Listen for the Lie

by Amy Tintera

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Listen for the Lie is an engaging standalone modern podcast crime thriller by Amy Tintera. Released 5th March 2024 by Macmillan on their Henry Holt Celadon imprint, it's 338 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

This is a mystery with roots in a long ago cold case murder. The format is familiar - podcast dialogue interspersed with third person descriptions and flashbacks with dialogue. Podcast/true crime mysteries have become quite a popular subgenre in the last few years and this is a fairly good one.

Readers should bring an extra generous helping of patience. Although quite well written, the first major reveal happens at around 90%. The denouement and resolution were (mostly) satisfying and fair play. There's a hint of enemies to romance as well, and some foreshadowing for the future for the characters. 

Four stars. This will undoubtedly already be on acquisition lists for most public libraries, and is also recommended for crime thriller readers. It's written as a "true crime" podcast but is fiction and (as far as publishing/author info indicates) not based on actual events to any degree. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.