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!

This is a nice twisty thriller that keeps you guessing. I especially like the layered narratives (including the victim's ghost) that shift nicely as the story develops. The podcast element (so popular in thrillers these days) is also very well done. All in all, well-written and thoroughly enjoyable!

Are you listening for the lie? 👀🎧

Thank you @celadonbooks for my #gifted copy!

Lucy might have killed her best friend, Savvy, but since she can’t remember the night Savvy died…she was never convicted and no one knows the truth. Now, Ben, a true crime podcaster, is determined to figure what really happened to Savvy.

With short chapters, lots of action, and podcasts, this book flies by! I loved how @amytintera included Ben’s podcast interviews at the end of chapters and how we really got an inside look into Lucy’s head.

The dark and suspenseful elements of this one were done super well and even though Lucy had her problems, I was rooting for her.

This book has gotten a lot of hype on booksta, and I have to say…I agree! You’re going to want to add this one to your tbr.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out March 5!

#litbylillireviews

I loved this book. Best book of 2024 so far!

Listen for the Lie tells the story of when Lucy, who was accused of murdering her best friend, returns to town.

Her grandmother invites her to attend her birthday party; but the party is really a pretense to participate in a true crime podcast about her friend's Savvy's murder.

Lucy has nothing left, she's lost her job and about to lose her boyfriend and housing so she agrees to be a part of the podcast.

Run and read this!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.
I decided to read this book because it was a read now title. I was hoping it would be similar to Finlay Donovan. While this book was not awful, I don’t believe it lived up to all the hype it received. With that being said, I still want to listen to the audiobook because I have a feeling this is the kind of book you need to listen to fully enjoy. In a sense it also reminded me of A Good Girls Guide to Murder, although the main character is an adult compared to a teenager. I still think I will check out other titles by Amy Tintera in the future. Also just because this book was mediocre for me, it doesn’t mean that it won’t be a five star read for someone else.
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Title: Listen for the Lie
Author: Amy Tintera
Pub Date: March 5, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lucy has no memory of the night her best friend Savvy was killed and everyone, including her own parents, think she did it! Five years later, Ben, a podcaster who investigates unsolved murders, focuses his podcast on this story and Lucy is forced to confront her fears and finally face the truth about what happened that night.

This book is told from Lucy’s point of view, which alternates between the past and present and that of the actual podcast as it is progressing. Through Ben’s podcast interviews and Lucy’s flashbacks and memories, the story unfolds and the truth is ultimately revealed. This is a quick, fun and addictive read that was filled with suspense and surprisingly humor! Lucy’s sarcasm throughout the book made me laugh at times and added something different to the story. There are so many questionable characters in the book, which makes it a whodunnit that will keep you guessing until the end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this advanced reader copy!

An excellent thriller. Very fast paced with quick chapters. Found myself reading for long periods at a time because I was very intrigued by the story.

A woman is covered in her dead best friends blood, and becomes the suspect in her murder. The only problem being that she honestly can't remember anything about the night and what happened.

I really liked the podcast aspect and the way it looked at the story from all sides. Lots of shady characters who could have been suspects. Very entertaining to read!

This book was a classic murder mystery, with the slightly updated twist of a podcast. Five years prior, Lucy and Savvy were at a wedding. They both disappeared, and Lucy was found the next morning walking down a road, drenched in blood. She sustained a severe head injury and can’t remember anything about that night after leaving the house with her then-husband, Matt. Her best friend’s body was later found bludgeoned in the woods.

The small town of Plumpton, Texas, believes that Lucy killed Savvy. She was never charged with the crime due to a lack of evidence, but even her parents seem to believe that she murdered her friend. Lucy left town, moved to Los Angeles, and began writing moderately successful romance novels under a pseudonym. She started a new life, but the question is always on her mind - is it possible that she is actually a killer and can’t remember?

Then, we get to the present. True crime podcaster Ben Owens is about to do a series about Savvy’s unsolved murder. Lucy’s grandmother (one of the very few people who believes Lucy is innocent) semi-tricks her into coming to Plumpton for a week, with the plan of having Ben and Lucy meet so her story could be told. Coming back to the small town where everyone knows everything stirs up some memories, and getting to know Ben stirs up even more. Is it possible that she’ll finally remember what happened that night?

As I said in the beginning, this is a classic murder mystery with the podcast being a clever way of telling the story. My only complaint is that it is a little TOO classic; the amnesia from a head injury, the typical small-town characters, a slightly unreliable main character and true crime podcasters are slightly overused. I really enjoyed this story though! I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded up because this is the author’s first adult novel. An author who has always written young adult books might have a hard time writing a book about youngish characters without it feeling like YA. This author didn’t have that problem though; this had no YA feel and was a fun read I’d recommend to mystery/thriller lovers!

(Thank you to Celadon Books, Amy Tintera and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on March 5, 2023.)

Wow, this was an amazing story that kept me so engaged from start to finish. Listen For The Lie has become one of my favorite reads so far this year! Hearing Lucy’s story while uncovering town gossip and secrets as new characters were introduced, kept me hooked on every sentence. I also loved how most chapters ended with a podcast episode, giving more inside info. Many times throughout the story, I changed my mind and tried putting the pieces together, but was wrong again and again due to the twists and turns! This is a must read if you love suspenseful murder mysteries!
I’m so excited to see what the author has in store for us next!

The way I just binged this book in two days 😅 this was one of the best thrillers I have read in a longggg time.

This is about a woman named Lucy who was accused of killing her best friend years ago. Due to memory loss from a brain injury from that night and no weapon ever being found, she has no idea whether she really did it or not. However, everyone in her hometown in Texas is convinced she did. Years go by, and she’s living in LA when a famous true crime podcaster named Ben Owens decides to investigate her case - bringing new eyes and attention to Lucy. The podcast upheaves her new life, and she is forced to return home by her grandma (who was the best & I love her. She’s my fave character for sure).

With Ben’s help, she revisits her past and decides to figure out what really happened for once and for all.

First of all, the audiobook was so fun. It has special effects, two narrators, and a podcast-style format. It’s super engaging and sounds like a real-life true crime podcast. Also, January LaVoy can do no wrong.

Second, the actual writing was a delight. ‘We’re Stars Hollow, but with more wine and cowboy boots.’ That’s just one of the many delightful lines in this book & I ate up every word. There are so many quotes I’d love to share, but our main character Lucy is unhinged & funny as hell, and I wish she were a real person because her sarcasm & sass were everything.

Third, this book will keep you hooked. I was obsessed with each interview & each revelation that was made, and I also loved the romance. This was so suspenseful and compelling. I was addicted to this story and could not stop reading.

Thank you NetGalley & Celadon for the ARC and Macmillan for the ALC. You guys can get your hands on this on 3/5/24!

Listen for the Lie was a riveting murder mystery novel that is told partly through episodes of a true crime podcast. I thought it was fast paced and reminded me a lot of the night swim by Megan Goldin.

I read this book but I think this book in an audio format would be amazing. This book is about a small town mystery that gets picked up by a podcast. I loved the characters of Lucy and her grandmother. This book will keep you engaged and guessing until the end. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Listen for the Lie was a fun twist on the podcast thriller thanks mostly to a delightful main character. Amy Tintera took the main character with amnesia trope and made it feel fresh. Lucy has fled her small Texas hometown after being suspected of her best friend Savvy’s murder. She has no memory of that night but a new podcast about the murder has her digging back into her past and that night. Lucy is a delightful mess and her sarcasm, dark humor, and awareness of her bad decisions makes her different than the typical helpless main character of most thrillers. With a colorful cast of supporting characters and secrets and twists galore, Listen for the Lie is a breath of fresh air in a sometimes stale genre. A must read for thriller fans looking for something unique!

Amy Tintena's debut novel for adults (she has written many Young Adult books) is a good one. I finished it in two days and really enjoyed it. Almost everyone in Lucy Chase's small Texas hometown thinks she murdered her best friend Savannah "Savvy" Harper and got away with it for lack of evidence. Because of a head injury she sustained, Lucy doesn't remember anything from that night. Years later, Lucy is living in LA when a hugely popular true crime podcast decides to investigate Savvy's murder. Ben Owens, the host of the podcast, has been trying unsuccessfully to get an interview with Lucy. When Lucy returns to Texas to celebrate her grandmother Beverly's 80th birthday, she is determined to figure out what happened the night of Savvy's murder. This puts her squarely on a collision course with podcaster Ben Owens (who happens to be young and good looking). If you like mystery/suspense, then this is a quick, easy read. Thanks to #netgalley #celadonbooks and #amytintera for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“𝙰 𝚙𝚘𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎, 𝚜𝚘 𝙸‘𝚖 𝚋𝚞𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗.“

That was a trip! The dark humour thrown out in the very first line of this novel from Amy Tintera hooked me immediately and kept me entangled until the very end. Dark and thrilling whodunnits should not be this funny. Lucy, our snarky and sarcastic protagonist, is full of wit and drowning in secrets.

“𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚂𝚊𝚟𝚟𝚢. 𝙽𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚜 𝚒𝚝‘𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚖𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚛. 𝚂𝚑𝚎‘𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚑.“

The first part of this read is quite a slow burn. Told through Lucy’s pov and excerpts from a true crime podcast, the mystery of the brutal murder of Lucy’s best friend, Savvy, becomes one that we want to solve. Although the humour is pervasive, don’t get it twisted. This story is very dark with themes that are incredibly upsetting.

“𝙳𝚒𝚍𝚗‘𝚝 𝙸 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝? 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚜𝚑 𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚎, 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜.“

I have to admit, I am usually able to predict major reveals long before they are revealed. I was very confident that I had solved the mystery quite early on here. I was so wrong. So very wrong!

Listen for the Lie is a book about Lucy, a California girl who returns to her small town for a week. She left when she was accused, and although not convicted, believed guilty of the murder of her best friend by pretty much everyone in her hometown. Unfortunately, even Lucy, who received a traumatic brain injury the night of her friend's death, doesn't remember the truth.

While she's in town Ben Owens, a podcaster set on solving the crime also comes to town. As Ben goes around town interviewing almost everyone Lucy has ever known many secrets come to light about Lucy's family and past friends. Everyone wants Lucy to remember what happened that night, except Lucy. Did she kill her best friend? Or has someone else been responsible the whole time?

I enjoyed this book, though I think due to the podcast format in which much of the book is written it would have been even more enjoyable as an audiobook. I recommend this book to tightly-paced thriller lovers of all kinds, and rate it 4 stars overall.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author, Amy Tintera, for sharing an advanced copy of Listen for the Lie with me for my review.