First 5 star novel for 2024 in the books!
I was absolutely blown away by this one.
Lucy is a fantastic MC and immediately hilarious and charming, as well as Grandma.
The podcast vibe was done beautifully and I was hooked right away.
It's hard to say, but there's not one single thing I would change about this book.
For a "debut" adult thriller, Amy Tintera knocked this one out of the park, 100%.
Will forever be recommending this one to anyone who will listen.

Synopsis: Hours after her best friends body is found, Lucy is seen wandering the streets covered in blood with no recollection of what happened. What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter? Ben, a true-crime podcaster, sets out to investigate and Lucy, the prime suspect, decides to team up to help him solve her best friends murder.

My thoughts: The podcast and truth vs. lie elements in Listen for the Lie reminded me so much of Lisa Jewell’s, None of this is True. If you loved that, I definitely recommend putting this on your radar! It flips between true crime podcast scripts and Lucy’s present POV. I liked how the podcast would reveal little details, leading the reader to try and put the rest of the pieces together. Packed with suspenseful thrills, unlikeable characters, + dark comedy (Lucy and Grandma had me cackling) made this a standout thriller!

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera was just too much fun. It was witty, fun and trashy in the best way. I can’t lie, I will always be a sucker for the “returning to home town to solve an old mystery” trope and the “podcast solving a murder” trope and this book blended the two together deliciously.

Lucy and her grandma were hilarious together. The rest of the town is just a disastrous mess. Seeing podcaster, Ben Owens, navigate in the town and with Lucy and her family was so much fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC .

If you're looking for a fast-paced, hard-to-put-down thriller filled with dark humor, plot twists and even a podcast then you'll find it in Listen for the Lie! This book caught my attention from the beginning and kept me up late at night wondering what could possibly happen next! Very fast paced story-line full of interesting characters ! I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend!

The small town of Plumpton, TX is convinced that Lucy killed her best friend Savvy. Although the murder of Savvy remains unsolved, the court of public opinion has already convicted her and ran Lucy out of town. Now, 5 years later, her grandmother Beverly convinces her to come home for her 80th birthday party. It is conveniently at the same time that podcaster Ben Owens has made Lucy and Savvy's murder the subject of his podcast "Listen for the Lie," stirring up the controversy again.

I really enjoyed the way this story was laid out. It is mainly told from Lucy's POV, but we also get excerpts of "Listen to the Lie" with interview of everyone in Lucy's orbit - her family, old friends, and so many others. It is fast paced and fascinating. I had a love-hate thing going with Lucy... she could be annoying at times, but you also felt bad for her because she was trying hard to remember what happened to her on the day Savvy died. I liked the growing 'friendship' between her and Ben, and the twist at the end was unexpected, but not out of left field.

4.5 stars rounded up! This book was SO GOOD. This story had a twisty web with a lot of characters involved without anything being confusing or convoluted, which I think can be difficult to achieve. Amy Tintera does a wonderful job keeping the reader guessing without throwing in obvious red herrings, or working too hard to throw the reader off track. This was absolutely brilliant. Well done.

I don’t give out my 5 stars so easily. This is undeniably one of the best novels I’ve enjoyed. I already know, I’m going to be recommending this one to anyone addicted to great dark comedy and thrillers. I’’m definitely going to be reading more works by Amy Tintera!

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC)
Lies, lies and more lies. But who is lying and who are they lying about? After living in LA for five years, Lucy Chase returns to her hometown of Plumpton, TX, the place where her best friend Savvy was murdered. With Savvy’s blood covering Lucy, everyone in the small town assumes Lucy was the murderess. Ben Owens, the smug and handsome host of the true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie”, also arrives in Plumpton to interview the family and friends of those who knew Lucy best in his quest to find the killer in this town filled with people who will lie to protect one another and themselves.

Listen for the Lie is a fast paced and sometimes dark thriller with a colorful cast of characters. Spunky Grandma Beverly is the grandma we’d all love to have and her belief in and love for Lucy is heartwarming. Ms. Tinterra’s engaging style of writing will keep you engrossed in this suspenseful whodunit thriller.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books and Amy Tintera for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A murder suspect is the subject of a true crime podcast. Friendship, marriage and family, toxic masculinity, media gossip and perception. First of all everyone is way too horny. Sex is the only hobby the characters used to distract from boredom, turmoil and grief. It became this annoying trope that made everybody unlikeable—except grandma, she’s great. The tone surrounding domestic violence had women excusing vile behaviour because the abuse went both ways. Worse was a character’s advice that defined a survival response to abuse as becoming a monster too— adulterer, murderer— instead of leaving. That really disturbed me. I also hated the reveal. I hated it even more because there was absolutely no set up for it. Literally came out of the blue over the course of two chapters. That character then became a cardboard villain. The best part of this novel was the presentation of dishonesty, hiding and vices that erode justice. How men believe (protect) each other and how woman contribute to misogyny. That felt real, that was well done.

*It was a pleasure to read the ARC for Listen for the Lie, thank you A. Tintera and Celadon Books.
—Amia Lort on Goodreads

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?

After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Including everyone in her family except for her Grandmother. Listen For The Lie podcast is in its second season and the host, Ben Owens, wants to investigate the murder for the second season. Lucy has no desire to return home and talk about it but a birthday invitation from her Grandmother has her rethinking things. Lucy does want to discover the truth, whatever it is.

All the good things you're hearing about this are true. Listen For The Lie feels fresh. The inclusion of a podcast has been done before but it's incorporated into the story differently here. The host's role is significant and all the characters are involved to varying degrees.

Many of the characters are truly despicable, as they are meant to be. Then there are truly delightful characters like Lucy's Grandmother. She is fun and wonderful. Lucy and Ben are likeable as well.
I like the setup and how the story is told. We have one narrator and one timeline (yay!) with a few flashback chapters happening further along. You will be kept guessing!

The thing that stands out for me is the writing. It just flows so easily. Lucy's narrative voice is delightfully unique. The dialogue is perfect, even from non perfect characters. Let's not forget about the dark humor. Lucy and Grandma will have you laughing. It's all truly a delight to read.

4.25 stars out of 5.

This book immediately pulled me into the story and I could not put it down. I ended up finishing it in 1 day! The writing was excellent and I loved the humor thrown in. I absolutely loved the main character Lucy. In the book, we meet Lucy who was accused of murdering her best friend Savvy. She was never convicted but everyone in her small town thinks she did it so she moved to LA. Lucy has amnesia and can't remember the night at all. She ends up going back home for her grandma's birthday and then runs into a podcaster, Ben, who has featured her story. Ben tries to help Lucy figure out who murdered Savvy. Throughout the book I thought I figured out who killed Savvy but then another twist was thrown in and I was wrong. I was pretty shocked when it was finally revealed but it really made sense. The ending was great and I'm happy with it.

Overall, this is a perfect thriller for those who love crime books!

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Once I started this book I did not want to put it down until I finished it. I think the author did a really good job of putting us in the protagonist's shoes and really feel her emotions throughout the whole story, which can be hard to do in a story like this. I also feel like the author was able to write Lucy's amnesia in a way that felt realistic.

This book also cemented my feelings about ever living in a town this small, it is not gonna happen. I could not imagine living somewhere that if something bad happened, the only way to get away from it is to leave completely. That just sounds exhausting.

I really liked the format of the book, going back and forth between POV chapters with Lucy and transcripts from the podcast episodes. The only complaint I have about this is that I feel that because of that format the middle of the book seemed to drag a bit because there was a lot of focus on several red herrings. I understand that is realistic and I think the intention was to sort of showcase that everyone had something to hide and that's why they were all so quick to point the finger at Lucy, but I think that point could have been made with a few less plot threads so the flow would be better.

I hated almost all the characters except for Lucy, Ben, his assistant, and Lucy's grandma, but I think that was the author's intention so I'm not gonna hold that against the book. If you do not like books with a lot of unlikable characters this is probably not the one for you. I especially hated her parents and I'm glad she didn't just automatically forgive them at the end of the book.

The last minor complaint I have, and I'm saving it for last because it's sort of a spoiler, is that abuse is a pretty big theme of this book. Lucy was abused by her ex and she doesn't want to talk about it because it went on long enough that she started fighting back and her ex used that against her. She is convinced that if she tells people that she will be blamed. While this is a common feeling amongst abused people, I wish the concept of reactive abuse would have been addressed so that Lucy could hopefully see that it was just another manipulation tactic Matt used against her.

“A podcaster has decided to ruin my life, so I’m buying a chicken.”

So begins this absolute delight of a thriller. I didn’t know much about this book going in, which I think is appropriate for thrillers, but the first line sold me and I immediately fell in love with this one. Listen for the Lie tells the story of Lucy who reluctantly returns home after a hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” decides to cover the murder of Lucy’s best friend Savvy.

This book has all the elements a thriller love will enjoy: reluctant return home, small town secrets and a podcast element. Not to mention, the writing and humor in this book is razor ship. I loved our main character This one is a true page turner and I couldn’t get enough. I don’t think readers will be able to put this one down once you are drawn into this smart town saga.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this fantastic thriller!

I devoured this book and the entire time wasn’t ever certain who ended Savvy’s life. A great back and forth between the main character and a podcast, a great read for any podcast/crime fan!

I’d never read the author before (hadn’t heard of her before this, to be honest) so I went into this one fairly blind, armed only with the synopsis, with no expectations or hopes other than one for an intriguing story.

Pros:
Grandma Beverly - easily the best part of the story for me

Cons:
Everyone else
Inner dialogue grows tired quickly
Predictable


I seem to be the outlier in my experience, but I found the mystery aspect here bland. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the right reader for this.



Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the DRC

I had a feeling I would enjoy this but I had no idea how much I would love it. Listen for the Lie is definitely going to be on my Best of 2024 list. I know we're only a month into the year but it's safe to say this book will be #1 for me. I'm going to try to put into words why Listen for the Lie is so good when all I want to do is babble incoherently and tell you to trust me and just read it yourself.

Just five years ago, Lucy and her best friend Savvy, attended a wedding. The night ended with Lucy wandering alone on a road covered in Savvy's blood. Because of a head injury, she doesn't remember anything. When her memory doesn't come back, she goes from fellow victim to suspect. Her own parents and husband are convinced of her guilt. It's a small Texas town so everyone knows each other and they all don't believe Lucy is innocent either.

She moves to Los Angeles and tries to accept she'll never know what happened and can't go back. She's pretty much convinced she must be guilty too. She writes romance novels using a pseudonym and is in a relationship that's basically over. Then a true crime podcast 'Listen for the Lie' becomes focused on Savvy's murder.

Lucy's grandma convinces her to come back for her 80th birthday. Once there she meets Ben, the podcast host. Eventually she agrees to talk to him and try to figure out what happened that night. She has to talk to all the people from her past and discovers they all have secrets of their own.

I flew through this book, it sucks you in and doesn't let go. Listen for the Lie is so well written, perfectly paced and suspenseful. I loved that it has a lot of dialogue that flows well. The podcast segments were great too, they added to the story in the right places and don't take you out of it.

I loved Lucy, she's a great main character. She's real and flawed, snarky and dark. I loved her grandma Beverly, the only one who believes in Lucy's innocence. I can't say enough good things about that character. I loved how dark the book was but it also had so much humor. Listen for the Lie is such an enjoyable and satisfying read from start to finish.

Speaking of that ending, I promise you will not figure out exactly what happened. And I was shocked and pleasantly surprised by a certain scene towards the end. All I'll say is it was very satisfying how Lucy reacted when things finally clicked into place. Okay, I'm still going to tell you just trust me and read it. Ugh, I am disgusted. No book has the right to be this good. If it's at all possible to make this into a series, please do so.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.

And thank you Amy Tintera for writing such an impressive and unforgettable book!

“I try not to smile. I swear to god, I try not to be the asshole that I am, but I utterly fail.” 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣🙌🏻

Ok so ya ya this book is about a murder mystery. But these women. THESE WOMEN. They are my soul sisters. They are laugh out loud funny, brutally honest, and self proclaimed assholes. Same ladies, same. I frequently found myself smiling at their banter. Grandma is a particular fav! These are my people. But I digress…

This 👏🏻 audiobook 👏🏻 is 👏🏻 absolute 👏🏻 gold 👏🏻. Gold I tell ya! I usually listen on 2x speed but I slowed this one down to savor its deviousness. The narration? Perfection 🤌🏻 (I mean one of the narrators IS January Lavoy, after all)! The production? Fire 🔥! I don’t normally listen to podcasts but the podcast portions of the book are done in what I believe a podcast would sound like, with musical scores and a proper introduction. I loved that aspect. This is just an all around 10/10 must listen! The murder mystery keeps you guessing until the end. I can imagine this will be in my top audiobooks of 2024.

THANK YOU to Netgalley, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy has agreed to come back to her hometown for her grandmother’s birthday and is roped into an interview for a podcast at the same time. Lucy is the topic of the true crime podcast as her entire town believes that she killed her best friend years ago. Unfortunately, Lucy cannot remember the events that occurred that day, but she hopes Ben, the smug podcast host, will be able to solve the case.

This was such an excellent thriller! It had so many elements that made me love it- it was funny, had likable characters, plot twists, and an interesting mystery and storyline. To be honest, I’m often tired of the amnesia storyline, but it didn’t bother me here because it seemed believable given Lucy’s head injury and trauma. Ben, Lucy, and Beverly were all charismatic, fun characters. I loved how Lucy leaned into her accused murderer persona and didn’t mind making others uncomfortable. Although I was able to figure out the identity of the person responsible, I was still surprised by several reveals and thoroughly enjoyed the ride!

Thank you to Amy Tintera, Celadon Books, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Rating 3.5/5

Savannah Harper was murdered, and her best friend Lucy Chase was never tried for the crime, even though she was found near the scene bloody and bewildered. The problem is, everybody in their tiny Texas suburb thinks Lucy did it. Years later when she's finally found a sense of normalcy in Los Angeles Lucy receives an email from Ben Owens, the host of a popular podcast, asking to talk because the new season will be dedicated to solving Savannah's case. In a sudden turn of events, Lucy finds herself back in Texas dodging angry townspeople and nosy neighbors, and every time a new episode premieres it dives deeper and deeper into a night that she can't remember and isn't sure that she wants to.

This was a beach read that, while engaging, had a plot that was so implausible at times that it gave me pause. Lucy is in her late twenties, has been married and divorced, and her personality is that of a teenager. The author has written her in a way that's clearly meant to direct the reader down a specific path as to what she's capable of. I'm not fond of this as I'd rather come to my own conclusions, especially with murder mysteries. The people who are supposed to care about her make really questionable decisions when it comes to her well-being to the point of carelessness.

I enjoyed the portions with Ben's podcast the most, as the majority of the interviewees were realistic in their answers and justifiable in their feelings toward the murder and everyone involved. The climax was thrilling and I was engaged all the way to the end, which is what gave the score that extra half a star.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC to review.

It’s been several years since Savvy was murdered and her best friend Lucy still cannot remember what happened that night. What is certain is everyone thinks she had something to do with it, and now that the podcast Listen for the Lie is covering the mystery, Lucy finds she finally has to return home and challenge herself to remember that night. Will she finally clear her name or will she confirm what everyone else suspects?

This is a great page turner. The chapters of Lucy piecing things together regularly alternate with the podcast episodes, providing new clues while simultaneously raising new questions. It builds tension and takes the reader on several twists and turns.

Author Amy Tintera does a really good job developing Lucy as a character. Instead of reading only as cold, sarcastic, and possibly unstable, the main character comes across as witty and even slightly sympathetic. This doesn’t mean she isn’t a huge mess (she is), but she’s a funny mess, and her relationship with her grandmother manages to be oddly charming.

This book is a solid choice for fans of the genre and would allow for a lot of conversation if selected for a book club. At the very least, it’s definitely one to bring along as a vacation read.