Struggled so much with this one I'm afraid. Loved the premise, and it started well, but I got more and more annoyed with the MC as it went on.

Amy Tintera has created something special here. Listen for the Lie was a riveting, brilliantly written and compulsively readable thriller with a central character you will not forget any time soon.

I love a different way of telling a thriller narrative, particularly with the use of multi media. This book made full use of the podcast element, fleshing out the story and side characters, as well as introducing new perspectives and twists we had not yet considered. It played on the form ingeniously, existing as a form of media within the book and adding this textural layer that was so meta and fun to read.

Also, it allowed space from Lucy’s headspace, which was often muddied and complicated. She was a prickly, hurt and vulnerable protagonist. We slowly get to see behind her walls and snark to see the deeply caring person beneath. However, as the tagline goes, you go into the book knowing your trust is precariously walking a tightrope. Tintera leans into this, giving us a fully realised and three-dimensional, complex and extremely messy main character. Her inner voice is one that is very good at reading people to the point of pushing their buttons just to let loose. In short, I loved her.

At the same time, we delve deep into the ethics of true crime and the way people involved in cases become these sensationalised characters for consumers to obsess over. Lucy is a complicated figure - made more so from the ceaseless theories surrounding her. However, Tintera also shows that this comes from her own community and even her family, totally isolating her. It creates this vast and deeply tragic rift and without spoilers, there were moments where my heart ached for her. You always have to question though - what narrative is she presenting at any one time?

Listen for the Lie was a thriller that, like any good podcast, had me utterly hooked and needing to race through to uncover every last secret.

I loved the layered constant non stop scandal and revelations in this book and how almost all the characters were likeable but you didn’t know who to trust or who to believe! Even the main character and murder victim themselves, are great characters, but you’re not sure you believe them. The story is told through podcast interviews and first hand conversations and it weaves them together, dropping bomb after bomb of gossip brilliantly. The language, style, attitudes and sass of the book are very “with the times” and are really funny. The main character, who no one is sure is a murderer or not, is sharp, witty and funny and her mum and grandmother are also a riot! The town seems so dysfunctional but equally makes you want to visit! I devoured this easy, fun read in one day and utterly loved it! It had me hooked, laughing, scandalised and guessing right till the end! Great book!!

Holy smokes that was a rollercoaster ride.

We love an unhinged woman and I will always support Lucy and Savannahs rights and wrongs!

I don't usually like the unreliable / amnesia trope on mysteries but it worked so well here.

For the first time in a long time I was not able to guess who the killer was and why they did what they did.

I couldn't put this down and read it in the space of 48 hours. I've stayed up till 1am to finish it (I'm definitely going to struggle at work today 🤧)

Dark humour thriller with a sassy, sarcastic, realist MFC who’s unsure if she is responsible for her friend’s death? ALWAYS YES 👏 .

I laughed at the very first line. Lucy very much has my sense of humour and her thought process during this whole ordeal is the funniest thing.
“He may be a deeply average dude, but he has great taste in dogs” what better way to explain your boyfriend 🤣

This was my first “podcast” style book I’ve finished and I really enjoyed the writing, it made for easy reading.

A page turner from the start!

This was all absorbing and such a great read! I’m well back into my thriller binge after this!

Wow!! This book certainly didn't disappoint. 4.5⭐️

I loved the mixed media in this book with the extracts from the podcast, for that reason I think this will be particularly great read on audio.

I found the sarcastic wit of Lucy incredibly humourous, us brits are definitely a fan of sarcastic banter, and Lucy has it in spades.

I loved how this book kept me guessing the entire way through, making it impossible to put down. I think fans of butcher and blackbird will eat this up.

A fantastic read, thank you so much to Netgalley allowing me to read this great book.

I’m sorry but just stop what you’re doing right now and read this book!
This is a bandwagon I’m definitely glad I jumped on.
Every year I have a couple of favourite books, I have a favourite of all time and Amy Tintera just knocked that from its spot and claimed it with both hands! This author has found her forte with this style of writing and I urge her to write more like this, in fact no - I BEG her to! I would love this to become a series. I’m already missing our main character Lucy and her hysterical grandma!

I enjoyed every page of this book it really has stole my thoughts for the last 48 hours! A thriller based on a true crime podcast but with a tongue in cheek comedy element with Lucy’s personality! Brilliant!

I really don’t need to write about the storyline you can see that in the blurb, just know it’s a must read! And I would give all the stars if I could.

Thank you to NetGalley and the pulisher and author for my arc.

Really enjoyed this one! Lucy was a great main character and her grandma was even better. Everyone in her old town hates her because they think she murdered her best friend, Ben's podcast is trying to finally decide if that's what really happened. This was fast paced and full of revelations and surprises, i will definitely be interested in any future books by Amy Tintera.

I received an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The book had me at page one! I love sarcasm and always enjoy a little humor thrown into the mix of a good thriller. The podcast is a fun part of the plot. The entire town being involved in the case making assumptions and accusations kept me engaged throughout. This story has a bit of everything: mystery, humor, thriller with a touch of romance. Great unexpected ending…Definitely recommend!

The main character was so interesting and I really didn’t know if she was the murderer until the end! Another character I loved was her Grandmother, who was hilarious!
The chapters are a mix of past, present and podcast transcripts. They were short and snappy which meant I flew through it and couldn’t stop reading ‘just one more’.
A thriller with dark humour and a twist at the end. It was so readable and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

this didn’t work for me. the main character is kinda annoying. she is trying to be sassy but failing miserably. and the plot, i am an avid thriller reader, so the second her ex was introduced, i guessed what happened. after that i skimmed through it.

thanks to the netgalley and publisher for the copy!

I liked the whole idea behind this book and I felt it started off well. It grabbed my attention from the start and I liked the podcast element of it. However the inner voice of Lucy telling her to kill people really got on my nerves after the first few times. It was far too repetitive, tedious and it put me off. I also felt the character of Lucy came across as very childish. Sorry this book wasn't for me.

There seems to be a whole new genre whereby an unseemly young woman is actually a killer, with various unique characters and a dash of humour. Is there a term yet ??

In this novel Lucy helps a podcaster unravel the going ons five years previously when her best friend was murdered.

Lucy returns to her hometown and we meet her delightful grandmother, detestable parents and the delicious podcast host Ben.

Lucy isnt liked by the townsfolk and her personality only helps make her the main suspect. There are a few tangents but they don't make the plot complex or add no value they just help shape the characters.

I really enjoyed how this plot is set, there isn't too great an emphasis on the podcast chat and there is plenty of real time drama alongside it. I also loved straight talking, seemingly unaffected Lucy.

The only negative for me personally was an element of the conclusion (no spoilers here !)

Today is this book's publishing date! Thank you net galley for this ARC!

I overall found this read enjoyable. The dark humor was done very well and the characters were written so well. I loved the setting and the fact that there were short chapters.

Some parts were a little slow and hard to follow and required a bit of re-reading to fully understand, but I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who loves a good “who dun it” thriller.

Oh my life, I have only just finished the ARC of Listen for the Lie, it's out tomorrow and I will have to get a physical copy as this book is a keeper! I have never read Amy Tintera before and it is a given that this author is now on my favourites list. Brilliant!

Oke, got a cuppa so I have recovered enough to get on with my review. This is a novel you will devour at a screaing pace, but don't! Savour it, enjoy the little hints, the narrative, the dialogie that will keep you utterly glued to the pages. There is such relatability, humanism and by eckers if we don't all know a Lucy or a Ben and not always in the way we want to!

Five years prior, Lucy left her hometown after her bestie Savvy was murdered. Did the fact she was covered in blood mean that she was a survivor of the attack that claimed her friend or was she the one who did it? The investigation spiralled, causing her to flee as the suspected murderer, but now she is back, to celebrate her grandmothers 80th birthday and unfortunatley for Lucy, people have long memories and Ben Owens has a podcast.

Key fact, even Lucy does not know if she is innocent or guilty, she remembers nothing of that fateful night

The plotline is beautifully articulated and perfect for our times. Mixed between Lucy's memories and Ben's podcast transcript, it is utterly captivating and I could not put it down. Great pacing, fantastic characters, stunning plot, absolutely blinding conclusion.

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam and te incredible Amy Tintera for this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

This book comes across as a podcast based on true crime. It is very gripping, a really terrifying thriller.
Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy

Brilliant! Clever, funny and punchy!

Lucy reluctantly returns to her home town for her Grandmother’s 80th birthday party, having left five years ago with everyone in the small town believing that she murdered her best friend, Savvy.

It turns out that a podcaster is also in town, determined to find out what actually happened to Savvy and questioning why Lucy claims to have no memory of that night.

Narrated in the present, with the imaginary, very hilarious, ghost of Savvy in Lucy’s head constantly, and through flashbacks to the past, Lucy is a brilliant character; feisty, snarky and not afraid to speak her mind, a trait she surely inherited from her straight-talking grandmother, Beverly, who is utterly brilliant! Definitely the coolest granny ever and when I grow up, I want to be Beverly!

Podcaster, Ben Owens, starts ruffling lots of feathers when he interviews the townsfolk, uncovering all sorts of secrets and anomalies from the night of the murder and Amy Tintera does an excellent job of gradually revealing more and more truths as the book races to an explosive ending.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Amy Tintera Random House for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. If you liked a good girls guide to murder then this one is defo for you. A small town murder and a podcaster sent to investigate. Everyone becomes a suspect, it had me guessing till the very end and I still had no clue who it was until the name reveal. A classic who did it mystery with a romance spin thrown in for good measure. If you like a light hearted murder mystery then I would highly recommend putting this on your TBR.

I cannot describe how much I loved this book!!
With such a strong opening which completely drew me into Lucy Chase's life and a tone that completely reflected my own - that was it, I was hooked and I could not turn the pages fast enough!

We follow the story solely from Lucy's pov but this is intersperced with clips of the true crime podcast that Ben is creating about the murder that everyone thinks Lucy committed.

I absolutely loved this format because we really got sucked into Lucy's life and mind - seeing her views of the present, the past, those hints that maybe she remembers more than everyone thinks and that voice in her head! Totally brilliant!
But as the podcasts are released and we "chat" to the locals, picking up their views and laying down pieces from that night, thoughts, theories and events, we start to be able to put the ouzzle together and mame aome theories kf our own!

I was completely suspicious of everyone and had no clue which of my theories would end up being right....but definitely did not see the ending coming at all!

There were so many twists and I just had to keep reading to work it all out!

A really clever, complex and convoluted plotline which came together beautifully towards the end. This was full of excitement, suspense, shocks and sarcasm!

I loved every single diverse and flawed character - Lucy especially - but I can only hope that I "grow up" to be like Lucy's gran, Beverly - fierce, loyal, mischievous and living life to the full!!

My first read by this author and I loved it!!

I really enjoyed the tone of Listen for the Lie, it's funny and well written, with a great lead character (and an excellent grandmother too)