4.5 rounded up to a 5!

This was a nice surprise from Celadon Books, def wasn't on my radar, but I typically love books with Lie on the cover and all the blurbs on the cover caught my attention too, so I decided to read the first page. It grabbed my attention from page one and I could tell I would love the main character from then too, she was funny and sarcastic. It kept me guessing and interested throughout. I went back and forth between audio and reading it and I loved both. There are some podcast aspects in this one that were really fun on audio and I liked that there was a male and female narrator. They both did amazing at doing different voices for different characters in the story as well. All the characters in this story were awesome, especially the grandmother. I loved her so much! I can't wait to read more from this author. I hope she has another book coming out next year too! Really really strong debut that I highly recommend!

Thanks to Celadon Books for my copy and Macmillan Audio for my audio copy.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I love these podcast type books! this was such a great read!

Ben is doing a podcast about Lucy who supposedly murdered her friend Savannah five years ago. Lucy was found bloody and beaten and can’t remember anything about what happened. Savannah was found dead, bloody and beaten. There wasn’t enough evidence to convict Lucy but most of her Texas hometown thinks she’s guilty.

Lucy heads home for her grandmother’s birthday and after her grandmother’s request, meets Ben. He wants to find out the truth about what happened to Savannah. Ben interviews many people and, little by little, Lucy regains some memories. Is Lucy a murderer or not?

Magnificently narrated audiobook and an interesting story!

This audiobook is absolutely amazing. The book itself is great but the narrators really made it even better. I enjoyed the writing and definitely want to read more from this author in the future. Typically books like this are super easy for me to figure out and, honestly, I did have it figured out once but then changed my mind again. I really enjoyed this book and the narration was top notch.

QUICK BITS
•Podcaster
•Quirky
•Multimedia

REVIEW
First, a big thank-you to Celadon and MacMillan Audio for the gifted physical ARC and Audio ARC.

As many know, I have long been over the podcaster investigator on thrillers, like I was over it 2 years ago.

However, I will say of all of them that I have read I thought Listen For The Lie was one of the better ones to do it.

I really enjoyed the cast of quirky characters, the stakes at which the mystery stands, and the over concept of the book.

I do wish the story unfolded a little quicker and that there was a little bit more of urgency in which the story was told. Such a more about the actual night left untold and some intermediate chapters to make the night in question feel more vivid.

Overall, I thought this was a well done thriller that most will enjoy.

RATINGS
7 Characters
6 Atmosphere
6 Writing Style
8 Plot
5 Pace
7 Intrigue
7 Enjoyment
2 SOS Bonus
TOTAL= 48+2= 50/14= 3.57

2.00/5.00 SOS Rating
--Thought it was a pretty good ending, but nothing to twisty.

3.50/5.00 Rounded Rating

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This book lived up to all of the hype surrounding it. Loved the plot twists and the unreliable narrator. It was a great taste of this author's writing style which makes me want to pick up the next book she writes.

This book was such an amazing thriller, and it was one of my favourites of last year.

This book is a compelling mystery-thriller with an engaging narrative and dark humor.

The story centers on Lucy, who becomes the prime suspect in her best friend Savvy’s murder due to her amnesia about the night in question. Years later, a true-crime podcast hosted by Ben Owens reignites public interest in the case, prompting Lucy to return to her hometown to uncover the truth.

The story was fast past, and I was completely hooked with every page. The inclusion of the podcast element made the story, even better and the plot twist was great.

Overall, this was a very great book and it has gained quite some hype in the recent times, and I think this Book completely deserves all the hype. I highly recommend this book.

A very well done audiobook. The narration was easy to listen to, and the change in actors always adds to it being more dynamic. The story was also easily digestible and overall it was a fun, quick thriller. Was it the most memorable book? Not really (as I write this well after I listened to it originally, I can hardly remember any part of the plot). But it is what is a called a "popcorn book". You read it, have fun, then move on.

One of the most brilliantly produced and narrated audiobooks I've listened to, Listen for the Lie is a solid murder mystery–and a perfect pick for book club discussions. The podcast elements really worked to this story's advantage, keeping readers guessing who was responsible for Savvy's murder and marking nearly everyone a suspect. While, in the end, I did guess the killer, I had a lot of fun keeping tabs on everyone. The fast pace, dark humor, heartwarming female friendship, and dash of romance make this a memorable thriller.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 Macmillan Audio for my complimentary copy!

𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: Any Tintera
𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧s: January Lavoy & Will Damron
𝙇𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝: 9 hours 19 min

"What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?" What an intriguing premise for a crazy good thriller!

📖 ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:
I thought this one was really good. I enjoy listening to true crime podcasts sometimes, and if you do too you will definitely enjoy this one! This story is compelling and is definitely hard to out down. I loved the main character and all of this twists.

🎧 ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ:
I thought this audiobook was amaKng, and I loved both narrators. I thought they both did a great job, And I love having multiple narrators for multiple POVs.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• fast paced
• flawed character
• podcast vibes
• unexpected twists

Dark humor, snarky wit, and an outlandish grandma- what's not to love? A classic who-dun-it in the form of a podcast, which is probably better to listen to than read. Fast-paced and hard to put down.

I can't decide if this is a 4 or 4.5 star for me...

I devoured this book. It was fun, fast-paced, and easy to read. I didn't think I would like the mixed-media format, but I did.

Amy Tintera’s Listen for the Lie is a captivating mystery that blends a sharp sense of humor with an intriguing podcast format, making it an exceptional audiobook experience. The story follows Lucy, who becomes entangled in the unsolved murder of her best friend, Savvy, when a podcaster named Ben revisits the case. Tintera's witty writing style and rich character development shine throughout the narrative.

The audiobook format, performed by January LaVoy and Will Damron, adds a whole new dimension to the story. LaVoy masterfully portrays Lucy’s dry humor and internal dialogue, while Damron convincingly voices Ben’s podcast episodes. The production design—with subtle sound effects and a distinct audio quality for the podcast segments—makes listeners feel like they’re tuning into a true-crime podcast, an element that feels fresh and realistic.

The town of Plumpton is richly detailed, with its small-town secrets and tangled relationships providing a compelling backdrop to the mystery. Lucy’s sarcastic yet vulnerable personality is balanced by her grandmother’s charm and Ben’s enigmatic role in the investigation. The twists are well-paced, keeping the reader guessing until the satisfying conclusion.

If you enjoy modern whodunits, especially those with a multimedia twist, this book is a must-read—or better yet, a must-listen! It is perfect for fans of true-crime podcasts and sharp, character-driven mysteries.

This book is amazing! Its a page turner and I find myself second guessing allthrough out. Well written and definitely high praises for the author.

Quick, fun mystery read. If you can do audiobooks, I strongly suggest that for this book! I loved the extra flare on the podcast sections of the book. Very well done!

A few weeks back, my book club was fortunate enough to receive an early look at Amy Tintera’s debut adult thriller “Listen for the Lie” and the votes are in—we loved it! Every single person enjoyed this read, and that even includes a few readers who wouldn’t normally lean to thriller genre.

🔪 This was everyone's first introduction to the author, who previously published two series in the YA fantasy/romantasy/dystopian genres. Tintera had us from the start with this darkly funny whodunnit.

🤐 I’ll be saying less here, to avoid spoilers, but this book had the snark and dark humor of “Bookworm”, the podcast excerpt format similar to “The Night Swim” or “The Butcher and the Wren”, and a side of social commentary like “Such a Pretty Smile” or “The Change”. If you enjoyed any of those reads, I’d recommend you check out “Listen for the Lie.”

📕 The short chapters alternating with podcast excerpts made the pacing quick and decadent. Truly a “one more chapter” kind of read. We loved the way it was laid out, the podcast components were aligned throughout so that we were uncovering the mystery as more information was being revealed.

And you know I love my thrillers with a side of social commentary and this delivered, without being heavy-handed.

🗣️ This read also lent to a good discussion about the ethics around true crime podcasts, how it can be harmful to victims and their families.

Loved the audio—it was so well done. I loved how immersive the experience was from how the podcasts were interspersed to the dual narration.

This was a solid thriller. I couldn’t put it down and it kept me guessing until the end, which is really all I need from a book like this. I will say, this book was 100% a classic who-done-it mystery instead of the psychological thriller I was expecting, which was a little disappointing. I enjoyed it nonetheless

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially on audio with the great performance and fun additions to make it seem like a podcast.

The plot was interesting and engaging, I did not figure out the twist or what happened. The characters were likeable and I was invested to know what happened! What a great debut. I look forward to the next book 👍

I gave this 4.5/5 stars and rounded up. The audio performance was so good 🙌

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio copy of this book as an ARC.

Listen for the Lie combines dark humor, snarky commentary, and a compelling narrative. Amy Tintera crafts a unique take on the true crime genre, blending a cold case mystery with the podcast trope to create an engaging read. The protagonist, Lucy, stands out as a charismatic, if deeply flawed, narrator whose wit and sarcasm add levity to an otherwise grim story. The interactions with her eccentric grandmother provide some of the book's most memorable moments.

While the mystery itself is somewhat predictable and the stakes feel low, Lucy's voice and the entertaining podcast format keep the story moving. The romance subplot, however, felt unnencessary. Still, the audiobook is carried by its strong narration, particularly if you enjoy sharp, snarky humor.