🎧 𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 • ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 🎧

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗲 by Amy Tintera
Release Date: March 5, 2024

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
This book was SO GOOD! This was my first by Amy Tintera but everyone says her other books are really good, so I've found a new author! I was hooked from the very beginning of this one. Lucy was such a likeable character, even though she was a suspected murderer. Her sarcasm was so on point, I found myself giggling through the whole book. I loved that the book.incorporated podcast episodes that enhanced the story! I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a new thriller!!

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸
I'm only recommending this on audio! January LaVoy was absolutely perfect for narrating this. Every character had their own voice. The podcast was perfect also. There was intro and exit music, and Will Damron was perfect for the role of Ben Owens. I listened at 1.25x speed and it was perfect! I wish I could listen to this for the first time again, it was easily at the top of my audiobook list for 2023! I recommend the audiobook as the only way to enjoy this awesome thriller!

Thank you to Netgalley, Amy Tintera and Macmillan Audio for an ALC!

I did the audio version and with it being a story and podcast in one it had all the live action noises. I’m really starting to enjoy how these are done! Even though I don’t listen to podcasts, I love this style in thrillers!

Lucy thinks that she must have killed her best friend. Everyone thinks she did. And if everyone tells you you’re a murderer, even the voice in your head… does that mean you are? This was the ultimate whodunit mystery! I throughly enjoyed it and would recommend it for sure!

Finished this awesome audiobook and I LOVED it! Like for real. The main character doesn't know if she killed her best friend years ago but everyone thinks she does and then a guy (who looks like an Avenger 😍according to her grandma who is a hoot) starts a podcast about it where it's based on Texas (accents and all!)

I highly recommend if you like thrillers especially with a little dark humor and some twisted relationships to add this to your TBR! ESPECIALLY the audio format! It's SO GOOD!!!👏🏻 I was so hooked and really loved how it had a podcast built in. It was like listening to Serial but then also getting a funny but dark main character that you can't help but root for! I didn't guess the twist either which was great!!!!! I want more like this please! I think it'll be a 2024 thriller hit (hopefully) 🤞🏼

What if everyone - including YOU - believed you murdered your best friend? When Lucy was found wandering the street, disoriented and covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone assumed she killed her. But Lucy doesn’t remember, and nobody ever found out the truth. Lucy was married to the town’s golden boy and Savvy was a social butterfly, especially popular with the boys in town. It’s been years since that awful night and Lucy has moved to LA to start a new life. But when true crime podcast host Ben Owens starts investigating Savvy’s death on his hit podcast, “Listen for the Lie”, Lucy is forced to confront the past and the night she can’t remember.

I always find it ironic how much I enjoy books centered around podcasts when I don’t actually listen to any podcasts LOL. This one was particularly fun to listen to on audio, as there were bits of the podcast interviews interspersed throughout the story. I really felt badly for Lucy, as she truly couldn’t remember what happened that night and her journey to trying to get to the truth and uncover her repressed memories were intense and at times, painful. I also loved the comedic relief provided by the dark humor (Savvy continually whispering “lets kill” to Lucy’s subconscious made me laugh nearly every time it happened). This unique mystery had me on the edge of my seat! January LaVoy and Will Damron narrated this one to perfection.

Thank you to Macmillan audio, Netgalley and Amy Tintera for the ALC! “Listen for the Lie” releases March 5, 2024. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

🎧Audiobook - 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

“I should have been a better victim. The truth doesn’t matter if you fight back.”

A whodunit that is unique and has subtle dark humor scattered throughout. While listening, I found myself smiling often and even laughing at points, which is an impressive balance for a murder mystery.

Lucy Chase was found alongside a road 5 years earlier with her best friend’s blood on her, a protrusion on her head from an obvious struggle and no memory of what had taken place. Everyone, including Lucy, thinks she is the obvious and only suspect, but without any proof, there is no arrest made. She moves to LA to try and move on, but is requested to return to the place of the crime for her grandmother's birthday. She reluctantly decides to go because Grandma is one of the few people she communicates with from her past, and she may be the only person who believes in her innocence.

The story is mostly told through Lucy's POV, which is both witty and cutting in the best way, making her an engaging character. Her and Grandma were largely responsible for the smiles and giggles I mentioned earlier.
In addition to her perspective, we also witness the unraveling of the events surrounding the murder through a podcast called 'Listen For The Lie', where an attractive and somewhat arrogant podcaster, Ben, comes to town to investigate the murder and shed light on the events surrounding that night.

This is where I say from my perspective, the audiobook is the most obvious choice as it offers the opportunity to listen to podcasts and interviews with the townspeople throughout. Also, Savvy's narration and voice are something I believe you will not want to miss. 😅
January LaVoy and Will Damron's narration team is deserving of a big thumbs-up.

You get a good look back at Lucy's past relationships and what makes her tick. The characters are well-crafted, engaging, and occasionally amusing.
The writing felt smart and unique, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this was Amy's first adult novel. I will be looking for the next one.

It is anticipated that this audio will be released in the beginning of March. If you're looking for an audiobook that's less graphic and more diverse than your usual thriller, make sure to add this one to your 2024 list. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Net Gallery author Amy Tintera and Macmillan Audio for giving me the ALC in return for my honest review.

Lucy is the subject of a true crime podcast as she was accused of murdering her best friend Savvy but there was not enough evidence to convict. Back in her home town for a family event, everyone including her parents seem to belive she did it. But as Lucy is unable to remember that night she is invested in the Podcaster finding.

Thrillers with true crime podcast within the story have been on the rise. Some pull it off and some don't. This one is successful incorporating the podcast into the story. I throughly enjoyed the discoveries in the case and will be interested in other works from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

TW: Language, drinking, toxic family relationships, cheating, alcoholism, abusive relationship, sexual assault, rape (mention), physical abuse

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
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. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Podcast format
2. Narrator's voice was great
3. Loved the writing style

What I Didn't Like:
1. The insert of random romance
2. Lucy's voice of "killing" was annoying
3. Overly sexual for zero reason

Overall Thoughts:
I was sucked into this book and the story of if Lucy was guilty of killing her friend.

I keep thinking that Lucy's dad was sleeping with Lucy's friend and did something. That is why he was hovering around her and what she said.

Honestly I did not like the voice Lucy had that told her to kill. I found it annoying. It started to become more frequent. It just felt like it was out of character for this story and didn't do anything to add to it.

Ahhhhhh everyone cheats on one another. But it's pointed out that Lucy's dad was always cheating on her mom. This book is overly sexual. Everything centers around what people look naked and who is having sex with who. Then of course Lucy has sex with Ben and I don't understand the point of every thriller has a unnecessary romance. It's all so cringy.

Don't worry Lucy goes home and everyone is just obsessed with her. All the men want her.

All the men are cheaters and abuse all the women.

Final Thoughts:
This book was all over the place. At first I thought this was a book about trying to find out what happened to a woman that was killed via a podcast. I feel almost hoodwinked because what I ended up getting was a story that centered around sex and who was cheating on who. It honestly gets to be confusing trying to keep up with who was with who. I felt like I was the only person still infested in knowing who killed Savannah.

It's a shame because the writing was really good and the story was going well.

I get the impression that I will forget this book though by the time it's published. I wish there was something more memorable that happened in it.

A late contender in 2023 for a top audiobook of the year for me! This is a fantastic audiobook. With the podcast theme and fantastic narration from January LaVoy, and a solid well executed slow burn suspense plot, Listen for the Lie is one of those books just made for audiobook, Amy Tintera is an author now very much on my radar for her next book.
Thank you MacMillan for this excellent audiobook, I know many mystery and suspense fans will love this one.

Standouts
1. the narration and overall production, the podcast episode style... this is a highly engaging production.
2. Tintera offers a highly satisfying mystery with deft notes of gender roles, gaslighting, memory, and being haunted by (the past, the unknown, doubt...)
3. a thoughtful and thought provoking ending, I really liked how the mystery resolved itself but more how it was discussed by the main character (that's all I will say). It really tied in big themes nicely.

notes: content for abuse, gaslighting, mental health

Lucy was accused of killing her best friend Savvy years ago. Everyone thinks she did it. The problem is, Lucy has no memory of that night. When a podcaster enters the equation in hopes of discovering the truth, Lucy will have to confront her past.

Books like this are often most enjoyed in audiobook format, and this is no exception. I enjoyed the full cast aspect and sound effects— it really made it seem like a podcast.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yawn, another mystery built around a podcast - is what I thought when I read the synopsis for this one but I am happy to say I WAS WRONG! This was a pretty great little book with an extremely flawed heroine (who was quite funny, too).

Lucy has spent the past 5 years in L.A., escaping her hometown after her best friend Savvy was murdered. It doesn't help that A) everyone thinks she killed Savvy, B) she doesn't remember anything that happened that night, and C) there's now a popular podcast dealing with the crime and trying to solve it. She goes back home at her grandma's behest for her 80th birthday party, and chaos ensues.

Lucy isn't exactly likeable, but she is very real. She's a smart-mouthed woman who does a lot of dumb stuff, but it's largely human dumb stuff rather than trying to insert herself in the solution of the mystery. I enjoyed the family dynamics and the discussion of Lucy's previous domestic abuse situation; it felt like an accurate portrayal of a woman finally dealing with her trauma instead of just dulling the pain.

Looking forward to more adult material from this author, and January LaVoy was a great narrator, even if her "Texan middle aged woman" voice wore a little thin in spots.
3.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of Listen for the Lie in exchange for an honest review.

Five years ago, Savannah Harper was found brutally murdered. Her best friend Lucy Chase was found with a head injury, no memory of what happened, and an awful lot of Savvy’s blood on her dress. At first, their small town of Plumpton, Texas believed Lucy must have escaped Savvy’s unknown attacker. But soon the town turned on Lucy, believing she murdered her best friend even though she was never charged. Now, Lucy lives in Los Angeles but is still haunted by the night she can’t remember. And her old life is colliding with her new one because the true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” has decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Encouraged by her grandmother, Lucy returns to Plumpton to reluctantly agrees to help the podcast host Ben Owens with his investigation, despite her fears that together they may prove that she was Savvy’s killer.

Listen for the Lie is a wonderfully constructed story. Much of the tale is told from Lucy’s perspective. She’s a great character, funny and snarky, yet with a troubled past and a dangerous edge because she constantly imagines murdering people, hears a voice that keeps saying “let’s kill,” and genuinely doesn’t know if she killed Savvy. But interspersed with Lucy’s chapters are outtakes from the “Listen for the Lie” podcast. Those sections are incredibly well-written, note-perfect recreations of true crime podcasts like Serial. As we meet the various characters from Plumpton—Lucy’s ex-husband Matt, her parents and scene-stealing grandmother, Nina, Emmitt, Colin, and Kyle—both from Lucy and the podcast’s perspectives, the mystery of who killed Savvy deepens until the answer is finally revealed.

Finally, a word about the narrators, January LaVoy and Will Damron. Both are Audie Award winners and it shows. Their performances are simply excellent. Additionally, the production value and background music in the podcast scenes are so well done that it sounds like an audiobook being interrupted by an actual Serial-style podcast.

Listen for the Lie is a great mystery with a compelling main character. And along the way, the story explores false memories, gaslighting, gender dynamics, and how the media has a habit of smoothing the rough edges, buffing and polishing certain people (read: pretty, young white women) into unrealistic, perfect victims. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Highly recommended, especially the audiobook.

Five years ago, twentysomethings Savannah Harper (Savvy) and Lucy Chase of Plumpton, Texas - who were best friends - went to a wedding, and drank and partied with the other guests. After the wedding, Savvy was found in the woods, with a crushed skull, and Lucy was found nearby - injured, dazed, and covered with blood.

Lucy claimed to have no memory of what happened, and the police found no evidence to prosecute her. Nevertheless, the residents of Plumpton labeled Lucy a murderer; Lucy's marriage ended; and Lucy's parents acted like she was guilty. So Lucy left town and moved to Los Angeles, California.

Now, half a decade later, Savvy's murder is in the news again. A true-crime podcaster named Ben Owens, whose podcast is called 'Listen for the Lie', has taken it upon himself to solve the case (in other words, to prove Lucy did it). Thus Ben is interviewing people who knew Savvy and Lucy, and reconstructing the night Savvy died. Ben's podcast goes viral, after which Lucy loses her job and gets the cold shoulder from her boyfriend Nathan.

Meanwhile, Lucy's grandmother Beverly is planning a big bash for her 80th birthday, and she implores Lucy to come to Plumpton for the celebration. Lucy is VERY reluctant to set foot in her hometown, knowing that people will stare and whisper and possibly do worse. Nevertheless, Lucy agrees to visit Plumpton for her grandma's party.

As it happens, podcaster Ben Owens is in Plumpton at the same time as Lucy, and he asks her to give him an interview. Lucy is tempted, but the truth is, Lucy isn't convinced of her own innocence. She continually hears a voice in her head telling her to kill people, and suggesting ways to do it.

Still, Ben seems to be getting the local folks to open up and reveal new evidence. Moreover, Ben is handsome and personable, and Lucy finds him very attractive. After awhile Ben and Lucy get friendly, and decide to work together to reveal the truth.....even if it means proving Lucy DID kill Savvy.

The narrative is interspersed with episodes of the 'Listen to the Lie' podcast, where we learn - bit by bit - about what happened in Plumpton five years ago. The town was chock full of podcast-worthy occurrences, such as unrequited love; domestic abuse; violent outbursts; marital infidelity; and more.

At the book's climax we see how all the chicanery in Plumpton resulted in Savvy's death.

The best characters in the book are Lucy, whose observations are sarcastic and amusing; and grandma Beverly, a feisty octogenarian with a long line of admirers.

I enjoyed the mystery, but the plot isn't totally realistic. It seems that ALMOST EVERYONE in Plumpton lied about where they were at the time of Savvy's murder, but the police (apparently) didn't suss any of this out. They just focused on Lucy and let the investigation go stale.

Still, this is an engaging thriller with interesting characters and a touch of romance.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, who do a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amy Tintera, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

Get the audio!!
Narrators: January Lavoy, Will Damron

I absolutely love Lucy Chase. She is my kinda gal - smart, sarcastic and she doesn’t take crap from anyone. She returns home to Texas for her Grandma’s birthday. It’s been 5 years since she was found covered in the blood of her bff, Savvy. The town was convinced she committed the murder, but there was not enough evidence to convict her.

True Crime Podcaster, “Listen for the Lie”, Ben Owen’s arrives in town and is determined to figure out what happened to Savvy. There were so many twists and turns in this story.

I listened to this one and highly recommend it. The narration was very well done. Being able to hear Lucy’s sarcasm and Savvy talking to Lucy in her head adds to the story.

Thank you @celadonbooks @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy.

4.5/5
Do yourself a favor and listen to this one!
Well, this was fun! I loved listening to the combination of past and presents storyline with the podcast episodes. Listen for the Lie held my interest from start to finish. The plot moves at a perfect pace and the characters are extremely well developed. I also really enjoyed the humorous snarky bits of dialogue woven into the story. The narration and music added for the podcast set the tone beautifully for this twisty, slow-burn, thrilling whodunit. A huge thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author for an ALC in exchange for my honest review. So good!

Once I started listening to this audiobook I could not stop. I loved the narration and it was very interesting to have the mix of the story and the podcasts.
I found myself really invested in the characters, there was great character development.the twists were great! I was on the edge of my seat for the last few chapters.

5 years ago, Lucy was found wandering in the woods, covered in blood and her best friend, Savvy found dead. The whole town thinks Lucy killed her but Lucy has no memory of that night. 5 years later, Ben, the creator of Listen For the Lie Podcast, is creating a series on the death of Savannah. He wants to get to the truth if it really was Lucy or someone else. Lucy returns to her hometown for her grandmas birthday and comes to find Ben is there. As the story goes on, we find out little clues about what really happened. Was it Lucy or someone else?

I loved the audio of this book! There is a past and present storyline with a podcast too. Listening made me feel like I was actually listening to the podcast and book at the same time. This book was a page turner and kept me guessing till the end! I couldn’t put this book down, definitely add it to your list to read when it comes out on March 5, 2024!

Thank you to Amy Tintera, @netgalley and @celadonbooks for an arc of Listen For the Lie in exchange for an honest review!

Listen for the Lie is a well-developed story with truly interesting characters. There’s a lot to love about this novel. It twists and turns in all the right places. I was drawn to Lucy. She is engaging. The relationships are really what moves this storyline along. I was invested from beginning to end. The truth really is out there. January LaVoy is a fabulous narrator.

This was a well written and organized book it was kept my interest to the end of it it is a mystery unraveled lovable level and it is very good I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Mysteries and I would read it again

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Amy Tintera for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I *loved* this book! I honestly think the podcast element in thrillers is kind of played out but the way this one was incorporated totally worked for me.

Every time I thought I had something figured out I was totally thrown for a loop, and I found the ending very satisfying.

I hope Tintera continues to publish adult novels because I will gladly continue reading them!

I highly recommend the audio because the podcast chapters are fully produced with music so they are extra authentic.

Listen For the Lie will be on US bookshelves March 5!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I read and listened to this one. I liked the format. You get past and present views and also clips from the podcast. It's a slow build up and I didn't see the twist coming. Very good read!