Book Review: Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Amy Tintera’s Listen for the Lie is a twisty, gripping thriller that pulls you into a web of secrets, lies, and half-remembered truths. Set against the backdrop of a small Texas town and a sensational true crime podcast, this novel has all the elements for a page-turning mystery.

The story follows Lucy, who returns to her hometown after years of trying to escape the horrors of a night she can’t fully remember. Her best friend, Savvy, was brutally murdered, and Lucy was found wandering the streets covered in Savvy’s blood. It’s the kind of mystery that sticks with you, and with a popular podcast digging into the case, Lucy is forced to confront the past she’s tried so hard to forget.

Tintera’s writing shines when exploring Lucy’s conflicted emotions—her fear, guilt, and desperation to uncover the truth, even if it implicates her. The tension is palpable as Lucy unravels the threads of that fateful night, and the small-town setting adds an extra layer of claustrophobia, where everyone knows your business, or at least thinks they do.

However, while the premise is compelling, there are moments when the pacing drags, especially in the middle of the novel. Some of the twists, though unexpected, feel a bit contrived, and the resolution, while satisfying, left me wishing for a bit more depth in character development, particularly with the supporting cast. Ben Owens, the podcast host, is intriguing but doesn’t quite break out of the mold of the charming yet mysterious male lead.

That said, the book is undeniably entertaining. Tintera expertly crafts an atmosphere of suspense and unease, making Listen for the Lie a worthy read for fans of true crime and psychological thrillers. The novel plays with the idea of memory and truth, questioning how much we can trust our own recollections, especially when everyone around us is feeding us their version of events.

In the end, Listen for the Lie may not reinvent the wheel, but it certainly keeps it spinning. It’s a story that will make you question every character’s motive and keep you hooked until the final reveal. If you’re looking for a summer thriller with a podcasting twist, this one is worth adding to your list. Just be prepared to listen closely—you never know where the next lie might come from.