Title: None of This is True
Author: Lisa Jewell
Publisher: Century
Synopsis:
Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.
Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.
But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.
Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?
My review:
None of this is true is yet another amazing release from a consistently great author! Lisa Jewell never fails to deliver captivating reads, and this book is no exception. In fact, it’s easily one of my favourites by her!
None of this is true is a thrilling, dark, and addictive tale. While it may start off at a slower pace, don’t let that discourage you. Jewell’s writing style is so engaging that it’s impossible to put down. The story revolves around two main characters: the mysterious and peculiar Josie Fair, and Alix Summers, a well-known podcaster. Their lives are vastly different, but they cross paths one evening while celebrating their 45th birthdays in contrasting ways. Josie becomes obsessed when she realizes Alix is her “birthday twin.”
I don’t want to spoil too much because I genuinely believe that the less you know going in, the better. Jewell had me completely engrossed in the narrative, even though many of the characters are seemingly ordinary and Josie appears to lead a relatively mundane life. Each character felt authentic and multidimensional, adding to the realism of the story.
Jewell skillfully unveils more details about Jodie and Alix’s relationship and their individual lives, keeping readers guessing about what really happened. The story is filled with delightful twists and a growing sense of unease as we gradually uncover the truth.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the alternating chapters from Alix and Josie’s perspectives, interspersed with podcast transcripts and scenes from the Netflix documentary titled ‘Hi, I’m your birthday twin!’ The inclusion of a podcast and documentary within the book added an extra layer of intrigue and made for a unique reading experience.
I devoured this book in no time at all. It’s incredibly engaging, just like all the Lisa Jewell novels I’ve read so far, and I found it absolutely brilliant.
My rating: 5/5
None of This is True is released on 20 July 2023. Buy it online on bookshop.org or Waterstones.
Many thanks to the publisher, Century, for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest review.
Oh wow! Seeing you give this 5 stars makes me excited. I’ve read a couple of Lisa Jewell books before. I’ve loved one, gave another one three stars and another one 2 stars. So it’s been a bit of a rocky road. I do have this one on my TBR. It sounds amazing. I love that there’s a podcast involved and even a Netflix show. This sounds really fun and enjoyable. I can’t wait to pick it up.
Glad to hear it! Will be interested to hear what you think of this one when/if you do read it then if you’ve had mixed experiences with others! Hopefully you enjoy ☺️👍🏼 thanks! X