Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, 352 pages. Celadon Books, 2024. $25.
Language: R (243 swears, 94 “f”) ; Mature Content: R; Violence R
BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Lucy (29yo) left her hometown five years ago after being accused of killing her best friend, Savvy. Her anonymity in California is shattered when Ben Owens (28yo) starts season two of his true crime podcast, trying to solve the cold case of Savvy’s murder. With her identity exposed, Lucy doesn’t have a reason to say no when her grandma asks Lucy to come back home for her birthday—with the murder fresh on everyone’s minds.
Tintera’s writing is compelling. I was invested from the first sentence—I couldn’t wait to figure out what was true and what wasn’t. With the subject matter at hand, Tintera did a fabulous job of balancing the thriller suspense with dark humor that provided comic relief—I laughed out loud so many times that I lost count. This is the first non-YA book that I’ve read by Tintera, and the only negative thing I have to say is that I’m disappointed that she put so much sexual content in the book. Everything else was great.
Paige is Black, Nina is Latina, and everyone else is implied White. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use; innuendo; illegal activity; groping; nudity; mentions of condoms, genitalia, rape, and oral sex; and sex. The violence is for blood and gore, assault, mentions of domestic violence, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This audio was super entertaining! I love listening to a book that has a podcast in it - I don’t think physically reading gives the same effect.

Super twisty, and just so well done.

I had to give up at 70% it is too slow moving. I only lasted this long because the drunk 80yo grandmother is awesome and reminds me of Blanche on the Golden Girls. She has some great 1-liners.

From the start this story felt like dirty laundry “been there done that”.

I also found the MC extremely unlikable and a loser. I was even more baffled by how she is described by others bc she wasn’t actually strong or self-assure; she was whiny and somewhat of a cry baby. When she kept crying about not having had sex in a long time I told her to go buy a vibrator. That’s what a strong woman would do.

I also grew so tired of the 90210 incestuous between all the characters. I have no interest in gossip or who is sleeping with who and other cattiness which is a large part of the story.

Lastly, this book needs to be audio format only as most of it is podcast episodes and interviews.

Thanks netgalley for my ALC.

I really wanted to love this audiobook. There was a lot of hype around the ending but it finished and I had to listen to it three times to see if I missed something. Nope, all just rolled out as expected…. Quick short chapters were easy to listen to and it was set up like a podcast which I think many will enjoy. Personally though I don’t enjoy the multiple voices. It gave me Run Rose Run vibes, I’ll have to see if it was the same narrator.

This has been posted to Goodreads.

📖 Listen for the Lie
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: thriller
Format: Audio
Audio Length: 9 hours and 18 minutes
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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"You don't owe anyone your whole story."
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A FIVE star thriller!! Amy Tintera had me invested from the beginning. LOVED the true crime podcast in between the chapters. I was back and forth guessing who the murderer. I was entertained the whole time. HIghly recommend it!!

5 ⭐️ Okay… WOW was this a good read. I absolutely devoured this book. I always say my favorite thrillers are those that feel like listening to a podcast. Well, this book managed to not only achieve that but also literally cleverly encompass the use of a podcast in the telling of the story. The switch between the perspective of the unreliable narrator and episodes from the “Listen for the Lie” podcast was seamless, engaging, and made for an excellent listen. This book seems like it was written to be read through the audiobook format and the narrators did not disappoint in their delivery! I’ve been on a thriller kick lately and thought I’ve read quite a few great suspense/thrillers in the last year, but this one just might take the cake.

Do yourself a favor and jump aboard this twisty tale as soon as it releases tomorrow (March 5, 2024)!

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Amy Tintera, and Macmillan Audio for the free audio-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐

This was a really good one! Savvy was murdered 5 years prior and no one was convicted of her crime, however, her friend, Lucy, was seen bloody and stumbling away from the crime scene the night of the murder. Now, a podcaster is looking into the murder. It should be easy to figure out but Lucy has no memory from the night.

I like how we get "episodes" of the podcast to learn about the crime and learn about the people who were closest to the two women.
I honestly couldn't figure out who it was. Once we get more info on the person involved it makes a LOT more sense. This has small town vibes so everyone knows everyone and no one's secret is safe.

The weird intrusive thoughts were a little much. It seemed like anytime Lucy was talking to someone her "mind" was telling her to kill them...like what? So I took half a star off for that. We do learn about this but it is farther in the book.

Murder, weddings, affairs, podcasts, memory loss, small town vibes! This book has it all. I had the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook and the narrators did a great job. The story follows Lucy who has suffered memory loss after she was found covered in her best friends blood who was later found murdered. The problem is that Lucy doesn't remember. The story is told in present time back does flashbacks to 5 years back.
There is also a unique factor to the book because it brings in Ben who is a podcaster trying to uncover the truth. The book has short chapters and at the end of some of them it incorporates script from the podcast but it also introduces the podcast with music which makes you think you're listening to a podcast. I liked this unique aspect of the audiobook.
The book was fast paced and kept me hooked wanting to uncover the truth. I recommend this book as it has a great story line! Thank you Netgalley and MacMillon Audio. All opinions are my own.

🎧 Listen For The Lie - Amy Tintera

4.5 ⭐️ - Wow was I hooked to this one! Podcast stories and formats seem to be quite popular now but the way this one was told had me totally and completely obsessed. Short chapters, cliff hangers, and a binge-worthy story, sign me up!

What if you thought you killed your best friend? What if the truth doesn’t matter? Lucy is found wandering around with her best friend Savvy’s blood on her dress and everyone thinks she’s the murderer. It’s been years since that horrible night; Lucy can’t remember anything from it and she’s since packed up and started a new life in LA. But when a true crime podcast and it’s good looking host, Ben Owens, decides to investigate Savvy’s murder for the second season, Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to step foot in again.

Doesn’t this sound fun?! It is. I listened to this one via audio, which I HIGHLY recommend. The narration along with the podcast effect was perfect for grabbing and holding your attention. Short chapters, twists and turns, unreliable characters, what more could you ask for? It’s a super binge-worthy, quick murder mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat! I definitely recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan audio for the early reader and listener copies! This one hits shelves TOMORROW and it’s a BOTM pick!

This was such an addictive and enthralling read! I totally relished in how darkly comical it was and I never knew how much I’d enjoy some sarcasm along a twist whodunit!

It’s a popcorn thriller at its core with a small town full of sinister secrets. I always enjoy a good podcast plot and the complementing audio was perfect for this type of storyline! Amnesia tropes can be so risky but I found this one to be very well executed!

The short but sweet chapters and fast pacing makes it exceedingly easy to fly through and truly devour! It’s certainly a refreshing and fun one you don’t want to miss!

Listen for the lie

I love a good book about a podcast! So when I saw this book coming out I knew I needed to read it!

What I like about this book was the podcast (duh) and I actually really liked Lucy as a character. Her dark humor and the way she was always picturing killing people randomly really made me laugh. I mean it’s supposed to be serious with the investigation into who murdered her friend, with her being the main suspect, but her inner monologue just gave it a light feeling 😂 however, when it’s reveal what the inner voice actually is I was….. disappointed. I mean i get what the author was trying to do. But I didn’t think it worked or was necessary in this context. I think on screen it would make more since but to have savvy being in Lucy’s head? Idk I didn’t like that.

The drama is another positive in this book! I thought it was very juicy, like could we have one person not involved in something sketchy or scandalous? Absolutely not. Not even mothers are safe! I loved that! However, I predict that people won’t like that about this book bc most if not all the characters are unlikable and make bad decisions. I think people will find it hard to root to/relate. But for me? I don’t have to have likable characters! I thought they were fun and every time something would be revealed about a bad decision, I was like “of course yes bc why not” 😂 however with this, I found there to be too many characters and I would end up getting a couple mixed up! I probably should have done a character map to help but 🤷🏻‍♀️

The audiobook was absolutely fantastic!! Having 2 narrators & made it feel like a real podcast gets me every time!!

Lucy Chase was found wandering the streets covered in blood. Her best friend Savvy had recently been found dead. Lucy has no memory of what happened that night. Everyone thinks Lucy killed Savvy including her parents and her husband.
Ben Owens a podcaster starts asking questions and trying to find the truth about Savvy's murder.

This audiobook was SO good. The narration made this feel like a movie in my head. The writing hooked me right away. Once I started this book I had to finish it. Lucy was my favorite character, she was so snarky. I loved this book. A must read.

5 resounding stars from me!

Listen for the Lie is a podcast mystery that got me out of a reading slump after a slew of just okay books.

I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. January LaVoy is phenomenal as always, but there is a full cast of characters and the narrator for the podcast portion was great.

Lucy moved to California after fleeing her hometown 5 years ago after her best friend Savannah (Savvy) was murdered and she was found covered in her blood with no memory of what happened. Everyone in town, including, her own parents, believe she did it. Lucy even thinks she may have done it as she regularly hears voices telling her to kill. But she really doesn't remember anything. She has managed to keep a low profile until a podcaster, Ben, begins to cover the unsolved mystery of Savvy's murder. Thrust back into the spotlight, she is fired from her job and dumped by her boyfriend, who she lives with. With nowhere to go and no options, she is easily talked into coming back home for her grandmother's birthday. Once back in her small hometown in Texas, it is clear that the town still thinks she is guilty. Imagine her surprise when Ben shows up in town to investigate! Told from Lucy's point of view in the present and in the past and Ben's actual podcast, we learn about the events and people that were players at the time of Savvy's murder. Was it Lucy? Who are the other suspects?

This was a fast-paced listen that did not take me long to get through. It is a mystery, but it is also funny. I really liked the podcast style to tell the story of the murder, but it was hard for me to keep everyone that Ben interviewed straight initially. Lucy's memories return and I did not guess the actual events surrounding Savvy's murder so I was happy about the book not being predictable.

Definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my goodness what a book! My new favorite book of the year. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I went back and forth between the audio and the ebook. It’s great in both forms. Loved the podcast parts in the audio. What a great and twisty who dun it. I read the whole book in one day and couldn’t put it down.

Whew! This is a humdinger. The two narrators January LaVoy and Will Damron bring this thriller to light. After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Bring in the podcast--- true crime podcast 'Listen for the Lie,' and its investigation of Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season.

I am loving the literary trend of matching thrillers and true-crime podcasts. They go hand-in-hand. Highly recommend this one!!

Copied from Goodreads:
4.5⭐
When we first meet her, Lucy Chase is having a very bad day. She is waiting for her imminent firing and possible break-up, both due to her status as a possible murderer. Five years ago, Lucy was the primary suspect in a small-town Texas murder. Since then, she has remade her life in Los Angeles before the past is resurrected by Ben Owens, host of a true crime podcast, "Listen for the Lie." Her formidable grandmother, Beverly, engineers an 80th birthday party to require Lucy to return to their town and face her past. The book is narrated by Lucy in the present and five years ago, with chapters of "Listen for the Lie" connecting the past and present. I would not call Amy Tintera's novel a "thriller" but it was a solid, engaging mystery with an eccentric cast of characters and the ubiquitous unreliable narrator, Lucy.

The "Listen for the Lie" audiobook will be released in the U.S. on March 4, 2024. Thanks to Macmillan Audio, Celedon Books, and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I devoured this, finishing in a day! A dark and comedic thriller narrated by our seemingly unreliable MC, who’s working through a bout of selective amnesia, with episodes of the hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” mixed in. Interesting characters (three cheers for Granny), plenty of snark, and quick and digestible chapters. Overall, a very enjoyable and bingeable listen. 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4.

My only main gripe was imaginary voice in the first half… the tone of the intrusions was annoying and never really tied nicely to what we learned in the second half. I was okay with the MC’s hallucinations, but the internal voices made no sense and were obnoxious on the audio.

Who this is for: fans of FMCs with plenty of sass and true crime podcast junkies.

Avoid if: you’re sick of the amnesia trope, aren’t a fan of infidelity, or may be triggered by mentions of physical abuse.

Kudos to the narrating cast, providing not only a voice for our MC, but also bringing the podcast to life with realistic hosting and interviews.

Thank you Celadon Books, Maximillian Audio, NetGalley, and author Amy Tintera for this advance listening copy. ‘Listen for the Lie’ will be published March 5, 2024.

This was such a fun ride of a read. The changing pov and the way the author moved from the medium type of storytelling - incredible.

Wow! This was such a captivating book, I could not pull the ear buds out of my ear! There is something about the podcast theme that I just love. My jaw was on the ground when the killer was revealed and it was so unexpected. You need to add this to your TBR!

I loved the narrators, January LaVoy and Will Damron! LaVoy is one of my favorite narrators so her voice really added to my overall enjoyment. If you enjoyed The Night Swim or None of This is True, I highly recommend this book!

*****Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, Amy Tintera, and NetGalley for my ALC in turn for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounding up to 5 stars on Goodreads.

I don’t read a lot of thrillers and after reading/listening to Listen for the Lie I’m wondering why. I devoured this book! The book is full of mostly unlikeable characters but they were well developed. I loved Lucy’s personality as well as the interview/podcast format. I had no idea which way the story was going to go or who was responsible. Overall, the story felt authentic and I highly recommend it.

I also received an advanced listening copy and I think that further enhanced how much I enjoyed the story.