Listen for the Lie is like true crime got drunk with a romcom and made a murder mystery baby.

Lucy, is accused of killing her best friend but she swears she didn’t do it. Only problem? She can't remember a thing of course. Add in a true crime podcast, a town full of shady characters, and a plot twist that you won't see coming and you’ve got yourself a ride.

It’s sharp, funny, and just the right amount of dark. You’ll keep guessing whodunnit until the very last page, and then immediately want to talk about it with your bookish friends!

I was enraptured the entire time- I did guess the killer but as a seasoned thriller reader that isn’t a death sentence for my rating. I also really enjoyed the main character and a lot of her struggles were very universal while she was in an odd situation.

We all know this one was a definite banger 🤘🏼 It’s been a while since I’ve last read a thriller this good! The audiobook is chef's kiss 🤌🏼 and made it feel like I was actually listening to a podcast. This thriller definitely hit different 🤭

This flowed so well. I was invested in the characters. I liked the twist and the overall development of the plot.

“People don’t believe women who fight back. When a man lashes out, people say he’s lost control of his temper or made a terrible mistake. When a woman does it, she’s a psychopath.”
Lucy returns to her hometown years after being suspected of killing her best friend while a true crime podcaster investigates what actually happened the night of the murder.

Listen for the Lie turned out to be a lot more fun than I anticipated. Considering how this is a murder mystery, the main character’s sarcasm and misplaced humor was such an unexpected treat. I strongly suggest listening to the audiobook, especially for the podcast chapters. While I enjoyed the story as a whole, I wasn’t completely sold on the ending and I could’ve done without the romantic elements woven into the plot.

I recommend this book if you’re looking for an engaging blend of witty characters, small town drama, mixed media format and dark humor with an unreliable narrator.

A podcast-connected small town thriller? We love to see it. I had fun with this one and loved getting to know these characters and how their fascinating story played out.

The way I inhaled this book. I read it in like 12 hours. I loved the mixed media concept with podcast episode transcripts thrown in. I really enjoyed how we got to watch the way "the truth" was changed over and over with each new reveal... and how in some cases it didn't really matter what the truth was. Lucy was an interesting character because she honestly didn't know if she'd done it but because of how everyone treats her she just embraces it in snarky moments. The book has this underlying dark comedy that I really enjoyed. The crazy thing with this one was that I legit had no idea who did it. I was suprised at the reveal. I think that was what made me really enjoy this book, despite the way the ending felt abrupt.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is a sharp, addictive mystery with a fresh and darkly funny voice. The podcast element adds a modern, immersive twist that kept me hooked from the start. I loved the complex, snarky protagonist and the way the story unfolds with just the right mix of suspense and wit. It’s a smart, satisfying thriller that I couldn’t put down.

Wow, without a doubt one of the most compelling, addictive thrillers I've read recently. I loved the main character's voice and the anti-heroine vibes of this book.

As a fan of podcast-centered thrillers, Listen for the Lie was everything I hoped for and more. Amy Tintera delivers a smart, CRAY CRAY mystery with a sharp sense of humor and a protagonist you can’t help but root for even if she might be a murderer.

The story follows Lucy Chase, who returns to her hometown five years after her best friend Savvy was brutally murdered and let’s not forget that Lucy was found next to her body, covered in blood, with no memory of what happened. Though she was never charged, the whole town believes she did it. When a true crime podcast comes to town to dig up the case, Lucy is forced to confront her past and maybe uncover the truth.

What makes this book shine is the layered storytelling, the podcast transcripts woven into the narrative, and Lucy’s darkly funny voice that cuts through the tension. It’s sharp, suspenseful, and genuinely unpredictable. If you love books that mix podcast culture with true crime obsession and a side of biting wit, Listen for the Lie belongs at the top of your TBR.

𝟹.𝟽𝟻 ⭐️ ʀᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ!

ɪ ʟɪᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪᴛ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀsᴛ ᴀɴɢʟᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ sᴇᴇɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀs ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴅᴀʏs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ɪᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀsᴛ ᴇᴘɪsᴏᴅᴇs ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇ ᴀ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ʟᴏᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴏғ sᴛᴏʀʏʟɪɴᴇ. ɪ ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴅᴏᴜʙʟᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴏɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ʟᴇᴀʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇɢᴜʟᴀʀ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀsᴛ ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇ, ɪ sᴜɢɢᴇsᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴛᴇʀ ᴡɪʟsᴏɴ’s ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ ᴏʀ ᴀᴍʏ sᴜɪᴛᴇʀ ᴄʟᴀʀᴋᴇ’s ɢɪʀʟғʀɪᴇɴᴅ,𝟷𝟷 ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ. ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪɢ ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ ᴡᴀs ᴏʙᴠɪᴏᴜs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ. ɪᴛ’s ᴀ sᴏʟɪᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴏʀ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ғᴏʀ ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ. ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜʏᴘᴇ ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ!

📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @ᴄᴇʟᴀᴅᴏɴʙᴏᴏᴋs ᴀɴᴅ @ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖

Lucy's best friend Savvy was murdered years ago and Lucy can't remember what happened. She was the last person seen with her and shows up covered in blood the next morning. The town all but condemns Lucy for the murder which forces her to move away. After quitting her job, she returns home to celebrate her Grandmother's birthday. Being there brings back all of the old feelings and she decides to try and figure out what did actually happen that night years ago. She fully immerses herself in the project by revisiting the places she went to on that fateful day with the help of a podcaster who is trying to cover her story.

In terms of story and content, this novel was great! Lucy's Grandmother was an awesome character and a nice added humorous touch to a more serious story. I enjoyed the podcast format and the thrills and twists. I did not figure out who was the killer until the very end which rarely happens in these types of books anymore. That being said, there were a few things that I did not enjoy, Savvy's ever-present voice in Lucy's head telling her to kill everyone became so repetitive and annoying. There was also so much sleeping around. I don't think that much unfaithfulness happens in real life; or at least I hope so. It seemed like an absurd amount for such a small group of friends.

Although things were wrapped up at the end of the book, I felt some things didn't make sense. How did Emmett return to the wedding without having a trace of blood on his outfit when he was literally in a brawl with Lucy and Savvy? I also felt Lucy's parents were unrealistic in their support of Matt's version of events. Wouldn't most parents believe their own child over their ex son-in-law?

Overall, it was a quick and attention grabbing read. I look forward to future novels by Amy Tintera. Thank you, Celadon Books for the eArc in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this book as it had great pacing. It was highly engaging to read & the author did a great job keeping the story cohesive. The characters were fun and I liked the small town setting. Highly entertaining book.

When Lucy’s best friend was killed, Lucy was there but can’t remember anything. Now that Ben is covering the story on his podcast, Lucy is determined to find out the truth. Even if she’s the the one that did it. I really enjoyed this one. Lucy’s grandma was the perfect mix of caring and comedic relief.

4 stars

I love true crime podcasts and whodunnit mysteries, so I knew this book would be right up my alley. If Lucy was a real person, we’d probably be great friends. Her dry/sarcastic sense of humor comes through in every page, and I am here for it (though I could definitely see that being a turnoff for some folks). I enjoyed that the podcast episode transcripts were interspersed throughout the book (I bet the audiobook would be even better) and it reads like a real true crime podcast. This book kept me guessing and wanting to know more. I was especially a big fan of Lucy’s grandma! She is clearly where Lucy gets her “lack of fucks to give”. A must for any fan of podcasts and murder mysteries!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

This made such a great audiobook! Really immersive listening experience that I truly enjoyed. There were some good twists, and though I felt the final 'reveal' was a little dull, I'd still recommend this for a quick, entertaining listen!

Oh my gosh the twists and turns right from the beginning. Loved it. I have not read anything from this author before. This book is so good it’s made for the big screen

Thank you @celadonbooks for my gifted book! Listen for the Lie is out now and read it before it becomes a tv series!

It was my turn to pick the book for my in person book club so I knew I wanted to pick one of my #25in2025 books! I chose Listen for the Lie because my group loves thrillers and it sounded like a great discussion book.

Lucy and Savvy are the best of friends until Savvy is found dead and Lucy has no recollection of the evening it happened. Everything thinks Lucy did it, but she truly cannot remember what happened. It’s not until the Listen for the Lie podcast and it’s handsome and charming host, Ben start to bring up memories of that night. Lucy also returns to her hometown aka the scene of the crime for her grandmother’s 80th birthday.

This book was a wild ride! I’ve heard of people behaving badly, but this was a whole town of people behaving terribly! So much infidelity and cheating and lies and backstabbing your own family members. I loved the sections of the podcast that were told as interviews. The Listen for the Lie podcast is totally something I would listen to in real life.

We all loved it! There were a few theories on who could have killed Savvy. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, but we all love Grandma!

I enjoyed reading this novel a great deal and felt a deep connection with the main character, Lucy Chase. She spoke honestly and directly and didn’t hold back, often referring to herself as an asshole, but I related to her frankness. She did manage, however, to keep secrets when necessary to protect those she loved. Although she suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting in memory loss related to the murder of her best friend, those all around her small Texas town, including her family and friends, thought she had committed the heinous act. She herself isn’t really sure whether she’s guilty or innocent. But why would she have killed her best friend? The police, however, didn’t find enough evidence to warrant arresting her.

After 5 years, she finally is ready to find the truth — with some gentle prodding from her loving grandma and a devilishly handsome but cocky true crime podcaster who’s begun looking into the case, leading the reader on a thrilling, wild, unpredictable ride. I’m grateful to NetGalley, Amy Tintera, and Celadon Books for giving me a free advanced reader’s copy of this book. My opinion is voluntary.

Imagine waking up covered in your best friend's blood, with no memory of what happened. That's what happens to Lucy in Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera. Years later, a true crime podcast reopens the case, forcing Lucy back to her small Texas town to uncover the truth—even if it means confronting the possibility that she might be the killer. A gripping mix of dark humor, suspense, and small-town secrets, this thriller had me questioning every character's motives until the very end.​

The way Lucy is written is so masterful—she’s kind of an asshole, but you’re still rooting for her the whole time, and might even end up loving her. It fits perfectly with the premise: she’s been accused without full evidence, she’s jaded, and at her core, she’s just a hurt girl trying to figure out what really happened to her best friend. The chapters are quick and snappy, and I loved the podcast transcripts woven in—they broke things up in a way that made it even more addictive. I didn’t want to put this one down—it keeps you hooked the whole way through and never drags.

If you’re into thrillers with dark humor, complicated characters, and a little true crime flair, definitely add this to your TBR.