
Bestselling mystery novel 'Listen for the Lie' is coming to TV
True crime podcast lovers, bookworms and mystery series fans will all find something of interest in 'Listen for the Lie,' the latest hit book to get the TV treatment.
Universal will adapt the thriller novel into a drama series of the same name, the studio announced Sunday at the L.A. Times Festival of Books.
Author Amy Tintera's bestseller, published last March, follows Lucy on her quest to solve best friend Savvy's murder, in which she is the prime suspect. The TV series, written by Rachel Shukert ("Nine Perfect Strangers," "The Baby-Sitters Club") and executive produced by Tintera, Shukert and Dinner Party Productions' Sue Naegle and Ali Krug ("Pam & Tommy"), is in development at UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Read more: Everything you should know about Hollywood's new book boom
At the start of the novel, it's been five years since Lucy was found wandering the streets covered in her best friend Savvy's blood shortly after she was murdered. After moving to L.A. to start a new life, Lucy is forced to revisit her small Texas hometown — and the circumstances of Savvy's death — when the host of the hit true crime podcast 'Listen for the Lie' makes the case the focus of his next investigation.
Tintera, Naegle, Shukert and Jordan Moblo, the executive vice president of creative acquisitions and IP management at Universal Studio Group, first announced the project Sunday at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, where the group joined The Times' Matt Brennan for a panel discussion about book-to-TV adaptation titled 'A Novel Approach to a Television Series.'
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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As Universal Orlando put the finishing touches on its $7 billion new gate, Epic Universe, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay had an announcement too. The Tampa theme park and Adventure Island, its accompanying water park, will spend $40 million to fund a new attraction and restaurant, as well as improvements to other eateries, shade, pathways, restrooms and more. That's an impressive sum of money — until you compare it to what's being spent across Interstate 4, said Robert Niles, founder of Theme Park Insider, an industry publication. Busch Gardens, he said, is going to have to provide what Disney and Universal are not: great deals for locals, who are becoming an increasingly important customer niche. 'It's honestly ridiculous in this industry when you think about it sometimes,' he said. 'Because $40 million is a lot of money. It's just that in the Central Florida theme park industry, $40 million ain't anything anymore. ... If you're in this business and you're saying 'I've got $40 million,' that's like, meh. They found that in the lint trap over at Disney.' Niles said it was easier 10 years ago for Busch Gardens to lure Central Florida visitors. Families might spend a few days at Disney and Universal, then head west for the beach and a pit stop at Busch Gardens, which boasted larger, more thrilling coasters than its Orlando counterparts. But with Epic Universe, Universal aims to become a weeklong destination for tourists, set designers and producers said before its opening last month. Universal is catching up in the coaster department, with new entries Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Stardust Racers. On-site hotel deals and cheaper multi-day tickets are keeping tourists rooted in the park they chose as their primary destination. 'A decade ago, people were saying, 'We're going on vacation to Florida,'' Niles said. 'Now Disney and Universal want a Disney and Universal trip. That's making it really tough on a lot of other attractions around the state that used to be able to ride the coattails.' United Parks & Resorts, Busch Gardens' parent company, also owns SeaWorld Orlando. The company posted a net loss that has deepened since the same time last year in its most recent earnings report. Still, there are reasons to remain optimistic about Busch Gardens, experts said. The park has a new president, Jeff Davis, who wants to tout recent investments and offerings. Wild Oasis, a massive, netted kids' play area that rivals Universal's Islands of Adventure's Camp Jurassic, is expected to open soon. Busch Gardens initially set an opening day of Friday, June 6 for Wild Oasis — just two weeks after Epic Universe launched. But on Thursday, a spokesperson said the opening timeline has been shifted back. It's now unclear when visitors will see the new attraction. 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'I assure you, I will be at Wild Oasis before I go to Epic Universe,' he said.
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