Many greatthriller books hit shelves in 2024, butStephen King’s praise for one, in particular, serves as a compelling reason to pick it up. Thebest thriller books of 2024included stories by well-known authors, like Riley Sager and Freida McFadden, as well as novels that served as debuts. AndListen for the Lie, Amy Tintera’s adult debut, was among last year’s most impressive additions to the genre. Its 4.10Goodreadsrating and Goodreads Choice Awards nominations speak to its quality, but so does its promising blurb from King.

King is known for recommending horror and thriller books, whether it’s by blurbing them or sharing his reviews online. Considering his own success in these categories, readers can typically be confident in the stories he hypes up. King has had positive things to say aboutthriller hits likeLock Every Doorby Riley SagerandSharp Objectsby Gillian Flynn. And more recently,he took the time to highlight the strengths ofListen for the Lie,reminding readers of why they need to pick up this book.

Stephen King sitting against a gray backdrop with his chin propped on his fist

Stephen King’s Praise For Listen For The Lie Nails Why It’s A Can’t-Miss Thriller

Its Twists & Pacing Make It A Great Book To Dive Into

Listen for the Lieis one of the 2024 thriller releases to receive a blurb from King, andhis thoughts on Tintera’s first adult novel nail why it’s a must-read for thriller fans. King’s praise forListen for the Lie(viaMacmillan) covers multiple elements of the story, highlighting its main character, plot twists, and pacing — all things that can make or break a thriller’s narrative. The horror author suggested that readers will have a great time with this one, plowing through it fairly easily:

“Listen for the Lieis a page-turner from the first sentence to the very last. In addition to being a world-class whodunit, full of carefully doled-out twists, Lucy is a terrific character, feisty and funny and, it turns out, brave as hell. It’s great fun. Readers will rip through this one.”

Listen for the Lie cover featuring a red background, white title text, and blurbs from Stephen King, Liane Moriarty, and Alice Feeney

King’s comments aboutListen for the Liering true, and its premise alone is enough to ensnare readers. The novel follows Lucy, who was found covered in her best friend’s blood years earlier — but doesn’t have any recollection of how that came to be. Naturally, Lucy’s small-town neighbors believe she’s guilty of killing the other girl. But Lucy doesn’t look too closely at the mystery behind Savvy’s death until a true-crime podcast begins investigating it. Once Lucy does commit to figuring out what happened,Listen for the Liebecomes exactly what King claims: a twisty, fast-paced read that keeps you guessing.

Listen For The Lie Is Easily One Of The Best Thriller Books Of 2024

Its Characters, Tone, & Format Cement It As A Standout

The surprises scattered throughoutListen for the Liemake it an effective thriller, but its realistic and engaging characters, snarky tone, and format — which works podcast chapters into the story — all serve to make it a standout 2024 release.These strengths work together to cementListen for the Lieas one of the genre’s best offerings from last year, even against more heavily anticipated new releases.Stephen King’s comments speak to the success of Tintera’s newest novel, and with any luck, we’ll see more adult thrillers from the author. In the meantime, this one’s a must-read.

Headshot Of Stephen King