Lisa Scottoline joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her new novel, THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, a domestic thriller centered on female friendship, murder and identity. A Bookreporter Bets On selection, it features two best friends — Julia and Courtney — who investigate the murder of Courtney's grandmother in rural Pennsylvania.
Lisa describes the book as the "twistiest" she has ever written, with multiple layers of plot and character development. The friendship between Julia and Courtney is the emotional core of the story. They met in high school as outsiders and have sustained each other ever since. Lisa says that female friendships are often undervalued despite being a primary source of support through life's challenges. She highlights this line from the book: "Maybe girlfriends are there to fill in your blind spot." Bennie Rosato, who was in 17 of Lisa's previous novels, adds a third strong female voice and embodies the theme of fighting for justice over mere legal compliance.
Lisa also shares details about the various locations in the book. The historical setting is not decorative but thematically essential, connecting personal history, regional history and national history. The audiobook features five narrators — Maria Marquis, Kate Burton (Richard Burton's daughter, who again is voicing the character of Bennie Rosato), Soneela Nankani, Stacy Carolan and Max Meyers — which marks the first time that Lisa has used a multicast format.
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Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald
Edited by Jordan Redd Productions
