*3.5 stars

A twisty, fun thriller with podcast elements that helped carry me through the story.

The podcast elements, especially on audio, elevated the reading experience for me. It was a great way to introduce other characters’ perspectives without cluttering up the main story with chapters from lots of different characters.

I really enjoyed the main’s character’s voice. There was just the right amount of snark and humor that made her feel distinct without becoming too annoying, although she did make many decisions that left me with my eyebrows raised.

My one critique is with those questionable character choices. The plot became a bit far fetched for me, especially toward the end. The tone wasn’t like Finlay Donovan or the Stephanie Plum books where you’re prepared for an over-the-top plot. The book tackled some more difficult themes, which I appreciated, but the tonal shift from wacky to serious would throw me off sometimes.

If you’re looking for a book that incorporates podcast elements in a fresh new way, and if you like thrillers that have unhinged plot lines and characters, I think you’d have a fun time reading this book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.

Wow. Just wow. This book was fantastic. I am a sucker for thrillers and this one did not disappoint. The way this book was written by way of a true crime podcast, and what this podcast did to a suspect in an unsolved murder from five years ago really made it unique and entertaining. Although it is kind of a brutal murder, I found myself laughing out loud a few times as well. I just couldn’t seem to turn the pages fast enough.

Very good book, possibly my fave of the year so far!

Imagine losing your best friend 5 years ago and being the main suspect in her murder ever since, but having no recollection of what happened the night she died. Listen for the Lie was such a creatively, twisted story!! I was immediately drawn into Lucy's dark sense of humor and the plot; a combination of Lucy's firsthand account and the audio recording of the podcast actively trying to solve the open case of who killed her best friend Savvy. Absolutely devoured this book! Thank you Celadon Books and Amy Tintera for the eARC!!

I don’t read a lot of thrillers but when I do, I gravitate towards twisty, fun reads versus scary thrillers. 🫣

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera fit the bill! This book had an unreliable narrator, a bunch of unlikeable characters, and a few twists I didn’t see coming at all. It made me laugh, it made me gasp; it was perfect!

I was never entirely sure where the book was heading, and the juicy and scandalous details made this a total binge read. I didn’t want to put it down!

The ending *almost* felt like the story wrapped up but it also left me wondering “do I ACTUALLY know what happened?!” 😆 Normally I need my book endings to be tidy but the up-in-the-air final chapter worked perfectly for this one.

I gave this one 5 stars!

Listen for the Lie was completely addicting and I couldn't put it down! The mystery was compelling and believable, and woven with care. I loved how the podcast helped to tie parts of the mystery together. The character development was great and I loved the supporting cast so much - especially Lucy's grandmother.

Was a good read. First time author for me and I’ll be checking out more books by her. Finished it in one day.

This book was so hard to put down, and I wish I had more time to binge read it, because I was constantly thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. Throughout the book, I found myself rehashing the events I had read about and went back and forth with myself about whether Lucy actually killed Savvy or not.
The twists were suspenseful and I honestly had no idea what to expect with the ending.
The podcast element was done perfectly in print, but I've heard multiple people say the audio for this one is even better, so now I want to listen to the audio version!
I found myself laughing at things that Lucy said or thought one minute, and then thinking to myself "wait...what 😳🤯?!" the next minute. I'm not sure what this says about me, but the dark humor sprinkled throughout the book is right up my alley 😂😅
If you are looking for a binge worthy thriller with mysterious characters, and a mixed media element, definitely give this one a try!!

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exhange for my honest review!

Imagine your best friend has been brutally murdered and you are discovered covered in blood, hers and your own. And what if you can't remember anything about what happened? Do you believe your friends and family and a whole small town that say you must have done it or do you not?
This is what Lucy is facing. It has been five years since Savannah's tragic death and a popular true crime podcast has decided her unsolved case is the perfect content for their new season. And the podcast's host, Ben, is known for solving mysteries that the police have abandoned. Does Lucy hope he uncovers the truth, or should she be afraid it will condemn her once and for all?

This book was such a quick read and so much fun! The flashbacks to Savannah made me wish she was my best friend. And her grandmother, Beverly, is a national treasure! At eighty years old, she officially has no more fu cares to give and is living her life to the fullest. She is absolutely hilarious, and her granddaughter clearly inherited her stand-out humor and sarcasm.

The mystery at the heart of this story kept me guessing, and the flip flops and twisty turns had me holding on with all I had. And yet, it wasn't dark like so many of these thrillers are. I prefer humor and this book delivered that, lightening the mood just when it was needed. I really liked this book and I think you will, too, SmartGirl!

I have heard nothing but good things about this book, and it did not disappoint! I devoured it so quickly because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

A lot of people say that the podcast storyline in a thriller is overdone. I can see why many feel that way, but I always love when a podcast pops up. I especially felt that it was used well here. There was a lot of nuance used in the podcast pieces that kept things interesting.

I was also obsessed with the MC, Lucy. She was hilarious and sarcastic and I was here for it.

Best of all, I couldn’t figure out who the killer was! I kept changing my theory right up until the reveal, and I love when I can’t predict what’s going to happen.

Thank you to Celadon Books for my gifted copy!

This was a true page turner. I couldn’t put the book down! I would recommend and can see this being a great hit this year. ⁣
⁣
We meet Lucy, a shell of a woman who flees her Texas hometown to Los Angeles after her best friend is found murdered. Trouble is, the entire town thinks she did it. She has no memory of the events, only that she was found wondering the woods with her best friend’s blood on her hands. ⁣
⁣
Suddenly, her new life is turned upside down when a podcaster decides to dig into the mystery of her friend’s murder. She visits her hometown and together with the podcaster starts to dig for the truth of what happened that night. Problem is, she is not sure if she wants to find out the awful truth.

I gave this book 3.5 stars for no reason other than it was a bit predictable (it’s really hard to surprise me after all the mysteries I’ve read), but I enjoyed the narrator. Lucy was funny, self deprecating, but not in a way where I was rolling my eyes. If you have the chance to listen to the audiobook I recommend it - I like how they formatted the podcast chapters & the narrators did a great job!

Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera is an entertaining & fast-paced twisted mystery filled with a fascinating main character & chalked full of dark humor. I thought the premise of this sounded really good & it totally delivered. It was a breath of fresh air in the mystery genre for me.

Listen to the Lie is great for fans of…
🎤 Unsolved Mystery
🎤 Amnesia
🎤 Podcaster Covers Case
🎤 Dark Humor
🎤 Short Chapters
🎤 Mixed Media/Epistolarian (Snippets of Interviews & Letters)

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style & the pace of the novel. I am always fascinated by the amnesia trope & the uncovering of memories as the story goes along. If you are a fellow fan of short chapters, you will adore this.

This book renewed my love for the mystery genre. Also, if you enjoy epistolarian or mixed media with the inclusion of interview snippets, letters & so on, you will be excited with them being peppered in throughout.

This reminded me of an adult version of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, which I also really loved.

If you are a fan of true crime podcasts, humor in the darkest of times & amnesia filled mysteries, I highly recommend Listen For the Lie!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Celadon Books for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

4.5 stars

🎧 LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera
Genre: thriller
⭐️⭐️⭐️
💭: maybe a me-problem, but I’m bored of this trope and bec of that i quickly had no interest in this book. Another high expectation poor result! Not a bad book tho!

Listen for the Lie was an unexpected read, mainly in how it was formatted. Having this jump between Lucy’s POV back and forth to the actual podcast was so interesting and I thought kept the story moving in a new way that I really enjoyed following. As far as a thriller goes, this still had all the aspects I enjoy about thrillers, but this format brought something fresh and exciting to it that I loved. Highly recommend this. I have heard from many people that this was incredible as an audiobook due to the podcast nature of it, so I am intrigued and may need to do a re-read with the audiobook at some point.

Many Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I had high high hopes for this book based on all the early reviews I saw. It definitely had a lot of twists and turns and I thought I had it figured out multiple times. The author did a great job making you feel bad for everything Lucy has gone through and also second guessing yourself over and over. I did NOT see the ending coming at all!!

There were a few minor issues I had with repetitive writing that take a star away.

Wow, this was an awesome thriller!

First things first, the plot is a great concept! A true crime podcaster coming to a small town to solve a murder. Lucy, the accused killer of her best friend, was such a fun character! I really felt for her and appreciated her sarcasm throughout the book.

I felt like the characters were developed well and we learned the reveals in a timely manner. The author left some delicious red herrings throughout the story which had me accusing several different people as the murder.

Another thing I loved was the excerpts of the podcast episodes. As a listener of true crime podcasts, it really added to the story. It gave the story additional depth and authenticity!

Overall I thought the plot was well developed and wasn’t reaching for some outlandish plot points, which was a huge plus for! Overall a throughly enjoyable read and one I will be recommending!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy to read in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! This was the funniest thriller I have ever read. You got to love Lucy and her sarcasm! I loved the true crime podcast part of the storyline. Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This was a really well written story. I was kept in suspense the whole time and figuring out who killed Savvy. The story goes back and forth between past and present. And a podcaster and the main character are determined to figure out who actually killed her.

Listen for the Lie has been my favorite thriller of the year! I love an unreliable narrator who makes me doubt at every turn. The story was so juicy and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! The author did a great job of developing the characters. I was shocked so many times I audibly gasped. I will 100% read Amy again!

Absolutely loved this book from the very beginning, to say I was HOOKED and obsessed with this book is an understatement!
Amazing job 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻