4.5 stars rounded up

Five years ago Lucy's best friend was murdered and while Lucy doesn't remember a thing about that night, her small town thinks she did it. When podcaster Ben decides he wants to investigate the case for his podcast, Lucy is forced to confront her past and the lies, judgements, and memories to find out the truth.

This was a fast paced, bingeable read with suspicion cast widely and laugh out loud moments throughout. Usually I would think that would be an odd mix but the writing here is seamless in portraying messy people with messy lives. The characters aren't necessarily likeable with their not so hidden secrets, small town drama, and questionable (at best) decisions, but they felt real and were very entertaining.

The narrative moves between Lucy and the podcast transcripts. They weave together nicely with both elements moving the plot forward. Lucy and Ben were great, morally grey characters using sarcasm to get through tough moments. There's a little bit of tension there and the banter was a great addition to bring the characters to life. As always, I love a sassy grandma/aunt figure and Grandma Beverly was absolutely fantastic.

Overall I loved this book and how it kept me engaged throughout. There didn't seem to be a dull moment and I loved how it all came together in the end. I will say that I was a little underwhelmed at the 'twist' but looking back the signs there there. This is a great thriller and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery.

SPOILERS BELOW:

Is it just me or was the ending not 100% clear cut. I liked it and loved the final showdown but also, I am not quite sure exactly what happened to Savvy. Lucy's memories make the most sense, but there's just enough there to cast a sliver of doubt. I am ok with an ambiguous ending...but I like to know for sure it's meant to be ambiguous and with this I am not quite there hence the 4.5 and not a 5 star rating.

Thank you Celadon for the early copy!

"Listen for the Lie" is a great suspense/mystery for readers enjoy true crime and podcasts. I loved the main character's wit, dry humor and her relationship with her quirky but steadfast grandmother. Tintera is a great plot-builder, and the story will keep you guessing until the very end. I could see this book as a YA novel as well as an adult. murder/suspense story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #ListenfortheLie #NetGalley

I absolutely loved the premise of the story based around a podcast. The entire story keep me guessing and honestly didn’t figure it out until about two seconds before the book told me. Classic whodunnit, with multiple twists.

This was my first Amy Tintera book and I was BLOWN away! I find thrillers anymore to be a copy cat of Gone Girl or Girl on a Train...we always have some recycled story with an unreliable female narrator.

Amy Tintera said...holy my beer! She successfully resurrected a solid thriller that was un-put-down-able and I loved it from start to finish.

Listen for the Lie was a slow burn, then/now, part dialogue/part podcast transcription and all of these elements can become risky for an enjoyable reading experience, but Tintera nailed it. I found this book to be riveting, while being an anticipatory slow burn, incredibly fresh and an ending that Tintera NAILED. She. Landed. The. Plane. And it was flawless.

This was so fresh, the characters were all really unlikeable, but you rooted for them at the same time. You constantly were guessing who did what, who was involved and thanking the good Lord these parents weren't your parents. Beverly, our resident Grandma, was a gem and a badass and the only character I found myself to actually really like.

Bookmark this one now to pick up on March 5 - you won't want to miss this adult debut from Tintera. This was flawlessly executed!

Lucy goes back to her hometown after five years away to determine once and for all if she killed her best friend. 🔪

At first I wasn’t sure about our FMC’s sarcastic humor and the whole “let’s kill” thing, but this one quickly hooked me in. Fast-paced and fun, it was a solid mystery that didn’t take itself too seriously and had a few laughs thrown in throughout, but not in a way that was a distraction. We’re bordering on the whole podcast element feeling been there, done that, but I thought this book did it well and it will likely make for a great audiobook. (I read it though, so don’t hold me to that. 😂) This one was a pleasant surprise and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the author’s next adult book!

My thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for a complimentary advance copy of this eBook, out 3/5/2024.

A podcaster, Ben, begins unraveling the cold case of Lucy from 5 years ago who is accused of murdering her best friend, Savvy, one night but cannot recall a single detail or event from that fateful evening. The small town is convinced Lucy did it, but the truth is difficult to prove since Lucy has lost her memories. Was Lucy capable of such an act or did someone else have a hand in this terrible tragedy? I really like the different POV's and the clips of Ben's podcast sprinkled in between the chapters. The story moved along at a fairly quick pace and kept me guessing as to what happened to Savvy. I also loved Lucy's sarcastic tone and the way she used humor to deflect how she was really feeling inside.
Thank you to Celedon Books for an ARC of this book. Its release date is March 5, 2024 so be sure to add it to your TBR!
#ListenfortheLie #netgalley #celedonbooks

This was a super fun thriller great for fans of true crime podcasts!

At first I was a little thrown by the parts in italics and started to get a little annoyed by the voice saying the same thing over and over again - it got a little tired. But then when you got further into the book and figured out what was going on it made a lot more sense

This book was good right from the get go. I love a good suspense/ mystery where the main character is a little unhinged. This was a fast paced read that kept me guessing until the end. I am from a small town originally and could related to Lucy in wanting to GTFO from all the gossip and politics that comes with staying in an rural area. I also really think Lucy's relationship with her "most of the time" drunk grandma was really sweet. This book gets a solid 4/5 from me.

Lucy may have killed her best friend five years ago…except she doesn’t remember. After a blow to the head, she has no memories of the night Savvy was murdered. Lucy returns to her hometown and finds herself connecting with a podcaster who hopes to solve the case.

This was an entertaining page-turner that I had trouble putting down. But, at the same time, I’m really tired of the amnesia trope. I’ve read it in a few “whodunnit” murder mysteries in recent years and it feels so overused.

A lot of the plot of this story is focused on revelations about who is sleeping with who and/or cheating on their partners. I usually love juicy gossip like that, but I felt like the purpose overall was to leave so many red herrings behind that you’d never guess the killer.

And, to the author’s credit, I did not guess who killed Savvy and injured Lucy. But that’s because I don’t think the author set up the conclusion throughout the story. The ending felt very rushed and a bit out-of-the blue to me.

I did enjoy Lucy’s character, although some of her sarcastic quips and interactions was ghost Savvy got old or were a little cringey.

This was an enjoyable read, but I think the story could have used a bit more work to make the ending more believable. Yes, we were introduced to the character — but they were never really given a motive and the book didn’t set them up to be the perpetrator until the end.

I've really tried several times to get into this book but I'm having a tough time doing so. I'm having a hard time connecting with the main character. I think I will try the audiobook when it becomes available.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc!

Well daaaaaamn. It's a rare occasion when I completely ignore all the things I have to do in a day and sit and just read because the story is THAT good. Well this is one of those times! Listen for the Lie has all of the things that are becoming standard in a did she or didn't she murder mystery story.....true crime podcast framing, amnesia, and an unresolved homicide. What made this one different is that I felt in some ways like I was reading a more twisted version of a Spellman Files story where the main character is a smart ass and her family is full of a humorous cast of characters.

Lucy Chase is the assumed killer of her best friend Savvy (the worst nickname ever which is the only annoying thing I found about this story), but she was never actually charged with the crime. She also has no memory of what actually happened with the only evidence being that she was found the next day covered in Savvy's blood and had Savvy's DNA under her fingernails. Five years later, a podcaster is choosing this unsolved mystery as the focus of the new season of his podcast. Lucy returns to her hometown in Texas to finally face what happened.

This one kept me guessing until the last third of the book when it finally became obvious who the killer was, but I could not put this one down and devoured it in a day. I can't recommend this one enough!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Great fast-paced plot that had me hooked from the first page. Excellent surprise ending. Highly recommend.

I received an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The book had me at page one! I love sarcasm and always enjoy a little humor thrown into the mix of a good thriller. The podcast is a fun part of the plot. The entire town being involved in the case making assumptions and accusations kept me engaged throughout. This story has a bit of everything: mystery, humor, thriller with a touch of romance. Great unexpected ending…Definitely recommend!

Humorous & full of twists. Thanks to various subtle misdirections, I wasn’t able to piece this one together, making for an enjoyable ending. Definitely recommend for fans of Only Murders in the Building!

Grateful to NetGalley & Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Listen for the Lie is a twisty thriller and I loved the format! The timeline is all over the place with snippets from the past sprinkled in with the present, PLUS scripts from the true crime podcast about the murder. I received the digital copy from NetGalley and the audiobook from Macmillan audio and the unique format made it really fun to read and listen to. My two complaints are that I didn't find the characters very likeable and the timeline could be a bit confusing at times. Overall I really liked it and I'm adding it to my list of go-to audiobook recommendations!

Reading 2024
Book 42: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Saw this book a bunch as an anticipated read for people. Got my hands on this one through #netgalley as a Read Now selection.

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

Review: I liked how the book was set up with the podcast going on in between interviews of the main players. It was a quick read, a fun thriller, liked the main character. The ending was rush in the last bit of the book to get to the conclusion. That took the shine of the rest of the book for me, my rating 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This story is about a podcaster named Ben who is trying to solve a cold case about a murder in Texas. Lucy has no memory of the night her friend, Savvy died. But, a passerby found her wandering with Savvy’s blood on her: therefore the world believes Lucy is responsible for Savvy’s death. But why would Lucy kill her best friend? This story follows Lucy’s POV and includes the interviews Ben has with the different people in this small town of Texas. It’s a slow burn whodunnit that does not disappoint! I have a feeling that this book is going to hit the charts on release date: it was outstanding.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the flow of it from Lucy currently, to Lucy 5 years ago, to the podcast episodes! I did not see the ending coming and i am still not even 100% sure we know who really killed Savvy 😅

I would definitely read more by this author!

I really loved this book! The plot follows Lucy, who has no memory of the night her best friend was murdered. Although she was never charged, she has left behind an entire town that is convinced she’s guilty. When a true crime podcaster decides to investigate, Lucy returns home in hopes of finding out what really happened to her friend… even if it means finding out that she really is a murderer.

The premise behind the book isn’t necessarily unique, true crime podcasts have been the foundation of a lot of thrillers in the last few years, but the writing is witty and the plot is fast-paced. There are some great characters (I wish the podcaster’s assistant had gotten more page time, she was fantastic!) and a satisfying ending. I’m excited to recommend it to anyone!

Thank you to the author, publishers, a Netgalley, for allowing me to review this ARC!

When Lucy is found wandering down the street covered in the blood of her best friend Savvy, everyone in her small town assumes she is responsible. Lucy, clearly traumatized by that night at the wedding is unable to remember any of the key details around that night. As time goes on, Lucy moves to L.A. to start a new life.

Years later, her grandma calls and invites her home for her birthday party. Reluctant to return to the town who thinks she is a murderer, she’s unable to resist her grandma’s request. A popular podcast, “Listen for the Lie,” also happens to be there, focused on the unsolved crime from years past. Who killed Savvy? Grandma sets Lucy up to meet Ben, the podcaster, convinced he will be the one to help clear her name.

I loved the character development in this book and loved Lucy with her quick wit and sarcasm. The pacing was great and loved the intermingling of the podcast episodes helping to unravel what happened. I absolutely loved the writing style. Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this in advance of publication. Amy Tintera - I sincerely hope you continue to write more adult thrillers!