Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Listen for the Lie

4⭐️

A fun read. The podcast segments were enjoyable. Felt very Only Murders in the Building 🤝 Serial.

it didn't take too long for me to figure out who killed Savvy, but it was still enjoyable and fun to see all the pieces come together. Guess I enjoy a good amnesia trope with my true crime.

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itsybitsygingie's review

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved reading this book and I think the storyline was so good. I will say, however, that my favorite thing about this book is the unreliable narrator. Do I know if the ending is what really happened? No I don’t, and the fact that I don’t know makes this book so much better in my eyes.

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turrean's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The audiobook narration is FABULOUS: delightfully dark and perfectly voiced.

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my_personal_escape's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

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lovelymisanthrope's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I first heard about this book from Book of the Month.
"Listen for the Lie" follows Lucy. Many years ago, Lucy was found wandering the streets of her small hometown covered in blood, her best friend Savvy's blood. The town was quick to write her off as a murderer, especially when Lucy could not remember anything. Lucy decided it best to move to L.A. and try to start her life over. Now, in the present, Ben Owens, the host of a wildly successful true crime podcast, has decided to make the case of Lucy and Savvy the subject of his next season. Lucy is forced to return to her hometown and try to finally remember what happened.
This story was absolutely phenomenal. I kept thinking I had it figured out, but then something new would be revealed and I would realize I did not know what was actually happening. The ultimate "reveal" I did not see coming and I was thoroughly pleased with the mystery and the resolution.
Lucy is the ultimate unreliable narrator. She does not remember one of the most important nights of her life, and this has haunted her every day since. She also does not trust herself because there is a voice inside of her head that is telling her to kill, and if that is the case, then maybe she did murder her best friend? Despite being hated by an entire town, Lucy comes across very strong and willing to face the people who have turned their backs on her. I loved her sarcastic humor and approach to dealing with leering eyes when she was home.
Lucy's Grandma was an absolute riot. I loved seeing one person believe whole heartedly in Lucy, and I loved that she went out of her way to try and prove Lucy's innocence, even when Lucy did not believe it herself.
Ben seems like a really great, golden retriever guy. He is smart, talented, and not at all arrogant given the success of his show. I loved watching him and Lucy interact, and I loved how he treated Lucy just like a person. For all he knew, Lucy really did do it, but she does not remember, but he never treated her like a murderer; it was the true embodiment of innocent until proven guilty.
I had such a great time with this mystery, and I highly recommend it!

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nimue0fiana's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Delightful plot twists, and an unreliable narrator done in a way I really enjoyed. Podcast angle was almost cozy for a long-time podcast listener. Like Only Murders In The Building.

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