This Story Might Save Your Life

by Tiffany Crum

"Both a riveting mystery and a love story, This Story Might Save Your Life is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year." —Amy Tintera, New York Times bestselling author of Listen for the Lie

“A heart-pounding thriller and a heart-melting romance, this is the most compelling novel I’ve read in years. Brace yourselves for a full body experience.” —Annabel Monaghan, New York Times bestselling author of It’s a Love Story

Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different “against all odds” survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy’s experience with severe narcolepsy, they’ve been the best friends everyone wants to befriend—and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy’s husband, Xander, they’ve built a lucrative empire.

The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander’s one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple’s disappearance is the incomplete, previously unseen first draft of Joy’s memoir. Benny will stop at nothing to find them, even as the police zero in on him as their prime suspect.

Millions of devoted listeners think they know the “real” Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world—and from each other.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook, Suspense

368 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Tiffany Crum is the author of This Story Might Save Your Life, forthcoming in March 2026 from Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar. A longtime Californian, she now lives in Atlanta with her husband, sons, and dogs.

Reviews

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang on while I swoon! A truly magical novel full of poignant friendships, manipulative liars, and well-hidden secrets, This Story Might Save Your Life was beyond a slam dunk for this thriller lover. From the puzzle-like mystery to the onion-like plotting, while the storyline was complete and utter perfection, the characters were what made this book dig itself deep into my soul. I mean, who wouldn’t fall in love with Benny and Joy? With their playful banter, which was packed with sarcastic humor, and their easy way with one another, I quickly fell in love with both of them in turn thanks to their dual POVs. That being said, once the shit hit the fan, not even they were above my side-eye glances of outright suspicion. After all, I knew that there were some serious things going down in this fracturing—or blossoming—love story of three. Heart-rending and dark, it had that *chef’s kiss* feel that you only find in a truly special novel.

What exactly, though, made me fly through the pages at an ever increasing speed? Well, between the shocking, plot-shifting twists and the huge number of cliffhanger chapters, this book was the epitome of nuanced charm and spine-tingling chills. Somehow walking the line just so between a B.A. Paris-esque domestic thriller and a heart-melting romance in the vein of Jeneva Rose, it had everything I look for when adding a book to my list of the top books of the year. With a constant sense of impending doom and backstories that not only fleshed out the characters but added some much-loved complexity to the underlying mystery of what happened to Joy, my fingers flew through the chapters as I yearned to learn all of the whos, whats, and whys. All said and done, I am utterly blown away by this stunning debut and can’t wait to see what this insanely talented author comes up with next! Rating of 5+ stars.

SYNOPSIS:

Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different “against all odds” survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy’s experience with severe narcolepsy, they’ve been the best friends everyone wants to befriend—and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy’s husband, Xander, they’ve built a lucrative empire.

The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander’s one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple’s disappearance is the incomplete, previously unseen first draft of Joy’s memoir. Benny is desperate to find them, even when the police soon zero in on him as their prime suspect.

Millions of devoted listeners think they know the “real” Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world—and from each other.

Thank you to Tiffany Crum, Flatiron Books, and Lavender Public Relations for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: March 10, 2026

Content warning: narcolepsy, missing person, miscarriage, stalking, gaslighting, domestic abuse, miscarriage, violence, mention of: divorce, cancer

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did the audiobook in 24-hrs. I couldn’t put it down! It’s a bit of a genre bender and I recommend going in blindly and doing the audiobook!

[Kirk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joy to listen to on audiobook. Once I started listening to the audiobook of This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum, I couldn’t stop. I had to hit the pause button so that I could get a good night’s sleep. I usually listen to audiobooks while I fall asleep and I couldn’t resist listening to it so I had to listen to white noise instead. The narrators, Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins, are spectacular and enhanced the story. I’m not a romance lover and the amount of romance is minimal or maybe I just blocked it out. The audio production of the podcast recordings, the narration and the memoir made it immersive. I picked up the audiobook on the second day and finished it. I hope that all readers will get caught up in this mystery and join the hunt in the disappearance of Joy Moore. ALC was provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[LibraryLaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I took a chance on a debut author. This was so, so good. I highly recommend it!

*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nanterry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was invited to read an early copy and loved the book! The relationship of the main characters, Joy and Benny, is magical. I usually don’t choose books with this much of a thriller aspect, but this one had me immensely intrigued. What a nice combination of interesting characters, beautiful writing and suspense!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work at Macmillan and received this arc from a colleague. Devoured this in basically 24 hours. Such a multilayered that will keep you guessing and will leave you hungry for more.

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not full review

#ad much love for my advance copy and the portable speaker @flatironbook #partner #flatironpartner
& @macmillan.audio #partner for the ALC

This Story Might Save Your Life
< @
Releases: March 10, 2026

Bonus! I don’t know if you’ve ever tried listening to an audiobook on a Bluetooth speaker but fun fact a lot of speakers can’t play audiobooks. They skip and it makes it annoying to listen to. But this speaker works like a charm and I love the light. THE BEST book swag I’ve ever received.

Also! On of our own is featured in this audiobook! @redreadreview HOW COOL IS THAT?! So excited for her! Check out her post here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR1ztr...

𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙳𝙾𝙴𝚂𝙽'𝚃 𝙺𝙸𝙻𝙻 𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙴𝚂 𝚈𝙾𝚄...𝙰 𝚂𝚄𝚁𝚅𝙸𝚅𝙾𝚁.

“Be kind, friends. You never know what someone is going through,” (p. 210).

Benny and Joy do a podcast together, but then Joy slips him a note saying she wants to stop. Now Joy and her husband are missing and it’s on Benny to find out what happened to her. There’s also the fact that Joy was about to divorce her husband.

Love this book!

🎧: Also listened while following along and highly recommend this audio. It’s full cast and such a fun and fab listen. I loved the podcast blips. It also had the tip line parts that the arc didn’t have.

Loved all the random weird facts.

A solid mystery wrapped in a compelling plot with fantastic characters. Loved it all.

Mem
Punch Me! 😂😂😂😂😂

Password protected file Benny needs to get into.

Was it a stalker, her husband, or someone else?

[Laraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you serious…this is a debut?! This is the kind of book people will be calling their top read of 2026, and I already know it’s going to live rent free in my head for a long time. I cannot recommend the audio enough. The narration by Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins is incredibly immersive and adds so much depth to the story, especially the playful banter and sharp humor between Benny and Joy as a famous podcast duo. Their chemistry feels real, lived in, and emotionally rich, which makes everything that unfolds hit even harder. When Joy goes missing, the story turns into a suspenseful puzzle as Benny tries to piece together the truth, only for the tension to skyrocket when he becomes a suspect himself. What starts as a mystery slowly transforms into something deeper, blending friendship, love, secrets, and lies into a thriller that completely bends genres. Part beautiful love story and part twisty domestic suspense, this is the kind of book you stay up way too late listening to because you have to know what happens next. Go in blind if you can, hit play on the audio, and trust me when I say everyone is going to be talking about this one come March.

[Jindi (readingwithcaffeine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In all my years of reading I think this is the first time I’ve ever started a year off with a 5 star read. Considering I requested this on NetGalley on a whim without reading any reviews or the synopsis (honestly I was mostly intrigued by the title) and it’s a DEBUT novel, there was really no way of knowing how this reading experience would go.

Spoiler alert: I LOVED IT. I skipped lunch today to keep reading, I don’t think I’ve ever been so engrossed in a storyline to skip a meal??? It’s the perfect mix of all my favourite genres, it’s part thriller, part romance and man it all works so well. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s so beautiful written that you will struggle to tear your eyes away from the pages. If you’re a fan of books with that podcast element, this is definitely one of the very best I’ve come across yet. I can only imagine how brilliant the audio version will be!!!!

I can’t tell you which POV or timeline I enjoyed more because ALL of them had me flying through the pages for answers. Everything is so perfectly wrapped up by the end and is more than satisfactory, I literally have zero complaints. This may not be for everyone expecting a traditional thriller, but for anyone who loves a good romance subplot - you’re in for such a treat. I can’t wait for this to hit shelves, I already know it’s going to be the book everyone is talking about!!!! Tiffany, I need you to start your next book ASAP!!!!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect perfect perfect

rtc

[morgan! · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love picking a random arc from the work shelf and finding out it’s a page turning mystery with a love subplot !! i would definitely be subscribed to their podcast

[Kelsey Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whip-smart mystery. A love story that lingers. This Story Might Save Your Life is as clever as it is heartfelt, with sparkling prose, characters you can’t help but love, and a suspenseful puzzle at its core. Tiffany Crum's debut—and what a debut!—had me feverishly turning pages, and when it ended, I found myself wishing I could stay in her world just a little longer.

[Kristen Giang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling and heartfelt read from start to finish. I just fell in LOVE with Benny and Joy. Everybody wishes they had this friendship. But once everything starts falling apart, I really had no idea what was going to happen. Great pacing. I couldn’t stop reading. And the podcast is so fun! I would listen to this podcast for real!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve now read this book twice and cannot get enough of Benny and Joy. I had all the feels and immediately told my friends they have to read it when it comes out. This book has it all! Love!

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best audiobooks of the year! This mystery-thriller has it all, including a love triangle, humor, and very likable leads. The audiobook experience can't be beat, since a significant part of the story revolves around Benny and Joy's podcast (entitled "This Podcast Might Save Your Life"), and we listen to them recording it. It's also about Joy and her husband, Xander; Xander and his sister, their podcast producer; and the backgrounds of all four main characters. The author does an excellent job of slowly revealing information that changed my perception and understanding of the narrative, keeping me guessing until the end. While there were many difficult subjects touched upon, they were handled in a sensitive way that seemed, if not expected, at least integral to the story. Compulsive listening at its best. I am looking forward to more by this author.
My gratitude to the author @TiffanyCrum, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #ThisStoryMightSaveYourLife for review purposes. Pre-order the audiobook now - you won't want to miss this one! Publication date is 10 March 2026.

[Holly (hollylovesbooks1519) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, #Partner @flatiron_books @pineandcedar_books for my #gifted copy. Pub date 3/10/26.

This was an amazing debut by #TiffanyCrum. I would have thought this was written by a seasoned author because it was written so well. I loved how the story and timeline were set up and it kept me guessing until the very end. This book was nothing as I suspected, but in the best possible way. It was a mystery love story, and it definitely worked. Definitely add this one to your TBR!

Benny and Joy are the bestest friends in the world and they also host a very popular podcast. When Joy goes missing, Benny has to piece together clues to help find her before it's too late, only problem is the cops have their eyes on him. 4.5 stars!

[Janelle Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so so good!!! This book was so heartwarming, and yet also heartwrenching. The best friends were adorable! 🥰 The mystery kept me guessing all the way up until the end (and what a great ending 😱). I definitely recommend it! 😚🤌💕

[Arenal · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: I got an ARC copy of this book mailed to me from a Goodreads giveaway.*

This book BLEW ME AWAY. I always love a good mystery, and the twists and turns in this one were the perfect mix of surprising while also making complete sense in retrospect. It was also SUCH a fun surprise to pick up a random mystery book and find out that one of the main characters has narcolepsy! (I have a somewhat similar sleep disorder, and it was cool to see a sleep-related chronic illness show up in a book I hadn't chosen for that reason.) I highly recommend this book!

[Jennifer Carlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am head over heels in love with Benny and Joy! This book was a show stopper from start to finish. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t wait to get back to reading it when I had to pause for such mundane things as work and food. I am NOT giving any spoilers but just trust me, you do not want to miss this book when it comes out!

[Heather Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got my hands on an early copy of this book, and I couldn’t put it down! Loved the characters who are multi faceted and storyline kept me engaged. Can’t wait for it to be released!!!

[Maggie Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this debut novel! I couldn’t put it down

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25⭐️ Wow, I really enjoyed this one! I was drawn to it because I’ve been on a kick lately with plots involving podcasting and seeing how authors integrate that element into the story—especially in audio format. Thankfully, I received both the eARC and the audiobook, which allowed me to do an immersion read.

The book is told in dual POV, primarily following best friends Joy Moore through memoir-style entries that span a 12-year timeline. These are interwoven with present-day chapters from Benny Abbott, which unfold over the course of eight days, ultimately leading to an ending set a little over a year in the future. I found this structure to be incredibly effective—it kept me engaged and constantly wanting to know more.

While I did start to anticipate where the story was heading fairly early on, it didn’t diminish my enjoyment. This is one of those cases where the how mattered more than the what, and the execution kept me fully invested even when I suspected the outcome.

The audio completely pulled me in and, in many ways, made the book for me. The audio engineering was especially well done, with distinct sound effects used to clearly delineate the podcast segments and recordings.

The audiobook is narrated by Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins, and both were outstanding. Their chemistry in the dual narration genuinely made me smile. At times, it felt less like fiction and more like listening to a true crime podcast.

The book does tackle some heavier topics, which added realism and emotional weight to the story. I also really appreciated the found family element—the way various friends and acquaintances came together around a shared goal brought warmth and heart to the narrative.

Overall, this was a gripping and immersive listening experience, and I would absolutely recommend the audiobook format if you have the option.

I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC and eARC from MacMillian Audio and Flat Iron Books via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.

⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me as it has way too many issues; I never DNF ARCs but would have had it not been one.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a debut we have on our hands.

This was the perfect mix of mystery, thriller, and romance. Joy and Benny have incredible chemistry on their podcast This Story Might Save Your Life, which makes sense given they’ve been best friends for years. Their friendship lets them broach hard topics through hypothetical riddles like “what would you do if your best friend…” a semi-joking way to ask the questions people usually avoid. Eventually, they bring this format to the podcast, and it takes off.

Things are going really well. We’re talking the fictional version of My Favorite Murder good. Live shows, merch, money…everything is clicking. Until Joy and her husband disappear.

What Crum unravels over the next 368 pages is insanely good. She blends love stories (both platonic and romantic), the slow isolation that comes with fame, a serious health condition, and a darkly accurate portrayal of how abuse and domestic violence quietly take hold. You never really know what’s going to happen next, and somehow that works so well here because every character is so well written. You hang on every thought, every possibility, keeping your mind spinning and the guesses coming.

[Susie (rekroceisusreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Story Might Save Your Life is a great, twisty debut thriller about two friends and podcasters, Benny and Joy. When Joy goes missing, Benny is determined and will stop at nothing to find her.

This is a thriller that I highly recommend listening to over eyeball reading, because the subject matter and content is brought to life through podcast snippets, phone calls, and excerpts from the unpublished memoir Joy was working on when she went missing. There is a great cast of characters, twists, turns, and red herrings that were really well done. The book hit a lull for me between the 40-60% mark, and then popped off until the end.

Julia Whelan’s performance was phenomenal as expected, and Sean Patrick Hopkins was also very good. Their recording chemistry was unmatched and felt so organic and realistic, especially in the podcast snippets.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the early listening experience.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the release of Story Might Save Your Life on March 10, 2026!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC of This Story Might Save Your Life!
First, the narrators are AMAZING! I love how in character they get for the podcast pieces! This was amazingly done and fantastically cast!
For the actual book, I loved it! I feel like I have gotten in the funk of devouring popcorn thrillers. This one will actually stay with you for a bit. I finished it two days ago and wanted to give myself time to see if I was still thinking about the book, and to my pleasant surprise, I have been!
I loved the take on narcolepsy and becoming a dependent partner. I loved the take on friendship and how relationships can shift and change. Probably the best thriller I read this year... and with only 2 days left in the year, that's saying something.

[Destiny || readingisyourdestiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! Especially the audio! Julia Whelan and Sean Patrick Hopkins as a duo cannot be beat! The story held me captive the whole time!

[jess_bin_it · Rating 5 out of 5]

i requested this book on netgalley purely on the blurb and let me tell you, it absolutely blew me away. it was a little slow to get into but i loved the way that we were slowly finding out information and the ending is absolutely incredible! i read the last 60% in one sitting, and is most definitely one of my favourite books that i’ve read this year. would recommend this book to everyone!!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story might keep you up all night. What an absolutely addictive page-turner! Just when you think you might be able to turn out the light, another chapter ends with another challenge: how are you going to quit now? The bonds of friendship, family, and marriage are tested again and again as a couple goes missing without any apparent reason -- until the chapters of a soul-baring memoir begin to reveal what might have gone wrong. This Story Might Save Your Life is intimate, fast-paced, twisty, and completely satisfying.

Review of ARC from NetGalley

[Hailey Stracener · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC which I’m so grateful for. I don’t typically read mystery/ thriller books but this book blew my expectations out of the water. I loved the dual POV, back and forth timeline of events it kept my mind engaged with the story. I loved the romance set up. Honestly would’ve loved a little more as a romance girly, but it was the perfect amount to have me invested in the romance and characters. I like how every character was important to the story, and played a role. I loved the slow unveiling of domestic violence, it was so subtly uncovered it felt so real. The denial and downplaying of DV really made joys character feel real. I love that she’s such a well made and smart FMC. I had so many running theories throughout the book about what had happened and who caused the disappearance but I was wrong. I really enjoyed being wrong, it wasn’t predictable at all. The story is incredibly well wrapped up and tied all loose ends. The only part that threw me a bit (and maybe that’s the point) was the hallucination at the DV shelter. Overall I am so impressed this the novel and will look out for future works by this author. What a debut!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me in a stranglehold right from the very beginning! The suspense made me not want to put it down, but the underlying sweetness of Benny and Joy’s relationship made me want it to never end. I loved it!!