4.5 rounded up

Is Lucy Chase a murderer?? Podcaster Ben Owens, a bit smug and maybe too good looking for his own good, has made this case his focus for the second season of “Listen for the Lie”. Is it true?? Did Lucy murder her best friend Savannah (Savvy) Harper five years ago? Savvy’s family believes she did as she was discovered covered in Savvy’s blood but claims to have no memory of the night in question. Lucy is never charged. Now she is forced to return home to Plumpton, Texas, a place she has vowed to never set foot in again with the hope of finding the truth, even if that means she is guilty as everyone believes.

YES!! I love this novel so it’s a winner, winner for me!! From beginning to end the pace never lets up, the foot is firmly on the accelerator throughout and it has me in a vice like grip fully invested in sniffing out the truth. I grow to increasingly like Lucy, she’s darkly funny and feisty and I love her thoughts that fly in all sorts of directions, few of them nice but many barbs that settle are fully justified. The star of the show has to be Lucy’s absolutely brilliant grandma Beverley, who is hilarious and I want to grow old utterly disgracefully with her. In reality, she is probably the only one who has Lucy’s back and whose belief in her never wavers. Ben grows on me too and his intriguing podcast allows you to witness the atmosphere in Plumpton which reveals a multitude of tangled and nefarious webs, some deeply unpleasant characters, a truckload of lies and numerous assumptions. There’s a lot going on beneath the prim surface of Plumpton and in reality it’s a very grubby place. Ben sure chucks in a stone or two and watches as the ripples get bigger and bigger. All this means is that you further you read on the more desperate you become to KNOW.

This novel has everything I look for in a mystery/ thriller - an enthralling and well constructed plot, humour, irony and sarcasm, pace, twisty twists, tension and suspense, some jaw droppers, some creepiness and a character to root for. What a cracking read. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This was a brilliant read! Loved the story being led and framed by a true crime podcast and thought Lucy was a great character. Flawed but believable. As well as being a great true crime story, the spin on the 'who done it' with the main suspect as a part of the mystery was really clever. And additionally, the book coveted some difficult subjects, like domestic violence and alcohol abuse sensitively. I think this would translate really well on film.

An absolutely brilliant book. I echo others’ sentiments, and I too can’t wait for people to read this book.
It’s a the perfect mix of comedy and drama - Amy Tintera is definitely one to watch for in the future.

I often find myself being dragged along through the first half of every thriller, but as soon as I started reading, my eyes were GLUED to the page (kindle.) I could not put it down. An amazing mystery and comedy all in one. I cannot wait for everyone to read this when it’s released!!!

I finished this yesterday and I've already recommended it to 2 friends. Great twisty plot. Lucy's loss of memory and intrusive thoughts are handled well, as is the presence of Savannah - she may be dead but we still get to know her personality and the bond she and Lucy shared. Really enjoyed and agree that fans of How to Kill Your Family would like this one.

What a great read with many modern aspects that really add to the story! Overall I really enjoyed it.

Lucy starts looking into a murder she isn't quite sure if she committed 5 years ago with a pod caster called Ben who starts digging into cold cases that might not be all as they seem. I absolutely flew threw this incredibly dark, funny and entertaining thriller! It's original, well written and the plot was great. I really enjoyed the characters, particularly Lucy and Beverly who are both warm, genuine and funny. I was hooked from the start and found that I just really enjoyed and warmed to this story which flowed well and was so easy to read. Very much looking forward to seeing this one published next year!

This is a story rich with bizarre mystery and served with a heaped side of dark humour.

Lucy Chase has had enough. Found covered in her friend's blood, she is unable to defend herself against accusations of murder since she cannot even recall what actually happened that night. Among other things, this means that Lucy herself cannot be sure that she has not in fact hurt her bestie.

But if it wasn't her, it means there's a killer on the loose. Which is an almost - if not quite - equally frightening prospect.

Now, a true crime podcast titled Listen for the Lie aims to get to the bottom of the story. And Lucy is willing to help them investigate, simply because she's desperate to know the truth. But can she even handle the truth...?

This is a slick and funny story despite the grim murder mystery aspect. Fans of Katy Brent and Bella Mackie will be a good fit, but it does have wider appeal. 3.5 stars for this one.