Listen for the Lie took me by surprise. I am a VERY hard critic when it comes to thriller books. I find it hard to get into them. Usually it’s too much build up, they often tend to be repetitive, and usually the pay off is obvious and not worth the climb to get there.

Didn’t feel that way about this one.

From the start this book had me hooked. I think it was the balance between whodunit and the humor that really worked in its favor. There’s little to no downtime in this one. Something is always happening. You will always be in the state of wondering if she did or didn’t kill her best friend.

The main character, Lucy’s dark humor and F it attitude 100% works. The scene where she’s at her grandma's birthday and raises her hand to a bad joke took me out! So funny! Speaking of her grandma! The perfect side character. Obviously in a book like this side characters are just as important and the main one because you need them all to be on the same playing field. You need to believe any of them could be the killer. They are here! Also, Ben the podcaster, is well done so well!

I also really enjoyed the podcast aspect of this. It hasn’t always worked in books I’ve read in the past, but Tintera does an amazing job using that to bring in new information without it seeming forced. Just sprinkled in the right amount of info to keep you wanting more.

The characters are fun and just the right amount of unlikable, the plot has a great pace, and the book has an amazing hook. I think my only negative was something about the ending felt a little off…. Can’t quite put my finger on it.

I tandem read the ALC and ARC. Highly, highly recommend the audiobook! It is extremely well done via audio, especially the podcast portions. This fast-paced mystery crime thriller restored my faith in the thriller genre after being sorely disappointed for the past year.

Long story short: Lucy is the #1 suspect in her best friend’s murder, but due to a head injury that resulted in memory loss the case is closed without being solved due to lack of evidence. Five years later, Ben decided to highlight the case in his unsolved murder podcast. With everything coming to the surface, Lucy isn’t sure she wants to know what exactly happened that night.

Look, amnesia in thrillers doesn’t really work for me. I feel like it’s a tired trope. But damn did Tintera prove me wrong. Listen for the Lie is so fresh, fun, and completely unputdownable. I loved the slow reveals, the surprisingly sweet romance, and the small town Texas setting. Lucy is an utterly charming protagonist and I loved being in her messed up little brain.

This book is definitely going to be a hit with all the crime thriller and murder mystery fans!

4.5

This was a big yes in my book!! Podcast and a girl murdered her bestie? Love it. Some of the storyline (as well as) the ending was a bit jarring. Was I meant to be left unsettled & unsure if I believe it? Probably. However, it took off a half star for me. I kinda wanted something more for the end!

Friends, this book pulllled me out of the start of a reading slump. My earbuds were basically glued into my ears because I just wanted to listen to this book nonstop. What I loved the most about this book was the sarcastic inner dialogue we get from our main character Lucy! I also just could not get enough of her relationship with Ben and my favorite character… her grandma. They made me laugh, I was wholly invested in their story and I was just rooting for them throughout the whole book. The mystery was great, the banter was perfect and I loved how the book tied up at the end.

& the audio was AMAZING! So well done and very entertaining!

Listen for the Lie was my first novel by Tintera & it did not disappoint. A page-turning & worthy thriller with a sprinkle of humor and a cussy little minx of a grandma tossed in! Do yourself a favor & dig in!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this arc!

Pub date: 3.5.24

4.25 Stars
I love a true crime podcast, so this book that centers around one was right up my alley. The unsolved murder of Savvy, in a small Texas town five years ago is the subject of the second season of Ben's podcast. He has reached out to Lucy, the suspected murder and best friend of Savvy, but received no response. Lucy moved away shortly after the murder and has not returned home since. Her grandmother convinces Lucy to return for her 80th birthday but fails to tell her that she is working with Ben to get him an interview with Lucy. Lucy has no memory of the night that Savvy was killed, but finally decides she is tired of not knowing what happened. She agrees to help Ben and to be interviewed for the podcast.

Lucy is the very sarcastic, very flawed, unreliable narrator. I loved hearing this story from her POV. Her small town experiences and frustrations are not only relatable, but very funny. And the transcript from the podcast episodes are a great addition to the story. There were so many possible ways this story and these characters could have gone, and the story remains very compelling and entertaining throughout.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and publisher for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued by this book as soon as I read the summary, and it did not disappoint. I liked the time jumps and multiple POVs which, if done well as they are here, I always find add depth to a story, particularly when the narrators are unreliable. I did feel the ending was a little rushed, but all in all, an entertaining read! I'll keep an eye out for this author's next book!

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.

I kept hearing about this book and had to see for myself if it lived up to the hype. It definitely did!! The author dropped hints and red herrings left and right; she had me guessing almost every character as the murderer at some point in time. The intensity of the book was sprinkled with humor whenever Lucy’s grandmother was involved. She was the most likable character in the story and kept things “real”. This was a well written thriller/mystery and I can’t wait to read the next novel this author writes!

Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #ListenfortheLie by #AmyTintera in exchange for honest feedback. - 4.5 stars rounded to 5

This was a great page turner, somewhat like Gilmore girls meets Ashley Flowers (Crime Junkie podcaster). In this small town, Lucy is found with her best friend's blood all over her and no memory of the night or how Savvy died. Everyone believes she is a murderer, and even though she's never charged, her life is changed forever. Five years later, Lucy has come back to town for her grandmother's birthday celebration, and an up and coming podcaster has decided to delve into the cold case and see if the murdered can be revealed. This book is full of small town rumors, good ole boys, and a grandmother that somewhat resembles Golden Girl Blanche Devereaux. Great read!

This may be one of my favorite thrillers I’ve read. It was so fun to read that I literally couldn’t put it down, and finished it in a day.

The tone is something I would expect from a thriller, but it was so refreshing. The main character Lucy is so sassy and sarcastic and I loved it so much. Its twists and turns will make you freak at some points and it was a journey from beginning to end!

Also to note, I got the audiobook as an arc too and it’s one of the best made ones I’ve ever listened to. The podcast aspect is 100% like listening to a real podcast. It’s so authentic and the narrators did such an amazing job!

An incredible book by Amy Tintera! Listen For The Lie is a podcast thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, turning the page to find out more. I loved the podcast dynamic of this book, it fit in really well and really brought the story to life (for me personally.) I like that there were lots of characters to be introduced to, and while I didn't like certains ones specifically, it wasn't super overwhelming having quite a few different names and relationships to remember. I enjoyed the main character, Lucy, and her dark sense of humor and the witty banter between her and the other characters. This is definitely a book to watch out for when it releases. Great story, great suspense, and the ending wasn't one I was expecting AT ALL.

am not going to lie about Listen to the Lie, but I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I finished this in 1 day and I gobbled it up. I could not stop reading I loved it so much.

The podcast vibe I was very into - I haven't read many podcast thriller / mystery books, I just haven't really read one and I really liked the format of this!

Plot/Pacing: I was intrigued by the MFC having amnesia and not remembering the murder of her friend, while also being incorporated with the plot of people in the town giving their side of the story. I was pulled in, every chapter felt like a cliff hanger!

Characters: I loved the MFC, she dark humor matches mine, and her wit and banter with everyone had me cackling. The other characters were intriguing, very much giving "everyone here is lying," vibes. I suspected everyone at one point LOL !!

Twist(s): I honestly did not see the plot twist coming. It was literally the last person I would have guessed if I am being honest !!

There did seem like a couple plot holes to me, but nothing major - my rating still stands and I highly recommend this book.


Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the free E-Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unreliable characters? A murder? A podcast? COUNT ME IN!

Lucy is enemy number one. Everyone thinks she killed her best friend in her small town & tie a little amnesia in. Yep you heard that right, Lucy can't remember ANYTHING from that night. Just when things couldn't get worse... she finds out there's going to be a podcast about the murder. And if timing couldn't be more worse, her grandmother is throwing a party and Lucy has to go back to her hometown.

This book is told in separate timelines of the present (5 years post murder) and leading up to the murder so you as the reader can decide if Lucy is the murderer.

This is a fast-paced, dark & twisty thrill of a ride in such a fun format! I am a sucker for any thriller based around a podcast and I LOVED how this one was blended in with the story.

This book has everything in it, even down to a little romance and I know it's going to be a favorite of mine!

Thank you to Amy Tintera, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was really good. I especially liked the Podcast aspect. There were a few twists that I honestly didn't see coming. I kept thinking that I knew who did it, but I was wrong and I liked that.

I have to say that my favorite character was Beverly. I hope I am a free spirit like her when I get older. I liked Lucy, her sense of humor made me laugh more than once. I did not like Lucy's parents, especially her mother. All she cared about was appearances.

I just wanted to add, that I also listened to the audiobook while listening. (It made the podcast aspect so much better). It was my first time listening to an audiobook and I am so glad I did.

This was a fun, fast-paced read that really captured my attention. Told in past and present timelines and interview-style podcast episodes, this story will leave you in suspense guessing at Lucy’s guilt or innocence of killing her best friend, Savvy, until the very end. Even Lucy doesn’t know if she’s guilty or not due to a traumatic brain injury causing amnesia for much of the day in question.
Amy Tintera did an excellent job bringing the multitude of characters to life and you really get a feel for all of them, even Savvy, who is dead for much of the book. This story was equal parts mystery, suspense, thriller with a little bit of smut thrown in.
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this arc. Be on the lookout for it when it comes out on March 5, 2024!!

NetGalley Review - my rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

"Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera is a fast-paced psychological thriller surrounding the story of Lucy Chase, a woman accused of murdering her best friend, Savvy. Ben Owens is a podcaster who is determined to figure out if she really did it. The police didn't have enough evidence so Lucy was never tried for the crime. Everyone in her hometown thinks she got away with murder -- literally. The problem? Lucy can't remember that night and even she thinks she did it.

WOW! Just wow. This was such a great book. Recommended to me & I am so glad I requested it. I couldn't put it down! I didn't make my usual guesses along the way and just went for the ride. So happy I did!

There's not a thing I would change about this book. Big thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC!

You all HAVE to check this one out when it publishes on March 5, 2024!

#netgalley #amytintera #listenforthelie

Lucy is the most likely suspect in the murder of her best friend Savvy (short for Savannah) but she was no memory of that night and what occurred. Five years post murder, she goes back to her small hometown in Texas to celebrate her grandma’s birthday and the major postcaster telling her story conveniently follows. Lucy starts telling her story in the interest of remembering and learns that she is kicking a hornets nest and has no idea who she should trust.

I loved Lucy’s character. She has depth and I also love that she gives zero f*#% and despite everything that occurs is 100% herself. This was such a great story and I highly recommend you read, it’s the best book I’ve read in a while.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the digital arc!

Listen for the Lie was a fast moving thriller with a side of dark comedy-- I don't think murder is supposed to make me giggle, but this book did. I really enjoyed the format-- one part first person narrative and the other part a true crime podcast that alternated throughout the novel.

Lucy has returned to her small hometown in Texas after leaving for California five years prior following the murder of her best friend, Savvy. Lucy was discovered that fateful night covered in Savvy's blood wandering down a country road and as a result, she has been assumed by the locals to have been the one who killed Savvy. The problem is that Lucy has no memory from the entire night, so she can't even be sure herself that she didn't actually kill her best friend. Ben, a true crime podcaster, is also in Lucy's hometown, devoting an entire season of his podcast to unearthing the truth behind Savvy's death. Lucy has agreed to help him, even if it means that it might prove once and for all that she truly was the one who murdered Savvy.

This was great thriller that pulled me in from the opening chapter, and kept me guessing until the very end.

Listen for the Lie is the story of Lucy Chase, a woman accused of her best friend's murder. Lucy's character is flawlessly portrayed, and her sarcasm makes her instantly relatable to readers. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, the book takes us on a journey from the small town of Plumpton, Texas, to Los Angeles, California, as Lucy seeks refuge from the accusations and relentless gossip.
 
Enter Ben Owens, a podcaster who likes to solve true crime mysteries. His pursuit of truth in Savvy’s case is both compelling and thorough. With interviews and an eye for detail, Ben peels back the layers of suspicion surrounding Lucy, leaving no stone unturned in his quest for justice.
 
The narrative unfolds drawing readers into its secrets. Each character adds depth and intrigue to the story. As Ben digs deeper, the truth slowly emerges, casting new light on the events of that fateful night.
 
Overall, Listen for the Lie is a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense.