bloodthrstbooks 's review for:

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

4.0

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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If there’s one thing everyone should know about me, it’s that one of my favorite very specific genres is true crime podcast thrillers in audiobook format. I felt that the podcast element was utilized perfectly here, bringing in interviews from the townsfolk to reveal different pieces of information at the right times, and allowing the reader to determine how truthful those interviews might be. While it wasn’t the most sophisticated expression of it in my opinion, I did feel like this book wanted to make some commentary about crime against women, which I’m always pleased to see in this genre. The way that Savvy was glamorized after her death, and the way that Lucy was demonized at the time same, was really interesting to me. The male and female characters in this book are very divided thematically - the idea is that women are blamed and gaslit for things that men do wrong, and the men get away with it, and that’s unfair. Like I said, not the most nuanced take, but one I appreciate nonetheless. I think I’m getting tired of incorporating romantic B-plots in thrillers, and this one felt especially unnecessary both to the plot and to Lucy’s character development. Fun but forgettable (just like most thrillers), though this one was bolstered by its integration of the podcast element, which I always enjoy.