Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Listen For The Lie

After Lucy is found covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, she becomes the prime suspect in Savvy’s murder, a crime she can't remember committing. Years later, a popular true crime podcast, "Listen for the Lie," reopens the case, forcing Lucy to return to her Texas hometown to uncover the truth. To solve Savvy's murder and clear her name, Lucy must confront her past, despite the possibility that she may be the killer.

Rating: 5/5

I loved this book and give it a five out of five. The plot was well-woven, and the story was excellently told, gripping, and amusing at the same time. Lucy is stubborn, blunt, sarcastic, and at times an unreliable narrator, and you see her change throughout the book. It keeps you guessing with a list of possible suspects that frequently changes as you get to know the characters. The red herrings are abundant, and I enjoyed the shifting perspectives. My favorite lines came from Lucy's sarcastic wit and her grandma’s entertaining, unabashed drunken meddling. Overall, Amy Tintera wrote an entertaining, tense, and well-paced novel. I sincerely hope she continues to write adult novels, and I look forward to seeing what she does next.

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lori007's review against another edition

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funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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notlikethebeer's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

A new addition to the "thrillers based around crime podcasts" genre: aka one of my favourite genres! What I'll say first of all is that Lucy isn't a likeable protagonist. She's blunt, her sense of humor is darker than my coffee, she's often very unsympathetic. And yet, honestly? She's certainly one of my favourite protagonists of 2024, and she may well have won a place in my heart long-term. Maybe that's because I also have a sense of humor as dark as the longest night...

I also really liked that the book explored the ongoing risks posed by an abusive partner after the fact, such as the risk of reputational harm, and really clearly illustrated the devastating impacts even just the thought of risking this can bring. As well, there were some interesting reflections on the ethics of the podcast - and the podcaster. With that in mind, it does have quite an ambiguous ending, so if you like certainty and answers, this might not be for you. Otherwise, rock on.

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bookdragonkatie's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed this a lot. I didn’t expect to finish it in a day, but it definitely peaked my interest. I got a little confused trying to keep track of the some of the characters, especially if they were really only used for the podcast portions of the story, but overall I thought this was well done. I think I’ll probably pick it up again to see if I can find the clues; I definitely suspected just about every character at some point in the book! I recommend this one if you’re looking for an interesting who-done-it, particularly as an audiobook to really get the podcast vibe!

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