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Book club questions for Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera takes an in-depth look at all the twists and turns in this entertaining thriller. There will be spoilers so for more context about the book, check out my spoiler-free review first.
I’m a big fan of the novel! I just loved the way the author Amy Tintera approached the content. She didn’t minimize the tragedy, but she allowed Lucy to feel like a real person who is full of complexity. And the humor was great too!
I went along with the ride and changed my mind quite a bit on what happened that night. And I was surprised by the reveals! Let me know what you think about the book below.
The Synopsis
After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.
But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie,” and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.
The truth is out there, if we just listen.
Book Club Questions for Listen for the Lie
- What were your overall thoughts of Lucy as the protagonist? In what ways was she different but also similar to typical thriller protagonists?
- When you read thrillers, do you try to solve the mystery as well?
- Did you feel Lucy was the killer? Or did you think it was someone else? Did you believe she was experiencing memory loss or did you wonder if she was lying?
- Ever since that night of Savvy’s murder, Lucy experiences intrusive, murderous thoughts through Savvy as a proxy. What did you make of these thoughts and illusions? Why is she experiencing it? Will this continue now that the murder is solved?
- Everyone but Lucy’s grandmother believes that Lucy killed Savvy that night. Why didn’t anyone else in her life support her? What kind of impact did that have on Lucy?
- What was you impression of Ben and his podcast? Why was he drawn to Lucy romantically? What did you think of their dynamic?
- When did Ben start to believe that Lucy might be innocent?
- A big component of the novel is Lucy’s relationship with her ex-husband, Matt, who was extremely abusive to her. Everyone in the town loves him and has no idea of his true nature. Let’s talk about why Lucy hid the truth about Matt from everyone except Savvy. Why didn’t Lucy want to reveal Matt’s true nature on the podcast?
- We learn that Savvy murdered a man in self-defense in college. Was Savvy serious about murdering Matt too? Why did Lucy never reveal this fact about Savvy?
- At first it seems Emmett played a small role as a Lucy’s childhood friend who was in love with her. Did you suspect there was more going on with Emmett or were you surprised when he was the true villain all along?
- What caused Lucy’s memories to start flooding back? What were your thoughts as you read the true events of the night unfold?
- Lucy confronts Emmett and the two get into a physical fight. Ben gets there just in time—let’s talk about Ben’s confidence that Lucy would not in fact harm them.
- The truth is revealed and Emmett is arrested for murder. However, Ben did tell a lie as he said he heard Emmett confess. It goes along with Lucy saying throughout the novel that in some ways, the truth doesn’t really matter. What are your thoughts about how the novel covered truth and lies?
- What happens next for Lucy and Ben?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed book club questions for Listen for the Lie! Here are some more recommendations along with links to book club questions.
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Another good recent thriller if First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. Yes, it also shares the word “lie,” however, this one is more in the mystery arena. I quite liked it too! Check out my book club questions here.
The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.
Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes–especially after what happened last time.
Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher–but then, Evie has always liked a challenge…
Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
If you’re looking for more domestic thrillers, take a look at Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica. Check out my book club questions here.
Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.
Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.
Happy reading!
