Reviews with content warning for Murder - 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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twinkle_flavored's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.75

A great thriller, with a well done podcast element, and of course… I’m always down for an unreliable narrator ☺️🤙. I enjoyed the way she fleshed out the characters, twisting the likable ones into their true ugly shapes, giving you pause with those you initially found not so palatable, showing you things aren’t always so black-and-white in a very skilled way. Also- grandma was my favorite. She’s really just the best. If you’re looking for a well done thriller/small town murder mystery, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I will certainly be picking up more work by this author!

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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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spellbindingtomes's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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rochelleisreading's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

2.0

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thatswhatiloveaboutreading's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It’s been five years since Savvy was murdered. Her best friend Lucy, who has amnesia about that night, was the primary suspect, but without any evidence she was never arrested. Now a true prime podcast is taking on the story, and Lucy returns to her hometown to find out the truth. Did she kill her best friend? Or are the memories she can’t recall hiding something else?

I enjoyed this thriller a lot! It’s kind of crass and the characters are sarcastic and a bit twisted at times, but I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.

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lhogeda164's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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minimicropup's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I went into this expecting formulaic and predictable. It was so good - wit, darkness, and heartbreaking moments, all with a fun cast of characters.

Energy: Diverting. Defiant. Expressive.

Scene: 🇺🇸 Fictional town of Plumpton, Texas.

Perspective: Our main character is in their late twenties, with a string of failed relationships and job losses. A new podcast exploring their role in the death of their best friend five years ago isn’t helping things. They return to the town where it all happened and where the podcast is taking place at their beloved grandmother’s urging.

🐩 Tail Wags: The characters and their dynamics. How the podcast element is handled. The slightly unhinged romances. Fine-tuning the plot so it’s like a popcorn thriller, but then it hits in the feels.

🤔 Random Thoughts:

The podcast felt like a real one – like a CBC investigation or Wondery style production

I love diverse settings in books, like a tiny house! I love when we just get normal middle class homes in books too.

An amnesia trope that works! I don’t really like amnesia tropes, but I think because it doesn’t take itself so seriously (like, other characters are skeptical) while acknowledging what trauma-related amnesia really is and what it looks like.

Short chapters and perfect pacing.

You know how mysterious cold cases irl have those details that could mean absolutely nothing, or could be a major clue? This story captured that dynamic. Both from the investigative/podcast side and from our MC trying to recall what happened.

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🤓 Reader Role: Insider to Lucy’s thoughts, almost like she’s talking to us directly. Also the podcast audience. As we get snippets of the podcast investigation, we get ahead of or behind the other characters’ knowledge, depending on when they’ve listened to the episode.

🗺️ World-Building: Immersive and set not just with detail but with dialogue that is witty and sarcastic but also real-sounding (including the podcast snippets and interviews).

🔥 Fuel: Did Lucy kill her friend, Savvy? If so, why? If not, who did? Can Lucy trust those who seem to support her? Is she unhinged, mentally ill, or overstressed?

📖 Cred: Plausible realism.

Mood Reading Match-Up:

Beer. whiskey. AC cold. Crickets. TV and laughter downstairs. Podcast intro music. Summer heat. Humidity. Dirt roads.
Amnesia + whodunnit cold case
Romantic suspense and who to trust

Content Heads-Up: Murder. Potential false accusation. Intrusive thoughts. Infidelity. Domestic abuse (mental, physical). Violence (brawl, rage). Sexual content (consenting, role-playing, intoxicated). Misogyny. Gaslighting. Traumatic memory loss, blackouts. Sexual assault. Alcohol use. Alcoholism.

Rep: Latina, White, and Black American. Dark, pale, and ambiguous skin tones. Cisgender. Heterosexual. Lesbian.

📚 Format: Library Digital

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