Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is such a fun thriller, and would make a great book club read – especially for mystery lovers and crime podcast fans! This novel was a breakout book of 2024, and is totally binge-worthy. Below, I’m sharing a quick synopsis of the book, a character list, and discussion-sparking book club questions for Listen for the Lie!
What is Listen for the Lie about?
Listen for the Lie follows a woman named Lucy who returns to her small town in the Texas Hill Country years after being suspected of killing her best friend, Savvy.
Back then, she had been found wandering the streets, with no memory of what happened that fateful night. Despite her “golden girl” status in her small Texas town, everyone believed she was guilty.
Luckily for her, she wasn’t convicted.
But when a true crime podcaster decides to unofficially re-open the case, Lucy is forced to relive her past in order to figure out what really happened that night.
Publication date: March 5th, 2024
I had been looking forward to reading Listen for the Lie since I first heard about it (and saw all the rave reviews it was getting). When I picked it up, I was instantly hooked, and read it in just a few days!
The story has a podcast element that makes it especially great for listening on audiobook, but it can be enjoyed just as much in print.
Your book club will have a blast discussing their thoughts on the story’s characters (I loved the grandma!) and the twisty mystery at its heart.
Not in a book club yet? Here are my best tips for how to start a book club you’ll love!
Character List
Need a recap on the characters in Listen for the Lie? Here’s a list:
- Lucy Chase: the main character and murder suspect
- Savvy (Savannah): subject of the murder investigation, Lucy’s best friend when she was in her early 20s
- Beverly Moore: Lucy’s sassy grandmother
- Kathleen Chase: Lucy’s mother
- Don Chase: Lucy’s father
- Ben Owens: true crime podcaster who re-examines Lucy’s case
- Matt Gardner: Lucy’s ex-husband
- Emmett Chapman: Lucy’s friend from high school
- Nina Garcia: Lucy’s friend from high school
- Nathan: Lucy’s ex-boyfriend (in LA)
- Paige: Ben’s assistant on the podcast
Listen for the Lie Book Club Discussion Questions
If you’re looking for a little inspiration to get your book club discussion going, I’ve put together a list of discussion questions for this book!
Of course, these are just a starting point to get the conversation going. Feel free to use or edit them however you like.
Here are more discussion-worthy book club questions (for any book), plus the best book club books for 2024! You can also find my picks for the best 2023 book club books here.
- Did you read this book in print or listen to it on audio? Which do you feel would be best for this story?
- What were your thoughts on the main character, Lucy? Do you think you would react similarly in her situation?
- Which main themes are present in this story? Which ones resonated with you the most?
- Did you enjoy the setting? Did anything about it remind you of your own hometown?
- Which character did you relate to the most? Why? Which character did you dislike the most?
- What role did the townspeople play in the way the murder investigation played out?
- Did you enjoy the podcast element? What do you think it added to the story?
- If you were accused of a crime, would you want to share your side of the story publicly/on a podcast? Why or why not?
- How did you feel about the dark humor/main character’s internal thoughts? Do you find it funny or did you feel it went too far?
- What was going on with the parents? Why do you think they acted the way they did (in the past and in the present)?
- What were your initial thoughts about Ben? Did you like him and Lucy together? Do you think she was truly interested in him, or did she have other motives?
- Describe your feelings about Lucy and Savvy’s friendship. Do you think it was healthy, or manipulative, or something else?
- How did you feel about the ending? Did you think it made sense for the story?
- What would you rate this book? Would you recommend it to a friend? What did you like most (or least)?
- If this book was adapted into a movie or show, who would you cast to play Lucy, Savvy, Ben, the grandma, or any other characters that stood out to you?
- Do you listen to true crime podcasts? Which are your favorites, and why?
I hope these questions make for a fun book club discussion! Have you read Listen for the Lie yet (either with your book club or not)? What did you think?