The podcast is an important recurring motif throughout the book. It is the vehicle the author uses to introduce the book’s central storyline. Savvy’s murder takes place five years before the book’s timeline, but Lucy is forced to reckon with it in the present when the cold case becomes the subject of the podcast.

The podcast format additionally contributes to the narrative structure of the book. The story is largely told through Lucy’s perspective, both in the present day and in flashbacks; these portions of the story are also narrated in first-person voice. In contrast, the podcast chapters interspersed throughout the book are presented as straight transcripts of the episodes. This change of lens, along with the range of perspectives presented in these chapters, offers glimpses into the minds of the other characters in the book. Furthermore, the podcast episodes offer the reader background as well as set the stage for important revelations, as they act as a medium to rehash the case and present new information.

Finally, the name of the podcast, Listen for the Lie, is particularly significant, and the book derives its title from here. It refers to the true crime

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