Listen for the Lie

by Amy Tintera

What true crime podcasts, TV, or movies did you consume while working on the book? I listened to Serial for a second time before I started writing, because, like a lot of people, the investigation into the murder of Hae Min Lee was my first true crime podcast. Season one of Up and Vanished, about the disappearance of Tara Grinstead, was also a big one for me—I had just started forming the character of Ben, and listening to that podcast helped me start to home in on the voice and style. To Live and Die in L.A., investigating the murder of Adea Shabani, had just aired as I was writing the first draft, and I found that one incredibly helpful as well. I also watched both seasons of Fleabag for the first time right before I started seriously working on the book, which was excellent timing, because I knew immediately that I wanted to strike a similar tone. I’d hoped to find a balance between a serious mystery and a black comedy, which seemed like a huge challenge. But the way Fleabag was so effortlessly hilarious while dealing with grief and a doomed romance was very inspiring.