Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is an excellent, keep the pages turning read. Reading the blurb, I knew it was a book I would most likely enjoy, but it surpassed my expectations. The writing style, and the character development kept me intrigued throughout the whole story. The sarcasm and wit of the main character Lucy even had me giggling at times. I really enjoyed the whole podcast element and reading the episodes. I absolutely felt like I was following an actual true crime drama podcast. I read Amy Tintera is a Young Adult author. I hope she continues to write adult fiction. I look forward to reading more of her work.

I loved the premise of the book, a twist on the “who dun it” where everyone believes they know who the killer is. Throughout the book, I sympathized with the main character and wondered how no one was in this girl’s corner- not even her parents. The book did a great job of showing how perpetrators of domestic violence are often charming and come off as non-threatening until it’s too late. They are master manipulators, as we see in this book. It is not lost on me that had Matt been honest from the beginning, poor Lucy would not have endured the torture of the last 5 years.

The book was very well written, kept you captivated, and was overall a great read. The only reason it wasn’t a 5 star for me was because I was able to figure out the actual killer about 3/4 of the way through based on the last sentence in chapter 44. I would definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you to Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited to read a thriller by an author I've never read from before, and Amy Tintera did not disappoint!

In this twisty read, we follow Lucy Chase. Five years ago, Lucy was found disheveled and covered in her best friend Savannah's blood on the side of the road. She doesn't have any memory of the previous night and soon becomes the main and only suspect in Savvy's murder. No one in her small hometown (Plumpton, TX) believes she is innocent -- including her parents -- but the lack of concrete evidence allows her to stay out of prison. Since that night, Lucy's been living in Los Angeles and trying to escape her past. That is, until Ben Owens decides to make Savvy's murder the subject of his next podcast season and piques Lucy's interest. At her grandma's request, Lucy returns to her hometown to revisit her past and see if she can find the truth of what happened the night of Savvy's murder.

I finished this in a day. It was so fast-paced and kept me guessing what the truth really was. The chapters were short and full of sarcasm, secrets, dysfunctional family members, nosy neighbors, twists and turns, and everything else you could hope for in a mystery/thriller. Lucy's dark humor was so great too. I found myself laughing at loud at some of the things she (or her grandma) said. I loved reading from Lucy's POV and then reading transcripts of Ben's podcast interviews with the residents of Plumpton. You don't know who is telling the truth -- they all have their own secrets and versions of who Lucy is and what happened that night. The ending of this book had my heart pounding and made me gasp several times. I highly recommend reading this once it comes out (March 5)!!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Five years ago, Lucy Chase’s best friend Savannah was brutally murdered after attending a wedding in the small town of Plumpton, TX. When Lucy was found wandering and covered in blood, she soon became the prime suspect. But Lucy doesn’t remember anything about what happened to her friend and because there was not enough evidence, she was never charged with the crime. Now, present day, a podcaster has decided to revisit and possibly solve the case. Lucy finds herself back in TX for her grandma’s birthday where she happens upon Ben Owen’s, the podcaster. Because she remembers very little about that night, Lucy finds herself drawn into the investigation, wanting to help Ben in his quest for the truth. Many people come forward with information on the case and the night of the murder. But Lucy is not really sure who is telling the truth and who is lying. This was a twisty, edge of your seat novel that made an exciting audio book! I highly recommend this read!

Obsessed. This was so so good. Wasn’t familiar with the author going into it but the podcast element plus thriller got me. LOVE the format with the chapters and podcast transcripts. I could not read fast enough. I really love Lucy and was rooting for her the whole time and my god the inner voice commentary was hilarious. The touch of comedy mixed in and the sarcasm was perfect. Highly highly recommend!! Thank you NetGalley so much for this ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've read several books recently that have a podcast angle and not all of them have pulled it off successfully. Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is a good example of a story that uses this element successfully to propel the story rather than just supplement it. It kept me guessing, too, and the murderer of Savvy came as a surprise. My one complaint is that Ben was the only person who seemed to realize that Lucy had some sort of PTSD/brain injury, but even he didn't encourage her to get medical help for it, he just kept her talking to fuel his podcast. I doubt something like that just disappears because she remembered the night of Savvy's murder. If you like small-town gossip, lots of sleeping around (WTH Lucy's mom!!?), a cool grandma, and a juicy murder mystery, this one's for you. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I fell in love with the murder mystery sub-genre after reading A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson early last year, and no other murder mystery/thriller has hit as hard as that, and it made me feel really discouraged because I wanted to so badly chase that high. Let me tell you, Amy Tintera's "Listen for the Lie" FINALLY gave me that feeling again.

I want to start by saying that Lucy is probably one of my favourite female main characters. Tintera writes Lucy's dialogue in such a raw way. Writers typically think "oh, this woman is in her twenties or thirties, she obviously has to speak proper and act mature". Well, here's some breaking news for ya, I"m 26, and I don't speak proper and maturely (at least most of the time). Lucy speaks like an ACTUAL person her age in 2024. She doesn't try so hard to act like a stereotypical adult, she's real and raw and it was refreshing to read.

Another thing that I loved about this book was that (and this might not have been intentional by Tintera) the use of impulsive thoughts. Because Lucy is being accused of murder, when we read her internal thoughts, we as the reader will most likely automatically think "Oh, that's suspicious" and automatically wonder "did she really do it?" and "if she thinks like this, she must have!" and I think that's fascinating. The impulsive thoughts that Lucy has are random thoughts that another person might have, especially in the situations she's in and the people she's around. Not saying that I've experienced every impulsive thought she's had in this book, but some of them are just normal angry thoughts and imagery that a normal person might experience, but because she is the main suspect in a murder case, we automatically view those thoughts as "proof" of her guilt. I loved this because Tintera gives us another perspective that really opened my eyes a bit.

Overall, I really loved this book. It got me out of a really bad reading slump, and it gave me hope in the murder-mystery/thriller genres again. It was super fast paced without being overwhelming with characters or info dumping. I couldn't put it down, reading it in one sitting! A true page turner, never being bored for even a second. 10/10 recommend!

Thank you to Celadon Books, MacMillan Books, and of course Amy Tintera for giving me the opportunity and the honour of reading "Listen for the Lie" ahead of it's March 5th release (2024). I couldn't be more grateful.

*POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD / TRIGGER WARNING*

I do believe that Tintera tacked the topic of domestic violence very well. She did not make it hard to read, but she made it real, with real reactions from the characters, empathy, and support. I love that she didn't make it some huge thing, but rather a piece of the story that didn't romanticise it or highlight it in any way, which I've seen a lot of in books, so I appreciate Tintera for that. Shedding light without romanticising it. Thank you.

As soon as I read the description of this one, I knew I'd be hooked. What I didn't expect was to find such depth in the author's writing – the prose was stunning and digestible, the writing style was clean and well-written, and the characters were so layered and flawed and real in a way you rarely see in fiction books like this.

The pacing of this was unique in the sense that it was slow and steady and not your usual edge-of-your-seat page turner, and yet it held my interest and had me reaching for my Kindle to keep going because I was eager to learn how it would all unravel.

I loved the dark humor and the internal monologue that added a unique flare to the story. I can't wait for this one to come out and will be recommending it online and to my followers on Bookstagram as well as to all my friends and family members!

What did I just read. I love me a fast paced thriller. This story kept me on my toes and really left me guessing. I recommend! I recommend! I recommend! Throughout I wasn’t sure if I could trust the MC and kept second guessing all the other characters but I grew to really care about the MC and her story. She was portrayed as flawed but lovable and I couldn’t relate more to her sarcastic style.

So this wasn’t really a surprise because 2 of my trusted reviewers rated this highly, but like, I wasn’t expecting it to be *this* good?

Lucy was found the day after her best friend’s murder wandering the roads with a giant welt on her forehead and her best friend’s blood on her dress. She claims that she can’t remember anything from that night, and soon everyone in her small Texas town thinks she did it. After moving to Los Angeles, Lucy travels back to Texas at her grandmother’s request, and there she finds something shocking: the podcaster that unearthed this cold case and showed the world who Lucy was is in town and ready to get to the bottom of this murder.

There’s not much I can say except that this was (almost) perfection! The writing was great, the pacing was EXCELLENT, the characters were amazing, the atmosphere was impeccable, the tension was THERE. No spoilers, but I guessed the killer, but I could’ve NEVER guessed the motivation! Watching Lucy slowly piecing the story together along with reading about the podcast episodes was an experience!

Bottom line: read this.

4.75/5 Stars (rounded up)

thank you to the publisher for the e-arc!

This book was a wild ride! Every time I thought I knew who the killer was, a new suspicious character was introduced then I was convinced it was them. The beginning started a little slow for me, but about 30% in, I couldn’t put it down!

Thank you so much for allowing me to be an ARC reader. I enjoyed this book a lot!

This was a fantastic thriller. The author really keeps you guessing with so many twists and turns. I love the main characters dark humor!

You'll never guess who did it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED this book. Completely devoured this book in a day.

The idea behind it was wonderful, and I loved the idea of the podcast filling in the important details really made this book stand out to me. It was such a twist.

What I really loved about Lucy was she was actually a bit crazy. She wasnt fully innocent like most books paint the main female.

If you love twisty thrillers, you'll love this.

DNF @ 20%

Didn't connect with the MC whatsoever. She's sarcastic and relatable in some regards, but found her to be too casual about the entire ordeal. Plus the amnesia in this one felt a bit ridiculous.

Feel like the crime podcast element is overdone and not compelling. Not the intricate and detailed thriller I was expecting.

There is so much to love in Amy Tintera’s latest book, Listen for the Lie! It’s unique, witty, suspenseful, and even funny! I could not put it down!

Five years ago Lucy’s best friend was murdered in Lucy’s hometown, and Lucy was the main suspect. Due to lack of evidence, Lucy was never tried for the crime. She fled her small town in Texas for the big city life of Los Angeles. Now she is returning to small town Texas for her grandma’s birthday party and tricked into working with a well-known podcaster to find her best friend’s murderer, who very well may be Lucy herself!

I loved the short chapters that went back and forth between now and five year ago and also included transcripts from the podcasts. There was never a boring minute reading this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Listen For The Lie
By Amy Tintera

Incredible!
If you love a mystery thriller, dark humor and suspense, please read this.

A fast paced read with short chapters that will keep you guessing until the end. It’s very tense with family drama, jaw dropping secrets, characters that you will love and some you will hate, but Lucy is an amazing character that you will cheer for her the entire time, with her fun and sarcastic way. And of course, grandma Beverly, she is the adorable character of the story.

I really loved this book and you should read it too!

Coming out on March 05, 2024!

🎧 LISTEN FOR THE LIE REVIEW 🎧
Pub date: 3/5/2024

Overview:
🤞🏼Best friends
❓Unsolved murder
🗣️ Intrusive thoughts
📍 LA ✈️ Texas
🎙️ True crime podcaster

Synopsis: It’s been five years since Lucy’s best friend, Savannah, was killed…and it might have been her who did it. The morning after Savvy’s death, Lucy is found wandering by the road, covered in Savvy’s blood. Lucy has no memory of what happened, even five years later. The people in her small town are quick to label her as guilty, and Lucy flees to LA to escape the judgment of her former community. True crime podcaster, Ben, solved his first cold case in his first season, and next he plans on solving Savvy’s unsolved murder. Ben and Lucy are both back in small town Texas, and both of them are seeking the same thing: the truth.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 This book had me close to abandoning all of my adult responsibilities to read it. I was invested in the story and dying to know what happened. There were details that made me unsure whether I could trust Lucy, and it was enough to keep me guessing about her role in Savvy’s murder. I was completely shocked by the ending, and I can’t wait for it to come out in March so I can talk to more people about it. Lucy’s grandma was one of my favorite characters and has made my list of favorite literary grandmas. Though the podcasting element is used frequently these days, I felt like the interviews revealed new information and kept me engaged. There are a LOT of potential trigger warnings, so make sure you do your research in that regard before you pick this one up. Add this to your TBR and make sure to get yourself a copy when it comes out in March!

𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 📕
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I came across this book on my feed from some other readers and it had rave reviews. I was excited when I got a read now email from @netgalley offering it. I love a good thriller. @amytintera I really enjoyed this one. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I did not see that ending coming I really did pick the wrong killer 🤣. In the words of Stephen king this is really “a world class whodunit” book. That alone with other great reviews peeked my interest. The story is told from the POV of Lucy. She is the main character who is also a murder suspect in her besties death. Five years has passed and she doesn’t want to bring up those memories. Well with the help of her manipulative grandma and a nosey podcaster she may finally find out what happened that night. Only problem is she still has amnesia. The reader is taken back to her home town and given a first hand account of Lucy’s past life and all the people in it. After learning about the people in her life it’s a wondering she wasn’t more screwed up. Her grandma is her number one fan and I loved their relationship. By the 70 percent mark I had clearly picked the wrong killer in my mind but I mean literally it could be anyone including her parents. That’s how screwed up this small town was. I really enjoyed this one. My first time reading a plot from a true crime podcast storyline. Thank you @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the ARC. This book publishes 3/5/2024. Happy Reading.

❓what’s your favorite true crime show or podcast? I personally like unsolved mysteries (old school)

#thriller #podcast #read #reading #ilovereading #books #ilovebooks

I am obsessed with true crime podcasts and love when books include them. This one was fantastic. I was hooked from the beginning and had no idea where it was headed. I loved the ending and thought everything was tied up with a bow. Highly recommend this one!

Listen for the Lie follows Lucy, who is suspected to have killed her best friend, Savvy, but suffers from selective amnesia. Charismatic podcaster, Ben, travels to Lucy’s hometown at the same time Lucy returns to it, and he is determined to find out the truth about Savvy.

I found this to overall be a really entertaining and fun thriller. There were elements of dark humor and wit from Lucy, untrustworthy and shady side characters, and it was just honestly a real page-turner. I thought the ending was actually SO good, which is always a concern for me in thrillers. The book did a fantastic job putting the story together piece by piece and building up suspense for the end.

The podcast interludes have a very “None of This is True” feel, so I wasn’t sure if I would like them, but I did enjoy the unique way in which the interviews added new information to the mystery. Side characters were introduced and important parts of Lucy and co.’s history were revealed, and I thought they were very well done.

The book took me a little while to get into, but I felt like it really picked up around the 35-40% mark. From about 50% to the end, I could not put it down.

I am looking forward to reading more Amy Tintera in the future, and this book is a definite recommend from me!