It’s always hard to review a book that I didn’t love when it is well-loved by so many. That’s why it’s important to be very clear—I can see why so many love it, but for my own reading tastes, this didn’t work for me.

Right from the start, I couldn’t find a way to get immersed into the story. The humor started off with promise, but eventually it seemed as though it was forced and trying too hard. I was also really put off by the main character’s “inner voice” and her constantly picturing herself killing virtually every single person she encounters. I understand the mysterious, dark tone that the author was going for, but I don’t think it was executed well.

Then there was the issue with the writing style. The dialogue doesn't flow very well. Almost every back and forth conversation between characters is one-line dialogue, followed by another line of dialogue, and on and on it goes. It's not very engaging, and as a reader I couldn't get a feel for how the characters were speaking inflecting, their tone, etc.

I waited for something to grab me. A character, a plot point, a twist, or really anything, and unfortunately it never came. There were a couple standout moments, so I do see potential with this author. This one just didn’t work for me.

I do plan on trying this again on audio once it’s released. The podcast element of the story seems like it would do really well on audio with the right narrators.

This had a pretty unique premise and felt like a blend of Sharp Objects and Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Lucy is a pretty unlikable and hot mess of a character, but also realistic and understandable. Even though she was chaotic, I didn’t find myself frustrated by her decisions. The amnesia plot is also one I often find isn’t executed well, but it made so much sense here and was delivered well.

Love the podcast and mixed media elements here, and suggest checking out the audiobook as well for a more nuanced experience.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC! Looking forward to reading more from Amy Tintera in the future

4 ⭐️

It will be difficult to beat this book out of a top 5 spot for the year. The dark humor alone was enough to keep me entertained. Combined with the podcast and timeline jumps that were perfectly planned made this an exciting read.

Did you ever finish a book and think to yourself, "What did I just read?" THIS IS THAT BOOK! Listen for the Lie is whip smart, fast paced, and wickedly funny. It is sublime.

Did Lucy Chase kill her best friend Savvy five years ago? Everyone in her hometown thinks so, but Lucy has no idea. In fact, she has no memory of that night at all. What she does know is that she was found disoriented and covered in her friend's blood. Lucy is a free woman only because the police do not have enough evidence to arrest her, but that doesn't stop her family and neighbors from believing in her guilt. She leaves Texas for Los Angeles and is trying to restart her life without much success. When Ben Owens, the host of the podcast "Listen for the Lie", comes to town to try to solve the mystery of Savvy's murder, Lucy returns and tries to piece together what happened that fateful night.

With a mixture of Lucy's recollections and podcast segments, we get a picture of the dysfunctional relationships prevalent in small town Texas. Lucy is self deprecating and incredibly sarcastic. Her inner voice is fixated on killing and is one of the most memorable characters in the book. The short chapters, multitude of unlikable characters, and rapid pacing made this an entirely bingeable thriller/murder mystery. Fasten your seatbelt and prepare yourself for a wild ride. Amy Tintera has put herself on the map as a must read author with this phenomenal book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

Everyone always thought Lucy killed her best friend, Savvy, after she was found walking from the crime scene with her blood all over her. Five years later a true crime podcast is digging into the case to find out the truth. I really liked Lucy as a character and how the chapters were divided between Lucy's POV and the script from the podcast. This was a fast paced thriller with some twists I didn't see coming.

Tintera did every single thing right in this book in my eyes. A MC who made terrible choices but was so damn funny and lovable, a plot that kept me guessing, and a podcast-in-a-book done 100% right. I loved this so much and just devoured it.

"Listen for the Lie" delivered an enjoyable ride, blending mystery with dark humor and a touch of selective amnesia. Set in the small town of Plumpton, Texas, the story revolves around Lucy Chase, who finds herself at the center of a murder investigation involving her best friend, Savannah (Savvy). Despite being five years removed from the incident and now living in L.A., Lucy is drawn back into the town's dark secrets when podcaster Ben Owens arrives to feature her and the murder on his new podcast. What follows is a gripping narrative filled with shady characters, unexpected twists, and Lucy's dry wit and sarcasm that keep the story engaging from start to finish.

Amy Tintera's comedic mystery is a binge-worthy read, featuring short, snappy chapters and consistent humor throughout. Lucy's character remains relatable despite her flaws. The exploration of the influence of true crime podcasts adds depth to the narrative, highlighting the ethical dilemmas and impact of media sensationalism.

"Listen for the Lie" excels in delivering a captivating and entertaining thriller experience. Tintera's skillful execution of the amnesia trope and solid exploration of themes make this a standout read in the genre. Whether you're a thriller enthusiast or looking to dip your toes back into the genre, this book is sure to keep you hooked until the very end. 🎙️🔍📖

Thank you Netgalley & Celadon books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera (2.5 stars out of 5)
SYNOPSIS: Although there was never enough evidence to arrest her, Lucy was thought to be a murderer…of her best friend. Everyone in her small Texas town believed it was Lucy who killed sweet Savannah. Five years later she has moved away and restarted her life in Los Angeles. Everything seems pretty normal (minus the violent voice in her head) until a podcast brings everything up again and her grandmother invites her back home for a birthday celebration. Everything unfolds when she gets back to Texas, including meeting the podcaster and finally figuring out what happened that fateful night.

MY THOUGHTS: This book had major “None of This is True” vibes with the podcast playing a role in the plot so I was super excited to read the ARC. That being said, there were many things I did not like about this thriller. I did like the grandmother character, who always believed the best in her granddaughter and showed her love that no one else did during the hardest years of her life. I also enjoyed the short chapters that kept the story moving fairly quickly. However, the main character was pretty insufferable. She was sassy to the point of being obnoxious and for some reason, so many men were attracted to that. It was like a child who can’t get attention any way other than acting out. That aspect of her character did not seem to match what she was going through. Lucy’s parents were downright toxic and did not help the situation or their daughter one bit. There were multiple men in the town who were physically abusive and alcoholics. Not to mention, EVERYONE seemed to be having extra-marital affairs. I found it disturbing and almost unbelievable that so many people in one tiny town were maintaining those kinds of relationships so regularly. In the end, the mystery was not so predictable, but by the time you got there, there was no gasp or “Aha! moment.” If you don’t mind the sarcasm and the unfaithful partners, you might enjoy this middle of the road thriller.

I savored every page of this book, it was that good!

Everyone suspects Lucy of murdering her bff 5 years ago and because of amnesia, she has no idea if they’re right

When she returns to the small Texas town for her grandmothers birthday, she meets true crime podcaster Ben, who’s coincidentally covering her unsolved crime!

I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I laughed/smirked/guffawed continuously! Lucy has zero filter and doesn’t give two shits - she and her grandma (who give even less shits) are my ideal characters! They say what they want and kinda delight in the shock factor! I also adore their relationship (think Daisy Darker)

I loved the short chapters and podcast - I’d have loved to have the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, and enjoyed the eBook so much, I ordered the audio from the library (someone tell me if it’s good please!)

I totally loved the final showdown - Lucy is my Queen 🤌

This book really stole me away from life and I definitely recommend finding a quiet spot and falling into this witty and well written whodunnit

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for access to this eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review

This one has all the makings of a top-10 year end contender for me.

I went into this whodunit blind, but I’m glad I did. Very binge-able, twisty, and sprinkled with sarcasm. 🤌🏼 If you’re not in with that type of humor you may do without this one, but this thriller was right up my alley. Loved the podcast component as well.

Thank you #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for an arc of #ListenfortheLie in exchange for an honest review.

I've been seeing this book everywhere and with good reason. In a rapidly growing batch of new books centered on a true crime podcast, this one nailed it. I highly recommend the audio version for the full effect.

Everyone thinks Lucy killed her best friend five years ago, and even she isn't sure what happened. With an unexpected dry wit, our main character finally decides to explore the past, spurred on by the podcaster examing the case.

I enjoyed the story from beginning to end, and the narration was terrific.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for a free copy of #ListenForTheLie by Amy Tintera.

I finished this in 24 hours because every time I tried to put this book down, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The first line alone captured me. I'm also a sucker for a good mystery thriller with a podcast element. This book was fast paced with short chapters and lots of cliff hangers and because of that, it was soooo hard to not keep reading. There were enough reveals to keep me going and I was never bored.

I'm definitely going to keep my eye out for more mysteries from Tintera in the future and I would recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries with podcasting, amnesia, and flawed characters.

WOW, just WOW! What a riveting and suspenseful thriller that had me on the edge of seat for the entire read. The story follows Lucy Chase who years ago was the presumed killer of her best friend. She's living in LA, miles from her Texas past when a podcasters resurrects the mystery surrounding the murder.

Ben Owens, a smug, incredibly sexy podcaster, travels to Texas to interview those involved in the case. Lucy's grandma lures her home under the premise of 80th birthday, to work with the Ben to secure her innocence. Together, they'll either undercover Lucy's guilt or find the true killer.

Listen for the Lie short chapters , podcast format and insane tension made for an engrossing read from start to finish. The ending YES!

Thank you, Celadon Books

Get ready for a podcast-driven whodunit. Being an avid true crime podcast listener, this book was so fun to read! I think a full cast audiobook would be even more amazing… or a tv series😏 Lucy’s character is hard not to like and she’s hilariously carefree. Kudos to Amy Tintera on her first adult debut novel, she crushed it. Thank you to @netgalley for the advanced reader copy! I definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book upon release here in a couple weeks!

wow!! i really loved this book. i flew through it, and when i wasn't reading it, i wanted to be reading it! i read most of it in one day.

i had the ebook and audio copy of this book, and i really think it was beneficial to have both. first off, there is a podcast element to this book. however, this book does something different with the podcast aspect since the podcast host, Ben, is not the protagonist. he is described as smug and self-assured, which is a departure from the podcast host being the hero of the story. the whole book is told from Lucy's perspective with podcast clips in between. the podcast clips sounded like a real podcast, and there were different voices for different characters. the audiobook narrators were absolutely fantastic! i always think January LaVoy does an incredible job, and Will Damron was also outstanding (and i'm realizing that i have loved his narration for other books). it was so cool that the title comes to life in this book, because the characters in the book listen to the podcast, and you're listening for the lie with them. sometimes you know who's lying, and sometimes you don't. i found that to be unique because the podcast was not just a means to give information to the reader--rather, the reader is questioning both sets of stories in the book (Lucy's POV and the podcast). i would HIGHLY recommend the audio for this, but i was also glad to have the words in front of me so i could see the changes in font, from Lucy's narrative to the podcast clips. Lucy can't remember what happened the night her best friend Savannah was murdered, and she hears a voice in her head (indicated by the italics). the book also used italics to indicate a flashback when we were in a present-day chapter, which was helpful. there were chapters that took place 5 years ago, too, and it was easy to distinguish which time period we were in.

Lucy is a hilarious protagonist and i enjoyed being in her head. she was a flawed, complicated, and quirky person. i felt like the (selective) amnesia trope was well done with her character. often, i feel books can be repetitive with a character trying to remember details, but this book did not feel that way. Lucy knows she isn't always a good person and doesn't try to convince anyone that she is. i found her to be very different from thriller protagonists in that sense. i had a strong sense of her character, and she was so funny! there is a cast of other characters who are brought up in this book, and it's easy to keep track of them.

i also did NOT predict who the perpetrator was. i was surprised by that reveal, and didn't feel like it was over-the-top or unrealistic by any means. i was also surprised by other reveals throughout this book.

this book discusses topics like the ethics of true crime (a topic i'm always interested in), how a narrative can divert from the truth, how much the truth matters, and the complications of victimhood. this book brings up these topics in a subtle way and doesn't hit the reader over the head with them.

i would recommend this book if you like:
- podcast elements
- audiobooks
- flawed, funny protagonists
- Texas small town settings
- compelling books
- questioning the truth
- true crime
- a teeny bit of romance in your thrillers

Listen for the Lie comes out on March 5, 2024. thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Lucy is the main character I want in every book! Her sarcasm gives me life. I laughed out loud literally, multiple times, not something I usually do while reading a whodunit.

I was a little skeptical of yet another book with a podcast but this was very well done. I only wish I had the audio for this one because I only imagine how good it would have been! We alternate between present day Lucy, the podcast, and 5 years earlier. At no point was I bored, which I find can happen in these types of books, just waiting for the big twist. I was along for the ride and was surprised by the end! I hope Amy Tintera continues to write adult fiction because she has talent!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an eARC. This is a must read on 3/5/2024. I can’t wait to discuss with my book club who has this picked for May!

Listen for the Lie is Amy Tintera's first adult novel. It's the first book I've read by this author but hopefully it won't be the last. This was such a fun book, engaging and suspenseful, with characters who were well developed and a plot twist at the end that I didn't see coming. Loved it.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

"What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?"

I really enjoy a book with a podcast element and this one did not disappoint! Several years ago Lucy was found wandering the streets, hurt, covered in her best friend’s blood, and no memory of what happened. We jump to present day and Ben, from Listen For The Lie podcast, is determined to get to the bottom of what happened.
The book switches between the podcast episodes and Lucy's POV. It's filled with sarcastic humor that had me laughing out loud. The main characters, Lucy and Ben, were fantastic and the cast of side characters enhanced the story. The mystery of what happened that night is slowly revealed throughout the book, but that story itself was very well paced and had me fully engaged.
I would suggest listening to the audiobook, it's so well done and the perfect way to consume a book with a podcast.
This is such a fun story and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)

Thank you to @netgalley @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy of this book.

This is such a great book. Love the writing style of going. Back and forth between the podcast, present day and flashbacks. So many interesting and suspicious characters !
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely and totally loved this book! The writing is first class! Amy’s writing style is funny, witty, engaging and had me hooked from the start through to the finish. Such a great story with jaw dropping twists and beautifully choreographed storylines. Cannot wait to read more from this author!!