I don't think I've ever given a thriller 5 stars before, but here we are. This was funny, gripping and addicting. I feel the ending may have been a tad rushed, but not enough to knock it down a star. Grandma is the best!! <3

So good. I had been reading so much hype about this, and I was surprised when it was (for me) a little slow to begin! But it became so addictive so quickly - such good character building and detailed thoroughness in the plot and world, too. I love a thriller that is also a little sexy, and also one where the victims and narrators are complicated/imperfect, and this is awesome on both counts. And - so amazingly unexpected in all the turns and shocks, right down to the end - I loved it!!

Maybe i’m easy, but i enjoyed this book 🤷🏻‍♀️ a lot of comments  on goodreads were quick  to judge the female characters being “sluts” but not the men being whole ass abusers. this entire book kept me turning page after page and on the edge of my seat. the ending with who they caught, but then the conversation with the grandma?? i don’t know what to believe!!!

Characters: 2

Connection to the book/Enjoyment: 3

Setting: 3

Plot/Overall Story: 3

Writing: 3

Every point= 0.25 stars, max per category 4 points

While I did really enjoy this book, especially the portions I listened to (full cast audiobook production was super neat!), the overall story just fell a bit flat for me. It was a unique story and reminded me of None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, but it felt pretty slow at times despite the different writing styles mixed in. I also didn’t really care for any of the characters, which I know isn’t the goal of most mystery/thriller books. There was a theme of abuse that was among quite a few of characters that I didn’t care for and was hard to read, especially because it came through in many aspects of the story- I knew that was a part of the story but it didn’t come into play until about 40% and I already felt hooked into the story. I get the characters are supposed to be morally gray, but it felt like there weren’t any characters I could really root for in the story. 

When a copy of Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera landed on my doorstep—kindly provided by the publisher—it wasn’t a book I’d planned on reading anytime soon. But I’d noticed all the buzz around this thriller, and I couldn’t help but be intrigued. It seemed like everyone was reading it! While thrillers and mysteries aren’t my go-to genre, I do enjoy them when they’re good, and within the first few pages, I was hooked!

I sped through this one quickly, entranced and entertained—a great cast of characters, a creepy small-town setting, all wrapped around a podcast I would listen to. A few things gave me pause, but let’s start with what I liked.

Books set around a podcast are popular right now, and I don’t mind it one bit. I just finished a romance/mystery that featured a podcast theme (The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn), and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as well. I like alternating between the narrative and the podcast, which breaks up the story, building the suspense. I like how podcast hosts are basically the modern-day version of an old school detective.

Listen for the Lie is set in my home state of Texas during the smoldering summer, and I could easily identify with every description of the oppressive heat. It also successfully matches the growing pressure to solve this cold case.

The cast of characters are pretty much all unreliable, but I didn’t mind. They’re each distinctive and easily recognizable. The story is told from Lucy’s point of view with the podcast transcripts and interviews alternating some of the chapters.

Even if Lucy is unreliable, I liked her. She’s witty and sharp-tongued, but she’s pretty much been forced to put up a wall of protection around herself since almost everyone—including most of her family—thinks she may be a murderer. And thanks to her amnesia, she doesn’t even know the truth herself. I found myself rooting for Lucy, even if she did kill her best friend!

A few things did make this story a bit unrealistic for me—most that I can’t talk about without spoilers. While they took me out of the book at moments, I was able to shrug them off and keep reading. For example, almost everyone in this town is cheating on someone. I can understand one or two instances but at some point it just becomes redundant. And as much as everyone drinks and sleeps around, I found it hard to believe that the key characters hadn’t let any secrets slip.

I rarely read a thriller where the ending wraps up perfectly for me, so I’m always prepared to be underwhelmed at the end—it’s just not something I necessarily require to enjoy a mystery. If the bulk of the book has been good, I can forgive a weaker ending. And while the climax of this story was rewarding, the reveal felt a little too predictable for me, but not so much that it affected how I felt about the entirety of the book.

Listen for the Lie kept me invested, I didn’t want to set it down, so for me that’s a win! If you’re a fan of podcast mysteries or dark comedies, add this one to your tbr. It’d be a perfect vacation or poolside read for the summer!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Celadon Books for providing me with a copy.

Check out my reviews and playlists at A Book Wanderer

Lucy was the main suspect in her best friend’s murder, but she can’t even remember what happened that night when she was found covered in her friend’s blood. The crime remained unsolved. Now a new true crime podcast is bringing up old stories. 

The podcast angle worked well for me in this thriller. I felt confused right along with Lucy, grasping at wisps of memories as interviews were released. The author also created some spare moments of lightness with Lucy’s grandma and Lucy’s overall sarcasm. Those made this book more enjoyable, in my opinion.