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Michelle 's Reviews > Listen for the Lie

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
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bookshelves: netgalley-arcs

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.
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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

Comments Showing 1-43 of 43 (43 new)

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Ceecee Great review Michelle 💚


Michelle Ceecee wrote: "Great review Michelle 💚"

Thank you very much, Ceecee! 💖


Holly  B (slower pace!) Yep, same things bothered me! And Lucy got on my nerves! 😂


Michelle Holly wrote: "Yep, same things bothered me! And Lucy got on my nerves! 😂"

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


Jayme Not sure what it says about me, but I liked Lucy! 🤣 Terrific review!


Tina I can understand where you are coming from with Lucy! Great review!!


Kat I agree with every word, Michelle. 💯 Holly and I will enjoy your company on Outlier Island! I enjoy some snark, but Lucy needed to chill out. 😆


Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks) - in a book slump :( Sorry her snark got to be too much!! I’ve seen so many amazing reviews for this and now I’m tempering my expectations a bit…at least it was still a page turner! Excellent review, Michelle! 💖


message 9: by Terrie (new)

Terrie  Robinson A well-balanced review, Michelle!💚I hope this author’s next novel is better suited for you.


Michelle Jayme wrote: "Not sure what it says about me, but I liked Lucy! 🤣 Terrific review!"

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.


Michelle Tina wrote: "I can understand where you are coming from with Lucy! Great review!!"

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


message 12: by Michelle (last edited Feb 06, 2024 05:32AM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

Michelle Kat wrote: "I agree with every word, Michelle. 💯 Holly and I will enjoy your company on Outlier Island! I enjoy some snark, but Lucy needed to chill out. 😆"

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.


Michelle Catherine wrote: "Sorry her snark got to be too much!! I’ve seen so many amazing reviews for this and now I’m tempering my expectations a bit…at least it was still a page turner! Excellent review, Michelle! 💖"

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!


Michelle Terrie wrote: "A well-balanced review, Michelle!💚I hope this author’s next novel is better suited for you."

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


Kaceey Excellent review Michelle!💗


Michelle Kaceey wrote: "Excellent review Michelle!💗"

Thanks a bunch, Kaceey! 😘


message 17: by Melissa (new) - added it

Melissa ~ Bantering Books A great review, Michelle! We'll see if I like Lucy when I get around to reading this one. :)


Michelle Melissa wrote: "A great review, Michelle! We'll see if I like Lucy when I get around to reading this one. :)"

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. 🤞


message 19: by Megyn (new)

Megyn Great review! I will be reading this one soon so hopefully I like it!


Michelle Megyn wrote: "Great review! I will be reading this one soon so hopefully I like it!"

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


DIVINITY🌙 Lovely review ❤️ I can def see the reason you disliked it because that’s wild. Super happy you overall enjoyed


Michelle DIVINITY🌙 wrote: "Lovely review ❤️ I can def see the reason you disliked it because that’s wild. Super happy you overall enjoyed"

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


Cassie Awesome review, Michelle! You made me LOL with the HazMat suit line. Sounds like the ick factor was high with this one!


Michelle Cassie wrote: "Awesome review, Michelle! You made me LOL with the HazMat suit line. Sounds like the ick factor was high with this one!"

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


Melissa (Semi-hiatus for Work) Bummer, I have this one coming up so we shall see.


Michelle Thanks so much, Melissa! 💗 I hope you land on the positive side of the fence.


Summer I can totally see how you felt this way! Hopefully your next read will be better🩷


Michelle Summer wrote: "I can totally see how you felt this way! Hopefully your next read will be better🩷"

Thank you so much, Summer! 💗


Margaret M - (having a challenging time and on GR as much as I can) Fantastic review Michelle 💖


Sheyla ✎ Great review, Michelle!


Tara(I’m back and way behind) Fab review, Michelle! You made some excellent points. I liked it a bit more than you.


message 32: by Rachel (new) - added it

Rachel Hanes Fantastic review, Michelle!! 💗 Although I plan on reading this book soon, I have a feeling I’m going to have the same feelings as you about this story. I do like a page turner, but all the other nonsense would definitely bother me�


Michelle Margaret M - months of wrote: "Fantastic review Michelle 💖"

Thank you so much, Margaret! 💜


Michelle Sheyla � wrote: "Great review, Michelle!"

Thank you, Sheyla! 💙


Michelle Tara ♎️ (Trying to catch from my long battle🌼) wrote: "Fab review, Michelle! You made some excellent points. I liked it a bit more than you."

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


Michelle Rachel wrote: "Fantastic review, Michelle!! 💗 Although I plan on reading this book soon, I have a feeling I’m going to have the same feelings as you about this story. I do like a page turner, but all the other no..."

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


Valleri Nice review, Michelle! You were kinder than I was...


message 38: by Esta (new) - rated it 5 stars

Esta Fair and balanced review Michelle. I loved, yet I completely empathise with your very valid points. Great review!


Darla Clever review, Michelle. I was definitely not a fan of the audio. Her "Let's Kill. . ." mantra got really old and the voice was so creepy.


Michelle Valleri wrote: "Nice review, Michelle! You were kinder than I was..."

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


Michelle Esta wrote: "Fair and balanced review Michelle. I loved, yet I completely empathise with your very valid points. Great review!"

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


Michelle Darla wrote: "Clever review, Michelle. I was definitely not a fan of the audio. Her "Let's Kill. . ." mantra got really old and the voice was so creepy."

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.


Valleri "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 love that SO MUCH, Michelle!!


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