did not disappoint! I love the podcast storyline and format. It made for a fun read with the short chapters making for a fast-paced read that I couldn't put down. I highly recommend to anyone who likes suspense/thriller books!

From the moment I laid eyes on "Listen to the Lie" by Amy Tintera, I had a hunch it would be a captivating read, especially for enthusiasts of true crime podcasts. Much to my delight, the story surpassed my expectations, taking unexpected turns that defied my initial predictions. The protagonist, Lucy, with her sharp sarcasm, and the delightful dynamic with her grandmother became standout elements, making the narrative all the more engaging.

The book centers around Lucy, accused of her best friend's murder, but unable to recollect the events of that fateful night. Piecing together the puzzle through uncovering clues, twists, and flashbacks to the night of the crime. For those who relish a good whodunit, this book is a gem.

While I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, I must emphasize that opting for the audiobook version elevates the experience to a whole new level. The immersive quality of the audio adds an extra layer to the suspense, making it a must-listen if given the option. "Listen to the Lie" masterfully delivers on its promises, weaving a gripping narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I've seen so many amazing reviews for Listen For the Lie and I was so excited to read it myself! I'm happy to report back that I really enjoyed this bingeable thriller. This book centers on Lucy Chase, who has been accused of murdering her best friend, Savvy, though she has no memory of it and has become the topic of a new podcast. This story grabbed my attention early on and held it right to the end. I wanted to know what really happened to Savvy and why, which made me want to keep reading this one. I loved the short chapters, Lucy as the MC even though I wasn't sure if she was ever telling the truth, the podcast element that led to interviewing many people and uncovering lots of information and lies, as well as the little bits of dark humor incorporated. The ending was not one that I predicted and overall, I felt satisfied with how things wrapped up.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and rated it 4 to 4.5 stars! If you are looking for a bingeworthy thriller with short chapters, dark humor, a small town setting with lots of characters keeping secrets and a podcast element, check out Listen for the Lies (out March 5)!

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

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK!

Do you ever read a novel and 30 seconds in you just think, "wow, I'm going to love this one"? Right off the bat, Listen for the Lie was that book for me. It was the PERFECT choice for an audio book - man I just love January LaVoy - and the way they aired the podcast was just icing on the cake.

This book kept me guessing from moment one. Five years after Savvy was murdered, her best friend Lucy is still the prime suspect but no one has been arrested. I was curious as to how all the circumstantial evidence kept Lucy free from custody and loved how everything played out. It was a great case for a podcaster and it was really fun suspecting everyone and trying to solve the mystery on my own - spoiler alert, I had no freaking clue until about 30 seconds before the reveal!

Lucy was such a stellar protagonist. I loved that she was kind of a bad B, smart, independent, unflappable, and totally her own person. She embodied that "I don't care what you think about me" persona and it totally worked. She was definitely too cool for school. Savvy was also the perfect victim. I loved that she wasn't the sweet, beautiful, innocent woman the media wanted to portray but that her being real and flawed didn't lessen the rosy effect the media put on her anyway.

The amnesia aspect of this book really worked. While it's not an entirely unique plotline, it felt so fresh and exciting in this book. It also added another layer for me to decide who and what I believed.

This book was perfection. I loved every minute, the audio was next level entertaining, and it's one I know I'll be recommending regularly. If it's not on your radar, it needs to be! And if you're new to audio or on the fence, this is the book to give it a go!

Thank you to Celadon Book and MacMillan Audio for the copy.

I absolutely loved this one! I listed to the audiobook because you get to hear actual bits of the podcast and it made it so fun and engaging. I also love the narrator.

This is one of this thriller's swore you never quite know what's going to happen or who to believe. I loved Lucy, I loved her personality, and I felt she was so relatable. I couldn't put this one down. I listened to it in two siting.

We follow Lucy as she goes back home to the scene of her best friends murder. Everyone thinks she did it, but she can't remember. Pair that with a sassy grandmother, a podcaster who won't rest until he knows the truth, and a whole cast of questionable characters and you've got a great mystery on your hands! Read it!