Michelle 's Reviews > Listen for the Lie
Listen for the Lie
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This book is generating some pretty good buzz and I can totally understand why even though I don't agree with the high praise assessment.
Lucy and Savvy are best friends living in Plumpton, TX. They're attending a wedding of friends where the alcohol is flowing freely.
The next day, Lucy is found walking down the side of the road covered in blood. Savvy's blood. Savvy was brutally murdered and left for dead and now all suspicion falls on Lucy. Lucy can't remember anything of that night because she also suffered a head wound and trauma. Most people believe her amnesia is the convenient excuse of a murderer. Lucy doesn't know what to believe. Lack of evidence allows her to live free but she's never free of the guilt she feels.
Ben Owen's is the host of the "Listen to the Lie" podcast. He's determined to find out who is guilty of murdering Savvy five years ago. Will the truth set Lucy free or become another nail in her coffin?
Compulsively readable, short zippy chapters, the podcast element was well done, and a grandmother I adored.
That's what I enjoyed.
What I didn't love so much was Lucy, to start. I got a kick out of her in the beginning but the humorous snark began to seem more like assholery by the 50% mark. I can't believe that anyone in her situation would ever behave the way she does and say the things she does just for kicks. This woman lives to shock people and it just got to be annoying. If everyone in my town really thought I murdered my best friend I probably wouldn't call so much attention to myself but, you do you, Lucy.
My other negative reaction was due to how everyone in this town, young and old alike, has slept with one another and / or have all cheated on their spouses at some point in time. Granted this makes for a lot of red herrings but it just got a bit icky. If I ever visit Plumpton it will be in a HazMat suit.
We should all be thankful that Plumpton is a fictional town because amongst the murderers and cheaters are physically abusive men. Can't one guy be decent? Nope!
I wouldn't wish Lucy's parents on anyone. To explain more would be a spoiler so just trust me on this.
I had suspected nearly everyone at one point of being the guilty party so when I reached the final denouement it didn't really pack the punch I think the author was intending.
While the negatives outweigh the positives for me I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a page-turner. I absolutely had to know whodunnit so I never once contemplated setting this aside. Tintera is a talented writer and I do look forward to seeing if her next story will be a better suit for me. If she would have eased up on the snark and balanced the unlikeable characters with a few more likeable ones then this could have been a homerun. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for my complimentary copy.
Lucy and Savvy are best friends living in Plumpton, TX. They're attending a wedding of friends where the alcohol is flowing freely.
The next day, Lucy is found walking down the side of the road covered in blood. Savvy's blood. Savvy was brutally murdered and left for dead and now all suspicion falls on Lucy. Lucy can't remember anything of that night because she also suffered a head wound and trauma. Most people believe her amnesia is the convenient excuse of a murderer. Lucy doesn't know what to believe. Lack of evidence allows her to live free but she's never free of the guilt she feels.
Ben Owen's is the host of the "Listen to the Lie" podcast. He's determined to find out who is guilty of murdering Savvy five years ago. Will the truth set Lucy free or become another nail in her coffin?
Compulsively readable, short zippy chapters, the podcast element was well done, and a grandmother I adored.
That's what I enjoyed.
What I didn't love so much was Lucy, to start. I got a kick out of her in the beginning but the humorous snark began to seem more like assholery by the 50% mark. I can't believe that anyone in her situation would ever behave the way she does and say the things she does just for kicks. This woman lives to shock people and it just got to be annoying. If everyone in my town really thought I murdered my best friend I probably wouldn't call so much attention to myself but, you do you, Lucy.
My other negative reaction was due to how everyone in this town, young and old alike, has slept with one another and / or have all cheated on their spouses at some point in time. Granted this makes for a lot of red herrings but it just got a bit icky. If I ever visit Plumpton it will be in a HazMat suit.
We should all be thankful that Plumpton is a fictional town because amongst the murderers and cheaters are physically abusive men. Can't one guy be decent? Nope!
I wouldn't wish Lucy's parents on anyone. To explain more would be a spoiler so just trust me on this.
I had suspected nearly everyone at one point of being the guilty party so when I reached the final denouement it didn't really pack the punch I think the author was intending.
While the negatives outweigh the positives for me I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a page-turner. I absolutely had to know whodunnit so I never once contemplated setting this aside. Tintera is a talented writer and I do look forward to seeing if her next story will be a better suit for me. If she would have eased up on the snark and balanced the unlikeable characters with a few more likeable ones then this could have been a homerun. 3 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for my complimentary copy.
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Reading Progress
December 4, 2023
– Shelved as:
to-read
December 4, 2023
– Shelved
December 20, 2023
– Shelved as:
netgalley-arcs
January 31, 2024
–
Started Reading
February 5, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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Ceecee
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rated it 5 stars
Feb 05, 2024 12:00PM

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Looks like I'm with you and Kat on this one, Holly. This is one town I don't ever want to visit. Yuck! 😣



Haha! Thanks, Jayme! 💛 I liked her too for the most part but I wish the author would have softened her sharp edges just a bit.

Thanks so much, Tina! 💜 Lucy is going to be a divisive character among readers for sure.

Thanks so much, Kat! 💖 I love a snarky narrator but it often felt too out of place here. I guess I like snark more when it's the internal thoughts of the character rather than in your face snark.

Thank you so much, Catherine! 💙 There is a lot to enjoy here and I have no doubt that the author will lure you in like she did to me. It just didn't have the wow factor for me that so many others experienced but I'm still glad to have read it. I hope you love it!

Thank you very much, Terrie! 💝 She is a very talented author so my fingers are crossed for her next book. 🤞

Thank you very much, Melissa! 💗 I'll be curious to see which side of the fence you fall on. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. 🤞

Thank you so much, Megyn! 🧡 I hope you love this one! 🤞


Thank you kindly, Divinity! 💕 The author definitely sucked me in even though not everything about it worked for me.


Haha! Thank you, Cassie! 🧡 There wasn't one person in this small town that wasn't getting laid constantly...including the grandmother. 😬

Thank you so much, Summer! 💗


Thanks so much, Tara! 💚 I am so glad you enjoyed this.

Thanks very much, Rachel! 💛 I'm eager to see which side of the fence you fall on.



Thank you, Valleri! 🧡 Off to read your review now!

Thank you kindly, Esta! 💗 I'm really glad that you loved this.

Thanks a bunch, Darla! 💜 Yeah, I didn't get thew whole "Let's kill..." mantra either. She was already unlikable but that made her insufferable too.