This was a fun, fast-paced read that really captured my attention. Told in past and present timelines and interview-style podcast episodes, this story will leave you in suspense guessing at Lucy’s guilt or innocence of killing her best friend, Savvy, until the very end. Even Lucy doesn’t know if she’s guilty or not due to a traumatic brain injury causing amnesia for much of the day in question.
Amy Tintera did an excellent job bringing the multitude of characters to life and you really get a feel for all of them, even Savvy, who is dead for much of the book. This story was equal parts mystery, suspense, thriller with a little bit of smut thrown in.
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this arc. Be on the lookout for it when it comes out on March 5, 2024!!

NetGalley Review - my rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

"Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera is a fast-paced psychological thriller surrounding the story of Lucy Chase, a woman accused of murdering her best friend, Savvy. Ben Owens is a podcaster who is determined to figure out if she really did it. The police didn't have enough evidence so Lucy was never tried for the crime. Everyone in her hometown thinks she got away with murder -- literally. The problem? Lucy can't remember that night and even she thinks she did it.

WOW! Just wow. This was such a great book. Recommended to me & I am so glad I requested it. I couldn't put it down! I didn't make my usual guesses along the way and just went for the ride. So happy I did!

There's not a thing I would change about this book. Big thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC!

You all HAVE to check this one out when it publishes on March 5, 2024!

#netgalley #amytintera #listenforthelie

Lucy is the most likely suspect in the murder of her best friend Savvy (short for Savannah) but she was no memory of that night and what occurred. Five years post murder, she goes back to her small hometown in Texas to celebrate her grandma’s birthday and the major postcaster telling her story conveniently follows. Lucy starts telling her story in the interest of remembering and learns that she is kicking a hornets nest and has no idea who she should trust.

I loved Lucy’s character. She has depth and I also love that she gives zero f*#% and despite everything that occurs is 100% herself. This was such a great story and I highly recommend you read, it’s the best book I’ve read in a while.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the digital arc!

Listen for the Lie was a fast moving thriller with a side of dark comedy-- I don't think murder is supposed to make me giggle, but this book did. I really enjoyed the format-- one part first person narrative and the other part a true crime podcast that alternated throughout the novel.

Lucy has returned to her small hometown in Texas after leaving for California five years prior following the murder of her best friend, Savvy. Lucy was discovered that fateful night covered in Savvy's blood wandering down a country road and as a result, she has been assumed by the locals to have been the one who killed Savvy. The problem is that Lucy has no memory from the entire night, so she can't even be sure herself that she didn't actually kill her best friend. Ben, a true crime podcaster, is also in Lucy's hometown, devoting an entire season of his podcast to unearthing the truth behind Savvy's death. Lucy has agreed to help him, even if it means that it might prove once and for all that she truly was the one who murdered Savvy.

This was great thriller that pulled me in from the opening chapter, and kept me guessing until the very end.

Listen for the Lie is the story of Lucy Chase, a woman accused of her best friend's murder. Lucy's character is flawlessly portrayed, and her sarcasm makes her instantly relatable to readers. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, the book takes us on a journey from the small town of Plumpton, Texas, to Los Angeles, California, as Lucy seeks refuge from the accusations and relentless gossip.
 
Enter Ben Owens, a podcaster who likes to solve true crime mysteries. His pursuit of truth in Savvy’s case is both compelling and thorough. With interviews and an eye for detail, Ben peels back the layers of suspicion surrounding Lucy, leaving no stone unturned in his quest for justice.
 
The narrative unfolds drawing readers into its secrets. Each character adds depth and intrigue to the story. As Ben digs deeper, the truth slowly emerges, casting new light on the events of that fateful night.
 
Overall, Listen for the Lie is a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense.

Enjoyed this book a lot. I will say almost all the characters were unlikeable but that didn’t bother me. I was getting kinda sick of the podcast thing that everyone seems to be doing right now but liked the way the author did this one.

This was a fun read! The plot revolves around Lucy Chase, a woman who is the prime suspect in the murder of her best friend- but she has no memory of the night, and thus no idea if she did it. The details come together through the voice of a true-crime podcast, trying to piece together what happened all those years ago.

For a murder mystery, the novel is light in tone, with funny characters/dialogue. (Grandma is the best character hands down). It’s extremely fast paced and easy to read, with simplistic writing (but in a good way). Overall I really enjoyed myself and would highly recommend it. I guessed the murderer pretty early on, but still found myself enjoying seeing it all play out, which I didn’t see coming.

The only thing I didn’t like was the voice in Lucy’s head, which I found to be unnecessary and a little annoying.

Wow. I loved this book! A quick fun and entertaining read. One I will be recommending for a quick summer beach read. I will be sending it this title to several friends. Such a great fun read! You will love it if you like quick suspenseful reads with a thrilling pace.

Lucy returns to her hometown with a podcaster digging into her past. Lucy's best friend Savvy was killed and everyone believes Lucy did it. Lucy can't remember that fateful night. Ben, the podcaster of Listen for the Lie, is trying to find the truth of what happened that night at the wedding between Lucy and Savvy. The story is in a podcaster format in every chapter but has enough narrative that you'll enough the podcaster sections as they give you snippets of information that seem like town gossip.

I"ll be following this author and can't wait to see what she writes next! Highly recommend!

The thing I liked most about this book was the sarcastic humor of the main character, Lucy. Also, her grandmother……loved her! A little repetitive at times. Liked the podcast aspect & trying to figure out if Lucy actually killed her best friend. Overall, I thought it was ok. Better at the beginning and slowly tapered off for me, but entertaining for the most part.

Another book featuring a crime podcast?! These are all over the place lately for obvious reasons and I’ll be the first to admit I went in thinking it was going to feel all too similar to many of those books and wouldn’t have anything unique to make it stand out. I was pleasantly surprised to say I was wrong and the Amy Tintera, the Author, did an excellent job in giving this book its own unique twist!

We are immediately introduced to the main character Lucy. Lucy is a blunt, straightforward, sarcastic character who I liked more and more as the book went on. She is also the suspected murderer of her best friend Savvy. Her entire small town of Plumpton, Texas believes whole heartedly of her guilt, but she was never convicted because of lack of evidence. Of course the fact that Lucy has stated, at the time of the murder and to this day, that she has absolutely no memory of the events of the night of the murder, doesn’t help anyone believe she is innocent. She has started her whole life over and lives in LA. She has zero plans to ever return to Plumpton until her Grandma Beverly (who is my other absolute favorite character!) calls and pleads with her to come back home for her birthday celebration….. or so her Grandmother says *wink*. Of course the timing couldn’t be more crazy because Ben, a podcaster, has started his newest crime podcast all about Savvy’s murder and the belief of the town in Lucy’s guilt.

Lucy returns to Texas and we are introduced via her visit and some podcast episodes to a whole list of new characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the small inserts of the podcast interviews and clips. It gave some much needed insight and background. It also made me feel like I was trying to put all the pieces together of what happened to Savvy. Some of the characters we meet aka Lucy’s parents, I found to be annoying throughout the book because I didn’t trust anything about them, her awful ex husband, Matt (barf). However some of the new characters I would have loved to have gotten more insight into them (Savvy, Nina, Emmett).

Overall there were definitely pros and cons for me with this book. As I said I loved getting to know a lot more about Lucy, her Grandmother Beverly was a standout hilarious star to me, and the smug handsome podcaster, Ben grew on me. One thing that was just a personal annoyance was the constant “murdering thoughts” that Lucy kept having. I actually began skimming over these because it was too much and not necessary, in my opinion.

This book turned out to be a complete page turner for me! I was absolutely immersed in Lucy’s journey to find out the truth… was she truly a murderer of her best friend or a wrongfully accused victim?! This has twists, turns, and a dark comedy tone that kept me invested. I would definitely recommend reading this book and going on this wild, twisted, funny, investigative ride! I look forward to reading more from this Author.

Thank you to the Author, Netgalley, and Celadon Books for the ARC of this book!

"Listen for the Lie" is a captivating thriller that skillfully weaves deception, suspense, and unexpected twists. The author's ability to create a tense atmosphere keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The characters are well-developed, each with secrets that add layers to the narrative. The book's exploration of trust and betrayal makes it a compelling read for fans of psychological mysteries. However, some may find the plot intricate, requiring careful attention to detail. Overall, "Listen for the Lie" offers a gripping experience for those who enjoy unraveling intricate mysteries.

Wow. What an amazing book. Gripping, suspenseful, full of dark humor, and a protagonist you can't help but cheer for.

Lucy Chase comes back to her hometown in Texas at the request of her grandma. Her grandmother is celebrating her 80th birthday and wants Lucy to be there. Problem is, Lucy has sworn never to return to her small hometown where the entire town thinks she killed her best friend. 5 years ago Lucy was found wandering along the road after a wedding, bloody, battered, and confused. She couldn't remember a thing about that night. 99 percent of the town believes Lucy killed her best friend Savvy. However, Lucy does return for the party and finds out her grandmother has set up a meeting between Lucy and the podcaster of Listen for the Lie, Ben. Lucy is tired of living under a cloud of doubt and wants answers, even if she IS the one that killed Savvy.

This is the author's first adult book and I loved it. I loved Lucy's dark humor. I loved her dysfunctional family and how she reacted to them. I loved the voices in Lucy's head. This must be a hoot to listen to on audio. This is the best book I've read this year and deserves accolades.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Publishing for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book but I ended up loving it and telling everyone I know they must read it. I highly recommend it.

This book is generating some pretty good buzz and I can totally understand why even though I don't agree with the high praise assessment.

Lucy and Savvy are best friends living in Plumpton, TX. They're attending a wedding of friends where the alcohol is flowing freely.

The next day, Lucy is found walking down the side of the road covered in blood. Savvy's blood. Savvy was brutally murdered and left for dead and now all suspicion falls on Lucy. Lucy can't remember anything of that night because she also suffered a head wound and trauma. Most people believe her amnesia is the convenient excuse of a murderer. Lucy doesn't know what to believe. Lack of evidence allows her to live free but she's never free of the guilt she feels.

Ben Owen's is the host of the "Listen to the Lie" podcast. He's determined to find out who is guilty of murdering Savvy five years ago. Will the truth set Lucy free or become another nail in her coffin?

Compulsively readable, short zippy chapters, the podcast element was well done, and a grandmother I adored.

That's what I enjoyed.

What I didn't love so much was Lucy, to start. I got a kick out of her in the beginning but the humorous snark began to seem more like assholery by the 50% mark. I can't believe that anyone in her situation would ever behave the way she does and say the things she does just for kicks. This woman lived to shock people and it just got to be annoying. If everyone in my town really thought I murdered my best friend I probably wouldn't call so much attention to myself but, you do you, Lucy.

My other negative reaction was due to how everyone in this town, young and old alike, has slept with one another and / or have all cheated on their spouses at some point in time. Granted this makes for a lot of red herrings but it just got a bit icky. If I ever visit Plumpton it will be in a HazMat suit.

We should all be thankful the Plumpton is a fictional town because amongst the murderers and cheaters are physically abusive men. Can't one guy be decent? Nope!

I wouldn't wish Lucy's parents on anyone. To explain more would be a spoiler so just trust me on this.

I had suspected nearly everyone at one point of being the guilty party so when I reached the final denouement it didn't really pack the punch I think the author was intending.

While the negatives outweigh the positives for me I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a page-turner. I absolutely had to know whodunnit so I never once contemplated setting this aside. Tintera is a talented writer and I do look forward to seeing if her next story will be a better suit for me. If she would have eased up on the snark and balanced the unlikeable characters with a few more likeable ones then this would have been a homerun. 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for my complimentary

This one was not on my radar until I started to see so many 5 stars reviews! Thank you Celadon and Netgalley for approving me!

This one did not disappoint! I was hooked by the first chapter- a girl suspected of murdering her best friend five years ago and a podcast about it- say less!

I love podcast formats in books and this one was done so well. I really loved the characters and the storyline. The twists throughout just added to the fast paced nature of the book. I binged it in less than 36 hours!

This one was a thriller done right. It was so well written with a complex main character, a super intriguing plot, and a ton of dark humour that added to the enjoyment of the story.

Listen For The Lie is a hugely popular true crime podcast, and Lucy Chase is its newest focus. Five years ago, Lucy’s best friend Savvy was murdered, and Lucy was found covered in her blood. Lucy has been pegged as the likely murderer, but she has no memories from that night, so even she doesn’t know if she really did it. The podcast and its host, Ben Owens, lure Lucy back to her hometown as they try to uncover what really happened that night.

I absolutely loved this book. It kept me guessing the whole way through. Lucy wasn’t your typical unreliable narrator, but her amnesia added such a fun element to the story. As the reader, you are almost on the journey with her, figuring it out as you go.

I highly recommend checking this one out when it publishes on March 5! Thank you so much @netgalley for this advanced copy!

Thank you Celadon and Netgalley for an ARC of Listen for the Lie.

Accused of her best friend's murder five years ago, Lucy faced charges that the police couldn't make stick. Despite the lack of conviction, there is a prevailing belief, shared even by Lucy herself, that she may have committed the crime. Lucy's memory remains elusive until Ben Owens, the host of a murder podcast, opens the floodgates of recollection.

Every character in this book was unlikeable(except Grandma) but I think it worked well with the story. Lucy was outspoken but the gaslighting she received from majority of the town was insane! While Lucy's nonchalant demeanor occasionally struck me as excessive, the repetitive nature of Savvy discussing killing with Lucy became tiresome after a while. The author effectively portrayed the stark contrast in treatment between women and men. The podcast element, reminiscent of "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder," slightly diminished my overall appreciation. The conclusion felt hurried, but despite these minor drawbacks, I found the story enjoyable, and I would certainly explore other works by this author.

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Wowww this one kept me on my toes the whole way through! I love a good thriller/mystery and this one delivers!

Wow!! What did I just read?! I couldn’t put this book down!! The whodunnit factor was well thought out and executed! The characters were well developed and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to finish it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this incredible book! I will definitely be sharing it with all of my fellow book lovers!

What. A. Ride. I could not predict one thing AND the chapters were super quick. I loved the podcast transcripts dispersed between the dual timeline chapters. Also, I loved the unreliable narrator. The narrator couldn't trust herself so as a reader it made you not only doubt her, but every character in the story.

Lucy, a small town girl from Texas, was accused of murdering her best friend Saavy. Unfortunately, she has no recollection of the murder. She went from enjoying a friends wedding to walking down the highway covered in her friends blood. The story comes to national attention when a famous podcast launches episodes to try and find out what really happened to Saavy. Matt, the podcast host, begins to investigate every person close to Lucy and Saavy. The more episodes that come out, the more inconsistencies that Matt begins to see with people's stories. This helps Lucy begin to regain some memories from that day and finally find out what happened to Saavy.

I had heard great things about Amy Tintera's first novel for adults, so I was anxious to read this book. Wow! As promised, this was a thoroughly engaging page-turner with a host of interesting and amusing characters. In addition to this thriller's plot twists and the big reveal at the end, the characters really shine and contribute greatly to the story.

Lucy may or may not have killed her best friend, Savannah. Lucy, who was found wandering the streets with blood on her clothes, quickly became the prime suspect, although she couldn't remember what happened the night of the murder. In the five years since her friend was murdered, Lucy has lived with everyone's suspicion that she is a murderer. Facing these suspicions with dark humor that she definitely inherited from her sassy, spunky grandmother Beverly, Lucy is a perfect main character.

When Lucy returns home for the first time in the five years since the murder to attend her grandmother's birthday party, she encounters Ben, a true-crime podcaster that is trying to crack her case. Reluctant to have anything to do with him at first, she finally agrees to speak with him. Slowly, she realizes that he may be able to help her discover whether or not she killed Savannah.

This was a very fast-paced and easy read. As the story developed and more information emerged, we were treated to transcripts from each episode of the "Listen for the Lie" podcast. I loved this book and I enjoyed the way Amy Tintera mixed suspense and mystery with dark humor. I'll look forward to reading her next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I honestly loved it!