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.

OBSESSEd with this book. I could not put it down. The audio was TOP NOTCH. My favorite books style as of late has been podcast stye, mixed with a "conversation style" audio, it was fantastic. It kept me on my toes, and kept me so entertained. I have read a few of this style lately so I ws worried it would feel repetitive, but the storyline did fantastic with the twists. Lucy "seeing" Savvy and taking to her literally created such a good visual for me. I loved the ending, I loved everything about this book and will absolutely recommend.

Oh man, this is possibly the best thriller I've read in a couple of years. I'm so glad I requested it on netgalley.

First, I really like a storyline that has a podcast in it. Second, I didn't know how it was going to end. And that's a big deal for readers of this genre. I will definitely be checking out Amy Tintera's other books.

Also, the audiobook narrators did a fantastic job.

A huge thank-you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC.

This story is told in first person by Lucy who has been living in LA since leaving her small Texas town where everyone believes she murdered her best friend. It’s her grandmother’s 80th birthday and she has asked her to come home for a week. Her grandmother is a hoot!

I was slow to warm up to this one, initially frustrated with the crazy inner voices in Lucy’s head and with her unsupportive parents. Plumpton was your typical small town community full of nosy busybodies, helpful but judgmental neighbors and tons of gossip about who’s sleeping with who. Some of the Texas references I found odd, but I guess even locals have different experiences. It also didn’t ring quite true for me that a small Texas town would brand the odd girl as the murdering villain who killed the local sweetheart when I found out that Lucy’s family went back generations as locals and Savvy’s family were relatively recent transplants from the city.

I ended up loving Lucy’s macabre sense of humor. The amnesia trope is put to good use here. Did she do it or not? Even she doesn’t know. Or does she? At least that’s what the locals think. I enjoyed Ben the podcaster, but he still feels a little enigmatic for me. I’m not sure I got a feel for his character, but I did enjoy his podcast episodes.

The audiobook was narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron. He had a great voice for a podcaster and she actually gave me chills as the voice inside Lucy’s head. I switched between the audio and ebook when I couldn’t put it down and wanted to know what happened next.

While I was frustrated at times with the characters and their attitudes, I really enjoyed the story and once I figured out the meaning behind the voices in Lucy’s head, I couldn’t put the last half of the book down. The more I think about it, the more I liked it and I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t quite have it all figured out by the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC! What a fun mystery/thriller! Dripping with dry humor, southern charm and sarcasm this novel was addictive. The podcast inclusions and overall plot had me hooked, there was the perfect balance of characters, mystery, and elements to figure out that this felt fresh and enjoyable. I am absolutely stunned that this is a debut. What a gem! I’ll be anticipating the next book from Amy Tintera!

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera was fantastic! I loved Lucy, and found her both believable & likeable. The narrator was also pitch perfect. Snarky & quick, a wonderful voice to listen to fof hours. I didn’t want it to end! Highly recommend!!!

4.25/5

this may be the most addictive thriller i've ever read !!

i have a new affinity for thriller books in the form of audio books and this one was so, so good!! now the start of this story made me a little skeptical, it was kinda hard to get into, but once you're hooked that's it. the second lucy got back to Texas the story became so addicting, this audio book played for the rest of the day because ijust couldn't focus on anything until savvy's murderer was found. the small town setting was perfect for this story, everyone was so nosy and that just made the story better. ben was so interesting, it was hard to know if iwas rooting for him and his and lucy's dynamic was fun to read about. beverly brought the comedy and some really good lines about men, love her lots!!

this is such a quick thriller because like stated earlier the second the story starts you won't be able to put it down. personally i wish the awful men in this story were dealt with more. most of them were so horrible and got off pretty easily. jail time for them all!!! although i wish the ending way more tied up, an epilogue was needed, you should definitely pick this up when it comes out in march if you like small town thrillers with an interesting type of storytelling. definitely try to have the audiobook because it elevates the reading experience so much!!

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

Stop it. I loved this.

I haven’t seen the print version of this, but I’m telling you it doesn’t matter. Listen to the audiobook! I love, love the way they did this. Lots of different voice actors and the podcast part of the book sounds just like you’re listening to the actual podcast. The narrators did such a great job. I’m VERY picky about audiobooks and usually really dislike the way they’re read. Not this one.

Admittedly, I do love a good “podcast trope” book (is that what we’re calling that? I dunno, but I guess it is now) Good Girls Guide to Murder was very similar and I loved that, too.

Seriously. So great.

Now, the story itself. I loved it, too! This was my first book from Amy Tintera and I’ll be looking into reading more of her work after this.

I really enjoyed Lucy’s dark, sarcastic, dry humor. The author combined humor and thriller very well.

It was set at a good pace and I never got bored. I really wanted to know who did it. I was always thinking about when I could start listening again, and to me, that’s a sign of an engaging book.

I loved the way she wrote it going between the podcast and ‘real life’. We would meet characters in the podcast and then meet them in real life as well. I just think it was all put together really well. I was never confused and it was never hard to keep up with.

If I had any small complaint, it would be that I wish there had been a few more clues throughout the book as to who had actually done it.

And Lucy’s grandma was a hoot. Loved her, too.

If you’re looking for a new book to listen to, I highly recommend this one. It was great.

And I’d listen to Ben’s podcast.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my review.

𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒆 is one of my new audiobooks. The story flows perfectly between main character Lucy’s past and present, and podcaster Ben Owen’s interviews with people in Lucy’s hometown of Plumpton, TX, where it is believed Lucy murdered her best friend. Savannah’s body was found five years ago, and Lucy was at the scene of the crime, but can’t remember anything about it. Ben has successfully solved a murder before and is hoping to do it again. Lucy’s Grandmother, arguably the best character in the book, is the only one who believes in her innocence. Not only is this a flawlessly written and 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 whodunnit that had me suspecting literally everyone at some point, there is a hefty dose of 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫 and 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 throughout, my favorite combination.

If this is on your radar, do yourself a favor and get the audiobook, you won’t regret it! The dual narration between January LaVoy and Will Damron was amazing 👏

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 @netgalley 𝗮𝗻𝗱 @macmillanaudio 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗟𝗖!

Dark and sarcastic who-dun-it with an endearing main character. Readers MUST choose to listen to this one as chapters intersect with podcast episodes throughout the book. I really had a good time. The ending wasn't spectacular but the characterization and plot sticks the landing. Falls right into place with some great mysteries.

This book is one of the best mystery/thrillers I've read in a very long time. I loved every bit of it. I was completely captivated and had to know who dunnit! Amy Tintera knocked the unreliable narrator trope out of the park. Despite being unreliable, Lucy is such a strong, snarky, give no fucks character that you just have to love her. The same goes for her Grandma Beverly. Grandma won my heart with her unshakable faith in Lucy. I want her to be my Grandma. This book is a must read.

Five years ago, Lucy was found wandering the streets, dazed and covered in the blood of her best friend. No one knows what happened, but everyone believes that it was Lucy who killed Savvy – until a podcaster comes to town to dig up the whole case again.

I generally avoid the recent spate of mystery books that use podcasts as plot devices. For one, I’m not even a fan of investigative podcasts, and it’s always seemed more like a framing gimmick than anything else. But I decided to try out this book because of all the rave reviews from my friends on Goodreads, as well as the fact that the narrator is not the podcaster but the subject of the story, Lucy Chase.

This is a fast-paced, intriguing mystery with an amusingly dark and sarcastic narrator. The characters are colorful and lovable despite their flaws, of which there are many, and the author leans into their ambiguities, presenting us with no clear cut villains or heroes. I also loved how the story unravelled, with us learning more about the case alongside the ‘listeners’ of Ben’s podcast.

However, the final section sags oddly before we get to the big climax, maybe because I felt like things were getting stretched out. It was a bad place to lose tension. I also got bored of Lucy’s romantic travails – though they do have bearing on the plot, I felt that they sometimes took on a boringly soapy tone, and would have liked to see less of them on the page.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and the narration was excellent. The narrators are January LaVoy and Will Damron – the latter narrating the podcast sections as Ben. The podcast chapters are produced so that you feel like you’re really listening to a podcast. Both narrators did a great job with the voices, bringing plenty of emotion and personality to minor characters. They really elevated the story for me.

I just happily stayed up irresponsibly late to finish this book. I could not stop listening to the audiobook. 10/10 experienceu! I highly recommend listening to the audiobook for this one.

This book blends humor with a thriller soooo well. Our main character is hilarious and I feel like I could hear her talk all day. Everything that happened so super interesting and I didn’t have a single point where I was bored. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This book was excellent! I loved all the twists and turns in it, and enjoyed the journey it took me on. I like the podcast mixed with traditional storytelling, and enjoyed that you constantly questioned loyalties between the characters. Excellent ending as well.

TW for domestic abuse.

Years after the death of her best friend, Savvy, Lucy returns to her small Texas town for her grandmother's birthday. But coincidentally, a true crime podcaster is there at the same time, digging for answers to Savvy's death. Oh, and the prime suspect is Lucy.

Told in alternating chapters between Lucy's POV and "Listen for the Lie" podcast episodes, the book has twists and turns, as Lucy has no memory of that fateful night. While the final reveal may not come as a complete surprise, there is enough misdirection throughout the book--as well as a lot of laugh-out-loud snarky commentary by Lucy--to keep the reader engaged.

My only suggestion would be to read the print version, as the audiobook has one narrator for Lucy's POV and another for the podcast. While I always love January Lavoy's narration, and Will Tamron does a great job, January narrates Lucy's sections entirely, but also does the female voices in the podcast. This keeps the female voices consistent and easy to follow. Unfortunately, January narrates the male voices in Lucy's sections also, and many of them are quite different from Will's versions (for example, January gives Lucy's ex a relatively flat accent, while Will gives him such a thick southern drawl he's indistinguishable from the other male characters).

This is such a fun read, it's well worth the time. Thank you to the author, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the chance to read this delightful book in exchange for an honest review.