Listen for the Lie

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What was your initial impression of Lucy? Did you think she was guilty of murdering Savvy or not? Did your opinion change over time? What contributed to your initial impression and to its evolution (if it did evolve)?
• Listen for the Lie is a true crime podcast novel—a subgenre that combines mystery, true crime, and podcasting. Do you think Tintera has done justice to the characteristic elements of each of these subgenres and mediums in her novel? What did you most enjoy about this fusion, and what do you think could have been done better? 

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Beverly always believed in Lucy’s innocence, even when Lucy herself didn’t. Do you have a figure like Beverly in your own life—a person who has unconditional love for or trust in you? How has their belief and support impacted you at important junctures of your life?
• When faced with uncertainty about difficult situations, do you tend to confront things head-on and get to the bottom of things, or do you prefer avoidance and letting things remain buried? How did this preference shape your reception of the novel and its characters?
• “The truth doesn’t matter” is a recurring phrase and motif in the novel, carrying different meanings at different times. Do you resonate with this? Has this been the experience in your life?
• Lucy is a loyal friend until the very end, protecting Savvy’s secrets; however, this has detrimental effects on her own mental health and personal relationships. Where do you draw the line between helping others and ensuring your own peace of mind? Do you think it would have helped Lucy to share the truth about Savvy, or would it have worsened her situation?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• True crime as a podcast genre has become extremely popular in contemporary times. What are the benefits and drawbacks of this genre of media? What factors might contribute to its popularity?
• How does Tintera explore the unreliability of memory and perception through Lucy’s story? What implications does this have about the believability of alleged survivors and perpetrators, both in society at large and within the confines of the justice system?
• Lucy chooses to stay with Matt despite his abuse. How do you understand this decision in the context of real-world domestic abuse? What causes people who experience abuse to stay in abusive relationships? 

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• The novel largely follows Lucy’s point of view but also includes transcripts of the interviews Ben conducts for his podcast. Lucy’s memory loss automatically makes her an unreliable narrator; how would you classify the other points of view? How do they build up and maintain the element of mystery in the story?
• Despite Ben only having known Lucy for a short while, he immediately believed her version of events when he found her with Emmett. Why do you think this is so? What is Tintera trying to underline about how and when survivors are believed?
• Numerous different perceptions exist about the relationship that Savvy and Lucy shared, and the memory that Lucy has of their friendship spells something different altogether. How does this gap develop the novel’s broader ideas about perception versus reality?
• Examine how Lucy’s relationship with her parents speaks to the role of validation in the process of recovery and healing from trauma.
• What stance does the novel take on the distinction between truth and fact, particularly in the contexts of justice and morality? Which elements of the plot, characterization, etc. contribute to this depiction? 

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Imagine you were tasked with adapting this book into a movie. Whom would you cast in the roles of Savvy, Lucy, Emmett, Matt, and Ben, and why?
• How do you think the story might have played out if Savvy and Lucy had switched roles? Do you think people would have believed Savvy’s version of events over Emmett’s or Matt’s? Why or why not?
• If you were to create and host a podcast, what would it be about, and which special guests would you like to have on your show?

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