Release date: March 10, 2026
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Narrators: Julia Whelan & Sean Patrick Hopkins
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 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.
Review:
This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum is one of those rare debuts that feels completely confident in what it’s doing. Blending mystery, romance, and deeply layered friendship drama, it refuses to sit neatly in one genre and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling. At its heart are Joy and Benny, beloved podcast hosts who built an empire around telling “against all odds” survival stories. When Joy disappears and Benny becomes the prime suspect, the story spirals into something far more complex than a standard missing person thriller. It’s emotional, surprising, and intensely character driven in a way that keeps you turning pages (or in my case, glued to my headphones).
The audiobook production elevates the experience even further. Because the novel centers on podcast hosts, the format cleverly leans into that medium delivering sections in a way that feels immersive and authentic. Julia Whelan shines as Joy (as she so often does), bringing nuance, warmth, and vulnerability to every layer of her character. There’s a reason she’s one of the most popular narrators in the industry. Sean Patrick Hopkins adds an emotional depth to Ben that truly tugs at the heartstrings, especially as suspicion tightens around him. Together, they make the story feel intimate and immediate.
What impressed me most is how multidimensional Joy and Benny are. Their bond feels real—messy, loyal, complicated, and at times painfully fragile. The podcast premise is fascinating on its own, but it’s the secrets beneath the surface that give this story its emotional weight. For a debut, this is wildly assured storytelling; engaging, unique, and filled with moments that genuinely surprised me. If you love character driven suspense with heart, this is one to add to your list.
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 