I don't think I am going to get tired of podcast books anytime soon. I love how this format lends itself to clever twists and a mixed media format - especially when it's done with different (and excellent!) narrators like in this book. I was hooked from the first part and just had to know what happened to Savvy and what exactly was going on with Lucy's memory. The author created such a strong character in Lucy that I found it easy to want to root for her. Everyone in her hometown thought she was the murderer, and I was even left wondering. The podcast added complex, well thought out layers to the plot that kept me hooked the entire time. If you're looking for a solid mystery, I highly recommend this one.

Everyone in her small Texas town thinks Lucy killed best friend, but that there was just not enough evidence to prosecute. She leaves town but five years later returns at her grandmother's request. Lucy remembers nothing from that night, just that she was found covered in Savvy's blood.

Enter Ben, a podcaster who wants to tell Lucy's story and maybe in the process help her to remember what happened that night. Several Books have now used the podcaster angle in telling a story, some well done, some not. This one was well done. I found Lucy to be a sympathetic but strong figure. To come back and face the people in her small town, people who have decided she is guilty and has gotten away with murder. Small towns are extremely insular, as everyone knows everyone else. I Live In one such small town and can attest to this fact. The story told in Lucy's voice, is compelling.

The audio was a terrific way to tell this story.

Amy Tintera's Listen For The Lie is a new five star thriller!!! A must-read for fans of gripping mysteries with a dash of humor. I highly recommend listening to this one on audio. The narrators truly nailed it, making it an immersive and unputdownable experience. If you're looking for a book that's gripping, dark, humorous, and well thought out, this one is the perfect choice.

Five years ago there was a murder in the small town of Plumpton, Texas. Lucy Chase has never been charged for her best friend, Savannah's (Savvy's) murder. But she was there and later found covered in her blood. The only thing is she can't remember a single thing! Five years later she's moved to L.A. to get away from all the accusations but has come home for the week to attend her Grandmother's 80th Birthday Party. Also podcaster, Ben Owens comes to town and features Lucy and the murder for his new podcast. Together can they figure out just what happened on that fateful night 5 years ago?

The story is told in mixed media format in alternating chapters told from Lucy's point of view and through a podcast episode from Ben's eyes as the story unfolds. I think the audiobook was really well done and is a great way to enjoy books delivered in this format. The narrators are excellent. January Lavoy is amazing in this with all the various characters she does and Will Damron does a great job with his role as Ben.

Special thanks to Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

♡ Audiobook Review ♡
♤ Release March 5 ♤
- Tropes -
Murder Mystery
Podcast Style
Thriller & Suspense
.
.I don't know what it is about the podcast type style writing, but I am LOVING them for thismurder mystery books! I devoured this audiobook in one sitting !!!!!!!
.The narrators January LaVoy and Will Damron did an amazing job. They brought the characters alive.
.Lucy's parents can go to hell, Mac Lucy's ex husband go play in traffic, and Lucy's grandma is the REAL MVP! I love how WE get to interact with all the characters.
.I love how WE were all solving the mystery with Lucy. It wasn't like boom twist, boom twist.
.Ch.21 took me out! The granny in this story is FUNNY! I love her.
.The humor in this story is a masterpiece, and I highly enjoyed it.
.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. 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 who did it.

♡ Thank you, Netgalley and MacmillanAudio, for allowing me the ALC for my honest review ♡

"Listen for the Lie" was an exciting, dark thriller I couldn't stop listening to once I started. I finished the whole thing in one day, and I was completely absorbed. The audiobook is excellent with multiple narrators. The chapters alternate between chapters from a suspect's perspective and true crime podcast chapters that explore the murder. I liked the alternating viewpoints and how it revealed all the characters in the story. I didn't see the answer coming. I'll definitely read more from this author.

Listen for the Lie is the adult fiction debut from Amy Tintera and is also a March Book-of-the-month pick.

"Years ago, Lucy was found wandering out of the woods. She had no memory of how she came to be covered in her best friend Savvy's blood. Everyone thinks she murdered Savvy but Lucy is never charged with a crime. She moves to California to start over.
Now a popular true-crime podcast, Listen for the Lie, has chosen to investigate this case and find Savvy's killer. Lucy is forced to return to finally clear her name and get justice for Savvy.."

This is a fantastic audiobook performance from the husband-wife team of January Lavoy and Will Damron. I did not want to stop listening, There's one part where Lavoy adds so much to the voice in Lucy's head. The first time you hear it is surprising and creepy. And it makes you wonder about Lucy's innocence. And the podcast is realistic from Damron.

One of my favorite parts is Lucy's voice. Her memory loss makes her question everything. And the voice in her head is not helping.

Lucy remembers a little at a time (yes - dual timelines) and we get the story about what really happened the night that Savvy died. Tintera has the killer hiding in plain sight. I did not guess this one.

Great story from Amy Tintera. Add this to your beach reads this year.

Thank you so much NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, & Amy Tintera for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🖤⁠

Oh my goodness!! I loved every single thing about this book!⁠
⁠
The storyline, the podcast, the mystery behind Savvy’s murder & the fact that everyone in town including Lucy’s parents were so quick to blame her. I truly had no idea what exactly happened but I couldn’t wait to find out!!⁠
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📖 Read this one if you're into: podcasts, true crime, small towns, unreliable narrators, multiple viewpoints, drama, who dunnits, & wild twists & turns⁠
⁠
Moral of the story: do NOT miss out on this book!!

Lucy and Savy are best friends in their little town. But when Savy is found dead, and Lucy is walking down the street covered in her blood, it doesn't look good for Lucy. The whole town believes she murdered her friend, despite a negative sentence during the trial. Fast-forward 5 years, Lucy has moved out of the little town, but returns for her grandmother's birthday. Simultaneously, Lucy discovers there is a podcast being completed on the murder of Savy. Although she hates the thought of revisiting her worst nightmare, Lucy decides this could be the opportunity for her to really figure out what happened that night.

Let me first say I'm a sucker for podcasts, and I am finding I like the audiobooks that include podcast clips to be very enjoyable. This audiobook did a good job of mimicking a podcast with intro music and all. The story itself was good, fast-paced, and had some nice twists at the end that I did not see coming. Id recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the podcast mystery genre, or those that just enjoy reading mystery novels.

Listen for the Lie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Amy Tintera

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for early access to this five star thriller! It was so unbelievably good! Wow!

There are a handful of recent popular books about producing a crime podcast. I assure you this is the very best one though. I binge listened in less than 24 hours.

Lucy is suspected of murdering her best friend, Savvy. She is never arrested, because there wasn’t enough evidence. Lucy suffered from a head injury that night, so she doesn’t remember anything. Then a popular podcaster created a true crime podcast about Lucy and Savvy. This forces Lucy to revisit her hometown and question what happened the night Savvy was murdered.

This book had me on my toes the entire time. I devoured it. Amy Tintera does a great job bringing the characters to life and truly wrote an amazing thriller.

🖤 Genre: Thriller
🤍 Steamy rating: Moderate (not detailed, but these people were having a lot of sex)
🤬 Profanity: High
🎧 Method: Early Access Audiobook


Triggers: Domestic violence, murder, infidelity, and alcoholism

Thank you to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for this advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was fun. Nothing majorly mind blowing, but entertaining and kept me wanting to listen to just one more chapter. It's a very quick, fast paced thriller with a podcast element at its center. I have read a lot of thrillers in the past year featuring a podcast and this one did a good job - especially in the audiobook - of really bringing the podcast to life and differentiating between the cast of characters being interviewed. January LaVoy is one of my favorite audiobook narrators and she definitely elevated this entertaining, if somewhat predictable, thriller.

The amnesia trope gets old sometimes, but it didn't really bother me in this one. I did guess the whodunnit early on but it was still fun to uncover why and how as I listened. Overall, an enjoyable read and I definitely would recommend the audiobook solely for January LaVoy - but also to bring the podcast element of the book alive.

If you’re an audiobook listener - definitely “read” this book on audio! The narration was fantastic!

After Lucy is discovered covered in her best friend Savvy's blood, suspicions of murder haunt her small Texas town. Lucy & Savvy, once the envy of all for their charm and popularity, now cast a shadow of doubt over Lucy's innocence. Despite relocating to Los Angeles to start anew, Lucy's past catches up with her when the hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie" and its charismatic host, Ben Owens, decide to investigate Savvy's murder. Forced to confront her memories—or lack thereof—Lucy returns to her hometown, determined to uncover the truth behind Savvy's death, even if it implicates her in the process.

Tintera's ability to blend suspense with humor was truly excellent. Lucy's dark wit had me laughing out loud one minute and then clutching my heart in the next. It's such a unique and unexpected aspect of the story that adds so much depth to Lucy's character.

And let's not forget about Ben's podcast (which is definite made better with the audiobook version). As if the mystery surrounding Savvy's murder wasn't enough, now we have this whole other layer of investigation unfolding before our eyes. It's like being sucked into your favorite true crime series, only you're living it through the pages of a book!

And can we just talk about that ending? Just when you think you've got it all figured out, Tintera hits you with another bombshell that leaves your jaw on the floor. It's the kind of ending that stays with you long after you've finished the book, and let me tell you, I am still reeling from it.

Trust me, you do not want to miss out on this must-read for 2024!

This story was phenomenal and tandem reading it with the audio was absolutely the right choice. Podcast books are always best on audio and the production here was great. I loved the narrators and it added the right vibe to the rest of the story that I wouldn’t have gotten if I stuck with just print/digital

Lucy’s best friend was murdered and everyone in her hometown thinks she did it. Lucy can’t be sure she didn’t because she remembers nothing from that night.
Lucy moved away from Texas to LA to get away from the people and memories. However, a podcaster named Ben digs up the cold case and begins to resurface all the details surrounding that night. Lucy goes back to her hometown to finally trudge up the past and see if she can remember what happened and when she does, it’s a wild ride.

The narrator was fantastic as was the book! I really enjoyed it!

I have a feeling that we're going to be seeing Listen for the Lie everywhere this spring and summer. In a market where so many of the over-hyped books just don't live up to the anticipation, this one does. Not only did Amy Tintera grab me right from the very first line, but she kept me riveted until the final one. I absolutely loved the podcast interview style of moving the story forward, and Lucy is a fantastic character who is dark and gritty, but also full of snark and wit. For sure, Listen for the Lie is one I'm going to be recommending to all my thriller-loving friends.

While this book is fantastic in any format, it's next level in audio. The narrators are perfect.

I did not see the ending coming. I love how this book was written and how it worked out. The mystery and then the amnesia was so well written. The ending was perfect and I definitely will be reading this one again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow! One of the best books I’ve read this year! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of Listen for the Lie. There were so many things I loved about this book: a layered plot, fast pace, a tiny dash of humor, and a flawed main character who I could root for. The author was masterful in setting up the beats of the plot and I’m already looking forward to reading her next book!
The narration was excellent and I think the audio version of this book is the best way to consume it!

This story was great but the ending was so very violent. It should come with trigger warnings for domestic violence & violence against women. It’s a story that backs up the idea that every woman had had negative interactions with toxic men. Lucy was an amazing character & she definitely got the short end of the stick in a lot of ways. Her Grandma was fabulous & Lucy needed that since her parents were jerks. I was always Team Lucy which allowed me to like Ben as he was trying to solve the mystery. I enjoyed Ben and the alternating segments with the podcast made the story so much better. I hope this isn’t a spoiler but when Lucy remembered what really happened that night with Savannah I was totally surprised, Wow! It was a bit hard to deal with Lucy’s murderous imaginings especially when it was so graphic but then when that surprise got revealed I didn’t see that coming either.

The alternating narrators was so great & made this book so fun. I so enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley , MacMillan Audio & Celadon Books for a copy of this audiobook. It was great!

First of all, this was a fantastic audiobook! January LaVoy and Will Damron did a fantastic job with narration. I highly recommend listening to this book!!

I’ve never read anything by Amy Tintera and I am so glad i took a chance on this one! In this book, we meet Lucy. Lucy is suffering from amnesia revolving around the night her best friend, Savvy, was murdered. The whole town is against her. Everyone thinks she’s guilty. The only problem, she cannot remember ANYTHING about that night. Lucy goes back home to her hometown and bits of the story begin to piece together. But, who’s responsible?! Did she actually kill her best friend?!

Ben, a true crime podcaster, is investigating what happened the night Savvy was murdered. He wants to prove Lucy’s innocence or if she’s guilty.

This book was suspenseful, twisty and kept me engaged. I finished this audiobook in one day. I would definitely recommend this book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC!

The audiobook had the same vibe as “none of this is true” by Lisa Jewell. It was a fun story to listen to.

3.5 stars★ rounded up

"Some people will never believe you no matter how hard you explain yourself. Trust me, there's no pleasing people. If they're determined to think the worst of you, they will.”

Lucy's stuck in a job she can't stand and living with a boyfriend she's not really feeling. Back in her hometown, life was a dream: a wealthy hubby, a gorgeous house, and a promising writing career. But everything went downhill when her bestie, Savvy, passed away and people pointed fingers at Lucy. She can't recall that fateful night and worries she might be responsible for Savvy's death. So, she flees to LA, hoping for a fresh start. But when a popular true crime podcast delves into Savvy's story, all eyes are back on Lucy.

Alright, let's dive into the audiobook! It's seriously good! The way January LaVoy and Will Damron narrate the story is absolutely fantastic. They make the characters come alive, especially with the alternating perspectives between Lucy and Ben's podcast.

The story had me completely captivated right from the beginning. Since Lucy can't remember what happened on the night Savvy passed away, you're left in the same state of uncertainty. As the plot unravels, you discover secrets that go beyond just the murder. Lucy's dark sense of humor and sarcastic personality. I found it fascinating and it added even more depth to her character.

While I wished the ending was more tied up and had an epilogue, I still think you should absolutely check out this book when it releases in March. If you enjoy small town thrillers with a unique storytelling style. And trust me, getting the audiobook will take your reading experience to a whole new level!