Listen for the Lie

I read this book, but I think listening to the audiobook may have given me a richer experience of the story. A podcast is at the heart of the novel and the perspective alternates between the first person narration of the protagonist and the podcast episodes which are being publicly released as the story progresses. It's an engaging mystery which hinges on lost memories and the protagonist not knowing whether she murdered her friend. While some elements of the story feel realistic, some characters and the town itself feel over the top and fantastical. Keeping this in mind, it's a quick read and compelling illustration of how trauma causes lost memories through disassociation - and how others may "gaslight" the traumatized for malevolent ends. Sounds heavy, yet the novel has a sense of humor and self-deprecating awareness which keeps it entertaining too.