4.5 rounded up!

I haven’t had a book in so long hook me from the first two chapters. I was so captivated by the writing and storytelling I just knew I was going to get through this book quick! After finishing the story in two days, I understand why this book was so popular.

To quickly summarize, it’s a fictional take on the podcast Serial, where a podcaster sets out to uncover secrets and evidence that may have been overlooked.

Besides the quick read, I found Lucy incredibly relatable and really enjoyed her sarcastic humor. It was easy to understand her POV and the struggles she endured after the murder of her best friend.

The bouncing back and forth between present day and Lucy’s memory of that night really added to the build of the story. It felt like working on a puzzle for so long and you’re finally putting the last 10 pieces into place.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced copy!

Content warnings: murder, violence, abuse, infidelity, gas lighting, sexual assault, alcoholism

Loved the audiobook of listen for the lie! It was an easy, fast read with unreliable characters and a podcast to tell it all. There was a great balance between whodunit and dark humor in the story and I loved how the main character, Lucy used her f it attitude to deal with life and all it threw at her. One of my favorite thrillers this year!

Listen for the Lie was such a wonderful audio book experience! I loved the book and was interested from the first second. I really enjoyed how the production made it feel like I was really listening to a podcast. The story was so juicy and I was not expecting that ending. It was a fast moving story that did a great job developing the characters. Will 100% read Amy again!

This was such a great listen!! I did a combo of reading and listening and I strongly suggest listening to it. This is a story of murder and somehow I laughed out loud a lot. Murder and laughing out loud really don't go together unless you're listening to this one. A mix of podcast and novel. You'll never figure out the ending, at least I didn't. The narration was great. The first podcast music startled me, but I think by the end, I was prepared and grew to enjoy knowing where we were going in the story. Make sure you pick this one up and give it a listen, or at least read it.

I really enjoyed the podcast style of this production, and exploring the relationship between Lucy and Savvy. The audio was super engaging and i enjoyed the formatting of this book! I would recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

The podcasting elements were interesting. I felt for Lucy and definitely had feelings about those around her.

Rating: 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance audiobook of Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera.

Amy Tintera's Listen for the Lie is an engaging audiobook that managed to hold my attention throughout. The narration is compelling, and the story itself is filled with intriguing twists and turns. However, I felt that the plot was somewhat overcrowded with events/characters, making it feel a bit scattered at times. Additionally, the frequent instances of cheating among the characters were off-putting and detracted from my overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, the book's core plot, podcast feel and suspense kept me invested until the end. With a bit more focus and fewer distractions, this could have been an exceptional listen.

An absolutely fantastic book! I saw this going around Bookstagram and I'm so happy I jumped on it, too. First of all, I love a podcast element but listening to this through the audiobook was completely unmatched. With alternating POVs of Lucy and a true crime podcast, you'll be immersed into a small Texas town where you aren't quite sure who you can trust. I was completely sucked in from the very beginning and couldn't stop eating it up.
Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This audiobook was fantastic and really brought the written test to life. The narrators voice’s fit perfectly with my image of the characters and the tone of the book. The male narrator specifically had the perfect podcast voice! Absolutely fantastic.

In a Nutshell: A slow-burn mystery-thriller that contains plenty of snark and suspense but misses out on character development and logic. Twisty and silly at the same time. Still, it could work well as long as you know how contemporary thrillers work. Take off the thinking cap to enjoy it better.

Plot Preview:
Five years ago, Lucy had been suspected of murdering Savannah, but after there was no evidence to confirm the same, Lucy wasn’t arrested. However, as she doesn’t have any memories of that night, even she isn’t sure if she actually killed her best friend.
Now, the hit crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” has chosen to investigate Savannah’s murder for its new season, and all the old accusations are back. Lucy is divorced, jobless, and has to return to her hometown for her grandmother’s 80th birthday. Will podcast host Ben Owens be able to clear Lucy’s name, or will he confirm her worst suspicion about that night?
Lucy's first person updates us about what's happening in the small town after her return to celebrate her grandmother's eightieth birthday. The podcast interludes update us, through the third person interviews and through the podcaster's speculation, of what might have happened on the night of the murder. We also have another timeline of Lucy’s past with Savannah.

When you read such a storyline, you know that there are only two ways the book can go:
Either Lucy is innocent and gets her redemption at the end with the possible discovery of the true murderer, or she did commit the murder and is a pro at lying the heck out of the situation to save her skin.
Will you have the patience to “listen for the lie” and take a call on Lucy’s potential guilt?


Bookish Yays:
😍 Lucy’s grandmother Beverly is the only character in the book I could root for from start to end without any dip. Excellent character!
😍 There are many sarcastic and witty remarks that add a layer of fun to the serious story.
😍 The podcast format works quite well, especially in the audiobook. I’m not a fan of podcasts in real life; I have never even felt like hearing one. So this felt like I was eavesdropping on some gossipy neighbours. Over the top, but entertaining.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 Lucy seems cocky, so she isn’t exactly a likeable character. But I feel that there are just three broad human reactions possible when accused of murder: defensiveness, offensiveness, or escapism. Lucy uses her brash persona to hide a lot of things. In that sense, she is a fabulous character. Her decision-making skills, though, are highly questionable.
😐 The amnesia trope has been done to death in contemporary thrillers, but I like how it was handled in this book. That said, Lucy is an unreliable narrator because of her memory issues, and the other characters are also unreliable because of the podcast interviews revealing only bits and pieces of the truth. In other words, a whole lot of unreliability here, though some of it is handled well.
😐 There were enough and regular twists to keep me hooked, but some of the turnarounds were outlandish.
😐 Lucy hears a creepy voice in her head, and this was very appealing for most of the way but after a point, it seemed forced into the plot.
😐 The ending left me with slightly mixed feelings. Liked certain parts, rolled my eyes at the rest.

Bookish Nays:
🙄 Same old thriller tropes: gaslighting, sexual harassment & abuse, alcoholic characters, amnesia, deliberate red herrings, unreliable narrator, unlikeable characters who are portrayed as one thing and turning out to be another. No novelty. Very formulaic. Even the culprit is guessable after a point as it’s the standard modus operandi of mysteries.
🙄 What’s wrong with the town? (Said to be Plumpton, Texas, but I hope it isn’t like this in real life.) It feels like the whole town has amnesia about certain characters. Moreover, everybody seems to be sleeping with everybody else without qualms.
🙄 The ad hoc changes in character behaviour didn’t appeal to me. The transition felt awkward. The police also seem to be nincompoops, not that we get to see much of them in the book.
🙄 There are many repeated words and phrases. This becomes even more apparent while hearing the book.

🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 9 hrs 18 min, is narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, who are married to each other in real life. Both of them are excellent. I don’t think I would have liked the book as much had it not been for their skilful portrayal of these grey characters. Moreover, the podcast structure is produced excellently in the audio, making us feel like we are actually listening to one. If you want to try this novel and enjoy audiobooks, then you should definitely go for the audio version, as long as you are comfortable listening to multiple timelines.

All in all, this is a fairly entertaining popcorn thriller. It has its shares of highs and lows, but for the most part, I did have fun. As is common with thrillers nowadays, don't overthink the proceedings and just go with the flow. It is a slowburn story, so don’t expect pacey thrills.
Recommended to thriller readers who would enjoy an entertaining podcast + amnesia trope.

3.5 stars, rounding up for the audiobook.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “Listen for the Lie”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

With an opening line like "A podcaster decided to ruin my life, so I'm buying a chicken," I was prepared for the humor in this book. It is also a clever and thrilling mystery!
Five years ago, Lucy Chase was found wandering in the town of Plumpton, Texas, in clothes stained with the blood of her best friend, Savannah Harper. A head injury and amnesia left Lucy unable to recall any details of what happened. Sympathy quickly turns to suspicion in the small town, even though Lucy has never been charged. She moves to LA to escape the scrutiny.

When Ben Owens decides to do a podcast looking into Savannah's murder, Lucy's anonymity disappears and she is reluctantly convinced by her grandmother, Beverly, to return to Plumpton.

The story is told alternately through Lucy and through episodes of the podcast. Lucy is both eager and reluctant to recover her memory, but mostly she just wants to know what happened to Savvy. The podcast and fragments of Lucy's lost memory reveal new information that shines suspicion on several people. It also reveals that there was more to both Lucy and Savannah than met the eye.

Tintera draws you in with a clever mystery that twists back and forth in a way that has you wanting to find out more. It is also filled with literal laugh-out-loud humor, particularly from Lucy's grandmother Beverly. (If Amy Tintera and Janet Evanovich ever want to team up and write a story starring Lucy's Grandma Beverly and Stephanie Plum's Grandma Mazur I will ride or die with the two of them!)

The audiobook is narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron and they both kill it! Weaving the seriousness of the story punctuated with humor can pose challenges but these two nailed it. Great pacing and distinctive character voices really enhance the story. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

I was provided a copy of this audiobook by the publisher.

The citizens of Plumpton, Texas, are all horrible people. I think that’s the message of Listen for the Lie. My first attempt at this book was a dnf, but I decided to pick it up and try again. I got through it pretty quickly, alternating between the physical and audiobooks, but ultimately I was reminded why I’ve stopped reading thrillers (mostly).
Give me the thrillers with LIKABLE characters, minimal foul language, and not all about sleazy sexual behavior. Do those exist?
I did like the podcast style of this book, and the narration was fantastic. And the main character is funny and snarky. Good pacing. But the mystery wasn’t solved in a satisfying way, the characters were all serial adulterers and/or drunks, with some domestic violence thrown in. I think EVERY character was toxic and a hot mess. I never want to go to this fictional town.
I can see why this is popular, but I don’t recommend it. Thanks to the publisher for the physical copy, ebook, and audiobook—so generous!

"Listen for the Lie" by Amy Tintera offers a compelling premise but struggles with pacing and character development. While the plot is intriguing, the execution falls short in fully engaging the reader. Worth a read for fans of the genre, but may leave some wanting more depth.

What a ride!

I enjoyed this immensely. This amazing thriller includes a murder podcast (check!), amnesia (check!), sheep in wolf clothing (check!) and a small town brimming with secrets, history and grudges.

I loved everything about this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire commute. I couldn't wait to get back in the car to continue, and that is saying something considering I live in Los Angeles. Tintera has done a magnificent job at keeping the reader guessing. The side characters were flawed and ugly and entertaining. Lucy's mom - what a piece of work. Lucy's grandmother - I want to have a drink with her! Ben - Hi, Ben. (Call me!) The plot was a slow burn, which I loved. Lucy now vs. Lucy then. Returning to a hometown that hates her. All of the past secrets and rumors swirling around her. And her own memory, totally unreliable. This is more than an amnesia book. It's more than a murder podcast. Combining all of the wonderfully twisted characters and backstories together, it's ultimately the story of a woman's struggle to seek justice and rise above the small minded society she grew up in and then was banished from.

And who doesn't love a murder podcast? Tintera does a perfect job weaving in the small podcast episodes through the book, giving the reader background stories and tension while furthering the overall plot. I love that I didn't know what happened until I got to the end.

The audiobook readers were stars. Each performer added so much tension and emotion to every scene. I was fully immersed in the world, rooting for Lucy's memory and the truth about what happened.

This is Tintera's first adult book and I cannot wait till the next one. What an adult debut! BRAVO!

Listen to the Lie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Amy Tintera

I requested a audio advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.

My Thoughts: I love these podcast books. Savvy and Lucy were thick as thieves growing up. Savvy was a social butterfly and loved being everywhere. Lucy had married her dream man, whom was wealthily enough to provide a fancy engagement ring and a huge house. Lucy ends up with blood all over her. Savvy’s blood, and she does not remember how it go there. She has had to rebuild her life with a fresh start in LA. Then Ben Owens decides to investigate Savvy’s murder through his podcast. Lucy is forced to return to the place she never thought she would to find out what happened to her friend, even if she is the cause of her death.

Lucy is a very complicated, complex character and even though she may be a murderer, you cannot help to root for her. She is intelligent, capable, and always tells like it is, never sugarcoats anything. Lucy is an author, using a pen name, but is trapped in a relationship that has lost its fizz, and is bored with life. The trauma from the accident has left Lucy with PTSD, brain damage, and issues with her memory, and of course, the death of her best friend, Savvy. Our other MC, Ben Owens, is charming, a little on the smug side, and opens his second season with the investigation into the murder of Savvy. Lucy ends up in town when her grandmother invites her to her birthday party. Lucy is experiencing voices in her head, speficially, Savvy’s voice in her head, telling her to do things that are dark. The characters were well developed, created with depth, were secretive, mysterious, and creatively curated throughout the story. The author’s writing style was complex, twisty, suspenseful,

The narrators, January LaVoy and Will Damron, were fabulous. They have perfect voice variation with the character distinction. The pitch and flow were spot on and I could listen at 2x with no issues keeping up. The narrators really elevated the listening experience.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Listen For The Lie
By: Amy Tintera
Narrated by: January LaVoy and Will Damron
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Pub Date: 3/5/2024

Seriously impressive thriller that keeps you guessing! Narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, they were fabulous!
When Lucy is found walking in the middle of nowhere with a head injury and no memory the whole town assumes she killed her best friend Savvy. Not even her husband and parents believe she has no memory of that night. It’s been 5 years since that awful night and her grandmother's 80th birthday party has her returning to her hometown only now there is a famous podcaster in town investigating. So many people are keeping secrets from her but what will it take for her to remember?

LISTEN FOR THE LIE is a fabulously entertaining and darkly witty murder mystery. Tintera effortlessly brings together unique characters, a cold case, and a true crime podcast investigation that makes this book downright addictive.

From the beginning to the end, I loved this book. Lucy is an overtly candid character with one major gap in her memory. Unfortunately, it surrounds the murder of her best friend and has a town convinced she is the killer. This alone would make for a compelling read, but then the cherry on top is the “Listen for the Lie” true crime podcast’s examination of the death. Flipping back and forth between Lucy and the podcast allows the reader to get a larger scope of what people involved think as Ben, the host, delves into all aspects of this case.

Tintera has the ability to lead the reader down the path to the truth as the reveals and revelations come to light. As a bonus, she added wonderfully juicy tidbits about the players surrounding this mystery. This smartly constructed thriller is filled with hidden secrets, strong emotions, and at times, gallows humor. I loved it all!

Audiobook Note: Narrators January LaVoy and Will Damron bring to life this book. Though I only spent about half the time listening to this story, it benefited from having the two distinct voices present for the narration. The pace was right on point as the listener gets further involved in the investigation and invested in the outcome.

I found myself laughing out loud while reading this thriller, what a fun, entertaining book.

This book is full of interesting characters that do unpredictable things that are uncovered by Ben, a true crime podcaster. He is determined to solve this murder case that happened 5 years ago in small town Texas. The characters in this story just get better and better as you get to know them and the story unfolds. At times in the book you think you know who did it, until another fact leads you to someone else. The twists and turns of this story along with the humor is what makes this book great.

This audiobook is one of the best I have ever listened to. The narrators, January LaVoy and Will Damron, did a great job and made it very clear when the podcast started and ended. I feel like I would have missed great performances if I had read the book.

Fantastic audiobook! The interspersed podcast episodes really added to the suspense. It had some great twists that I did not see coming.

I loved everything about this book. I give this 5 stars for sure! I especially loved the behind the scenes look at a True Crime Podcast and the effects it had on a small town and everyone involved. The characters were well developed and the narration was great. I also really liked the way you felt you were listening to the actual podcast throughout the book. This was so entertaining and I did not see that plot twist coming. I can't to read more from this author.