A review by enchantedfiction
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

Listen for the Lie follows Lucy, a woman who has run from her past. 5 years prior, she was found walking on a road, covered in her best friend's blood. Obviously, this made her look guilty for Savvy's murder. But with not enough evidence to prove she did it, Lucy left her hometown in Texas for what she thought was for good. But it's been 5 years, her grandmother is asking her to come back, and more light has been shed on the cold case thanks to a true crime podcast. Lucy might not be completely ready to face her past, but she feels like she should get answers on what happened to Savvy, even if it means she'll find out she's a murderer. All you have to do is listen for the lie.

Listen for the Lie was my first Amy Tintera book, and it did not disappoint! This was such a great audio experience, and I literally listened to this during my son's nap time within 2 days. I needed to know what happened to Savvy! The narrators were absolutely wonderful, and I love that during the podcast sections, they used multiple voices like a true interview. 

Now, into the actual parts of the story that drew me in:

I love having an unreliable first-person POV in books like this. Be it that they don't know what happened because of repressed memories or amnesia, or they are just trying to get the reader on their side. It makes everything feel tense. Lucy's internal dialogue throughout the story gives the reader reason to doubt her and question her motives, and I would argue she's not a super likable character, though I don't think she would be surprised with me saying so.

I love small town murder stories because in cold case stories, you know someone, or multiple someones, are hiding something. People talk and maybe don't realize they saw something that could be pivotal, and the pressure of the podcast makes things come to light.

I thought the pacing was done very well, and the story flowed nicely. The side characters were great in the ways they either made you love or hate them, and the reveal at the end was believable.

I will definitely be checking out more of Amy Tintera's books after this one, and would highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller and would encourage the audiobook because it's such a great experience!
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