Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Wow- what an easy audiobook to listen to. The production was so well done and I loved all the special sound effects. I will never not want to read a thriller with a podcast element!

This is the story of Lucy. She's just like you and me except for the minor detail that everyone thinks she murdered her best friend. The crazier part is that she doesn't even know if she did or not because she has no memory of the night she was found covered in her friends blood! UM TALK ABOUT CRAZY!

Now enter a famous podcast writer who is trying to find out what even Lucy doesn't know: who killed Savvy? And why? The podcast "Listen for the Lie" is interspersed throughout the story as well as present tense and past tense stories of Lucy's life unfold. I loved all the literary and audio variation, it really helped keep things interesting.

Personally, I don't looove when my thrillers have a side of romance, so I could have done without that as well as excessive (imo) strong language. Both of those things to me became a distraction that actually took away from the enjoyment of the story for me.

Overall, I thought the ending was wrapped up well and I didn't see it coming!

3.5 stars rounded to 4 for GR

This will be available for purchase on March 5, 2024.

Dare I say this is the best mixed media book I’ve read/listened to since A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder???

I usually have to tandem read if I listen to an audiobook. For some reason, I can’t absorb a story solely via audio, but mixed media books are the exception. Especially THIS story. Amy Tintera did a masterful job of balancing the actual story with the podcast episode chapters. Each chapter from Lucy’s POV would end on a comment about a person, place, event, etc. and then we’d go into a podcast episode where Ben was interviewing someone about said person, place, or event. Not only did the story flow effortlessly, but Lucy is a really funny main character to follow. But it’s not the over the top, try-hard, quirky kind of funny. I actually believe that Lucy is that snarky, I believe that her grandma is the life of every party, and I believe how biased and gossipy the small town is.

My two nit picks: 1) the fact that Lucy’s family is a “founding family” and Savvy’s family aren’t from Texas, and anyone from a small town knows that the founding families are untouchable, so it rang untrue to me that the whole town would see Lucy as the villain. 2) the voice inside of Lucy’s head. I honestly don’t know what it even added to the story or Lucy’s character arc.

I can see how some might find the mundanity of Ben interviewing someone, asking Lucy about what that person said, Lucy not remembering anything, rinse and repeat, kind of annoying. But I enjoyed the story for what it was, and it was an entertaining listen. Everyone likes to throw around the term “gaslight” without knowing what it means or what it looks like, and I think Lucy’s story is a really heartbreaking but accurate example of what manipulation and gaslighting from the people you trusted the most is like. Not being able to trust your own judgement or your own memories, feeling betrayed by your own mind; Tintera did a great job balancing the dark humor and the seriousness of the subject matter.

January LaVoy and Will Damron are award winning narrators for a reason; their performances are top notch as always! I highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love this new thriller. It is dynamic, witty, and fresh. It changes back and forth from what's transpiring with a suspected murderer and a true crime podcast titled Listen for the Lie.

Lucy, the main character, has her dead best friend as a hallucinatory dark passenger to go along with her intrusive thoughts. Part of the reason for these disturbing mental health issues is that her bestie, Savanah, was murdered...and Lucy was the prime suspect even though none of the other evidence stuck, and she can't remember what happened the night Savanah was killed due to a head injury. So, did she or didn't she kill her BFF?

The mystery unravels as memories resurface and a well known true crime podcaster works to solve the case and uncover the truth of that night.

The audio was excellent! I highly recommend this route. The podcast portions were fun and the multiple narrators did so great capturing the voices of the characters.

This would be a four star read for me, which means I really enjoyed it. But the audio bumps this review up to 4.5 stars because I thought it was so well done and really loved listening to it and rounded up to 5 stars for this review post of the audio.

I loved listening to this one. Great narration plus with the podcast piece, these are just so much more fun to LISTEN to then read. Fun, suspenseful read. I’m sad it’s over! Highly recommend. Thank you for the early review!

I loved every second of this book.

I can only hope to become as amazing as the grandma in this book lol she was truly an icon.

the book managed to be thrilling, mysterious and funny all at the same time. I loved the writing.

if you know me at all you know im a sucker for books with podcast elements so this was just *chefs kiss*

Whatever reason Amy Tintera decided to try her hand in adult fiction, I am thankful! This book did not seem like an adult debut! The audio was done so incredibly well, I’m sure due to the talented January LaVoy! I could listen to her read all day. This book kept me listening every single chance I got! The narrator was hilarious and dark! Her responses were sarcastic and most of the time inappropriate and I was here for it! Listening alongside Lucy as she is trying to figure out who killed her best friend all those years ago, and if it was her was enthralling. I did not see the ending coming and was very pleased with how the book wrapped up! I also really enjoyed the podcast element added to the book! Cannot wait to see was Tintera comes out with next!

4.5 stars

It was 5 years ago that Lucy Chase was found dazed and staggering down a highway with the blood of her best friend on her dress. Having suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting in no memory of what happened, Lucy was the main suspect in the murder of Savannah "Savvy" Harper, known to be the nicest girl in the small Texas town of Plumpton. Hearing Savvy's voice in her head saying "Let's kill" did not make things any clearer for Lucy.
There was never enough evidence for police to charge her, but the court of public opinion had no problem getting a conviction.

Lucy moved to LA to and wrote romance novels under a pseudonym, since murder suspects are hard to market. It was a call from her beloved and spirited grandmother demanding she come for her 80th birthday celebration that got her to return to Plumpton. That and the fact that there was nothing to stay in LA for. She lost her job, and her relationship was all but over. This was in part due to a true crime podcast on the death of Savvy Harper. called "Listen for the Lie" created by Ben Owens.

When Lucy arrives in town, she discovers that Ben Owen is there too. Is he there to take her down, or, as he claims, just get to the truth? Lucy finally decides she needs to know once and for all what happened that night, even if it means working with Ben to get the truth.

I had the pleasure of listening to the ALC of this book which had a wonderful way of flipping between the "podcast" and what was happening during their investigation. The dialogue was so true to life - witty, sarcastic, emotional - there was a voyeuristic feeling to it. You were behind of the scenes of the investigation and then listing to how the podcast would present this to the audience. This was a clever device that Amy Tinera used in a creative way. I would recommend listening to the Audio book for just this reason, but traditional readers will still find the story just as enjoyable.

I look forward to more books from Amy Tintera and would recommend Listen to the Lie for any true crime podcast and book lovers!

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio ofr the ALC of this book.

Wow! Since I read so many mystery/thriller novels, not many can surprise me. I tend to get bored in the middle. Listen for the Lie was more complex and unique than many in this genre. I love the fact that main characters are morally grey and you can't trust them completely. Nevertheless you still root for them. That's a hard thing to accomplish. I will definitely read other books by this author.

This was definitely a good read! It kept me guessing most of the time. I liked being able to hear the different sides from a lot of the people in the town. Made it more life like and relatable in a sense that this would be how people would truly view a murder in the evidence they were given. Yet, is it really the truth and it makes you look at how far someone could go to keep secrets. I will definitely be recommending this one to other readers and I need to check out more from the author asap. Thank you netgalley for this opportunity!

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


💭 My Thoughts 💭
Now this is a thriller done right!!!! I devoured this book in a day. The story goes back and forth between Lucy’s POV and the other characters’ POV through the true crime podcast that is trying to solve who killed Savannah aka Savvy. Was it Lucy, her best friend, or someone else. I loved how the narrators, January LaVoy and Will Damron, embodied and portrayed each of the characters. The narrators played their roles so well, that at times, I thought that there were more than two narrators. That’s how well they changed their voices to match each characters voice and personality! I’m recommending this book over and over again!

✨Good To Know ✨
🎙️Murder Mystery with humor
🎙️True Crime Podcast
🎙️Multiple POV
🎙️Nonlinear Timeline
🎙️Page Turner

Thank you @netgalley, @macmillanaudio, and Amy Tintera for an ALC of Listen For the Lie.

I have to say that this is definitely one of my favorite thrillers. The main character, Lucy, who doesn't remember what happened to her and her best friend, Savannah, 5 years prior at a wedding, had always been suspected of killing her best friend that night. There was not enough evidence to arrest Lucy. Five years later her grandmother reaches out and wants her to come home for her grandmother's birthday. I have to say I absolutely adore Lucy and her grandmother. Lucy is hilariously sarcastic and her relationship with her grandmother is everything! Her grandmother admits that she reached out to a true crime podcaster to try to solve the death of Savvy (Savannah). Lucy reluctantly agrees and much is uncovered about the true events that happened. I definitely recommend this book to thriller fans.

Are you seeking an electrifying whodunit filled with humor, sarcasm, and a murder mystery? Look no further; LISTEN FOR THE LIE is the book for you! Meet Lucy and her grandmother, two unapologetic characters who speak their minds. And the best part? Their witty remarks will have you laughing out loud!

But that's not all – this book also includes a podcast narrative that will leave you on the edge of your seat! Hosted by the oh-so-sexy Ben, the podcast probes into the unsolved murder of a young woman in a small Texas town. And guess who was the main suspect? None other than her BFF—Lucy! As the podcast unfolds, we discover new information about the case that will keep you guessing until the very end.

And here's the kicker – Lucy can't even remember what happened that night. Did she do it? The fact that even she isn't sure will have you biting your nails with suspense. Lucy returns to her hometown to face her demons and the podcaster who has unburied them.

Trust me, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a thrilling mystery with a healthy dose of humor and sarcasm, but I recommend the audiobook. The narrators are fabulous, and you’ll immerse yourself in the exhilarating podcast experience!

#ListenForTheLie #Tintera #NetGalley #ARC #HonestReview #MacmillanAudio #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMe #LoveToRead #BookAddict #ThrillerBookLovers #BookReviewer #Thriller #LoveBooks #ThrillerBookLoverPromotions #ThrillerFriendsUnite #ThrillerObsessedBookishClub #Bookstagrammer #BookReels

Thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC.

While I enjoyed the premise of this and thought it worked especially well as an audiobook, I really didn’t enjoy it overall. I found the main character Lucy pretty unlikeable- not sure if I was supposed to or not. I actually found almost all the characters unlikeable, which is probably why I didn’t enjoy it as much as many others seemed to.

I absolutely loved this audio. I'm becoming a fan of audios/books that have mini "podcasts" as part of the narrative. I loved how sarcastic and glib Lucy is, because what else can you do when no one believes you lol. Excellent because I had no idea whodunnit as they say. Excellent thriller for the beginning of the year!

WOW! I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. I have been looking for a thriller that kept me gripped from the very beginning and this story delivered that!

If you're a fan of dark humor, sarcasm, and snark, then Lucy Chase's rollercoaster of a life in "Listen for the Lie" is an absolute gem. The narrative opens with Lucy, a prime suspect in her best friend Savannah's murder, and the story takes us on a wild ride through her intense journey of memory loss, relocation, and the unexpected spotlight of a popular podcast.

Lucy's character is an entertaining hot mess, and the first-person perspective gives readers an intimate view of her chaotic life. Despite the serious accusations surrounding her, her humor shines through, and honestly I found myself giggling throughout the entire book.

The alternating chapters between Lucy's perspective and the podcast interviews from Plumpton's residents are a stroke of genius, this really added to the suspense and I found that I kept saying "just one more chapter and I will put it down" but I was consumed by the story. The podcast becomes an integral part of the story, enhancing the overall reading experience.

I am so angry that this comes out in March because I want all my thriller lovers to read it NOW!

Thank You to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy!!!

New York Times bestselling author Amy Tintera of young adult novels has hit the ground running with her smashing new adult thriller, LISTEN FOR THE LIE.

Darkly comic, fun, fascinating, fast-paced, and full of suspense and twists when a young woman is left with the thought she murdered her best friend years ago, but what if she didn't? A true crime podcaster enters to set the record straight in this electrifying whodunit thriller!

Characters: Oh, and did I mention a KILLER cast that will have you laughing out loud, with snarky dialogue, especially with Grandma (think Janet Evanovich's Grandma Mazur in the Stephanie Plum Series)—I loved her!

Audiobook: I listened to the audiobook narrated by my two absolute favorites, January LaVoy and Will Damron! What a dynamic duo—They nailed it and made the characters come alive! I listened in one day; it was unputdownable—I highly recommend the audiobook!

Years ago, Lucy was best friends with Savvy in their small Texas town. They were smart, pretty, and had their dreams. They had each other's backs.

Then, years later, Lucy married a guy everyone thought was the BEST, with a big house, cars, and lifestyle. But soon, that relationship turned toxic and dangerous. Savvy did not like him and wanted Lucy to break free of him.

However, everyone is shocked the night of a local wedding when Savvy is found brutally murdered, and Lucy has blood on her and does not remember what happened.

Since that horrible night, Lucy moved to LA, started a new life, and is an author. She keeps that under the radar with a different name.

Now, it is her grandmother's birthday, and she is returning to her hometown, where she swore she would never return.

With the return, she faces much friction, and people still blame her. Her family is highly dysfunctional but hilarious! Her parent's affairs, keeping up appearances, and the grandmother keeps things spicy. Especially, as I mentioned, the grandmother who moved from her big house to a tiny house —and she loves her cocktails. What a town!

Enter Ben Owens, a hugely successful true-time podcaster with a show, "Listen for the Lie." With his good looks, charm, and investigative skills, he wants to re-open the investigation into Savvy's murder.

Maybe this is not such a bad idea as Lucy originally thought. Could Ben be the one to help her find the real killer, and what happened that horrible night so long ago when she lost her best friend? Plus, maybe a love interest?

Who killed Savvy and why? You must read to find out. Whydunit and Whodunit.

Let me say, I LOVED LISTEN FOR THE LIE! This may be one of my favorites thus far in 2024. It is crackling fun, and the narrators keep me laughing with their funny banter and wit. Well written, fresh, and clever. Loving this author's style, and it is perfect for true crime buffs and those who enjoy crime podcasts.

Wickedly delicious! However, the cherry on top is the CHARACTERS. What a cast! Do yourself a favor and get this book on your TBR list. You can thank me later. Out March 5, 2024

PS: Loving all these new YA adult authors turning adult thrillers with most recently ones I have listened/read Amy Tintera, Kate Marshall Alice, and Ashley Elston.

Many thanks to Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for a gifted ALC and intro to this exciting new author for me in exchange for an honest review.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: March 5, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Mar 2024 Must-Read Books

A thriller with humor?! Yes, please!
I can't believe how much I loved listening to this audiobook. I couldn't turn it off. What a thrilling ride! I loved listening to Ben's podcast and interviews. It felt like I was trying to solve the mystery along with everyone else in the book! I didn't trust anyone, and I was surprised by the ending! HIGHLY recommend!

Very fun listen with a great narrator. The main character has a dark and sarcastic sense of humor, which creates a slower unveiling of what she actually is like. The story, filled with unexpected twists, kept me guessing. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the ARC.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Pub date: March 5, 2024
Narrated by January LaVoy
Duration: 9H 18M
LOVED!

I know I just posted the hard copy of this title but I listened to it, too, THANK YOU @MacMillan.Audio and to @OhioBookGal for letting me know it had a stellar narrator!

This is one of those stories that I was obsessed with! I went back and forth in my accusatory mind blaming every character for the death of Savvy. Is it Lucy, her bestie who came back bloodied and amnesiac? Or someone else who didn’t like Savvy, the towns professed sweetheart that everyone loved. Well, clearly, not everyone ….

When true crime podcaster, Ben Owens, host of Listen for the Lie, decides to focus his second season on the cold case that is the death of Savvy, it opens up a whole can of worms in a lot of people’s lives, most of all, that of the prime suspect, Lucy. Lucy’s now living in somewhat anonymity in LA, far away from the glares and accusations of the locals who think she murdered her best friend in cold blood and then got away with it.
Coming home for her grandma’s 80th birthday party coincides with the podcast, Lucy decides to use this opportunity to solve Savvy’s murder, even if she’s the guilty one.

I loved the way this story was told; in turns by Lucy and by others, through Ben’s podcast. Lucy is one of the most flawed characters but she never pretends to be anything else – she is blunt, bitchy, and unapologetic. Ben, handsome and fearless, has no problem delving in to people’s lives but with his irresistible charm, he manages to get secrets out of even the tightest lips.

I can’t recommend this one enough!

🎧Narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, I can’t say enough about what a wonderful listening experience this was. The snark, the banter, the inner thoughts of Lucy – amazing!

My thanks, again, to @CeladonBooks and to @MacMillan.Audio for these free copies to review!

📖: Listen For The Lie
✍️: Amy Tintera
🎙: January LaVoy; Will Damron
⭐️: 2 of 5
🎧: 5 of 5

Troupes & Themes:
- Dual POV
- Podcast

Trigger/Content Warnings:
- Language
- Lots of Sexual Content (non descriptive)

My Thoughts:
I had to sit on this for a day before rating because I wasn't sure how I felt about it. A solid 2.5 stars but rounding down. Overall, I think this was a miss for me. It just seemed like everyone was lying and sleeping together, including our FMC, who slept with everyone. I didn't guess the whodunit and was surprised by the ending, but it felt a little dramatic. The voice in Lucy's head was also really annoying and a bit over the top.

I thought this audiobook had great narration by both parties. I did love the podcast parts and don't think a physical book would be as good as the audiobook for the back and forth podcast interviews.

Thank you, NetGalley, and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.